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 121

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 121
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 121

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347

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

over sixty aeres in extent, and erect thereon a plain and sub- stantial building that would accommodate seventy-five to eighty scholars. The yearly meeting approved and adopted the sugges- tions of the committe.

After the adjournment of the yearly meeting, the committe ap- pointed B. Stratton and W. Hall a committee to solicit contri- butious. The result of their efforts was as follows: Short creek quarter, $7,950.50; Salem, $6,898.00; Stillwater, $10,752.50; Pennsville, $1,983.00 ; Hickory Grove was not called upon. The Friends of Philadelphia yearly meeting took a lively interest in the erection of the boarding school, and donated $16.308.34. Total funds raised were $43,862.34.

Forty-two and a half acres of land, the corners of four differ- ent farms a short distance south of Stilwater meeting house, was purchased at a cost of $4,462.23. As a public road ran through these lands near their centre, legal proceedings were had by which it was changed so as to run along their southern bound- ary. The cost of change was $45.00.

The building committee appointed Francis Davis superintend- ent of the work of the building house. The first work done on the premises was the digging of a well in the south yard, and was begun 10th Eleventh month, 1874. On New Year's day, 1875, the first log was cut and hauled on the snow to make Inmber to build laundry. The building committee decided to contract building after the following plan : Centre building 120 feet in length by 68 feet in depth, and two wings, each 58 feet and all four stories high. The building fronts north with wings on east and west sides. A belfry containing bell surmounts the top of centre building.

A laundry cost $2,000 was put up for the accommodation of the workmen engaged in the construction of school building. Asa Garretson was appointed treasurer.

The work was conducted by having a foreman for each class of work, and the committee employed all the workmen individu- ally. The first stone was laid in the foundation on 7th day of Fifth month, 1875. A hard light colored stand-stone was se- lected for range work and steps. Three large kilns of brick were burned from materials of the farm, and the first brick monlded on the 18th day of Fifth month, 1875, and the first. brick laid at noon on the 29th day of the Sixth month, 1875, at the northeast corner of the centre building. Under that brick one cent was lain as momento of the occasion. The brick work was completed on the 27th day of Ninth month, 1875. Seven hundred and twenty-five thousand brieks were used in the build- ing. The wall bricks were three times carefully selected before they were put in the wall. The whole building and belfry are roofed with slate. The school rooms of all the classes are warmed by stoves and illuminated by gasoline, generated at the gas house. There are complete pipings about the whole building to carry water to the cistren. The cistern holds one thousand bar- rels, and is divided into two compartments, one smaller than the other. The wind-engine and pumps lift the water from the the smaller division of the cistren to the attic of the centre building and thence by pipes it is conveyed to every part of the building.

Whatever of the furniture of the Mt. Pleasant boarding school that was retained when it was abandoned, and that was suita- ble, was put into the new boarding school house rooms, but much and elegant furniture had to be made or purchased to complete the garnature of the rooms.

A large planing bit was procured from the east that had been made to be used, and was used in making the seats for German- town Friends meeting house, and it was used here by Davis & Starbuck at their planing mill, to make seats for the Stillwater meeting house and boarding school. The first school began first 2d day of'Ist month, A. D. 1876.

BETHEL M. E. CHURCH.

The Methodists in the neighborhood of Bethel church, before the erection of that place of worship, held their meetings at the house of John Reed, Sr., near the spot where the residence of Isaac Reed now stands, in section 31. The Rev. John D. Price having in 1829, entered a quarter of that section, immediately donated one-half acre of it to the M. E. Church as a site for a meeting house and grave yard. Iu 1832, by the united efforts of Rev. Price and Mr. Reed, a commodions hewn log honse, was put up on that site as a place of worship. This house was so occupied nutil 1857, when the present church house was built at a cost of nine hundred and fifty dollars. It was built by Messrs. Stephen Denny and Amos Finch, and will seat three hundred persons comfortably. The membership at this time is I-44-B. & J. Cos.

one hundred and eighty. Present stewards, John K. Reed and William Reed. The pastor now in charge of the church is Rev. Mahlon J. Slutz.

GIBSON'S CHAPEL (M. E.)

Gibson's Chapel was built in 1855-6, by Mr. Richard Stamp, at a cost of seven hundred dollars. It was dedicated in Febru- ary, 1856, the dedication sermon being preached by Rev. John Coil, of the Pittsburgh Conference. Before the erection. of this church house, the Methodists of that vicinity had their member- ship at Barnesville. At the start, as a separate congregation, there were only twelve members. But, notwithstanding the smallness of their number, they boldly ventured upon the build- ing of their church, 'trusting to the future for additions to their number. Mr. John R. Gibson kindly donated to the church three-fourths of an acre of ground as site for house of worship and burial ground. He also largely aided with funds towards the erection of the church, and after it was built it was gener- ously called Gibson's Chapel, in consideration of Mr. Gibson's worth as a man, as well as the assistance he gave the feeble con- gregation. In a year or so, the Chapel became too small to ac- eommodate the people that attended the meetings held there, and an addition of fourteen feet was put to the original building, at a cost of two hundred and eighty dollars. The house will now seat about three hundred persons in comfort. The present stewards are John Gibson and John W. Chaney, and the mem- bership is eighty-three. Rev. Mahlon J. Slutz is preacher in charge of the Chapel at this time. Almost as soon as the house was built, a Sunday school was organized in connection with the church, and keeps up active work from March to December of each year.

MOUNT OLIVET M. E. CHURCH.

The Methodist at and around Mt Olivet organized themselves into a society about the year 1855, and held their meetings in an old log district school house on the lands of Mr. Richard Stamp. The membership increasing, a Sabbath school was formed in connection with the church, and preaching and the school heldin the old log school house until it became too small to accommodate the people and scholars when they were removed to Mt. Olivet. In 1860-1 their nice little frame church at Mt. Olivet was erected at a cost of about twelve hundred dollars. The church house was built by funds raised ou subscription and the construction superintended by Mr. Richard Stamp. It will seat about three hundred persons. Present pastor is Rev. Ransom S. Strahl. The Sunday school is still kept up and is well at- tended.

REFORMED DISSENTING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

George Buchanan came to Ohio in the year 1800 from near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, and settled in what is now Kirk- wood township, Belmont county. In 1796, the Associate Re- formed Synod of Pennsylvania adopted a formula for the govern- ment, worship and discipline of that church which it was claim- ed to subvert or modify many of the fundamental articles of the Westminister Confession of faith, and the catechism. That formula in its eighth article declared that "a religious test can never be essentially necessary to the being of a magistrate, any farther than an oath of fidelity, except where the people make it a condition of the government." That formula was made a test

of church communion.

Among the ministors of the Associate Reformed Church, who resided at that time in the state of Pennsylvania, were Alexan- der McCoy aud Robert Warwick, both gentlemen of great talents and high attainments, Mr. MeCoy was a courageous man and dared to do what he thonght right let any oppose him who might, and too honest to subscribe to that which his convictions condemned as erroneons. In early life he was a great student, but as he approached manhood, discontinued his studies, intend- ing to follow the ocenpation of farmer, But while attending a meeting going on at Rev. Riddles' church at Moon creek, Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania, in 1790. he was most earnestly urged by friends who promised to aid him, to resume his studies and enter the ministry. The warmth with which these gentlemen pressed him to that course caused him to go ou with his studies. He entered Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and hav- ing graduated, he studied divinity with Rev. Mathew Jamison. During the years 1794-5 he delivered his trial sermons as a test to his qualifications for the ministry. In April, 1795, he received his license as a Presbyter at the house of his old friend Rev. Robert Warwick on Redstone creek, Fayette county, Pa.

348

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

When the alteration was made in the Associate Reform church discipline just mentioned, McCoy and Warwick refused to subscribe to the changed discipline. They continued steadily to so refuse, and uniting their powers and efforts together, in 1796 they produced a schism which widened and grew stronger until on the 27th of January, 1801, at Washington, Washington county, Pa., they organized a Presbytery distinct from all other religious bodies. This Presbytery took upon itself the name of "The Reformed Dissenting Presbytery."

In 1805 Mr. McCoy visited Ohio and preached at the house of Mr. George Buchanan: many of his old church members in Pennsylvania having settled in Kirkwood and Warren town- ships and the surrounding neighborhoods. Mr. McCoy contin- ued his visits to Ohio, and to preach at the house of Mr. Bu- chanan until the year 1812. In the spring of that year a half acre of land was donated to the "church" by Thomas Griffith in Warren township, section 24, as a site for a meeting house and graveyard. In that spring a hewn log house was put up on this land as a place of public worship. The house was built within two rods of the township line, and stood with its length north and south, with shingle roof, doorway at centre of west side and a little high pulpit on east side of room directly opposite the doorway. The house at first was 20x25 feet, and was seated with plank benches without backs. Subsequently an addition was put to the north end of the old hewn log house, and the whole reseated with pews-each member providing his own pew.

The following list of gentlemen, with their wives, constituted the membership of the church there, when the old hewn log meeting house was built : George Buchanan, John Hyde, John Brown, Andrew Dougherty, Thomas Griffith and Robert Griffin. Griffin and Buchanan resided in Kirkwood, and the remainder of the members lived in Warren township.

The first minister who preached in the old log church was Rev. John Patterson, who lived near West Alexander, Pa. He preached every fourth Sunday and continued to do so for eight or ten years, when he was succeeded by Rev. John Anderson, who ministered to the congregation until his death ; his ministration over the church extended over a pe- riod of from twenty-five to thirty years. During Rev. Ander- son's pastorate the old hewn log meeting house was abandoned and a stone one erected upon a fourth acre of ground bought of Mr. Thomas Gilliland. The stone church stood within Kirk- wood township, about eight rods from the township line. It fronted to the east and was fifty feet long by thirty-six feet wide, with good pews and a pulpit built on the modern plan. It would seat five hundred persons with comfort.

During the pastorate of Mr. Anderson immense congregations assembled at this church, families coming from Morristown, Middletown, and all the region round about, to attend divine services there. Sermons two hours to two hours and a half each were preached before and after noon with a short recess between the sermons. Rev. Anderson was a gentleman of superb edu- eation and preached for the congregation at the trifling salary of thirty dollars a year. He devoted much of his time to the instruction of young men for the ministry.

At the death of Rev. Anderson, Rev. Hugh Forsyth became pastor of the church. After a few years he was succeeded by the Rev. James Goudy, who continued to preach until the secession took place and the U. P. Church formed, and that broke up the congregation. The stone church has been torn down and its materials used to form the foundation of the present dwelling of Hon. John Kennon, half a mile north of Barnesville,

All of the gentlemen who formed the first membership of this church, with their wives and many of the children were buried at the old graveyard attached to it. Mr. John Brown and his family are the only ones of the original membership whose re- mains rest in their graves elsewhere. He removed to the state of Indiana where they died and were buried.

FRIENDS' RIDGE MEETING HOUSE.

A large number of Friends having settled in the neighbor- hood of what is now known as Ridge Meeting House, about two miles south of Barnesville, and being under the jurisdiction of Stillwater monthly, very early had permits granted them by that "monthly" to hold "meetings of worship." The first per- mit was granted in the Eleventh Month, A. D., 1811, the meet- ing to be held at the house of Benjamin Patterson. Permits for the same purpose continued to be granted to them by that monthly for several years, and on the 15th day of the Ninth Month (Sept.) 1815, it established Ridge meeting and authorized "preparative." The first monthly was in 1820, by grant from Stillwater quarterly.

In 1816, the Friends at the Ridge bought a lot of Joseph Pat- terson for a meeting house site and burial ground. The deed for the lot was made to Richard Edgerton and William Thomas, who were the first trustees of that meeting. A log meeting- house was forthwith built upon the site now occupied by the frame meeting-house. It was a small structure, and the mem- bership and attendance at divine worship soon became so large that in the year 1821 the prent frame building was erected as their place of worship. The first sermon that was preached at the old log church by a home minister was by Elizabeth Patterson. The present meeting-house will seat abont 250 persons. The number of members at this time is eighty-four. Eunice Thom- asson is at present the minister at Ridge meeting. Isaac Light- foot and Jesse R. Livsey, are the overseers of men Friends and Lucy Bailey and Martha S. Bailey overseers of women Friends.

The Friends' meeting at the Ridge has never been disturbed by Separatists, nor have the Friends there ever had any trouble with them about the meeting-house. The first person buried in the graveyard at Ridge meeting was Joseph Patterson, the gentleman of whom the lot was bought.

Elisha Grey, the inventor of the telephone, was in early life a member of Ridge meeting. He was the son of David and Christiana Grey, and was born within a half mile of the Ridge meeting-house, on the lands now owned by Jesse Strahl, being in the southeast quarter of section 19, Warren township.

THE BERRY CULTURE.

Mr. Daniel Barr in the year 1859, began the cultivation of the strawberry for the use of the public on bis lot on the southwest border of the town of Barnesville. He planted only a small piece of ground, but cultivated it with great skill, and until the year 1866, he and a few others from their gardens supplied the entire demand for that berry in the village. The Wilson's Al- bany Seedling was the only good variety of the strawberry plant- ed by Mr. Barr. Soon after he began raising the strawberry, he added the Doolittle raspberry to his business, and until the year 1866, furnished all that cultivated berry that the town needed.

In the year 1866, Mr. Stewart Morrow, John Scoles and the Messrs. Barlow began to plant and cultivate several acres each of those berries, Mr. Scoles being the largest raiser among themn. The excellence of the Barnesville berries becoming known abroad, the raisers began to ship them to many adjacant cities and vil- lages. Those gentlemen, except Mr. Barr, are still in the busi- ness. In the year 1872, Mr. John Bryant and his son William also began to cultivate those berries, planting several acres of each. About the same time, Mr. James Steer and Thomas Hall also engaged in the business. The foreign demand increasing, and large prices being paid for the Barnesville berry, the rais- ers became more energetic in their cultivation, so that in the year 1875 over four thousand bushels of strawberries and over two thousand bushels of raspberries were shipped by those gen- tlemen to adjacent towns and cities. The raisers and shippers in that year received about fifteen cents per quart net for their strawberries, and about eight cents per quart net for their rasp- berries. In the year 1873, Mr. John Bolon began the cultiva- tion of those berries, and is now quite an extensive raiser.

Throughout the berry culture here, Mr. John Scoles has been much the largest raiser, excepting in the year 1875, when the Messrs. Bryant had the lead. Mr. Scoles in connection with bis berry culture, carries on an extensive general gardening opera- tion.

The varieties of the raspberry most popular with the Barnes- ville cultivators are the Doolittle, Mammoth Cluster and Gregg. Those of the strawberry are the Jucunda, Monarch of the West, Kentucky and Wilson's Albany Seedling. The Jucunda carries the banner for size and the price it commands, while the Wil- son, like the old wheel horse to the wagon, ean be relied upon for all purposes, and never disappoints expectation. Mr. John Scoles has raised Jucunda strawberries so large that thirty of them filled a quart. And several other raisers have grown the Wilson so large that forty of them filled a quart. The raspber - ry grown here is no larger nor of a superior quality to that raised in other parts of the great west. It is the mode of hand- ling them that advances them so much in the city markets.

The largest acreage of strawberries here has never exceeded thirty acres, and that of the raspberry not over forty acres. In this year, 1879, the strawberry aereage will not be over twenty- five acres, and the raspberry will nearly reach fifty acres.

349

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

We have not mentioned several small raisers, who contribute considerably to the total shipment of those berries from Barnes- ville, and whose berries equal in all respects those of any of the larger eultivators. R. H. Taneyhill, Esq., universally has the earliest strawberries in the market, by from a week to ten days. That, however, is owing entirely to the location of the ground.

When we consider that the soil for miles around Barnesville is so peculiarly adapted to the growth of the strawberry and other small fruits, it is really astonishing that their cultivation is confined to so small an acreage. Enterprising men elsewhere would do well to direct their attention and capital to the vicini- ty of Barnesville and the small fruit cultivation there.

THE GRAPE CULTURE.

The grape mania of 1862-3 seized the people of Warren town- ship in the year 1864, and many acres of land were prepared and set with the grape plant. High hopes were excited in the planters that ample fortunes lay ready to be grasped by them in the near future by and through their vineyards. But the plants grew, the grapes came, and the expectant future recoiled even from hope. For the grape there was no market, for the wine there were no purchasers, and rot and mildew succeeded, sweeping the vineyards into worse than worthlessness. The grape plants were dug up and the vineyard grounds applied to better purposes. And now there are only enough grapes raised to supply home consumption, and that is very little. The Messrs. Barlow and R. H. Taneyhill were the largest planters and hence the greatest losers from the cheat of the grape hum- bug.

THE BLACKBERRY.

The blackberry received early attention from the small fruit raisers here, and about the year 1875 was cultivated upon about five aeres of ground. But the demand not being equal to the supply the cultivation of that berry has been gradually aban- doned. So that at the present time only a small shipment of them is made. The soil of this township grows a superior berry, but the rust in a few years destroys the plants.

ENTERPRISE NURSERIES-WILLIAM STANTON, PROPRIETOR.

These nurseries, located two miles east of Barnesville, on the B. & O. Railroad, were established in the year 1871, by William Stanton and Wm. K. Tipton. In 1873, Mr. Stanton became sole proprietor, and has conducted the nurseries ever since. He has a green house 22x40 feet near his residence. There are twenty-five acres, occupied mostly by the nursery and orchard, and the property also comprises sixty-seven acres in the north- west corner of section 4. Mr. Stanton designs to make his nur- series and green house a permanent business, and to meet the wants of the public with everything in the line, than which nothing can be more advantageous to a farming community.

PARKER & SONS' CEMENT WORKS.

In the year 1857 a layer of cement rock was discovered by the outerop on the farm of Mr. Thomas C. Parker one mile west of Barnesville. Mr. Parker immediately had the qualities of the roek tested, and it was found to be of n very superior character. Mr. Parker forthwith proceeded to erect the neces- sary works for its proper manufacture. The rock is five feet five inches thick, and lies about midway between No. 8 lower vein of coal and No. 10 upper vein of coal. Its chemical analy- sis shows the following to be the elements whereof it is com- posed :

Carbonic acid.

39.40

Lime. 40.10

Magnesia 5.30

Silica. 8.50)

Alumina 4.80

Peroxide of iron. 1.50

Moisture und loss

.40

100.00 (See Ohio Geological Survey of Belmont County, p. 269.)

Mr. Parker having completed his works, began to put his cement on the market in 1858, and it at once took a high posi- tion among the cement of the nation. But the war of the re- bellion coming on, and there being no sale for that article, Mr. Parker suspended the operation of his works. He resumed

work in 1868, and in 1869 Parker's cement, being put in eom- petition with eleven other brands, was found superior to them all. Mr. James Fisk having heard of the Parker cement, at first ordered a sample. He then ordered a carload, and finally Mr. Mr. Parker and son shipped large quantities of their cement for the use of the Atlantic and Great Western Railway upon the order of Mr. James Fisk. During the construction of the Bellaire bridge Parker & Sons furnisbed eleven thousand bar- rels of their cement to the B. & O. R. R. Company for the use of their road.

Test made on government works by Dr. Newberry puts the superior quality of this cement beyond controversy. From 1869 to 1879 the cement works have been constantly running except during the year 1878, when they were suspended. The works are now running at full power. Parker & Sons employ fourteen hands in the manufacture of cement, and an average of ten thousand barrels are produced yearly.

MILITARY.

The military spirit of Warren township was always weak. However as early as 1824 the township was divided into two military districts, one of them west of the Somerton and Hen- drysburg pikes and the other east of those roads. John Shan- non was elected eaptain of the west distriet, with Colonel Ben- jamin Mackall as first lieutenant, and William Kennon (of New- ell), afterwards a common pleas judge, as second lieutenant, Joseph Farley was chosen captain of the east district and Thos. D. Laws as ensign.

This organization was well kept up and frequent musters had until 1833, when it collapsed.

In 1835, a volunteer company, called the Warren Guards, was formed, of which Thomas F. Smith was captain, Francis E. Uncles, first lieutenant, and Philip Hunt, second lieutenant. This company became well drilled in the manual of arms and performed its evolutions with great precision ; but in 1838 the captain abseonded from the town and the company disbanded.

From 1838 until the great rebellion begun no military organ- ization existed in the township. As soon as Sumpter was fired upon the young men of the township began to go the front and they continued to do so until the surrender of the rebel forces. During the " war for the Union " over two hundred of Warren township's sons beeame brave and efficient soldiers at the front. Besides this, in the spring of 1863 a full company of citizens of the township was mustered into what was called the "depart- mental corps." Rev. Dean was chosen captain ; William Smith, Esq., first lieutenant. In the summer of that year, Morgan made his celebrated flight (called a raid) through Ohio. He was only trying to escape to the south ; the people thought bim to be bent on mischief. It was a flight and nothing else. The people wherever be approached were thrown into the wildest and most unreasonable excitement. Warren Township did not remain equanimity but if possible excelled every other place in the fury of excitement. After Morgan crossed the Mus- kingum river to the east a rumor reached Barnesville that he was making for the great trestle on the Central Ohio railroad to destroy it. Barnesville and the surrounding country instant- ly became a wilderness of wild men, wild with excitement. Cap- tain Dean's company of departmentals had before the rumor came been ordered to Woodsfield and had reached Somerton when the danger to the great trestle became known. Captain Dean was ordered to return to the trestle instantly ; but captain Hamilton Eaton had a company of militiamen, imperfectly or- ganized, and he put his company on the double quick to the pro- tection of the "trestle." Arriving there they found crowds of citizens assembled accoutred with arms of every style -- a hetro- geneous mass of patriots, boiling for a fight. Colonel James F. Charlesworth, of St. Clairsville, a wounded veteran from the " front," happened to be present. The entire force at the "trestle" was put under his command. The citizens were hastily thrown into companies and officered and the work of putting up de. fences begun. Captain Dean's company arrived that night. The next morning, having barricaded the roads and disposed his forces, the Colonel with his army impatiently awaited the com- ing of the foe. hong he waited in eager expectation of the " raider," hnt he came not ; but a peaceful courier did come with the news that Morgan had gone off north by the way of Wash- ington, Guernsey county, Ohio.

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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 121

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