An Overview and History of Somerton, PA

The car accident attorneys in Somerton, PA, sponsor this article to present readers with a detailed excerpt about the area.

Somerton is a neighborhood in far Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The neighborhood boundaries are Red Lion, Roosevelt Boulevard, East County Line Road, and Poquessing Creek. Somerton belongs to ZIP code 19116 and area codes 215 and 267.

Somerton Family History

The town of Somerton was originally named Smithfield after Jacob Sommer, whose family was one of the first to live in Somerton and stayed for four generations,

Jacob Sommer, born in February 1758, was an officer in the American Revolution, an Associate Judge, and a Pennsylvania State Senator. The Sommer family immigrated from Freistett, Baden, Germany, and moved to Philadelphia shortly after Jacob Sommer was born in 1752.

During Jacob Sommer's time as an American Revolution officer, he was imprisoned for four years on Long Island in New York during the Battle of Crooked Billet.

Jacob's father, John Sommer, purchased the Manor of Moreland and became a wealthy town supervisor and tax collector by the 1770s.

By 1830, the town's name Somerton was recorded in the local post office. Although a few remaining maps recorded the area as Smithfield, by the 1850s, the area was universally recognized as Somerton, Pennsylvania.

Education

Today, Somerton is home to many growing families and, subsequently, several schools. The area offers convenient access to highly rated public, archdiocesan, and private schools such as,

Comly Elementary School

• Located at 1001 Byberry Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19116, the elementary school building was built in 1928 and hosts 518 students in grades K-5 with a student-to-teacher ratio of 18:1. The school has been ranked #301 (of 1,737) in Most Diverse Public Elementary Schools in Pennsylvania.

St. Christopher School

• Located at 13305 Proctor Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19116, the private Catholic school hosts 531 students in grades PK, K-8 with a student-to-teacher ratio of 22:1. The student population is evenly split, with 50% female students and 50% male students.

Calvary Christian Academy

• Located at 13500 Philmont Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19116, the private Christian school hosts 845 students in grades Pk, K-12 with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14:1. The school has been ranked #28 (of 83) in Best Christian High Schools in Pennsylvania, #42 (of 99) in Best Private K-12 Schools in Pennsylvania, and #52 (of 328) in Most Diverse Private High Schools in Pennsylvania.

Notable Residents

The charming town of Somerton, PA, is known for its tree-lined streets and great education, but many do not know that several notable people have lived in the town of Somerton. Some of the area's most notable residents include,

• William Cooper, judge and founder of Cooperstown, New York.
• Chris Matthews, T.V. personality and former host of MSNBC's Hardball. Matthews was raised in Somerton and attended St. Christopher's School.
• Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, New York Times best-selling non-fiction writer and poet. Aptowicz was raised in Somerton and attended St. Christopher’s School.
• Robert Moffit, analyst at the Heritage Foundation. Moffit was raised in Somerton and attended St Christopher's School.
• Charlotte Charpentier, mayor of Somerton since 1989.

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Our Local Office

If you or a loved one sustained personal damages from a car accident, you might be entitled to financial compensation. Trust the Somerton, PA, car accident attorneys to help you get the justice you deserve. Contact our legal team today for a free consultation.

Justice Guardians
3301 Ryan Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19136
(267) 332-1769