Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 88

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

USA > Ohio > Belmont County > Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 88

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

wounded and dying. General Rosecrans and his staff came by and told the soldiers of the 15th Ohio Regiment that they were within the Union lines and to remain there and care for the wounded. No duty of this kind would have ever been disregarded by a man of our subject's character, and it was through his devotion that he was captured. He gave spe- cial attention to a mortally wounded captain and carried water to him, a quarter of a mile, at intervals throughout the night. In the morning he found himself a captive. He was sent to Richmond again, from there to Dan- ville, and from April 19th to November 20th, a period of seven fearful months, he was kept at the Andersonville pen. Here, Mr. Hanes certifies, they usually had one meal a day, con- sisting of cake made from cornmeal, baked on a board before the fire, with a bit of bacon prepared the same way. The food and prevail- ing conditions gave our subject a case of scur- vy. llis teeth became loose, his gums black and his limbs would not support his body. Ile was carried on a board to the hospital, and during his five weeks there was fed on rice. He had by this time given up all hope of re- turn and really wanted to die and be out of his misery, and probably would have suc- cumbed had it not been for the encouragement and help rendered him by two comrades from Wheeling, whose names he gives with affec- tion, William Phillips and Oliver Stringer. At last came the day of his exchange and he was - carried out of the prison on a board, sent to Savannah and there was fed and clothed. From there he was transferred to Annapolis, where he was given more clothes and what he longed for, a bath. Just before the holidays he neared home, still walking with a cane, gaunt and weak, but grateful for his recovery and con- scious of a faithful performance of duty. Just after the death of his father his mother felt the need of her sou to such an extent that she asked of Cyrus Mendenhall, a friend, to apply to his friend, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, for a discharge of our subject, and the letter received is here copied :

739

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

ADJT. GEN. OFFICE, WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 1863. Cyrus Mendenhall, Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the discharge of Joseph T. Hanes, Co. G, 15th Reg., O. V. I., has been ordered by this department. I am, sir,

very respectfully, your obt. servant, SIMON BERCER, Asst. Adjt. Gen.

The colonel of our subject's regiment re- ceived a copy of the above at the time the bat- tle of Chickamauga was pending, and this short detention of the order brought upon Mr. Hanes his terrible prison experience, its starvation, hardship and impaired health, while his fath- et's business had necessarily suffered such neglect that the settling of his estate entailed months of extra labor. As soon as possible, in the spring of 1865, our subject began the settlement of the estate, and, as his recovery progressed, continued the business, being ac- tive in it until 1879. He still owns it, al- though the greater part of his attention is now given to his large real estate and insurance interests.

The marriage of Mr. Hanes took place on February II, 1869, to Hannah M. Clyker, a native of Wheeling, and a daughter of Ambert and Hannah Clyker, both of whom are de- ceased. The three children born to this mar- riage are : James W., deceased ; Gertrude C., who married Ellis D. Lash and resides at Mar- tin's Ferry, having a family of two children, Julia M. and Joseph II .; and Lyman S., who married Bessie Douglas, and is engaged with his father in business. Both our subject and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. His fraternal connections are nu- merous and of a pleasant nature, being a mem- ber of the blue lodge, F. & A. M. ; the G. A. R. Post, of which he has been post commander ; T. O. O. F .; and K. of P. In all of these or- ganizations he has been active and has repre- sented them in their higher councils. In poli- tics he is a Republican of the most vigorous type. In 1888, with Judge Robert H. Coch- ran and Col. George P. Bissell, he started into the enterprise of building up the Wheeling Terminal Railway, being the purchasing agent for right of way through Martin's Ferry, bringing the work to a successful termination

and paying out over $100,000. They organized a company for the Ohio side tunnel, of which our subject is secretary and a director. It has been absorbed in what is now known as the Wheeling Terminal Company, a strong finan- cial corporation.

J. A. GREEN, one of the foremost business men of Bellaire, Belmont County, Ohio, gives the greater part of his attention to his grocery store, where he. handles fresh meat, flour, etc., and a full line of both fancy and staple grocer- ies. The parents of our subject were Samuel and Elizabeth (Cannon) Green, and he is a grandson of "Little" Henry Green, who is well remembered as one of the earliest resi- dents of Belmont county.

Samuel Green and his estimable wife were born and reared near Captina Creek, and died when our subject was still a small child, his birth having taken place in Monroe County in 1857. During his boyhood he had only the common schools from which to gain his knowl- edge of books and what he lias acquired be- yond the short period of instruction there, he has gained through his own efforts and he may be called a self-made man. He resided with friends at Lewis' Mills, Ohio, after his parents' death, spending three years in this manner, and in 1872 went to Bellaire, where his home has been ever since.

The first employment J. A. Green found upon locating in Bellaire was that of clerk in the grocery store of I. L. Fawcett, who is still in business in the city and is known as one of the oldest grocers in Bellaire. Becoming fa- miliar with the business and store while he was employed as clerk there, Mr. Green soon de- cided to embark in business for himself and in 1885 he opened his own place of business to the public at Nos. 2111-13 Belmont street, and has continued to prosper to the present day. He has re- modeled his store, making it double, so the dimensions are now 40 by 65 feet ; it has a stcel ceiling, is provided with both electric lights and fans, and under the supervision of our

740

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF BELMONT COUNTY,

subject is a model of neatness everywhere, with the wares arranged most advantageously. Four people are employed to conduct affairs quickly and smoothly and Mr. Green is active manager, spending most of his time there, al- though interested in many other business en- terprises.

Mr. Green was united in marriage with Su- san Wilson, who is a daughter of N. R. Wil- son, residing near Belmont. They have five children; namely, William H., James Earl, Bertha, Cora Nell, and Flora May, and live comfortably in their residence at No. 2105 Bel- mont street, which is very conveniently situated in regard to the store. The family attended di- vine services at the M. E. Church.

In politics Mr. Green is a Republican, vot- ing the straight ticket at elections. He is a di- rector of the Enterprise Enamel Company, di- rector and president of the Belmont Electric Light & Power Company, and a stockholder in the new Imperial Glass Company. By his energy, careful attention to small details and his uniform courtesy, he has placed himself upon a popular basis with the purchasing com- munity, which has led to his success in busi- ness.

JOHN F. CROSSLAND, member of the firm of J. F. Crossland & Company, dealers in pure drugs, medicines, stationery, wall paper, toilet articles, fancy goods and sun- dries, at St. Clairsville, Ohio, is one of the enterprising business men of this city.

The birth of Mr. Crossland took place in Washington County, Pennsylvania, on Janu- ary 3, 1862, and he is the only surviving child of George W. and Mary Crossland, the lat- ter of whom died in 1863 when but 21 years of age. George W. Crossland has been an agriculturist all his life, formerly in Pennsyl- vania and later near Belmont, in this county, to which he came in 1868 and where he still owns valuable farming lands. His home is now in St. Clairsville, and in March, 1902, he passed his 80th birthday. He has held

many offices of responsibility, and is a leading member of the Presbyterian Church. Ilis second marriage was to Mary Carter, and the two surviving children of this union are James D., who is a druggist and resides in St. Clairsville, and Nettie, who is the wife of Clark Daniels, also a resident of this city.

John F. Crossland of this sketch was edu- cated in the common schools of Belmont and acquired his pharmaceutical education in the very practical way of handling and dispensing drugs while he studied their properties, and to such good effect that he passed the rather severe examination of the State Board of Pharmacy in the class of 1884, holding a cer- tificate to that effect. After his school days he entered the store of J. McCaffrey in Bel- mont and later was for five years in a clerical position with J. B. Hoge at St. Clairsville, and during this time mastered the mysteries of pills and potions. In 1885 he opened a drug store in St. Clairsville with an entirely new and most attractive stock, and his busi- ness has been a prosperous one from the start. In 1892 the original firm was dis- solved and a new store secured, the firm name of J. F. Crossland & Company being con- tinued, but this store was destroyed by fire, January 26, 1899. Three days later business was resumed and the building of the present commodious structure was commenced. The store room occupied by this drug firm is 18 by 72 feet in dimensions, with a basement where facilities are found for storage, and modern methods are made use of to expedite business and exhibit stock. The latter is of so varied a nature and of so large an amount that the business done is almost that of a de- partment store, having nearly doubled in quantity from that done prior to the fire. A business that amounts to from $10,000 10 $12,000 annually in a city the size of St. Clairsville must be regarded as flourishing and its prospects encouraging.

This modern store makes a specialty of the careful compounding of prescriptions, of fresh, new drugs. Mrs. J. F. Crossland and Miss Anna W. McBride deserve honorable

J. MELVIN RICHARDS.

743

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

mention for their long and efficient service in our subject's employ.

Mr. Crossland was married on June 27, 1888, to Minnie Harrison, of Bethesda, Bel- mont County, a daughter of William H. and Mary Harrison, of that place. The four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Crossland are the following: Clare L .; Marguerite and Marie, twins, and John F., Jr., who died in 1902, aged II months. Both our sub- ject and wife belong to the Methodist Church, in which Mr. Crossland is a steward. The only secret organization with which he has ever connected himself is the Modern Woodmen of America. His business success imust be credited in a great measure to his untiring efforts to please the public, this being as laudable in business as in private life.

J. MELVIN RICHARDS, secretary and superintendent of the Epworth Park Chatau- qua Assembly, at Bethesda, Ohio, is a leading and representative citizen of Belmont County. Mr. Richards was born in Wheeling ( West ) Virginia, October 7, 1834, and is a son of James and Mary ( Hurford) Richards, the former of whom was a native of Newton, Massachusetts, and the latter of Pennsylvania.

James Richards located in Wheeling in 1821, in his 15th year, at a time when the greater number of the houses were of log construction and there were neither railroad nor steamboat transportation facilities. By trade he was a machinist and was also a natural mechanic, filling many important positions in the grow- ing town. Few men took a more active inter- est in the fostering of the Methodist Church, and he was the organizer of at least three churches of that denomination in the vicinity of Wheeling, and was one of the leading mem- bers of the First Methodist Church of the city, which was then located on the site of the pres- ent 4th street edifice. Believing that every member should have a working place in the church, he did much missionary work, his ef- forts always being to extend the influences of

religion and education. His death occurred at Wheeling, in 1854, at the age of 48 years. His widow survived him a great many years, passing away in May, 1902, the last survivor of the old First Methodist Church congrega- tion. Her 90 years had silvered her hair and left many traces of advanced age, but they had not quenched her interest in the church which had been to her such a living interest in its struggling days. But a short time prior to her death, she sent to the authorities the church data, including names of ministers and congre- gation, and conditions of that early time, and received from the official board a letter thank- ing her for her valuable additions to the church history. She was widely known as "Aunt Polly Richards," and was one of the most valued workers as long as physical strength was given her. Her house was always open to the itinerant preachers of those pioneer days, and multitudes shared the hospitality of her home and enjoyed the fruits of her Christian influence. She was converted in youth and filled more than a half century with her best Christian influences. It seemed as if she had a peculiar fitness for all lines of church work on account of a sympathetic nature and a lov- ing heart. In a deeply religious and happy home seven children were born, the subject of this sketch being the eldest.

J. Melvin Richards obtained an excellent ed- ucation in the public schools of Wheeling, and later entered into an establishment to learn the trade of plumbing, gas fitting, steam fit- ting and brass work, and later became fore- man and superintendent of the shops of Dil- lon, Thompson & Company, remaining with them until his enlistment for service in the Civil War.

The record of our subject during the con- tinuance of the war, from 1862 until he was honorably mustered out on June 27, 1865, de- serves even more extended mention than can be made in the limits of a sketch of the present description. As an authentic account of one of the most gallant survivors of the War of the Rebellion, we take the liberty of herein inscribing the same from the records of Bat -

744

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF BELMONT COUNTY,

tery D, from the archives on file in Washing- ton, D. C.

"J. Melvin Richards helped to organize, and enlisted as a private in, Battery D ( Carlin's Battery ), Ist West Virginia Light Artillery, August 19, 1862. Mustered as senior 2nd lieu- tenant, August 20. Promoted Ist lieutenant, March 26, 1864. Served in R. R. District, Department of the Ohio, with Gen. R. H. Mil- roy. In Middle Department, and Department of Upper Potomac; in 8th Army Corps; in De- partment of West Virginia; and in Reserve Artillery Department, to June, 1865.

"Service-Expedition on Cheat and Alle- ghany Mountain to Crab Bottom and Monte- rey ; march to Beverly and Webster on special expedition; on duty at New Creek; expedition to Petersburg, Winchester and Strasburg, Vir- ginia; battle of Winchester and Carter's Woods; special duty at Wheeling and New Creek and Hancock, Maryland; Gen. Sigel's expedition in the Shenandoah Valley and the battle of New Market; Hunter's expedition to Lynchburg; skirmish at Harrisonburg, Vir- ginia; battle of Piedmont, Virginia; destruc- tion of military stores at Staunton, Virginia; destruction of Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia; skirmishes at Otter Creek, Diamond Hill, Liberty, Buckhannon; battle of Lynch- burg, Virginia; operations in vicinity of Bu- fort's Gap and Mason's Creek, and on detached duty, by section and battery, a tvarious stages of the war, and at various times and places as the exigencies of the service demanded.

" Made prisoner of war June 21, 1864; im- prisoned at . Lynchburg, Virginia; Macon, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina (under fire) ; Columbia, South Carolina; Charlotte and Goldsborough, North Carolina; and, after nearly nine months' imprisonment was paroled at Wilmington, North Carolina, March, 1865. Honorably mustered out June 27, 1865."

This is a record of which our subject, fam- ily, friends and fellow-citizens may be justly proud. It is however a difficult matter to as- sociate the present dignified, genial and active church worker with the gallant, dashing offi- cer, except that in both cases may be recog-

nized those attributes which belong to true nobility of character,-self-possession, energy, poise and perseverance in the battle for the right.

After the close of the war, our subject was one of those remarkable men which our coun- try has not ceased to honor, who quietly re- turned to peaceful avocations and took up the lines temporarily laid down. With the same firm he resumed his work in plumbing and gas and steam fitting, becoming a member of the firm of Dillon, Thompson & Company ; but he soon found that his long service, with its imprisonment, had made inroads upon his health, and with reluctance on both sides he severed the connections of years. For several succeeding years he was employed in the gen- eral delivery department of the Wheeling Post Office, later embarking in an agency business, in which he remained until 1888, when he first became interested in the work at Bethesda, Ohio. Although he came here first for a pe- riod of rest, he soon after became identified with the work of the Epworth Park Assembly, resulting in his engagement as superintendent, a position he has acceptably filled for the past 12 years. The beautiful grounds of the Chau- tauqua Assembly, with the attractive improve- ments, have during this time been under his care and management, and as a practical work- man, he has planned and executed with an eye to the most efficiency and with the greatest economy, and the result is one of the mose de- lightful retreats in Belmont County.

The marriage of Mr. Richards took place in August, 1863, to Emeline White, of Marshall County, West Virginia. She was a woman of Christian virtue, devoted to the Methodist Church. Her death occurred in 1879, at the age of 45 years. The second marriage of our subject was in 1893, to Sarah Eliza Baron, of Bellaire, Ohio, a most estimable, educated, cul- tured lady, who is an able assistant to her hus- band in every department of church work and the promotion of the intellectual and social life of the Epworth Park Assembly. Mr. Richards is gifted with a very fine voice and for a score of years was connected with the Methodist

745

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

Church choir in Wheeling. The two children born to our subject were Olive W. and Wilma B., the former of whom passed away in her 21st year and the latter at the age of seven . years. Fraternally, Mr. Richards is an ad- vanced Odd Fellow, being a past grand in that order, and he is also a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He had been a life-long Republican until the campaign of 1884, since which date he has voted with the Prohibition party. He has been one of the greatest factors in Bethesda's prosperity and his enthusiastic spirit, which communicates it- self to others, shows he is just as much in his right place now as he was in front of the ene- my's guns in the "sixties."

J. W. PIPER, M. D., a physician of em- inence in Belmont County, and one of the lead- ing and representative citizens of Bethesda, was born in Belmont County, September 29, 1841, being a son of John and Abigail (Lin- der) Piper, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, and the latter in Belmont County.

The Piper family has combined German and Scotch ancestry and has been noted for its virility, longevity, and devotion to the tenets of the Methodist Church. John Piper, the father of Dr. Piper, was born May 23, 1805, and died December 24, 1863, and his wife was born December 13, 1810 and died in September, 1892. They were both devoted in their attach- ment to the Methodist Church and carefully reared their large family to obey its teachings. Mr. Piper came to Ohio a young man and through a long and exemplary life followed agricultural pursuits. They reared to maturity a family of 12 children, consisting of seven sons and five daughters. The names of these children were as follows: Zenas, who resides in Warnock, Ohio, and follows a meat busi- ness ; Dr. William, who practices his profession at Bellaire; Martha, who was born August 20, 1833, and died September 28, 1861 ; Lucinda, who married Samuel McKeen, and died in

1890; Marshall, who conducts a boarding house in Bellaire; Elizabeth, who married Thomas C. Stephenson, was born November 10, 1837, and died September 13, 1884, having been a widow since the Civil War; Leah, who was born May 1, 1840, and died June 13, 1869; J. W., who is the subject of this sketch; Wil- son S., who is-in the express business, and re- sides in Bellaire; Nathaniel, who resides on a farm near Demos, Ohio; Mary A., who mar- ried David Campbell, and resides in Kansas; and Joseph, born February 20, 1850, who was killed by lightning June 20, 1871.

The early education of Dr. Piper was ac- quired in the public schools and his medical inclinations were encouraged by his elder brother, William, with whom he began liis study, continuing from the age of 18 to 21 years. On August 28, 1862, the young med- ical student put aside his books and ambitions for a future career, and enlisted as a private soldier in Company F, 15th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. At his first battle, that of Stone River, on Wednesday, December 31, 1862, he was taken prisoner and sent first to Chattanooga, then to Atlanta, later to Montgomery, Ala- bama, and thence to Richmond, where he was confined for five days in Libby Prison, which the Doctor says were just four and one-half days too many for the times and accommoda- tions. Being paroled, he returned home and about three months later was exchanged and immediately returned to his regiment, which was then at Tullahoma, Tennessee. He was then overtaken by a sickness which confined him to a hospital for five months and when he had sufficiently recovered he was transferred to the invalid corps ( Veteran Reserve Corps) at Louisville, Kentucky, and remained with that from December, 1863. to September, 1865, when his term of three years expired. As the war was then closing, our subject felt at lib- erty to look to his personal interests and began a practice of medicine in Bethesda, in which he lias ever since continued. Later he gradu- ated from the Ohio Medical College, at Cincin- nati, in the class of 1872. His continuous practice covers some 37 years and during this

746

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF BELMONT COUNTY,

time his medical and surgical skill has been shown on many occasions. He has been exam- ining surgeon for many insurance companies, is a member of the Ohio Medical Society, has long been regarded as one of the leading men in his profession in this locality, and for many years he has served on the School Board and has advocated all worthy enterprises in his community.

Dr. Piper was married March 3, 1866, to Emma Vanfossen, a native of Goshen town- ship, Belmont County, a daughter of George Vanfossen, who is an esteemed member of the Christian Church, in Bethesda. Mrs. Vanfos- sen died at the age of 57 years, having been a lifelong member of the Baptist Church. The children born to Dr. and Mrs. Piper are the following: Lewis U., a resident of Bethesda, married Laura B. Brown, and has three chil- dren,-Willard, Grace and Meta; Ada M., who married H. F. Holden of Bethesda, has two children ; Josephine L., who married Dr. E. W. Turner, resides in Laurelville, Hocking Coun- ty, Ohio; and Laura B. and Pearl A., who are still at home. Dr. Piper is a man of character, strong in his beliefs and principles, and is dis- trict steward in the Methodist Church, of which his family, even to the grandchildren, are members. His political affiliation is with the Republican party.

JAMES W. MARTIN, county commis- sioner of Belmont County and one of the county's most substantial and representative citizens, descends from an old and honorable Ohio family. ITis birth took place on Novem- ber 2, 1856, on his father's farm in Goshen township, this county, being a son of Amos G. and Mary A. ( White) Martin.

The Martins were established in Belmont County by Isaac Martin, who came from his native Pennsylvania at an early day, and with other members of the Society of Friends set- tled on Bend Fork. Later he sold his prop- erty there and removed to Stumptown, where he followed farming, and died at Hocking,

Washington County, Ohio, about 50 years ago. Ilis wife was Martha Wilson, who was also born in Pennsylvania, and her death took place at Hocking. They reared seven chil- dren, viz .: Martha, Rebecca, Sarah, Thomas, Samuel, Amos G. and William, all of whom be- came residents of Belmont County.

Amos G. Martin was born in Belmont County and in early years followed the trade of cooper, but after his marriage and location in Goshen township he engaged in farming. He was an intelligent and reliable man who was frequently called upon to serve in town- ship offices, supported the Republican party in politics, and his death at the age of 55 years, on January 5, 1875, removed from the local- ity one of the best citizens. The mother of our subject was Mary A. White, who was born in 1824, in Belmont County, and died in Jan- uary, 1862. She was a daughter of James and Mary White, the former of whom was an early pioneer of the county and became one of its prominent and successful men. The old White mansion home, now about 100 years old, still stands, and is located about one-quar- ter mile from Mr. Martin's present home, the farm belonging to him, as do also the home- steads of his parents and grandparents. Mr. White was a success both in farming and in horse breeding and for years was a leading citizen. A family of five children was born to the parents of our subject, namely : Martha A. married S. S. Lingo, a farmer, and they moved to Southern Iowa, where she died, leav- ing four children,-Walter, Ernest, Mabel and Otis; Mary E. in 1876 married C. O. Mead and they moved to lowa, where she died in March, 1880,-Mr. Mead now resides in Nebraska; Laura E. died in this county on February 7, 1887, unmarried; James W .; A. G., a cigar manufacturer at Bethesda, mar- ried Clara B. Hunt, who died December 20, 1001, leaving three children,-Golde, Charles HI. and Mattie Jewell.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 88

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