PA Photos and Documents

The Somerset County Times made its debut on November 3, 1883. Introduced to the public as “a journal of independent thought” – as would be noted on page two of the following week’s edition in a paragraph attributed to the Johnstown Tribune – the four-page weekly was published every Saturday morning in Rockwood, Pennsylvania. Edward H. Werner, who had gained experience in publishing at the Meyersdale Commercial newspaper, served as its editor. Born in Meyersdale, Werner’s family moved to Rockwood during his childhood. He was assisted in his publication of The Somerset County Times by business manager R.H. Dull and composing room chief “Shorty” McGriff. Werner printed the newspaper through November 21, 1885, after which time he changed its name to The Times and moved its publication to Somerset. Affectionately dubbed “The Colonel” by his friends, Werner would spend most of his life in the newspaper publishing business before passing away in 1934 in his Somerset home.