History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 101

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728

USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 101
USA > Ohio > Belmont County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 101

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).

In consequence of his liberality and kindness of heart, he be- came involved as security for a friend, for which the greater part of his farm was sold in the year 1847, retaining but some forty or fifty acres, upon which he removed from his old homestead in the spring of 1848. After his loss he applied himself to the cul- tivation of his few remaining acres and enjoyed his situation with apparent happiness.

Mr. M. always took a deep interest in the cause of education and was a constant visitor of the Union School, having served as a member of the board of education for several years.

He was a life long student and was well versed in both ancient and modern history and the sciences of astronomy, botony, natural philosophy and chemistry.

As a husband and parent he was affectionate and indulgent ; as a citizen and neighbor charitable and accommodating. No man ever performed his duty with more scrupulous integrity. He was a consistent christian, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, without the least taint of sectarian prejudice, contributing liberally to all denominations as long as his means would permit. Me donated the lots upon which the Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian churches are built, as well as making other liberal donations in the erection of the present edifices. His death oceurred on Saturday, January 15, 1876.

On the Monday morning after the death of Mr. Martin, the Mayor issued the following proclamation :

" MAYOR'S OFFICE, MARTIN'S FERRY, OHIO, January 17, 1876.

Ebenezer Martin is dead :

This announcement calls us back eighty-four years in the cal- endar of time when the father of Martin's Ferry was born.

The founder of our growing city is no more. It is meet that we honor ourselves in honoring the memory of him whose name our homes and firesides bear; and over which he has watched like a ministering spirit for many eventful years.

Therefore, I, James Dean, Mayor of Martin's Ferry, do make and issue this, my proclamation, expressing grief in behalf of the citizens of our town, in respect for the honored deceased and sor- row at his demise, and do invoke our people to show appropriate regard for his memory by closing (as far as practicable) all places of business between the hours of twelve and three o'clock P. M. and attend the funeral ceremonies, and that the bells of the town be tolled during the hours of the funeral.

· After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well."

JAMES DEAN, Mayor.

The following extracts are made from a special correspondent to the Belmont Chronicle: * * * In him we all knew we had a kind, true friend ; and in years long agone we loved to sit and listen to the stories

which have never grown old, with those whose heart beat re- sponsive to the scenes and trials nearly a century ago. * * Mr. Martin was born in a log cabin or block-house near where the building of the steel works now stands, in the extreme up- per end of the town. Far above and below the rude humble cabin of his father was stretched out the finest sugar camp ever known in Eastern Ohio, and over which ground at present there are more than three thousand persons busy at work. Here quite near the bank of the Ohio river (nothing like it is now ) was born the first white child of the place. *

* * About 1815. be built a log house a little further down the river (the property is now owned by Mr. Charles Swartz) about one hundred feet below the glass house landing, where Capt. A. Martin had a fer- ry-a rude flatboat propelled with oars or poles. Here for many years Mr. E. Martin lived, always entertaining all who came to him with a freedom and kindness that was never forgotten by either white or red man. For many years this part of the eoun- ty was but sparsely settled, there being at this time not over a dozen families north of Wheeling creek in what is now Pease township. The hill part of the town was then a dense forest and the home of the bear, the deer and the turkey. His home and gen- erosity was known far and wide, and the red man, squaw and pa- poose were as welcome to his table as were the noted borderers, * McColloughs or Zanes. For many years he owned the ferry and was brought in contact with many of those whose names are associated with the rise and progress of the country. * *

The original patent or deed from the United States Govern - ment to Absolom Martin of the present site of Martin's Ferry is dated March 5, 1788, and can be found in the possession of Dr. S. B. West.

In 1795, Absolom Martin laid out quite a number of lots, with the requisite number of streets and alleys on that part of his farm which bordered the river and named it in honor of his fav- orite statesman "Jefferson." In 1801, when Belmont county was erected, this place was the competitor of Newelltown (now St. Clairsville) and Pultney, which was situated in what is known as the Pultney bottoms, and near the present site of Bel- laire, for the seat of justice. The proprietor of Pultney, Daniel MeElherron, was a canny Scotchman, and brought influence to bear upon Gov. St. Clair, who was a brother country and so car- ried off the prize. Mr. Martin finding that the prize had escap- ed his grasp, he despaired of the success of his enterprise, and supposing that if he could not obtain the county seat, no town could ever be built up so near Wheeling, purchased back the lots which had been sold, vacated the town and continued to enlti- vate his broad acres to the day of his death.

Forty-five years later, Ebenezer, his son, laid out one hundred lots and named the town Martinsville. These lots found rapid sale to the operators of the Top Mill, an extensive iron and nail manufactory situated on the east bank of the river, in North Wheeling, opposite the village. The name of the town was changed on account of the postoffice, there being a Martinsville in Clinton county, Ohio,

There is no display of architectural skill in the buildings of Martin's Ferry. A larger portion of the houses are small and unpretending. There is no place of equal population to Martin's Ferry to be found in this region of country, where so many of the laboring men own the houses that shelter them.

In 1836 more lots were required, and Mr. Martin made his first addition, and on May 2d, 1837, he made a second addition, which included the territory from Washington street on the south to Walnut street on the north, and from the river on the east to Fifth street on the west.

Daniel Zane laid out lots May 3d, 1837, from Jefferson street to the point where S. B. Williams' saw mill now stands. After this date there were twenty other additions made to the town as follows :

John Wallace's first addition May 8, 1849: Ann McGargle, October 12, 1849; John Wallace's second addition August 14, 1850 ; Zane's second addition March 5, 1851 ; Martin & Sharpless' addition March 5, 1851 ; John Wallace's third addition July 5th; fourth, August 5th; fifth, September 18, 1851, Zane's out lots August 8. 1851; Gill & Hobensack's addition August 16, 1851 ; Sharpless' out lots, January 20, 1853; S. S. Bigger's addition Febroary 3, 1853; Sharpless' second addition May 24, 1854.

David Cross' addition, October 2, 1855.

Joel Wood's first addition, April 16, 1869; second addition, January 20, 1872; third addition, January 1, 1873.

Charles Seabright's addition, March 18, 1873. William Clarke's first addition, May 28, 1873. Newland's addition, July 7, 1873.

Carmichael's addition, July 25, 1873.

291

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

Burkle's addition, March 2, 1874. Martin's third addition, October 1, 1874. William Clarke's second addition, October 1, 1874. Evan Wallace's addition, March 30, 1875.

THE FERRY.

The ferry originally belonged to Col. Ebenezer Zane and his brother Jonathan. The time at which it was established is not certainly known, but is supposed to be between 1785-90. It came into the possession of Ebenezer Martin through his moth- er's interest in the Colonel's estate. In 1810 John Rowland re- ceived license to keep a ferry at this point. In 1802 John Phil- ley received license to keep a " house of public entertainment" at this landing. In 1805 Absalom Martin also received license to keep a tavern at this ferry. Fees paid, $10. This crossing- point has been known from the earliest settlement of the state, it being more convenient to cross the river at this one ferry than the two with the intervening island opposite the city. The roads leading to this ferry wore the chief thoroughfares for the travel of emigrants and adventurers to the new country of mid- dle Ohio, and the return of hogs and cattle in droves, and the. produce of the opening farms to Eastern markets. About the first of the present century the ferry became noted as a cross- ing-point by the Virginians. A ferry-house and an accompany- ing tavern were soon put up, and were made as comforta- ble as possible in those times for the pioneers and their boasts. Through a period of over forty yoars cattle and hogs were driven from the interior of Ohio as far west as the Scioto and Miami rivers to Baltimore and Philadelphia by way of this route. The ferrying of these droves was a great business, and at times engaged many extra hands and very often two sets of boats. The boats used were flat-bottomed scows, without decks, and sided with a fence of posts and slats, with bars at the bow and stern, leaving only a space at each end for propelling the boats with poles or oars, as were most convenient. Steam ferry boats were not introduced bere until 1840. As the current of the river is strong here at most seasons, it was necessary to take the boat to a landing far up stream, and then, by means of much driving, coaxing, hallooing and swearing, get the cattle on board, thon push out into the stream, and, with four men push- ing and pulling at each large pair of oars, they made for the opposite side. This was a slow way to ferry a large drove, and often an entire day was consumed in crossing with one herd. On the opposite bank one or two of the drovers herded the cat- tle until the last load was brought across, when they took up the line of march to their destination.

The ferrying of hogs was by much the same process, except that the native sense of independence in the pig made him more troublesome to handle, and, as this driving all came in the midst of the fall rains and early shows, it was so muddy along the roads and at the ferry, indoors and out, that no conception can be formed as to the hardships and disagreeableness of the carly drover and ferryman. Hogs were usually driven about ten miles a day, so that the journey from Chillicothe to Baltimore took at least two months.

In 1833, a new contrivance was substituted for propelling the boat. The modus operandi of this arrangement was as follows :

Nearly a mile above the landing, a strong wire ropo was fast- ened to a tree on the Ohio bank, from which point it was carried down to the landing, supported at respectivo distances by float- ing bnoys, and passed over pulleys at each end of the boat and aronud a cylinder in the middle of the same, by which it could bo turned with either end up stream, at will. A leo-board pass- ed down the outside of the boat along its length and reached some distance below the bottom. Against this the current would pass, and if the shore end of the boat was up stream the boat would remain at the shore ; but on turning the onter end up stream, the current pushing against the lee-board (the wire rope holding the boat from floating away ) she would immediately run across the river, on the principle of the iuclive plane, landing a short distance above the point of starting. Then, on turning the other ond up stream she would float back, of course much easier than in passing over. It was an casy matter to run the quarter cf a mile in five minutes or less. But the frequent pas- sago of boats along the river. greatly interferred with the use of this plan and it was given up for steam.

In 1841, John S. Pringle, of Brownsville, Pa., built the first steam ferry boat run at this place. Whilst floating the boat from said town down the river it struck on some rocks between Mar- tin's Forry and Pittsburgh. The owner becoming uneasy aboat I-37-B. & J. Com.

the safety of the boat wrote to Pringle offering to send help to get her off. He returned an answer, saying :

" There are several rocks where she lays and it would be very difficult to haul her off without injury. If it had been a gravel bottoni I would have hauled her off before now; but the rocks she struck on are fifteen or eighteen inches higher than the bar, and when I found I could not raise force enough to get her off at the time, 1 cut some blocks and blocked her up all round to keep her fair."

In ten or fifteen days afterward a raise occurred in the river and carly one morning near the last of October a new ferry boat landed at the wharf to the great delight of the citizens of the village, who crowded her deck for several hours during the day with curious interest.

This boat was named in honor of Mr. Martin's son, who had shortly before made his advent, receiving the appellation of "Isaac Martin." In 1844, Mr. Martin in consequence of finan- cial embarrassments was obliged to give up the business, and then it passed with the ferry right from Jefferson street to the lands now owned by William Clarke, into the hands of Hugh Nichols, who conducted it until 1862, when it was purchased by Price, Updegraff & Long. In 1864, George K. Jenkins bought Updegraff's interest, and in 1865 Jenkins and Price purchased Long's interest. In 1866, Price sold to Levi W. Inglebright. Two boats are used-one a light draft for low water and the other larger and well suited for high water and floating ice.

OFFICE ESTABLISHED.

In 1835, the postoffice was established and William Beasle was made the first postmaster of the village. He was succeeded by James Martin, John Zane, Ebenezer Martin, Elijah Woods and S. F. Dean, the present incumbent.

AMONG THE EARLY MERCHANTS.

According to the statements made by Mr. H. N. White, who is an old citizen of this place, a gentleman named Branson was the first merchant to open out a store. He kept a store on the lot opposite Swartz & Sons' shop. From there be removed to the cast corner of Washington and First streets. In 1845 Park & Dakan kept a store down on the corner of First and Wash- ington streets, where Park still continues. Joseph Jones started a store in the building where Weirich's drug store is located, and was succeeded by Jeptha Cowgill in the same stand. Isaac Laning followed next, and carried on in the house now occupied by Fennemore. H. B. Rice opened out a store where Conrad Long's hardware store is located. In about 1850 Turner & Fen- nemore started in the dry goods business on Washington street. This firm continued one year. Joseph Turner started on Wash- ington street in 1853. Joseph Romie started in 1858 on Wash- ington street, and continued in the mercantile trade until about 1869. In about 1855 the firm of Bendell, Orr & Co. engaged in the sale of dry goods on the north corner of Washington and Second streets. The firm changed to Bendell, Orr & Frazier after an existence of two years, and in 1858 it failed. Rice, after keeping for some time, removed his goods to where West & Son are now carrying on the trade. They succeeded Rice. This building was erected for store purposes by Andrew Ralston in 1853. He started his son, John Ralston, in the mercantile business, who continued for a time. In 1852 William Holliday succeeded Cowgill in the Weirich building. He removed from this room to Fifth and Hanover streets. Ilis son Newton fol- lowed him, who afterwards took in a partner. The firm name is known as Holliday & Thompson. At present the town is woll supplied with stores, which have a fine assortment of goods.

WHEN INCORPORATED.

This town was incorporated by the commissioners of Belmont county, August 5, 1865. The first municipal election was held on the 15th day of December, 1865. The following is a list of the sovoral officers since its incorporation :

MAYORS.

From 1865 to 1867-A. D. Rico.

1867 to 1869-W. IL. Orr.

1869 to 1570-James Eaglesou.

.. 1870 to 1872-J. W. Buckingham.

1872 to 1874 -- James Kerr.

1874 to 1876-James Dean.

1876 to 1878-J. W. Buckingham.

.4 1878 to 1850-James Kerr.

292

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

RECORDERS.

From 1865 to 1870-S. F. Dean. 1870 to 1873-David Park, Jr. 1873 to 1874-Richard Swartz.

66 1874 to 1880-J. T. Hanes.

TREASURERS.

From 1865 to 1868-James A. Gray. 1868 to 1874-David Park, Jr. 1874 to 1878-John L. Vanpelt.

66 1878 to 1880-Abram Lash.

MARSHALS.

T. R. Carter,

Robert Hays, Robert Hanson,

Nathan Borham, L. N. Soles, Benjamin McFarland.

S. G. Cochran.

COUNCILMEN.

From 1865 to 1871-William Wiley. 16

to " _Jonas Rounch.

to 1869-John Reyner.

1867 to 1869-James M. Lytle. 6 to -Joseph T. Hanes.

1869 to 1870-David Park, Sr.

1869 to 1871-Joel C. Hobensack. 60

66 to " -James A. Gray. 1870 to 1872-S. B. West. =

to -James R. Griffith.

= 1871 to -Angust Rutherman.

66 to 1876-Theodore Swartz.

to 1877-Levi James.

1872 to 1875-George Deits.

1872 to 1874-Michael Sweeny.

to -Joseph Robinson.

66 to -H. W. Smith. 1874 to 1878-George Robinson.

1874 to 1876-J. W. Buckingham.

1875 to 1877-James McCahan.

to 1876-Joseph Medell.

1874 to 1878-E. J. Hoyle.

to 1876-R. E. Sweeny.

1876 to 1878-James Crossley. to =

1877 to 1879-James McCahon.

to -William Sloan.

to -J. D. Hobensack. 1878 to 1880-H. W. Smith. 66 to

66 -Benjamin Exley, Sr.

to -Finley Taylor.

1879 to 1881-J. P. Crowl.

66 to

-James Crossley.

66 to - William H. Ford.

CEMETERY.

The town has no public cemetery, but by the munificence of Ebenezer Martin the dead have a final resting place in the beau- tiful Walnut Grove on the northern limits of the second plateau. In this spot reposes peacefully and undisturbed the remains of several of the pioneers of this region. Among others are Capt. Absolom Martin, Col. Ebenezer Zane and his sister Elizabeth, the heroine of the desperate "gunpowder exploit" of Fort Henry during the seige of 1782.

MATERIALS FOR BUILDING.

Martin's Ferry is eligibly situated for obtaining building ma- terial. The hills surrounding the town abound in the finest strata of sandstone, which crops out fifteen feet below the coal and extends downwards one hundred and two feet and is inex- haustible. This is the same strata of stone from which the Sus- pension Bridge, the Fourth Street M. E. Church, at Wheeling, and the West Virginia Penitentiary at Moundsville were built. The actual value of this strata can hardly be estimated. Next above the coal is found a vast strata of the best quality of limestone, from which an excellent quality of lime for building and smelt- ing purposes are obtained.

The clay of the upper part of the town on the margin of the river bank, makes excellent brick. From this clay there are

made about two millions of brick annually here and in the im- mediate vicinity.

Timber for bridges, houses and other purposes are floated in ratts from the State of New York; oak, ash, poplar, walnut and other native timber are brought to the market in wagons and by rail and delivered on moderate terms.

ANTIQUITIES.

Some two hundred yards southwest of the cemetery, a large mound stands, which measures four hundred feet in circumter- ence at the base. Its present height is twenty-five feet. On the sides of this mound are several beech trees from two to two and a half feet in diameter, and on its summit a large chestnut tree formerly stood, the stump of which was removed when the mound was explored in the summer of 1836, by Joseph Temple- ton, a graduate of Washington College, and who subsequently became a Presbyterian minister. He died a number of years ago in St. Louis. There were found in the excavation skulls, teeth and fragments of bones, with long straight black hair. The bones were covered with ashes and charcoal. At the base of this mound was discovered a large cavity ten feet in diameter, the bottom of which was covered with five inches of ashes. Arrow heads and a piece of metal supposed to be copper in the rude shape of a hatchet were also found in it. No stones, however, were found.

A smaller mound, about eight feet in heighth, situated on the northeast side of Hanover, between Third and Fourth streets, was obliterated in the grading of Hanover street. Pieces of bones, ashes, charcoal and a stone about four inches in length and one and a half inches wide, and of an oblong shape; was perforated at one end. There was also some lime stones, which had been transported from a brook abont a half mile distant.

On the west side of Broadway, south of Adams street, a mound three hundred feet in circumference and twenty feet in heighth stands on the grounds owned by Michael Sweeney, and yet re- mains unexplored.

On Fourth street, between Hanover and Walnut, the street commissioner in grading found in a compact heap a large quan- tity of arrow heads.

By whom these mounds were formed and for what purpose rests entirely upon conjectures.

WATER.

The borders of the town adjacent to the hills have a few springs on the sides of the hills, but none afford water sufficient for distribution. The largest portion of water used is drawn up in barrels from the river. There are a few wells. Those dug on the bottom near the river being from fitty to sixty feet, whilst those on the hill are from ninety to one hunred feet deep. Cisterns are common, but the general use of bituminous coal as fuel renders the water unfit for culinary purposes. The water of the springs and wells is generally hard, owing to the carbon- ate of lime and other salts afforded by a calcareous region.

Thirty-nine years ago there were but two wells in the village, one at the ferry landing, by the old hewed log house, which had served as a tavern from an early date; the other one was at Beagle's old corner (now the Sherman House), where the old Squire kept a very good tavern, with the design of the "Ameri- can Eagle" swinging on the old fashioned sign post. At this time the town was spread over considerable extent of ground, and it was a long distance to carry water from these wells, and from necessity the citizens on Second street, at the then upper end of the town, concluded to dig a well and put in a pump. The means for digging this well was raised by subscription, and the well located in the street at the corner of Mrs. Dean's lot on Second and Hickory streets. W. C. Howell was foremost in this enterprise, and after securing the promise of funds sufficient to carry on the work he employed a well-digger and pump- maker, by profession, at fifty cents per foot for digging and wall- ing tbe well; and fifty cents per foot for the pump, be finding nearly all the material. As is usually the case, the greater por- tion of the burden of expense was borne by the one who took the pains to procure the subscriptions, get the work done and collect the money.

The well was dug by a man named Waite, from New York State, a soldier of the war of '12, and who stood by the side of Gov. Pike when he was blown to pieces at Fort Niagara. He had seen considerable of the world and was full of good stories. He did the digging and a man named Collins, whom he hired, hauled away the dirt, lowered the stone and drew up his boss at

-Henry Hellings.

293

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

meal and liquor hours. At this well, during its digging, was a common place of gossip for passers-by and a resort for idlers, to whom the diggers told stories or explained the progress of work. The pump was made on the ground out of logs, which they hewed and bored by hand. Finally it was finished, the pump lowered into the well, and the first water drawn was a source of great satisfaction and curiosity to an assembled crowd, a major- ity of whom have long since been gathered to their fathers. This well was about thirty-three feet deep, two-thirds of the way through sand. In the dry summer of 1838, the well was deepencd. The water in this well supplied nearly halt of the village, to whom the use of it was free.

At the time this well was dug there could not have been over one hundred population. There were no houses between Mrs. Dean's and the river bank. The main river road passed up the bank in front of the house now owned by Mr. Chas. Swartz, on to Burlington. The land was farmed to within twenty rods of the well northeastward and in 1838 planted in morus multi- caulis.

NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE.

The newspaper business in Martin's Ferry, as in many other places, has met with defeats, and ended in disaster to the pub- lisher. Two attempts were made to establish a newspaper here previous to 1872, both of which were abortive. About 1849, David S. Welling commenced the publication of the American Enterprise, which was published at Martin's Ferry and Bridge- port. The office, according to the best information at band, be- ing alternately located at both places, but its publication was unremunerative, and it was abandoned. A few years later an- other paper was started in Martin's Ferry, but it was so short lived that both the name of the paper and its proprietor is for- gotten.

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History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 101

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 728

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728