It is not certain why the name of an English county was chosen; tradition has it that the name Somerset was to honor d the name of one of the first settlers in the settlement, Mr.

who J/IeJ, [n fanuayy, 1967- Maurice SomersllgThat Mr. Somers was a first settler is in— disputable; however, there is some question concerning the spelling of his surname; in both the censuses of 1841 and

1861, and in the baptismal record of his son Martin in 1833,

his surname is Summers. (50)

In May, 1867 a post office was established at Somerset, with John R. Walsh as postmaster; (51) and a Small Debts Court with three commissioners: Michael Brenan, John McKever (sic) and John R. Walsh. (32) In July, 1867 Mr.

Owen Hughes was named Justice of the Peace in Somerset. (33)

These developemnts need to be seen in the context of certain political changes at the time. In February, 1867 the Conservative government led by James C. Pope was defeated and replaced by a Liberal government led by George Coles. (34) The Conservatives had failed to bring about a land settlement; they lost support over Mr. Pope's pro—confederation position; and they were out of favor with the Catholic Bishop, Peter McIntyre (55) for failing to make a grant of money to help the struggling Catholic college of S . Dunstan's. While details of the voting at Somerset are not available, the overwhelming support for the Liberals in the Fourth Electoral Discrict of Prince County may be assumed to reflect the

voting in iiomerset; Liberals: 1428, Conservatives: 303. (36)