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 128

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 128
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 128

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JAMES W. HEANEY .- In Fayette county, Pa,, June 30, 1800, . James W. Heaney was born. He was brought to Belmont coun- ty in 1803, by his father, John Heaney, who settled in Kirkwood township, two and one half miles southeast of where Hendrys- burg is now located. John Heaney was a soldier of the Revo- lution and died in 1813, aged sixty-three years. He reared a family of eight children-Thomas, Catharine, Rosanna, Nancy, Ellen, John, James W. and Roland-all of whom are deceased, except James W., our subject, who is living in Hendrysburg, and is seventy-nine years of age. He was reared a farmer, and af- terward learned the shoemaker trade, which he has followed as his principal vocation during life. He married Lucinda Combs in 1821. They reared a family of five children --- James II., Rob- ert A., Mary, Ellen and Agnes, all of whom are living. They have made their home in Ilendrysburg since 1842. They have twenty-three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Robert A. Heaney enlisted in company K, 15th Ohio regiment, in the spring of 1864 and served until the close of the war.

LEWIS JONES was born in London county, Virginia, Septem- ber 10, 1791. He migrated to Belmont county in 1816, and mar- ried Rebecca McPherson in 1817. They settled in Kirkwood township, where he remained and followed farming as his voca- tion. They reared a family of nine children-Allison, John Mc., Josiah, Amos T., Lorenzo D., William M., Samuel L., Delila and James. Amos T. and Delila are deceased. Our subject died, April 21, 1871. His companion is still surviving him and is eighty-three years of age.

SAMUEL MEAD .- In Loudon county, Virginia, in 1770, Sam- uel Mead was born. He followed teaching school when a young

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

man, having taught nine years at one place and in the same house. He married Sarah Whitacre, of Loudon county, Va. In 1816 he, with his wife and three children, moved. to Belmont county and settled in Goshen township on a farm; remained about two years, then moved to Warren township, and located in the northeast corner of the township, (a part of his land ex- tended into Kirkwood township) where he lived during the re- mainder of his life, and followed farming as his vocation. He was the father of nine children, viz., Asenath, Benjamin, Phin- eas, Clementine, Amanda, Enfield, Louisa, Semina and Milo, all of whom are living. He filled the office of justice of the peace for eight years, and was respected and esteemed by all who knew him. His wife died in 1856. He departed this life in 1861.

PHINEAS MEAD, a son of the above named Samnel Mead, was born in London county, Virginia, November 9, 1812, and came to Belmont county with his parents in 1816. He followed teaching school as his occupation, when a young man, for sev- eral years, and was one among Belmont county's early teachers. He married Sarah Brown in 1839. They settled on the farm where they are now living, in Kirkwood township. There were born 'to them seven children, three sons and four daughters. One son and two daughters are dead. He has followed farming as his vocation ever since his settlement in Kirkwood township.

THE GROVES.

In the year 1800 three brothers, Joseph, William and Barnet Groves, migrated from Pennsylvania to Belmont county and settled and made some improvements on section 8, in Kirkwood township. Not being prepared to enter the section when the proper time arrived, some party made it their business to go to the Land Office at Steubenville and enter the land on which they had made their improvements. Then they moved their quarters to the eastern part of the township, located, and made improvements on section 3, and entered the same. They were the first actual settlers in Kirkwood township. There is a brick dwelling house standing on the farm at present that was erected by William Groves in 1818 or 1820. They were all men of fam- ilies, and have been dead several years.

WILLIAM GROVES was the father of eleven children-three sons, Joseph, William and Barnet, and eight daughters, Nancy, Rebecca, Martha, Lovina, Margaret, Sarah, Rachel and Mary, all of whom are deceased. He was a natural mechanic, and could make almost anything out of wood or iron that he wished to. He made the first spinning wheel that was used in the township and erected the first grist and saw mill on Stillwater creek. He was called a professional hunter and trapper, and spent considerable of his time in that way.

JOSEPH GROVES, a son of the above named William Groves, was born in Pennsylvania in 1795. He came with his parents to Belmont county in 1800. He was reared a farmer, and fol- lowed that as his principal vocation during his life. He mar- ried Elizabeth Fox in 1822, and settled on the farm now owned by his son, Matthias Groves, where he remained until his death. He reared a family of six children-William, Samuel, Matthias, Margaret, Elmina and Rachel. Margaret is deceased. His wife died in 1863, and he departed this life in March, 1876.

JAMES SHEPPARD was born in Maryland in 1776. He was a tanner by trade. He married Hannah Gatchel in 1798. In the fall of 1809, he with his wife and four children moved to Bel- mont county, Ohio, and located in the eastern part of Kirkwood township, on the Wilson farm, remaining one year, during which time he purchased land in the central part of the township on which he made improvements, and moved his family in 1810. His first residence was a round log cabin 18x20, one story high, with one small window, and a quilt hung up for a door. In this they lived until in 1816. Then he erected himself a two story hewed log house, in which he lived during the remainder of his life. Ile was considered one of the most successful farmers in Belmont county, and was an extensive land holder, owning at one time over 1,200 acres of land in the county. He was always a warm friend to education, and did all in his power for the ad- vancement of the cause. He assisted in building the first school house that was erected in the township, and took a prominent part in the erection of several houses for school purposes both before and after the township was divided into districts. He held several township offices, and followed his trade for several years in connection with farming. He reared a family of thir- teen children: Nathan, Malinda, John, William, James, Samuel,

Isaac, Amos, Elizabeth, Mary, Job, Emanuel and George. Six of the number are still living-John, William, Samuel, Isaac, Amos and George. His wife died in 1838 ; he died in 1843.

WILLIAM SHEPPARD, a son of James Sheppard, deceased, was born in Maryland, January 5, 1808. He was brought to Bel- mont county by his father, as above stated, in 1808 or 1809. His education consisted of what could be obtained in the log cabin school house in Kirkwood township, in an early day. He was reared a farmer, and has followed that as his vocation during life. He married Martha Honnold, daughter of John Honnold, January 11, 1831. His wife died June 10, 1841, leaving three small children. He married for his second wife Margaret Groves, danghter of Matthias Groves, deceased, December 7, 1841. Their union resulted in nine children, three of which are living. He has been a resident of Kirkwood township since 1809, and at present is living in the western part of the town- ship, near Fairview, his farm lying along the National pike.

ELI T. SHEPPARD, a son of the above named William and Mar- garet Sheppard, was born in Belmont county. September 26, 1842. He received his education at Fairview, Guernsey county, Ohio. He read law with John A. Bingham, of Cadiz, Ohio, three years, and then attended law school at Cleveland six months. He commenced the practice of law in Cadiz. At the age of twenty-seven years, in 1869, he was appointed as United States Consul to China, filled the position eight years, and then re- turned home in 1877. He remained a short time, and then was employed at Yeddo, Japan, as international judge, and has been filling that position ever since. He married Miss Lyda Lewton, of Cadiz, in 1856, and has his wife and three children with him in Japan.

RALPH COWGILL was born in Berks county, Pa. 1775. He went to Virginia when a young man and there learned the blacksmith trade. He married Mary Carter, of Virginia, and in 1806, he, with his wife and six children, moved to Belmont county, and located in Kirkwood township, on section thirty-one. His first improvement was a round log cabin, in which he lived for a few weeks, then he erected a hewed log house with shingle roof, (it being the first shingle roofed house in the township) in which he lived during the remainder of his life. There is a hewed log barn still remaining on the farm in a good state of preservation, 26x63 feet, that was built by him in 1808. He owned one sec- tion of land (No. 31) and followed farming during his sojourn in Belmont county. He reared a family of nine children, viz : Mar- garet, Isaac, William, Aquilla J., Tamer, Jesse, Sarah, Eliza and Ralph. All are deceased except three, Isaac, Aquilla J. and Eliza. He died in 1840 ; his wife survived him until 1851.

AQUILLA J. COWGILL, a son of the above named Ralph Cowgill, was born in Loudon county, Virginia, September 28, 1801. He came to Belmont county with his parents in 1806, as pre- viously stated, and located on the farm where he is now living. His education was acquired in a log cabin school house that stood on his father's farm. He was reared a farmer and has fol- lowed farming during bis life. He married Margaret Clark in 1842, and settled on the farm where he is now living. Their union resulted in two children, (sons). flis wife died in 1856, and in 1857, he married Sarah Milner. They are spending their old days in peace, surrounded by all the comforts of life. and es- teemed all who know them.

THE GILLILANDS,-In 1804. three brothers, Morgan, Thomas and James Gilliland, single men, migrated from Virginia to Belmont county, Ohio, and commenced improvements on sec- tion twenty-five, Kirkwood township, the land being entered by their father, Hugh Gilliland, a few years previous. Their first improvement was the erection of a log cabin, and in the fall of the same year their father came on with the remainder of the family, consisting of wife and six children, John, Jesse, Susan, Rachel, Hannah and Ruth. They all lived in the cabin house for some time, and then a better one was erected. Thomas, Morgan and John served in the war of 1812, under the command of Captain Bentley and returned home at the close of the war. All of them have long since passed away. The father, Hugh tiilliland, deceased in 1817.

THOMAS GRAALAND, born in Ohio county, Va., in 1793; mar- ried Margaret Cowgill, daughter of Ralph Cowgill, deceased, in

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES

1814; reared a family of five children-William, Susannah, Mary E., Ruth A, and Eliza M. He died in 1845 ; his wife died in 1840.

WILLIAM GILLILAND, a son of Thomas and Margaret Gilliland, deceased, was born August 25, 1815, on the farm where he is now living. He married Amanda Beans, daughter of Levi Beans, in 1853. They have a family of six children, two sons and four daughters. He was reared a farmer and has followed that as his vocation during his life. At present he owns a farm contain- ing about three hundred acres, under a good state of cultivation. His wife died in April, 1874.

JOB DILLON, SR .- In Virginia, December 9, 1770, Job Dillon, Sr., was born. He married Catharine Colley October 11, 1798. In 1804 he, with wife and three children, migrated to Belmont county, and located in Richland township, where he purchased land and followed farming as his vocation. Their union re- sulted in eight children-Levi, Nancy, John, David, Peter C., Benjamin F., Job, and Hannah. Four of them are still living, John, Benjamin E., Job and Hannah. Our subject died in June, 1816, aged 46 years. His wife remained on the farm with her two sons, Benjamin F. and Job, until in 1855; then they sold and moved on a farm near Egypt, in Kirkwood township, where she remained until her death, which occurred in 1862, at the age of 82 years. The sons remained on the farm for one year, then rented it, and worked at their trade until in 1863, when they sold it and purchased a grist and saw mill on Stillwater creek, which they operated until in 1866. They then sold out their mill on the creek and purchased the National Flouring Mills in Hendrysburg, which they own and are operating at present with good snecess.

Peter C. Dillon, fourth son of Job Dillon, Sr., was engineer on the Mozell steamer on the Ohio river, and was blown up at Cincinnati, April 26, 1838.

BARNET TAYLOR, a son of Eli Taylor, deceased, was born in Kirkwood township, Belmont county, Ohio, April 24, 1818. His education was obtained in the common schools of those days, and he was reared a farmer, At the age of nineteen years he commenced work at the manufacturing of fanning mills, which he followed for three years, and then commenced working at the carpenter trade, which he has followed in connection with farm- ing. Ile married Letitia S. McPherson, daughter of James McPherson, in 1840. They settled in Sewellsville, where they remained until in 1858; then he purchased and moved on the farm where they are now living. Their union resulted in ten children, seven of whom are living. They have been members of the M. E. Church for over forty years, Mr. Taylor has been class-leader in the church at Sewellsville for thirty years. He has filled the office of justice of the peace for twenty years.

JAMES E. TAYLOR, a son of Barnet Taylor, served four years and five months in the war of 1861. He enlisted in Company 1, 5th Ohio Cavalry, in October, 1861, as a private; served as a private for a short time, then was promoted to lieutenant, and from that to captain of Company M, same regiment, in which capacity he served until discharged from the service.

ASARIAH S. TAYLOR enlisted in Company M, 9th Ohio Cav- alry, October, 1863, and served until the close of the war; re- ceived his discharge and returned home.

JOHN ISRAEL .- In Baltimore county, Maryland, June 13, 1749, John Israel was born. He married Rachel Clarry, May 5, 1787. In about 1799, he with his wife and family, migrated to Bel- mont county. He located in the eastern part of the county, on Short creek ; remained about two years and then moved and settled on section two, in Kirkwood township in 1801 or 1802, where he passed the remainder of his days. He was a surveyor by profession and made many of the first surveys in the county. He made the survey and plat of the town of St. Clairsville. He filled the office of justice of the peace for several years, being one of the first in Kirkwood township. He was the father of twelve children, eleven of whom grew to be inen and women, viz : Eleanor, Priscilla, Amelia, Sarah, Basil, Clary, Ann, Rob- ert, Samuel, Benjamin and Reuben. All are deceased except Robert and Anu. He deceased January 30, 1822. His com- panion died, March 2, 1852.

ROBERT ISRAEL was born January 27, 1806, in Kirkwood township, Belmont county. He married Mary Taylor, daughter

of Noble Taylor, April 1, 1830. They settled on the old farm in Kirkwood township, section two, where he remained and fol- lowed farming as his vocation until in 1872, when he moved to Morristown and is. living a retired life. He reared a family of six children, one of which is dead. His wife died in 1857. He married Mrs. Elizabeth Harper in 1859, who is still living. They are members of the Disciples church.

THOMAS HEANEY, a son of John Heaney, was born in Fayette county, Pa., October 15, 1784. When a young man he came with his parents to Belmont county, being in 1804. He married Margaret Boyd, daughter of John Boyd, Esq., in 1809, who bore him three children, two of whom are living- Nancy and Mar- garet. He made his first improvements on the farm now owned by his son, A. J. Heaney, where he lived and followed farming as his vocation until deceased. His wife died, Februa- ry 9, 1813, leaving two small children. He then married Mar- garet Griffith, January 4, 1815. They reared a family of six sons-John, Robert, William, Thomas, James E. and Andrew, J., and two daughters-Sarah J. and Rebecca. All of the last named are deceased except three, Robert, Sarah J. and Andrew J. His wife deceased July 1, 1862, aged seventy-two years and six months. He departed this life in his eighty-first year, May 17, 1864. He was known as one of Belmont county's noble men. He served six months in the war of 1812, under the command of Captain Conner.

HISTORY OF UNION TOWNSHIP.

Union lies in the northwestern part of Belmont county, and is bounded on the north by Flushing and Wheeling townships, on the east by Wheeling and Richland, on the south by Goshen, and on the west by Kirkwood. The following is obtained from the commissioner's books, bearing date August 15, 1804 :

"Ordered by the Board of Commissioners, That they think it requisite to divide Kirkwood township or district and form a new district or township, according to the wish of the inhabi- tants, which is as follows: To include the eighth township of the fifth range according to the old survey, together with a frac- tional part of the ninth towhship north of the aforesaid town- ship between that and the county line, and to be known by the name of Union township. The first meeting of the electors is to be held within said township at the house of Duncan Morri- son."

In 1817 twelve sections were taken off the northwestern por- tion and added to Flushing in the erection of said township. In the same year six sections from the northeastern portion were detached from Union and attached to Wheeling, leaving it with its present boundary as above given.

This township is nearly square, containing about thirty-six sections. The surface is quite undulating, but the soil, gener- ally speaking, is rich and productive. Numerous springs of clear and limpid water burst forth along the indentations of the land, forming many sparkling rivulets which find their way into small streams and then creeks. In this township rises the head- waters of Wheeling and McMahon's creeks, the former flowing in a northeasterly direction from the township, and the latter a southeasterly. A dividing ridge extending from east to west rises near the centre of Union, causing most of the streams to run a northeast and southeast direction.

Coal, lime and sandstone are found in abundance throughout the township. Strata of the former range from three to five feet in thickness. A number of banks are operated, but the coal taken out is not made a foreign merchandize.

EARLY SETTLERS.

To tell the readers who was the first settler of what is now Union township would, at this late day, be an impossibility. Prior to Wayne's great victory the Indian ruled chief monarch. But when hej was forced to recede from his happy hunting ground to look up another, the pioneers began to come in rapid- ly, and locate the land. Among other early settlers the follow- ing are given :

In 1801 Jonathan Ellis migrated to Belmont county and set- tled in Union township in section 3. At a very early day he built a grist mill on said section on a branch of Wheeling ereek. It was probably the first grist mill in the township. It has been torn down over a quarter of a century.

Duncan Morrison located in 1801.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

David Bevy settled on section thirteen about 1802. John Dever settled on same section in 1801. Joseph Gincy settled on section two along in 1803. Thomas Marquis and William Marquis settled in this township in about 1803, the former lo- cating on section seven, and the latter on section three. Samuel McCune located on section eight in about 1803. William Dunn settled on section five in 1802 or 1803. Robert Patterson set- tled on section four in 1803 or 1804. Wm. Boyd settled on part of the same section (4) in the same year. Leonard Hart set- tled near Morristown in 1804. James Broomhalt settled on sec- tion thirteen in 1805. David Hogue settled in Union township in 1803. Abner Hogue located on section eight. Solomon and Samnel Hogue near the same time on section eight. In 1805 Allen Bond settled on section fourteen, Noble Taylor, Sr., set- tled on section thirty-two. Levi Barnes settled on section fif- teen. Joseph Mead, James Drennen, Richard Freeman, Samuel Mc Williams, Barnet Groves, Moses Milligan, Barnabas Curtis, Nathaniel Bell and David Conner were among the early settlers.

Robert Mitchell was an early settler in Morristown. He was a drummer in the revolutionery war. Mrs. Lippencott says that Mrs. Robert Mitchell used to say the hardest day's work she ever done, was to cut patches and mould bullets for the soldiers in 1776. During the war of 1812, this old drummer beat his drum for recruits in Morristown. The custom with him was to drum a while until a crowd had gathered around him, then he ceased playing, placed his drum down upon the ground on the head, laying a silver piece on it, and who ever stepped up and lifted the money, was considered enlisted for the service.

REMINISCENCES.

Mr. Robert Israel says that a man named Groves, living in this township at an early day, was noted as a successful hunter and trapper. He at one time made a very narrow escape from being killed by a deer. Whilst out a short distance from his house he spied a large buck several rods in advance of him drinking at a small stream. He leveled his rifle upon it and fired, but the shot did not prove fatal and the buck turned and made for Mr. Groves, who was in such close proximity that to attempt a retreat would have been dangerous. As the deer came ferociously at him he sprang behind a bush and caught the buck by the horns as it dashed against the same, and held it thus un- til his brother, hearing his cry, ran to his assistance and shot it.

A Mr. Wineman lost an arm by "piping" in the woods for turkeys, He followed hunting and gathering ginseng for a live- lihood. One day while out hunting for wild turkeys, he secre- ed behind a log and began to "call." Another hunter heard it and mistook it for a wild turkey, approached the spot, seeing something dark behind a log fired and shot Wineman's arm off.

Mrs. Lippencott says that Lorenzo Dow (who will be remem- bered as an excentric Methodist preacher), passed through Mor- ristown in 1812. She remembers him well. He came riding into town on horseback preaching at the top of his voice, and opposite 'Squire Morrison's hotel he stopped and talked to the people in great earnest, entreating them to turn from their sins. His last words were to them (as he waved his hat above his head), "the very stars of heaven are witnessed against you."

When Captain Conner's company of 1812 started for the seat of war from St. Clairsville, it stopped at Duncan Morrison's hotel for dinner. This company after their return were paid off in Morristown. Mr. Lippencott says Dr. Evans was paymas- ter. He recollects how they looked as they stood in dress parade opposite his father's residence with blue hunting shirts on trim- med with fringes at the bottom, awaiting further orders.

In 1818, says 'Squire Robert Morrison, was the year that Bar- ney Groves met his death. In the winter of this year he had driven to town in a sled, to which his team was attached, to do his trading as was his habit. After making what purchases he de- sired and selling his produce he started for home, but his horses unfortunately took fright, after driving a mile or so, and they ran along the road for some distance and finally became nn- manageable. As they approached a large tree near the road- side the horses ran on either side, liberating themselves from the sled, which struck the tree with such force that Mr. G. was thrown ont and injured internally, cansing death in a few hours.

He was not discovered for nearly an hour after the accident had occurred, was picked up and carried into a school house near by, where he lived but a short time.

Mr. John Lippencott says that two men named respectively Arnold and Williams, robbed the United States mail sometime in the month of February, 1818, on Boden hill. The post car- rier was drawn from his beast, tied to a tree with the bridle and

47-B. & J. Cos.

relieved of his shoes by the robbers, who went through the mail, leaving him bare-footed in the snow. He liberated himself in some way, went to Morristown and raised the alarm. A posse of men immediately set out in search of the robbers. Arnold was captured in Jefferson county and Williams in Pittsburgh. Both were incarcerated, but the latter broke jail, stole a horse, upon which he made his escape, and was never heard of after- wards. The former stood trial, was convicted and sent to the penitentiary, where he subsequently died.

George Graham was thrown from a fractious animal near Morristown in 1819, as he was on his way home, and killed.

EARLY TAVERNS.

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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 128

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