1856–An Eventful Year

The year is 1856. Why this year? There was no particular reason. We just happened to find this year available to us, so, we decided to find out what had happened at that time.

Perhaps the most controversial item was the coming presidential election. Our own state of Pennsylvania had one of its son's running for this office. However, there was much opposition to this man especially several groups who made a specialty of taking issue with a speech he had made while a United States Senator. He had stated that the manufacturers of the United States made products at nominal prices of our own inflated currency, and that he felt the companies should reduce their standard of prices in order to compete with other nations. As a result many posters and editorials appeared stating 50,000 laborers were wanted at 10 cents per day.

Another editorial predicted Buchanan's defeat. It was written that he would never sit in the presidential chair, that he would not carry a single New England state and in addition he would lose New York and Ohio by 100,000 majority. Editors predicted his stronghold had been torn from him and that he was as dead as an Egyptian mummy buried a thousand years before. How wrong they were. Fremont won 114 electoral votes while Buchanan received a count of 174.

We were amused at an ad of a local store which announced they had received a 'Fresh arrival of hooped skirts and materials'. A few issues later an item appeared which pointed out the dangers of wearing hooped skirts. As an example, the paper had a story of a lady who was caught in a severe wind storm. She was blown down a street in many gyrations, twists and turns. She finally landed between a lamp post and a fire hydrant. Her dignity had been injured and her 'somewhat' badly bruised. P.S. She survived! ! !

The Bedford Inquirer and Chronicle copied a story from 'The Spirit of the Times' called "Winning a Widow". There were several good suggestions for the bachelors in it. Following that was a column on "How to Pop the Question". This could have been a fore runner of 'Dear Abby'.

Under the International news was the pending marriage of Princess Royal of England, ( who was 16) to Prince Frederick of Prussia. (nine years her senior). Then there was an editorial on ‘The Troubles of a Dimocrat!

Several issues of this weekly publication cnnb ined a full page column on "Warning to Every Sensible Woman". The purpose of this ad was to suggest that every woman should buy "The Married Woman's Private Medical Companion", written by a doctor of women's diseases. Cost of this book was $2.50.

Two large sales of County interest appeared in the local news papers. The first announcement was dated January 11, 1856, concerning a sale of lots at Saxton. The Saxton Improvement Company was selling at public auction on January 22, at the new town of Saxton a large number of excellent building lots for the potential residents. Also arrangements were being made toward construction of a Turnpike road from Saxton to Martinsburg and Woodberry. Mr. James Saxton was president of this company.

The second announcement of a public sale was 1700 acres of valuable Broad Top Coal and Iron ore land and one-hundred town lots in the town of Coalmont. This auction was to be held at the Huntingdon and Broad Top Railroad on Wednesday April 16.

Several Hotel advertisements were found. The Globe Hotel on West Pitt Street, with Valentine Steckman proprietor. In another issue we found Mr. Steckman was proprietor of the Mengel House. They would take, boarders by the day, week, month or year, while John Hafer was the proprietor of the Bedford Hotel and General Stage Office.

The February 15th edition carried an interesting story on how the tune 'Yankee Doddle' got its name. It was composed by Dr. Shackburg who was attached to the British Army in 1755 when the troops of the Northern Colonies marched into Albany preparatory to the attack on the French posts at Niagara and Frontenac.

Bedford County had two schools which provided higher standards of education. The first was the Bedford Academy and Female Seminary, which was located on the corner opposite the present jail. It was incorporated March 20, 1810. The announcement stated the first session of the fifth year of the school year would open on Monday, second day of September. The courses and tuition were: Classics- $6.50 per quarter. Bookkeeping- $5.00, Higher English- $5.00. Middle English $4.50 and Elementary $4.00.

The other school told the public that the Trustees of the Allegheny Male and Female Seminary in Rainsburg (chartered March 26, 1853) would begin the second session of this institution on January 21. The session was to be divided into two quarters of twelve weeks without vacation. The classes and tuition were: Common English $3.00, to which .75c would be added for each higher branch. Each Ancient Language $1.25. Extra-Drawing and painting of the different varieties from $4.00 to $8.00. Also, lessons on Piano $10.00, Vocal music, two hours per week- $1.00, Incidentals .50c. Boarding could be secured at reasonable terms. We were amused that although the school was to begin in January, this same advertisement also appeared in the April 18th issue.

The May 23 issue contained almost a full page story of Davy Lewis, the famous robber who made history in this county. The four weekly issues of May carried a story that is still told by residents of this county. Hundreds of stories have appeared in newspapers about this calamity over the past century. The first news item was a reward of one-hundred dollars for finding the missing Cox children. All this happened in 1856.