About The Portrait Gallery

     On May 12, 1893, the Somerset Standard introduced a new feature entitled “The Portrait Gallery.” It was announced on the front page with these words:

     “In this issue of the Standard we introduce a new feature—one that will probably be the most popular ever introduced in any newspaper in this county. We refer to the local Portrait Gallery, which is opened this week with the portrait and biographical sketch of District Attorney J.A. Berkey. Having said nothing concerning this new feature prior to its introduction it may be proper at this time to briefly state our purpose.

     “We shall print each week a portrait of some resident of this county, accompanied by a sketch similar in character to that printed in this paper. This feature will be continued for an indefinite length of time—years probably, but certainly not less than a year. The subjects of our sketches shall not be confined to any particular town or locality, but will be taken here and there, from all parts of the county. The portraits will be true and the sketches as nearly accurate as it may be possible to get them, thus forming a record both interesting and invaluable to the people of this county, and those in other counties and states who may have friends or relatives residing here.

     “The record secured by this feature will alone be doubly worth the price of a year’s subscription to the Standard. Believing that many people of the county, and natives thereof who have moved to other counties and states, and who are not now subscribers, will desire to preserve this record and other news found in a good county paper, we have provided an ample supply of extra copies in order that new subscribers may be furnished with back numbers covering our Portrait-Gallery feature.”

Below is an alphabetical list of the portraits and biographical sketches that appear in the book:

William W. Baker, Somerset Twp.
Henry F. Barron, Somerset Twp.
James R. Barron, Barronvale
John A. Berkey, Jefferson Twp.
John W. Brown, Confluence
Henry Francis Cook, Confluence
N.B. Critchfield, New Lexington
Benjamin Abbott Fichtner, Confluence
Isaiah Good Somerset, Twp.
Sarah Gindlesparger, Stonycreek Twp.
John Hanna, Addison
William H. Hay, Meyersdale
William P. Hay, Jefferson Twp.
A.J. Hileman, Addison
Daniel J. Horner, Lincoln Twp.
Isaac Hugus, Somerset
Amos W. Knepper, Berlin
Oliver Knepper, Berlin
William H. Koontz, Somerset
H. Lincoln Martz, Southampton Twp.
Frank McDonald, Rockwood
Jacob McGregor, Shade Twp.
Washington Megahan, Somerset
Ephraim D. Miller, Rockwood
Jacob S. Miller, Quemahoning Twp.
Josiah H. Pisel, Somerset
Elmer Ellsworth Pugh, Somerset Twp.
William Reel, Shade Twp.
John J. Reynolds, Confluence
Gen. Moses Andrews Ross, Addison
Franklin P. Saylor, Stonycreek Twp.
Josiah Shafer, Allegheny Twp.
O.P. Shaver, Quemahoning Twp.
Samuel Shober, Brothersvalley Twp.
Isaac Simpson, Somerset
John H. Snyder, Stoystown
Daniel Stufft, Jenner Twp.
Sarah Alberta Tedrow, Milford Twp.
John A. Walter, Milford Twp.
William H. Welfley, Salisbury
David H. Wolfersberger, Rockwood