<center><strong>HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP</strong></center>
Jefferson township was organized in 1847 and named in honor of the distinguished statesman and president, Thomas Jefferson. The first township election was held at the house of Henry Baker, now owned by Jonathan C. Barkley.
The township contains valuable quantities of coal as well as an abundance of limestone. Vast quantities of maple syrup are annually made in this township and shipped to distant markets.
The early settlers were few in number and the progress of improvement was very gradual. Among the first to penetrate the forests and lay the foundations for a settlement were: James Allen, Conrad Shaulis, Adam Flick, John Mason and Nicholas Barron; along with William Jones, George Gardner, Peter Bucher and George Bucher. These early settlers found the land heavily timbered, game abundant and a fertile soil, difficult to subdue. Hardship and toil met them but with energetic labor and perserverance, they succeeded in creating homesteads.
Others settling in the township were:
David Lohr came from Westmoreland county in 1825, bought a mill in the northwestern part of the township which he operated until 1872.
Daniel Bauman came in 1840 and purchased a 300 acre farm from Reuben Tedrow.
Joseph L. Miller moved from Summit township in 1859 and purchased a farm of Jacob Young.
Caspar Jacob emigrated from Germany at the age of 20 and settled here in 1854, engaging in shoemaking.
Henry Schlag, a native of Germany, came to this county in 1834 and purchased Daniel Baker\’s farm at a sheriff\’s sale.
John L. Gardner moved here from Middlecreek in 1865. Previously a teacher, he became a school director and held other township trusts.
William Hartman came from Westmoreland county in 1872 and purchased land from Ludwig Theal. He went west in 1877 but returned the following year.
William P. Hay located in this township in 1872, purchasing the George Scott farm.
The area of Jefferson township is 25, 432 acres or about thirty-nine and three-fourths square miles. In 1930, it contained 117 farms and a had a population of 889 persons. The Bakersville Trout Nursery was established on the waters of Kooser Run near the central part of the township and Bakersville is the principal town.
(Source: partially extracted from History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Counties, PA; 1884)
<center><strong>BIOGRAPHIES</strong></center>
<a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570917″><u>Henry Baker</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,363885,363885#msg-363885″><u>George Barclay Jr</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570916″><u>Jacob Barkley</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,363885,363885#msg-363885″><u>Jonathan G. Barclay</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,363926,363926#msg-363926″><u>Peter F. Brugh</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570913″><u>Gabriel Christner</u></a><br>
<a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,363916,363916#msg-363916″><u>David Gardner</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570918″><u>George Gardner</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,363964,363964#msg-363964″><u>John L. Gardner</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570914″><u>Christian L. Miller</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570915″><u>Matthias Scott</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570920″><u>Conrad Shaulis</u></a><br>
<a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,570919″><u>Samuel Shaulis</u></a>
<center><strong>CHURCHES</strong></center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=103″><u>German Baptist</u></a> – <a href=”articles.php?article_id=102″><u>Mount Zion Evangelical Lutheran</u></a>
<center><strong>TAX LISTS</strong></center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=99″><u>1847</u></a>
<center><strong>TOWNS & VILLAGES</strong></center>
<strong>Bakersville</strong>
Located near the central part of the township, Bakersville was founded in 1847 by Henry Baker, one of the early settlers and a large landowner. He built a gristmill, large distillery and also ran a successful tavern. It was around these that the village eventually grew. Bakersville has always been the business center and post office of the township.
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