Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 48

Author: McKelvey, A. T., 1844- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

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Walter, who resides at St. Clairsville; Wil- liam, who resides at Martin's Ferry; Barton, who died at the age of 65 years; James H .; David, of St. Clairsville; Wilson Shannon, who died at the age of five years, and Alex- ander, who resides at St. Clairsville.

James II. Darrah was about seven years of age when his parents located in St. Clairs- ville, and it was in this place that he was mainly educated. Ile assisted his father for six years in the post office, and from 1861 to 1865 he served as deputy sheriff, under Sheriff George H. Umstead, and then was made deputy auditor under R. M. Clark, who was auditor of Belmont County, remaining in this office for four years and eight months. In December, 1872, he removed to Bellaire, bringing his family to this city in January, 1873, since which time it has been their home. For the past 21 years they have re- sided in their comfortable residence at No. 3744 Belmont street, which Mr. Darrah erected about 1881. After coming to Bel- laire, Mr. Darrah became a member of the clerical force of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road and continued with that great corpora- tion for 28 years. Since 1900 he has been connected with the steel works.

In 1863 Mr. Darrah was married to Lydia A. Taggart, who was born in Belmont County, a daughter of John and Nancy Tag .. gart, the former of whom, a native of Bel- mont County, followed farming all his life and died August 18, 1895, aged 87 years, a son of a native of Tyrone, Ireland. Mrs. Taggart died in 1893, aged 81 years. Both were sadly missed, as they were highly esteemed by many friends and beloved by their surviving children. The record of the brothers and sisters of Mrs. Darrah is as fol- lows: Joseph R., now a resident of St. Peters- burg, Florida, who was at one time promi- nent in Illinois, where he served two terms as sheriff of his county; Catherine, who died in infancy; Atwell, who is deceased; James 1., who is a grain dealer in Illinois; Mrs. Mary Morrison, of St. Clairsville, and Mrs. Agnes D. Roberts, deceased, her husband re-

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siding in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Darrah, all of whom have passed away; Harry, Jesse, Charles and Florence dying in infancy, and Mary L., the eldest daughter, in De- cember, 1899. She was a lady who was well known to the citizens of Bellaire, having served three years in the post office under D. WV. Cooper and D. H. Darrah, and was uni- versally loved for her amiable manner and beautiful womanly character.

In politics Mr. Darrah is a Democrat, although not an active politician. Both he and his wife belong to the First Presbyterian Church. It has been a pleasant custom of the members of the Darrah family in this locality to hold yearly reunions, and these gatherings have assembled for the past two years at Wheeling Park.

MRS. HARRIET B. PATTERSON, a well-known and most highly esteemed resi- dent and property owner of Pease township, Belmont County, Ohio, was born at Bridge- port, Ohio, in 1839, a daughter of Dr. John G. and Mary (Howard) Affleck, and the widow of the late B. C. Patterson, who passed away at his home in Pease township in 1900 at the age of 73 years.

No history of Belmont County would be complete without mention of the Howard family, which for integrity, industry and high principles has not been excelled by any other. Horton Howard, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Patterson, was born in England, and with his brother John, whose descendants still reside in Colerain township, Belmont County, came to America in 1796, after the close of the Revolutionary War, and, at- tracted by the mild climate and fertility of the soil, settled in North Carolina. There, however, they found slavery existing under conditions which made them look farther for permanent homes. Horton TToward was a Quaker preacher, plain and unassuming, a man of peace, and when he settled in Cole-

rain township, about 1799, the few wander- ing Indians became his friends and the orchards he planted and the buildings he erected never suffered from their depreda- tions. One of these orchards still produces fruit, and a substantial barn is utilized by the Starbuck family, which now own a large part of the land he first located, when he was one of the first settlers in Colerain township, Belmont County. He married Hannah Hast- ings, of Delaware, and they later moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he died in 1832, con- ducting a land office at that time, disposing of his large holdings. His children were: Mary, the mother of Mrs. Patterson, born in 1800, died in 1891; Mrs. Sarah Forrer; Hor- ton, who at one time conducted a newspaper at St. Clairsville; Joseph; and John, who be- came a lawyer at Dayton, Ohio.

In 1837 Mary Howard was married to Dr. Affleck and they located in Bridgeport, where the physician had a large practice and became an honor to his profession. He died . there in 1877, aged 75 years. The four chil- dren born to Dr. and Mrs. Affleck were: Har- riet B., who was born in 1830; Howard, born in 1840, who was killed at the battle of Shi- loh during the Civil War, a youth of but 21 years; Edward, born August 23, 1843, a well-known railroad man, having been di- vision agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road for some years, is now engaged in the coal business at Toledo -- he married Laura Walkup, of Columbus, and they have these children,-Howard. Florence, Rankin and Edward, Jr: and Mary, who was born in 18449, married J. Frank Sharp, of Bridgeport, and they now reside at Buffalo, New York.

On Sept. 30, 1858, Harriet B. Affleck was united in marriage with B. C. Patterson, who was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but came to Belmont County later than 18.10. Two sons were born to this union, namely: John G., who resides near his mother, and in September, 1882, married Mary ITeil, their children being Catherine, Harriet, Ralph, Marjorie and Mary Martha. Edward, the second son, resides with his

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mother, and with his brother, John G., carries on a very successful market and fruit busi- ness. Mrs. Patterson was given this fine farm of 116 acres by her father, and has re- sided here for 42 years. She is a valued mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood In early years Mr. Patterson was a druggist. In politics he was a Republican, in private life a man of admirable traits, one who was devoted to his home and the welfare of his family.

MRS. MARTHA ASHENHURST, an esteemed resident of Pultney township, Bel- mont County, Ohio, is the widow of Rev. James Young Ashenhurst, who passed to his final rest in January, 1896.

Rev. Ashenhurst was born in Brown County, Ohio, in 1818, and first came to Bel- mont County in 1844, remaining several months. He was educated principally at Franklin College, and was ordained a min- ister of the Gospel in 1845. His first charge was the church at Roney's Point, Virginia, now in Ohio County, West Virginia. After eight years of faithful service at that point his next field of labor was at Dalton, Wayne County, Ohio, after which he was stationed at Hayesville, Ashland County, Ohio, and subsequently spent five years in Mecklen- burg County, Virginia. He remained there until about 1877, when he retired from the ministry to the farm, where our subject now resides. The closing years of his life were spent in the pursuits of farm life and at his death he was sincerely mourned.

Mrs. Ashenhirst, whose maiden name was Martha Johnson, was born in Pultney town- ship in 1822, and is a daughter of John and Jane (Gordon) Johnson, who were among the early settlers of Belmont County. The paternal grandfather of our subject, William Johnson, was an Irishman by birth, and after immigrating to this country located near Wheeling. (West) Virginia, where he lived until ent off by death. About 1795 he mar-

ried Martha Giffen, who was of Scotch na- tivity, and they had two children, John and James.

John Johnson, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia in 1800. He continued to reside in that State until his mother mar- ried John Allen of Belmont County, Ohio, whither the family removed, locating on Iligh Ridge, in Pultney township. He ac- cumulated a large amount of land and in the early "fifties" he built the house now occu- pied by the subject of this narrative. There he resided until 1872, when he passed to his eternal rest. Three children were born to him and his wife, our subject being the eld- est child. The others are James, who was born in 1823 and whose sketch also appears in this volume, and William, who was born in 1825 and came to his death in 1849 by drowning while bathing in Wheeling Creek.

The mother of our subject died in 1825, and the father was married twice after her death. In 1827 he was united with Nancy Pattison of West Virginia, and in 1854 he followed her to her grave also. Several years afterward he contracted a union with Mrs. Nancy (Nichol) MeGaw, who died in 1899.

In 1844 our subject was united in mar- riage with Mr. Ashenhurst, and their union was blessed with nine children, as follows: John J .. of New Wilmington, where he edits the "Globe": Mrs. Margaret Niece of Bellaire, Ohio; Mrs. Mary Dunns, also of New Wilmington: James O., a missionary among the Indians, located at Simnasho, Oregon; Etta, who is still at home; Mrs. Flora Golden of Moline, Illinois. Nannie and William J. died after reaching maturity, and Elizabeth died when but four months old.

Mrs. Ashenhurst owns a fine 200-acre farm, which she manages in a most capable manner. The politics of the family were in imison with the old line Whigs, later with the anti-slavery party, and then became Re- publican, and at the present time the family are Prohibitionists. They have a wide ac- quaintance throughout the county, and no

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lady in the community is more favorably known than our subject, whose kindly acts have endeared her to many.

WILLIAM NICHOL, a representative farmer of Belmont County, Ohio, has a fine home in section 2, Pultney township, and de- votes much time to stock raising. He is a descendant of one of the pioneer families of Belmont County, and was born April 24, 1830, on McMechen's Creek, near Stewarts- ville, in Richland township.

Thomas Nichol, the great-great-grand father of our subject, was a native of County Derry, Ireland. He was a descendant of one of seven brothers who sought refuge in that country, fleeing from Scotland on account of religious persecutions. He married Isabelle Cooke, and their son, John Nichol, lived in the same home on Nichol's ITill. John Nichol married Martha Love. Their son, John Nichol, married Anna Woodburn, and with his wife immigrated to the United States in 1789. They first settled in Cum- berland County, Pennsylvania, but subse- quently removed to Westmoreland County in the same State. About the year 1800 they moved farther west and located in Colerain township, Belmont County, Ohio. Their son, William Nichol, Sr., was the father of our subject.

William Nichol, Sr., was born in 1789 and died in 1855. He married Harriet Mitchell, who was born in 1789 and died in 1870, many years after the death of her husband. Numer- ous children were born to this worthy couple, our subject being the youngest one of the six who lived to mature years. Other men- bers of the family are: Thomas M., Nancy, John, Jemima Jane and Harriet. Thomas M. Nichol was born in 1817 and died in Sep- tember, 1806, at Uniontown, Wheeling township. He married Margaret Creamier, whose death occurred a few months previous to that of her husband, during February of the same year. They reared a family of six

sons and one daughter, who for the most part have their residences in Wheeling town- ship. Nancy Nichol was born in 1818, and June 1, 1898, marks the date of her death. She was twice married, and is survived by two sons and one daughter. Her first hus- band was William McGaw, and her second, John Johnson. John Nichol was born in 1820. His death took place in 1888. His widow, whose maiden name was Jean Robb, 'is still living, being at the present writing a resident of Monmonth, Illinois. Jemima Jane Nichol was born in 1825 and is also a resident of Monmouth, Illinois. She married James Boyd, deceased since 1878, and she has three daughters, all of whom are resi- dents of Illinois. Harriet Nichol was born in June, 1827, and died quite recently, August 20, 1902. She was the wife of T. J. King of Richland township.

William Nichol was reared and educated in his native township, which continued to be his home until October, 1872, when he pur- chased his present home in Pultney town- ship, previously known as the Kelsey farm. This farm is finely located and contains 115 acres. Mr. Nichol has added many substan- tial improvements to the place, and his home farm is conceded by many to be among the finest in the county. In addition, he owns another fine farm in Richland township, near Franklin station, which he leases.

September 16, 1858, our subject was united in marriage with Nancy Neff of Rich- land township, where her birth took place in 1839. Six children blessed this union, as follows: Isaiah, Minnie E., Mary N., Dorcas Anne, Elmer W. and Della Rhea. Isaiah was born July 10, 1859. He married Ella Alex- ander of St. Clairsville Junction, Ohio, and they have two children, Maggie Estella, born September 23. 1888, and Mary Alta, born September 14. 1890. Minnie E. was born August 6, 1862, and resides at home, as do also her sisters, Mary N., born in August. 1865, and Della Rhea, born February 7, 1883, and her brother, Ehner W., who was born September 9, 1876, Dorcas Anne was

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born October 13, 1870. She married Rev. E. M. Thompson of Crawfordsville, Iowa, and they have one child, Helen Frances, whose birth occurred January 20, 1901.

In politics Mr. Nichol is a firm Democrat and does all he can in a legitimate way to ad- vance the interests of that party. He and his wife have the good will and respect of all who know them and are faithful members of the United Presbyterian Church.

JOHN COLPITTS, senior member of the firm of Colpitts & Boswell, stonecutters and marble and granite goods manufacturers, of Barnesville, Ohio, has by his energy, faithful work and square dealing, assisted in building up one of the largest and most successful industries of this kind in the Ohio Valley The statuary and monuments sent out from the establishment cannot be surpassed for excellence of workmanship, and have won for the firm a reputation far and near. Mr. Colpitts' early start in this line has undoubt- edly helped him greatly in making a success of his business. Born in England in 1851, a son of Thomas and Mary A. (Thornburn) Colpitts, he comes of a family of stonecut- ters.

Thomas Colpitts was especially proficient in this trade, having followed it almost con- tinuously throughout his mature life. Born in England, he there received careful rearing somewhat beyond the ordinary. Early dis- playing artistic and mechanical ability, hic was placed in a marble-cutter's shop and there learned the trade which he afterward made his life work. Upon reaching man- hood he opened a shop of his own and car- ried on a successful business in his own coun- try for some time. In 1856, however , desir- ing to better his fortunes, he came to the United States, and after a short residence in the East made his way to Ohio and located at Barnesville in 1850. llere he opened a shop and engaged in the tombstone business. Being an excellent workman, he established

a large trade, which he here continued for the rest of his life. He died in 1880. During his early manhood he married Mary A. Thornburn, and they had eight children. Mrs. Colpitts died in 1894.

John Colpitts was but five years old when his parents came to this country and eight years of age when they settled in Barnesville, and he is largely a product of this thriving city. Here. he received his early men- tal training, and in his father's shop, which he entered in his youth, his preparation for the work which he has since so ably and con- tinnously performed. In 1875 the industry with which he is connected was established and as it was in his line upon starting in life for himself, he purchased an interest in the business. The composition of the firm has since changed somewhat, and in 1887 Mr. Colpitts took in as a partner Nathan M. Bos. well, with whom he has since continued in partnership. The business is a large one and consists mainly of the manufacture of marble and granite monuments and fine statuary. Most exquisite work is turned out.

In 1888 Mr. Colpitts married Mary M. Bundy, daughter of Nathan Bundy, and they have had one child, Clifford B. The family are all active in religious circles and mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Colpitts is a man whose word carries much weight in his community, and as a Democrat he is especially influential in local politics. ITe is a member of the T. O. O. F.

EDWARD T. PETTY, who is one of the oldest practicing attorneys of Barnesville. Ohio, and one of the leading men of the city, was born on September 26, 1813, in Noble (formerly Monroe) County, Ohio. He is a son of Jesse L. and Elizabeth (Thomas) Pet- ty. The father was born in Virginia, located in Ohio in 1811, and followed an agricul- tural life until his death, in 188 ;. The mother passed away in 1883. They were the parents of seven children.

STEWART WATT.

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Edward T. Petty was reared on a farm and obtained his mental training in the common schools. When but 18 years of age he en- listed in the early part of 1861 in the noted 4211d Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., which was under the command of the lamented President Gar- field. Three years later, at the expiration of his term of service, he re-enlisted in the 5th United States Veteran Corps (Hancock's), with which he continued in all of its battles and campaigns until it was finally mustered out in the spring of 1866. Immediately fol- lowing his army experience Mr. Petty be- came a teacher and followed this profession for six years, in the meantime reading law. This resulted in his admission to the bar in the spring of 1877, and he began the prac- tice of law in Barnesville, Ohio, in June, 1879. In 1884 Mr. Petty formed a legal partnership with Judge Smith, of St. Clairs- ville, the firm style being Petty & Smith. During the greater part of the continuance of this partnership Mr. Petty served as city attorney, and he firmly established himself as one of the able advocates of Belmont County.

Mr. Petty married Rebecca E. Miller, the accomplished daughter of Eliza Miller, of Muskingum County, Ohio. The offspring of this union was one son, who is now largely interested in the Guffy Oil Company in Texas: one daughter, who is the wife of J. M. O'Donnell, and two daughters, who are at home. In church relations the family are Methodists. Fraternally, Mr. Petty has long been connected with the Masonic bodies and with the Grand Army of the Republic since its organization. In politics he is a zealous Republican and a leader in his party.

STEWART WATT, general superin- tendent and one of the members of the firm comprising the Watt Mining Car Wheel Company, of Barnesville, Ohio, an inventor of ability and a successful man of business, is also a leading citizen in the public, re- ligious and social life of the city of his

choice, in which he owns one of the most beautiful, as well as hospitable, homes.

The birth of Mr. Watt took place in Har- rietsville, Ohio, June 21, 1846, and he was reared and educated both in Noble and Mon- roe counties. Until he was 17 years old he remained at home, engaged in farm work, but in the spring of 1863 he came to Barnesville, where his father, the late Joseph Watt, and his brother, the late James H. Watt, were engaged in a foundry business, and entered as an employee, in 1867 becom- ing a partner, when the firm name became J. H. Watt & Brothers. A practical me- chanie and a young man of inventive genius, his activity was constantly in the line of im- provement, and in the invention of the self- oiling mining car wheel he not only gained reputation for himself and brother, James H. Watt, with whom he was associated, but also gave an impetus to the foundry busi- ness, which later was developed into the Watt Mining Car Wheel Company; he was then made superintendent of the works. James 11. and Stewart Watt secured the first patent on November 2, 1880, and our sub- ject immediately went upon the road, intro- during the car wheel into many States, with unexpected and flattering success. Upon his return he took charge of the shops of the foundry, and in his capable, efficient manner has regulated a business of chor- mous volume, which now has penetrated into almost every part of the globe and is a part of the invasion which foreign lands have begun to fear from American captains of industry and their products. Mr. Watt with his able brother, the late James II. Watt, was the patentee of 14 patents which are made use of in the construction of the car wheels in this foundry, some of which patents cover the English field.

In 1868 Mr. Watt was united in marriage with Anna M. Bundy, daughter of Ezekiel Bundy, one of the highly respected citizens of Warren township, and six children were born to this union, namely: Forrest Il., who is employed as a manager in the foundry;

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Daisy B., who married W. K. Pendleton, a noted minister of the Christian Church; William E. and Walter G., both of whom are in school; an infant that died a babe; and Olga M., whose death occurred on Novem- ber 9, 1895, a beautiful young woman of 22 years, whose decease cast a shadow over the city's social circles. She was a graduate of the High School and was gifted in many ways, being particularly accomplished in the art of china painting, many exquisite sam- ples of her work being treasured by relatives and friends. The religious connection of Mr. Watt and family is with the Presby- terian Church. He is advanced in Masonry and is a charter member of Warren Lodge, Knights of Pythias.

Mr. Watt has been too deeply absorbed in business to find time to accept offices of great responsibility, although his promi- nence in the Republican party and his emi- nent fitness are generally recognized, but he has served in the City Council for more than 10 years, during this time advocating strenuously the paving of the streets, he being the first member of the Council to present this subject before that body. He is the owner of considerable real estate in the city, and with his brother, James H., erected 20 houses; he has done much for the permanent improvement of Barnesville. At the death of James HT. Watt our subject was made president of the Belmont-Monroe Reunion Association.

THOMAS S. ROSENGRANT, M. D. The medical profession is worthily repre- sented in Barnesville, Ohio, by men of abil- ity, great skill and trained experience, and prominent among these is Dr. Thomas S. Rosengrant, who was born in Oxford town- ship, Guernsey County, Ohio, and was one of a family of seven children of George L. and Deborah (Wilkins) ^Rosengrant. The former was born and reared in Guernsey County, Ohio, where he became an extensive

farmer and where he still resides. The mother of Dr. Rosengrant died in 1881.

'The early life of the Doctor was spent on his father's farm, where he was born January 25, 1857. Here, among rural surroundings, he attained manhood and acquired a good common-school education. This was supple- mented by a course in Scio College, from which institution he graduated with great credit. His reading of medicine was followed under the direction of Dr. James E. Taylor, of Richmond, Indiana, preparatory to his entrance into Starling Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1883. Dr. Rosengrant then took a post- graduate course in medicine and surgery at the Chicago Medical College and at the Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia. Pennsylvania. He acquired experience by attending the hospitals of these cities, and, when prepared to begin his life work, settled in Barnesville, Ohio, July 9, 1900. Although his residence has been but a short one in this city, it has been one of encouragement and success, his capacity having been recognized both by the public and his brother practition- ers.

Dr. Rosengrant married Ada E. Jones, a daughter of William Jones, of Belmont County. The Doctor is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Odd Fellows, and is highly valued in his association with the Ohio State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. ITis politi- cal connection is with the Republican party. and he is actively interested in the success of its measures and the spread of its principles. With his wife he belongs to the Methodist Church, to which he liberally contributes. His offices are located in the Bradfield Block in Barnesville, one of the most convenient and appropriate situations for a rising young physician.

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Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 48

Author: McKelvey, A. T., 1844- ed Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: McKelvey, A. T., 1844- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490