Somerset, Ohio has seen many changes and has had its share of
memorable moments. Perhaps the most noteworthy event since the Civil War
was the unveiling of the Philip H. Sheridan Memorial Statue. On November
2, 1905 many dignitaries came from Columbus, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
for the event. As an individual described with child-like enthusiasm, "it
was like the 4th of July in November". Perhaps an appropriate
postscript to this event was the fact that the actual unveiling occurred four
hours after the scheduled time. There are some aspects about government in
general and ours in particular that are truly timeless.
It is an old adage that Republics are ungrateful, but this
fair country of ours is dotted with many enduring witnesses to the contrary, and
another is to be added to the number in the little town of Somerset, which
enjoys the distinction of being the boyhood home of General Phil Sheridan. The
monument is an equestrian statue of bronze, of heroic size, and was contracted
for by the Commission appointed by the Governor for the purpose of rearing a
monument. The Commission consisting of Hon. Tom Binckley, Rev. D. J. Kennedy,
O.P., and W. H. Walker, was appointed July 1st, 1904, and contracted with the
Harrison Granite Company of New York City, November 11th, 1904. The statue is
the work of Mr. Carl Heber of New York, who is said to be a sculptor of much
ability.
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The Sheridan Monument was delivered on a
flatbed railroad car. Sixteen draft horses, supplied by local farmers, were used
to bring it uptown from the railroad station located one half mile east of the
village square. The cannon in the picture above was donated to the
war effort during one of the many World War II scrap drives. |
The following are the dimensions of the monument: First base,
12 ft. 5 in. x 8 ft. 2 in.; 12 in. high. Second base, 10 in. high. Third base,
17 in. high. Die, 3ft. 9 in. high. Cap, 1 ft. 2 in. high. Full height of
granite, 8 ft. 2 in. The bronze figure, 8 ft. 6 in., full height of monument, 16
ft. 8 in.
THE SHERIDAN MONUMENT ACT.
This bill, number 368, was introduced by the Hon. Tom D.
Binckley, a member from Perry County, on the 14th of March, 1904. On the
following day, the 15th of March this Committee reported the bill back to the
House, at the same time recommending its passage. On the 29th of March it
received its third reading and was then placed upon its passage, receiving
eighty-two votes, there being no negative votes. On the same day it was messaged
over to the Senate and immediately received it’s first reading there. On the
30th of March it received its second reading in the Senate and was referred to
the Committee on Finance to the House with a recommendation for passage and a
suggestion that in the bill the word "native" in the phrase
"native town" be changed to "home," making it read
"home town."
On April 13th it was read the third time in the Senate,
placed upon its passage and passed by the following vote: Yeas, 27; nays 2. It
was then messaged back to the House and the House concurred in the Senate
Amendment by the following vote: Yeas, 77; nays, none; and went to the
Enrollment Committee on the 14th of April. It was reported back by Enrollment
Committee and on the 18th of April, 1904 the Binckley Bill was a completed thing
with the signatures of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate.
~ Sheridan Monument Dedication
