Jenner Township, Pennsylvania

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Jenner Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,054 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.

[edit] Geography

It is located approximately at 40.175°N by 79.06°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 168.6 km² (65.1 mi²). 167.3 km² (64.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (0.77%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 4,054 people, 1,598 households, and 1,192 families residing in the township. The population density was 24.2/km² (62.8/mi²). There were 1,773 housing units at an average density of 10.6/km² (27.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 99.33% White, 0.05% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.25% of the population.

There were 1,598 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the township the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $32,141, and the median income for a family was $39,341. Males had a median income of $26,163 versus $22,688 for females. The per capita income for the township was $15,066. About 8.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Early European travelers crossed Jenner Township as early as 1756, with the building of the Forbes Road to Fort Ligonier and Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh). Settlement began in earnest in the 1790s. The township was named in honor of Dr. Edward Jenner, discoverer of the smallpox vaccine. Until the building of the coal towns after 1900, Jenner Township was primarily settled by German and English speakers. German was still spoken in rural parts of the township until the 1960s.

Jenner Township includes the towns of Jenners, Jenner Crossroads, Ralphton, Pilltown, Ferrellton, Acosta, and Gray. Jenners, Ralphton, Acosta and Gray were each built shortly after 1900 as company towns for newly opened deep coal mines. Immigrants from Poland, Italy, Russia, Ruthenia, Wales, and Ireland filled the coal towns. By the 1960s, the deep mines had closed. The town of Randolph was also a very small coal mining community in Jenner Township, any trace of which is now entirely gone, having been destroyed by highway construction in 1970. Jenner Township completely surrounds the nearby boroughs of Boswell and Jennerstown, each of which has its own government and are not part of the Township. Surface mining and some deep mining of coal continues in the immediate area. Farming and timber harvest are also mainstays of the economy.

	Municipalities and Communities of Somerset County, Pennsylvania (County Seat: Somerset)
Boroughs	Addison | Benson | Berlin | Boswell | Callimont | Casselman | Central City | Confluence | Garrett | Hooversville | Indian Lake | Jennerstown | Meyersdale | New Baltimore | New Centerville | Paint | Rockwood | Salisbury | Seven Springs | Shanksville | Somerset | Stoystown | Ursina | Wellersburg | Windber
Townships	Addison | Allegheny | Black | Brothersvalley | Conemaugh | Elk Lick | Fairhope | Greenville | Jefferson | Jenner | Larimer | Lincoln | Lower Turkeyfoot | Middlecreek | Milford | Northampton | Ogle | Paint | Quemahoning | Shade | Somerset | Southampton | Stonycreek | Summit | Upper Turkeyfoot
Communities and CDPs	Davidsville | Friedens | Jerome