USA > Ohio > Belmont County > Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 53
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Ralph, also deceased. Mr. Carnes is a Re- publican in politics and has served as coun- cilman from the Fourth Ward. Fraternally he is a member of Black Prince Lodge, K. of P .; is charter member and was trustee of the Uniform Rank, K. of P., and a member of the K. O. T. M. of Bridgeport. His wife and children are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has served as trustee and treasurer.
ROBERT W. FARIS, chief clerk at the Bellaire plant of the National Steel Com- pany, was born at Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1859, a son of Joseph A. and Mary E. (Pratt) Faris, who are residents of Wheeling Island, their pleasant home beng located at No. 44 Kentucky street. Joseph Faris was born and reared in Belmont County and has reached the age of 70 years. Ilis wife was born in Wheeling 65 years ago. Mr. Faris followed the trade of marble cutting in his younger years at Wheeling, and served through the war with a fine record as a mem- ber of the Ist West Virginia Infantry, butt since the close of the Civil War has been em- ployed in portrait painting, being a talented artist. Occasionally he also does a little work at his trade, although feeble health precludes any steady employment.
Robert W. Faris of this sketch is one of the famiy of ten children born to his parents, six of whom still survive, namely, Joseph A., Jr., who is engaged with the West Virginia Printing Company; Frank M., who is em- ployed in the National Exchange Bank of Wheeling; Fred F., who is a member of the architectural firm of Giesey & Faris, with offices in the Masonic Temple, Wheeling: Thomas TT., who is employed in the office of the City Water Board at Wheeling, and Mary E., who resides at home.
Our subject was educated in the Belmont County schools, and his first active work was with the Wheeling Hinge Company, later en- tering the old Star Foundry, belonging to Mr. Fisher, and there learned the machinist's
trade. In 1884 he came to Bellaire and for nine years was employed in the freight office of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company with J. A. Greenfield. Following this service he entered the office of the National Steel Com- pany, and his efficiency moved him from one position to another until he was made chief clerk.
The marriage of Mr. Faris was to Maggie M. Minamyer, a native of Belmont County and a sister to Rev. Albert B. Minamyer, a clergyman of the Presbyterian Church. A family of four sons and two daughters has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Faris, viz., Robert B., Morgan M., Charles N., Frank C., Mary Elizabeth and Mildred L. The family home is located at No. 3245 Washington street, Bellaire, where Mr. Faris takes his greatest comfort and welcomes his friends. In poli- tics he is identified with the Republican party. The religious association of the fam- ily is with the Presbyterian Church.
ELISHA B. STEER, a well-known repre- sentative farmer of Belmont County, Ohio, residing on his fine farm of 94 acres, located on section 7, range 3, Colerain township, was born on a farm which adjoins his own on the south on June 2, 1850. His parents were Israel and Rebecca (Bracken) Steer, more extended mention of whom will be found in another part of this volume.
Our subject was educated in the local pub- lie schools and at Mount Pleasant, Ohio, assisting his father in the latter's farming operations much of the time. When about 25 years of age lie began his own agricultural career and has been very successful, raising the usual products of this locality, making wheat a specialty. In growing this grain Mr. Steer has demonstrated that proper knowl- edge of soil, seed and fertilizer has much to do with its yield in Ohio, his own being very satisfactory. He has raised over 50 bushels of wheat to the acre, and as this is an unusual yield for Belmont County, much credit must
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be given for his intelligent methods of culti- vation.
On May 22, 1876, Mr. Steer was married to Ellen C. Gilbert, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of George and Hannah (Cope) Gilbert, both of whom are deceased, the former dying in 1872. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Steer, as follows: Louisa, wife of Wallis J. Bundy; Alfred G., a graduate of Westtown Friends' Boarding School, who has been for four years with a Philadelphia firm engaged in the sale of dairy machinery; Wilmer I., a graduate of Bliss Business College in 1902, is employed as head bookkeeper for the Belmont Telephone Company of Bridgeport, Ohio, and Alice R. and Florence Il., at home. Mr. Steer has been a prominent factor in educational ad- vancement in his township, serving as school director and promoting educational enter- prises to the best of his ability. His interest- ing family is one to do credit to the county and all are most highly esteemed and all are birthright members of the Society of Friends, of which Mr. Steer is a recognized minister.
Mr. Steer is not only one of the best farm- ers of Belmont County, but he is highly re- spected in business and social relationships, ranking with the leading and reliable men of this section.
JOHN R. ROBINSON, who was for many years prominently identified with the steel and iron interests of Wheeling, West Virginia, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, October 21, 1829, and is a son of Henry Robinson.
Henry Robinson was born in England and came to this country as a young man. He was a physician and surgeon by profession and during his lifetime traveled extensively in this country. His wife was born by the River Tweed in Scotland and came to this country during her girlhood.
John R. Robinson was reared mainly in New York City, and when a boy came to
Pittsburg, where he met the young lady who was to be his wife in after years. He returned to New York and remained until he was nine- teen years of age, when he again located in Pittsburg, being married the year following to Sarah Jane Oxley, who was of Eng- lish-Irish parentage, but born in Scotland. He entered the rolling mill in that city and later continued in that work in Wheeling. HIe was engaged in the Belmont Mill, then with Norton, Bailey & Company, and later with Bailey, Woodward & Company. He made the first heat of iron ever made in the LaBelle Mills in that city, and later was twice made manager of the plant. He went to Harrisburg, Pa., and managed the Chesa- peake Iron Works during 1870 and 1871, then returned to the LaBelle as manager. He bought a farm in Pultney township, Bel- mont County, Ohio, upon which he located with his family. He continued in the steel business until 1891, since which time he has been retired and has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Cordelia Nelson, of Pultney township.
Mr. Robinson and his wife became parents of ten children, as follows: Janet, George O., Edgar Sutton, Elmer, Irving, Winfield Scott, William Wright, Clarence, Cordelia A. and Sadie. Janet married and moved to Mississippi, where she died. George O. was formerly superintendent of the Bellaire Brick Works. Edgar Sutton, a Presbyterian minister at Oxford .. Ohio, has been in the ministry since 25 years of age, receiving his education at Washington-Jef- ferson College: he married a daughter of Captain Smith of Mead township and has four children, Dora, who is in an educational institution in North Carolina, Alice, who is an artist, Edna and Andrew. Elmer, who was a druggist at Bellaire, married a daugh- ter of Captain Smith; both he and his wife are dead, and their two children, John and Eleanor, reside with their grandfather, Capt. Andrew Smith. Irving died at the age of eight months. Winfield Scott, deceased. was a dentist and practiced for a time at
EDGAR A. BERRY.
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Bridgeport, Ohio, and later at Trinidad, Colorado, then returned home and died about 1885. William Wright, secretary of the Elwood Glass Company of Indiana, mar- ried a Miss Adams of Belmont County, and they have one child. Clarence is a brick contractor of Bellaire, Ohio. Cordelia A., wife of R. Smiley Nelson, a dairyman of Pultney township, has four children, John Gordon, Sarah G., Estella May and Rachel Elizabeth. Sadie is the wife of John Futhey, a dairyman of Mead township, -- they have five children, John, Robert, Hannah, Sarah and James. In politics our subject has always been a Republican, casting his first vote for John C. Fremont. Fraternally he was at one time a member of the 1. O. O. F. He and his family are members of the Presby- terian Church.
EDGAR A. BERRY, a prominent farmer of Pease township, Belmont County, Ohio, was born on a part of the farm which he now owns and occupies in 1844, and is a repre- sentative of one of the old and most respected families of this part of the State.
Thomas Berry, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in Pennsylvania, and came to Belmont County about 1802-03 and located on a portion of what now constitutes one of the largest, as well as one of the most valua- ble grain, stock and fruit farms of the county. This land in the early days of settlement be- longed to Thomas Berry, Horton Howard, Abigail Cope and Stafford Melton. The children of Thomas Berry were: Cyrus, Samuel, Jesse, Reece, Jordan, Hannah, Asenath and Eliza. Cyrus lived on a farm in Morgan County for many years. Jordan lived and died on the home farm. The former has been dead for 50 years, and the latter since 1865.' In 1866 Jesse went to the West.
Reece Berry, the father of our subject, was born on his father's farm in 1817, and always resided at the old home, and at the time of his brother Jordan's death purchased the lat- ter's portion of the estate. Reece Berry was
a farmer and was also a professional thresher, having one of the best outfits in his locality. Ilis death occurred in 1891, after a useful life in which he had served his township as trus- tee, and identified himself with the Repub- lican party. Ilis wife, who before marriage was Julia Anna Jobe, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, near Trenton, and also resided at Farmington, in Belmont County. She died in 1894, in her 71st year, mnost sincerely mourned by friends and neighbors. The three children born to this marriage were: Edgar A., Rachel R., who resides at Colerain, and owns one of the fine farms of Pease township, and Laura B., who is the wife of Theodore Clark, residing in Colerain, and also owning a valuable farm in that township.
Edgar A. Berry was reared and educated in Pease township and has been connected with agricultural pursuits all his life. He owns some 320 acres of land, divided into several farms, 170 being in the home tract, 90 acres in one farm and 60 acres in another, all of them being improved with substantial buildings, fruitful orchards and attractive sur- roundings. These farms are rented to re- sponsible parties, although Mr. Berry attends to the management of the home place. In 1876 he erected a handsome dwelling house which he remodeled in 1800, making of it a IO-room house, and fitted it in a most com- fortable and convenient manner.
In 1876 Mr. Berry was married to Mary A. Dungan, who was born and reared near Cole .. rain. She was a daughter of B. Ellis and Sarah (Fox) Dungan, both deceased, mem- bers of old established families in the county. The four children of this union are: Mamic. Eugene E., Blanche and Ethel. Mr. Berry actively supports the Republican party, and from 1880 to 1888 was its choice for township trustec. ITis interests in agricultural matters made him a member of the Grange, but he belongs to no other organization. The re- ligious membership of the family is in the So- ciety of Friends. They belong to the most highly esteemed residents of the township,
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and few men are more thoroughly respected or relied upon than Edgar A. Berry. His pleasant home, situated on a bluff overlook- ing Colerain and a wide extent of country, is not only admired by the family friends for its beautiful location, but also for the kind hospitality and genuine courtesy dispensed under its roof.
J. W. JONES, senior member of the prominent general contracting firm of Jones & McGraw, of Bellaire, Ohio, and one of the leading and representative residents of the city, was born in Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia, where he was reared to agricultural pursuits and acquired a good common-school education. Coming to Bel- laire to select an avocation, he chose that of carriage-making, which he followed for some three years, later entering the planing mill of Carroll & Armstrong. This mill was sub- sequently burned and was replaced by the present mill of DuBois & McCoy. Our subject worked for a few months in Wheel- ing for the firm of Armstrong & Cohen, and then entered the firm of DuBois & McCoy in Bellaire and continued there until 1885.
In the latter year Mr. Jones took a trip to the West, making it both a business and so- cial journey, and looked over the country at and in the vicinity of Leavenworth, Kansas. and Platte City, Missouri, but found no at- tractions in the way of business opportunities to excel those offered by Bellaire, Ohio. Re- turning to this city, he entered into contract- ing about 1888 and formed a partnership with J. H. McGraw, the firm being exclusive- ly building contractors, and for the past few years has done more work in that line than all others combined. They constantly em- ploy from 16 to 30 men and on large con- tracts many more, some of their work being the most extensive and substantial ever done in this city. Among the handsome and stately residences which this firm has erected in Bellaire may be noted those of James T. Kelley, J. C. Tallman, William Siddall and
Harry MeDonald. In the building of the Fifth Ward Hose House, the Carroll Build- ing and the remodeling of the Buckeye Building, their work deserved and received universal commendation. This firm erected with very noticeable and creditable celerity the building known as the Columbia Theater, upon which work was commenced December I, and was opened for business early in March, notwithstanding inclement weather during the greater part of the time. The contractors employed in this work as many as 60 men at one time, and its completeness and appearance has done much to still further emphasize their just claim as leading con- tractors. Another of the attractive examples of the work of the firm is the modern and comfortable residence of Mr. Jones, located at No. 3752 Tallman avenue, in which he has established his business office also.
The marriage of Mr. Jones was to a daugh- ter of ex-Mayor Strahl of Bellaire, and the three children born to this union were Edith, Nellie and Frank. The eldest daughter mar- ried William Siddall, who is master mechanic at the steel works; they have one daugh- ter, Ella, and reside on Harrison street in Bellaire. In politics Mr. Jones is identified with the Republican party, and he is fra- ternally connected with the Knights of Pythias, Arlington Division, No. 92, Uni- form Rank. In religious views he is attached to the Methodist Church. Mr. Jones is widely known in Bellaire, it having been his home since 1873, and is held in high esteem as an upright, public spirited man and a lead- ing representative of one of the most im- portant lines of industry in the city.
WV. S. BARTON, a very prominent and most highly esteemed citizen of Colerain township, located on section 4. was born on the old Barton homestead in Belmont County on November 12, 1812, a son of Judge Jesse and Catherine (Mulvaney) Bar- ton.
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Judge Jesse Barton, for many years an honored magistrate in Belmont County, was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, on the site which is now occupied by the city of Chester, on Christmas Day, 1804, and came to Belmont County in 1814. He be- came prominent both in agricultural and political life, and under the old law served as judge from 1844 to 1852, and also served a term of three years as county commissioner. He was the active Democratic leader in Cole- rain township, and was known all over the county and through the State. His deathi occurred on August 3, 1887, and his burial was conducted by the Belmont Lodge, F. & A. M., of which he had long been a valued member. His remains lie in the old family cemetery on his farm. He was also active in religious matters, was one of the organizers of the Presbyterian Church at Farmington, and for many years was one of the elders of that body. In 1827 he married Catherine Mulvaney, who was born in Penn- sylvania in 1804, and died in February, 18.46, aged about 42 years. A family of 12 children were born to Judge Barton and wife, as fol- lows: Abner, John P., James, Abram, Rob- ert, William J., W. S., Nathaniel, Andrew P., Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary. Abner Barton was born January 5, 1828, and died at Gold Valley, Butte County, California, on June 14, 1894, aged 64 years. He was a member of Governor Shannon's party that sailed around Cape Horn in 1848-49 and arrived in San Francisco when but a few houses marked what now is a great and flourishing city. He engaged in mining and ranching. John P. Barton died March 20, 1890, in his 61st year. James Barton resides in Nebraska. Abram Barton was killed near Harrisville, Ohio. being thrown against a tree by an unmanage- able horse. He was a successful teacher. Robert Barton resides on the old homestead. ITe is a jeweler by trade and was associated with Mr. Bishop, in Wheeling for a number of years, but has been on the farm for the past 25 years, and with him resides his brother, William. Nathaniel Barton died in
1847, a child of four years, and Andrew P. died in 1840, at the age of three months. Elizabeth Hannah was born January 24, 1836, and died September 2, 1888. She mar- ried J. W. Moore and left two sons, Jesse and Robert W., the former of whom is a conductor on the Pan Handle road and the latter occupies a similar position on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. She had many friends who deeply mourned her death, an amiable spirit and kind, Christian disposi- tion making her a universal favorite. In her relgious life she became attached to the Con- gregational Church. Sarah is the widow of Eli Seibert and resides at Harrisville, Ohio, Catherine Mary died December 7, 1870, aged 31 years.
Our subject was educated primarily at the home public schools and completed his edu- cation in Philadelphia, after which he joined the geological survey, connected with Gen- eral McGee, chief government officer, who was establishing the boundaries now ac- cepted as those of the State of Colorado, which occupied three years. He then went to Arkansas and became connected with the Iron Mountain, Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad, and was employed as assistant di- vision engineer in the construction of those roads. Ile operated the first train ever run along the Arkansas Valley. Five adven- turous and useful years were passed by Mr. Barton in that locality. About 1873 he re- turned to Belmont County and soon became interested in farming, and has followed agri- cultural pursuits ever since. He has become one of the prominent, worthy and substan- tial farmers of the county. With his brothers he owns the land on which the town of Bar- ton stands, which now possesses in the neighborhood of 2,000 residents, is a most excellent coal mining point, the mines being operated by different companies of Pitts- burg. The town was named in memory of our subject's father, by C., L. & W. Rail- way Company, when it was first built.
Mr. Barton is well known as a Democratic politician, and wields a wide influence in fa-
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vor of his party. However, although he may have many political antagonists, there are none to assail his personal character, for few citizens are more generally esteemed.
The first marriage of Mr. Barton was to Rebecca J. Hawthorn, a daughter of David and Margaret ( Majors) Hawthorn, on Octo- ber 15, 1874, and to this union was born one daughter, Mabel H., who is a nurse in the Wheeling Hospital. Her mother died De- cember 21, 1876, at the early age of 24 years. Since her 15th year she had been a con- sistent member of the Presbyterian Church, and was noted for her modesty and her ami- able, unselfish disposition. The second mar- riage of Mr. Barton took place March 6, 1884, to Jennie Cope, a lady of culture and pleasing presence, and a favorite among a large circle of acquaintances. She was born in Ohio, a daughter of George and Sallie (Massey) Cope, the former of whom died in 1875, at the age of 55 years, and the latter in 1846, at the age of 48 years. The father belonged to the Hicksite Friends, and the mother to the Presbyterian Church. They reared a family of seven children, as follows: Alexis, who resides in East Liverpool, Ohio; Charles, who resides in Sacramento, Cali- fornia; Mrs. Barton, the wife of the subject of this sketch; Albert, who resides near Sac- ramento; Oliver, who lives in San Francisco; Belle, who married Samuel P. Vickars, of Colerain; and Carrie, who is Mrs. Morris P. Vickars, of the same locality. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Barton were the fol- lowing: Robert C., Flora Blanche, Jessie M., Beatrice, and Charles II. Robert C. Barton was born on New Year's Dav, 1886. Flora Blanche was born March 20, 1887, and died November 23, 1891, of membranous croup, her death casting a deep shadow over the lives of those who survived. Jessie M. was born Angust to. 1888, Beatrice on August 13, 1893, and Charles H. on January 9, 1896.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Barton take a most commendable interest not only in their own
family and its welfare, but also in the neigh- borhood, and seem to feel a kindly interest in all with whom they are thrown. For years their hospitable home has been a fa- vorite rendezvous for the young people, and, here Mr. and Mrs. Barton are as young as the rest, their sympathy with youth and enjoyment of the innocent pleasures making them not only delightful hosts, but also ex- erting a refining influence upon all. Esteem does not properly represent the feeling en- tertained for these good people in their neighborhood, for it is a combination of af- fection and reverence.
The Barton family is of old and honorable ancestry. Its founder, Thomas Barton, came to America from the north of Ireland as early as the beginning of the 18th cen- tury. His life had been a seafaring one, commanding his own ship, but he left the water and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Chester, Pennsylvania. Thomas and wife, Sarah, were interred in the Barton Ceme- tery in Chester. This Thomas Barton was our subject's great-great-great-grandfather. His son, Edward Barton, was born in 1729 and died in 1806. He married Mary Archer, a native of Sweden, and they are both buried at Chester. James Barton owned a tract comprising 700 acres of land in the vicinity of the town of Chester. Of his son, James Barton (2), but little is known, except that he had a son, Abner, who became our sub- ject's grandfather. Abner Barton came to Belmont County, Ohio, in the early part of the 19th century, and his farm was the one which required the first deed recorded in Belmont County, and the record may still be read, on page I, volume A, its location being described as a part of section 24 and a part of section 10, in Colerain township. Belmont County. AAbner Barton died De- cember 26, 1827, at the age of 70 years. His wife, Sarah Pyle, survived until April 27, 1865. lacking but a few days of completing a century of life.
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ALEXANDER NEFF, who has exten- sive business interests in Pultney township, Belmont County, Ohio, is also largely en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, being located on a fine farm near Neff's siding and post office. He is a native of this township, the date of his birth being February 11, 1848, and is a son of Andrew and Jane (Alexander) Neff.
Andrew Neff was born in 1808 and died in 1852. He was a large farmer and stock- man and at the time of his death owned some 800 acres of land. Hle married Jane Alex- ander, a daughter of Robert Alexander, the Alexanders being one of the first families of Pultney township. She was born in 1814 and died in 1883. Our subject is one of three sons, his two brothers being: John WV., who is largely interested in the lumber business and is located on a farm near Neff's; and Andrew J., who owns and resides upon the old home farm in Pultney township.
Alexander Neff was reared and resided on his father's farm until 1883, when he pur- chased the farm of James Dixon, the first white child born in Pultney township, and here he has since made his home. He owns about 430 acres of land, all of which is de- voted to general farming and stock raising. Ile has erected a comfortable home and good, substantial out-buildings, and has made all the important improvements upon the place. In addition to farming he is en- gaged in merchandising and in the lumber and coal business. He is president of the Standard Stone & Brick Company, and president of the Neff Coal Mining Company, of which John W. Neff is vice-president, A. J. Neff treasurer, and Franklin Neff, secre- tary. In April, 1901, Alexander Neff sold the Standard mine to the Empire Coal Com- pany, which operates it as the Empire No. 6. The Neff Coal Mining Company owns about 1,500 acres of coal land. The lumber bnsi- ness of Mr. Neff incluides the handling of brick, plaster and all other building mate- rials, doing a large amount of contract work. In all his different enterprises he handles
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