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 135

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 135
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 135

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lots, which met with ready sale at high prices from people in the vieinity, who expected the road would make the town quite a business place ; but when the National road came to be estab- lished it lett Farmington very near three miles to the north, nipped its growth in the bud and prevented it from becoming a Chicago.

The first house was built by McPeak and is now known as the old Bundy property. The next by Daniel Berry, for Alexander & Mitchell, who were wholesale and retail merebants. The first hotel was kept by James Morton in the year 1815 ; the next by Adam Dunlap. The first blacksmith shop was built by Andrew Manning in the year 1818. The first postoffice was kept by An- thony Pitman. What the future may have in store for Farm- ington we cannot certainly say, but we believe it will never be- come a great metropolis.

. PLEASANT GROVE.

Pleasant Grove-better known as Hole in the Ground-is sit- uated nine miles west of the Ohio river, on the Bridgeport and Colerain turnpike.

The first house built in the town was in 1825, by John Ander- son. He built it for the purpose of keeping a hotel and saloon. Sinee that time it has passed through different hands and it still stands to-day as a hotel, the march of progress and civilization having done away with saloon keeping. Anderson afterwards laid out a town, and at the present time it contains a few good houses. It has two stores, the largest of which is owned by James V. Stillwell, who has been a resident of that town for many years and has an extensive trade. It also has a black- smith shop, two shoemaker shops, wagonmaker and a cooper shop, and a very good school house and church.

Peter Babb eame to this settlement about the year 1800, and purchased section 27, southwest of the present site of Pleasant Grove. He distinguished himself as a hunter and slayer of bears, wolves and other wild animals. He killed the last black wolf that was known to be slain in this township, in the year 1810. When he found the den he pinched the cubs' ears; the cries of the young brought the old ones to the entrance of the den and he shot them as they were about to enter.

CHURCH ORGANIZATION.

The first church built within the present limits of this town- ship was in 1801, on the farm then owned by Hugh Parks. The denomination of Seceders built it. It was never a very flour- ishing organization, and was disbanded in 1835. The cemetery still remains and quite a large poplar tree has since grown up among its antique grave stones, overshadowing them with its graceful branches.

The second church was erected in the town of Farmington, in 1817, by the Methodists, It was a good congregation, for many years under the charge of various ministers. Among those most noted for their zeal and unswerving rectitude we find the names of Revs. Robert Scott, Andrew Jones, and Eli Looman. In the course of time the organization was abandoned and the church edifice was sold at public sale.

The third church was built by Covenanters on Sloan's run in 1842. It ceased to exist in 1865.

The fourth church was built in Pleasant Grove by the Methi- odist Protestant denomination in 1852. It still exists as a church. The Rev. Slater Brown may be named in connection with this organization as a minister of untiring zeal, whose influence will long be remembered by those in connection with the congrega- tion.

The next church was erected in the town of Farmington by the Presbyterians in 1872. The organization was perfected through the influence of the Rev. Robert Alexander, of St. Clairsville. John Theaker and James Wiley were elected elders. There was a membership of but fourteen at the time of its or- ganization. The Rev. James Day was then called as its minis- ter, and is a living evidence of a kind and devoted pastor. His whole ministerial course has been fraught with the greatest de- gree of success, during which time one hundred and fifty-two names have been added to the roll of the church. Mr. Archibald Major, Jesse Barton, John Theaker, John Barker and David Cowen, now constituto its eldership.

EDUCATION.

The first school house was huilt long before this was erected into a township. It was built on section twenty on the farni now owned by Archibald Major, in 1799. In those days the

I-49-B. & J. Cos.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

country was very thinly settled. Some of the scholars had to come a considerable distance, and were at a great risk of being killed, either by straggling Indians or wild animals.

Colerain township at the present day comprises seven sub- district schools, which are in a very flourishing condition, and rank second to none in the county. Among those prominently connected with the free school system, and who labored earn- estly for the general diffusion of intelligence, may be mentioned the names of Pervin Wright and Dr. C. H. Cope. Those who are prominenly connected at the present time as teachers of the schools of Colerain, and residents of the same are as follows : Miss L. B. Brown, Miss Kate Oxley, J. H. Cope, R. F. Allender, G. Miller, O. Cope, P. H. Job, William H. Cope, George Thea- ker and Charles Malin.

THE LITERARY SOCIETIES

Have ever been a source of general instruction, and have been one of the most prominent features in connection with its history. It is generally conceded that the first literary society organ- ized within the limits of the county, was in this township, (1828). Such institutions have always been looked upon with pride by her most prominent citizens. Among those who in early days instituted this great source of instruction, and who coming gen- erations will ever regard as the apostles of intelligence, we may mention the names of Charles Dungan, Thomas Pyle, B. E. Dungan, Dr. Caleb H. Cope and Jesse Barton.

ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

Among the early advocates of the anti-slavery cause may be mentioned the names of Thomas H. Servin, of St. Clairsville, and Thomas White and Israel French, of Colerain township. They organized the first regular anti-slavery society of the county.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

THE COPE FAMILY.

The Cope family has been connected with the history of Colerain township since the year 1804, at which time George Cope removed to Concord settlement from Frederick county, Va. A member of the society of Friends and opposed to the institu- tion of slavery, he sought a home in young and free Ohio. He was married in 1790, to Abigail Steer. They had nine children, three of whom were residents of this township, viz : Joshua, George and Caleb H. Joshua Cope owned a mill near the source of Glenn's run. It was the first and only mill in Con- cord settlement. His residence was noted for being one of the southern termini of the Under Ground railroad; and in spite of the danger attendant upon such a course, he helped many a forlorn and destitute fugitive on the way to liberty. George Cope about the year 1829, started a store in the town of Farm- ington, which was for many years the only store in the place. He was an active member of the society of Friends, and espe- cially noted for his adherence to principle and unbending recti- tude. Caleb H. Cope was born near the town of Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson county, Ohio, in which town he pursued the study of medicine and commenced practice. In 1834, he removed to the town of Farmington and continued the practice of his profes- sion. He was for more than thirty years the only physician in the township. The doctor was a man of fine natural ability, and although in youth deprived of all advantages of education, except those generally afforded by early settlers, he by his own efforts acquired a good education, and always took an active in- terest in the educational advancement of the country. He was an early advocate of free schools, and helped to organize the first literary society ever established in the township. He was a good physician, a fluent speaker and a correct and graceful writer. Busy as he was with his professional duties and family cares, he devoted some time to literature. His literary produc- tions evince a power and beauty in keeping with a refined and gentle mind, and a pure and unsullied life. Dr. Isaac G. Cope, eldest son of Dr. Caleb H. Cope, was born in the town of Farm- ington. He commenced his professional life during the war, in charge of a military hospital at Nashville, Tenn. After the war he formed a partnership with his father and has ever since been a resident of Colerain township. He is at present the only physician in the township.

JOHN MANLE .- The subject of this sketch was born May 15, 1806, in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, about twelve miles from the limits of Philadelphia, at that time. His parents' names were Jacob and Jane Manle. His father was a farmer, and John worked on the farm till he was sixteen or seventeen years old, when at his own request, he was apprenticed to Oliver Kinsey to learn the blacksmith's trade-or more properly to learn the manufacture of edge tools, such as axes, hatchets, &c .. as it was practiced in those days. Soon after the commence- ment of his apprenticeship, his employer, Mr. Kinsey, removed to Maryland and settled some four miles from Baltimore, where John went with him and served out his apprenticeship, till he was twenty-one. He then returned to his father's, where he worked partly on the farm and partly in the shop until the spring of 1831, when he removed to Colerain township, Belmont county, and settled where he still lives. He here commenced a small business in company with Stephen K. Reynolds, who had been an apprentice in the same shop. In a short time they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Manle soon had considerable business at making edge tools. He put up a steam engine to grind and polish the work. `This was a new thing in this section, prob- ably the first manufactory in this part of the country that fin- ished edge tools ready for use. He found ready sale for his work in Wheeling, St. Clairsville, and other adjacent towns, which continued for a few years, but the progressive spirit of the age was rapidly extending, and improved machinery added facilities to make cheap productions. The eastern states, with their abundant capital, cheap water power, railroad facilities for obtaining coal, iron, steel, &c., could manufacture much cheaper than could be done in the west. Mr. Manle finding himself un- able to compete with these heavy establishments, was compelled to abandon his business and resort to other means for support. He entered into a copartnership with Asa Trahern, who had a patent for manufacturing threshing machines, and together they engaged in their manufacture, which was carried on in Mr. Manle's shop, for a few years, when the same causes-superior advantages for manufacturing at other places with large estab- lishments, improved patents, &c .- made this business also un- profitable. They also sustained heavy losses on the sales of threshing machines in Illinois and Missouri by the financial disasters of 1837-40. Mr. Manle was again compelled to seek some other business whereby he might repair his losses and make an honorable living. There appeared to be an open- ing, and he engaged in store-keeping in a small way. This proved safe, and as it was carefully and industriously managed by himself and family, it gradually increased for some years, yielding an income sufficient for a comfortable living, and also enabling him to pay his indebtedness. The business has con- tinued moderately and fair through all the changes and vicissi- tudes of the times for forty years or more. In January, 1871, he suffered the bereavement of the death of his wife, a woman of inestimable worth, who had been his faithful companion through life, and who had encouraged and aided him by her wise counsels to retrieve disasters. She was a native of Pennsylvania, and they were married in 1832. They had a family of three chil- dren all sons. The oldest died when about twenty-five years of age; he had been married six months. The youngest died at the age of four years. Jacob, the only son living, is a merchant. After the death of his wife, Mr. Manle relinquished his business to his son, having acquired a competency sufficient to keep him com- fortably the remainder of his days. In 1852-3 a company was organized and built a plank road from Whceling to Cadiz, a distance of some twenty miles, passing Mr. Manle's house. He took an active part in the enterprise, and did what he could for it, but it proved unprofitable and left the company in debt. The stockholders made an assessment on themselves and hon- orably paid all their liabilities. In a few years the planks were worn out, thrown away, and a good turnpike made upon the the grade, the money being raised by taxation. Mr. Manle's father died at the old home near Philadelphia, aged over ninety years, and a few years after his mother followed at nearly the same age.

SAMUEL GRIFFIN was born on the 6th of June, 1810. His father, John Giffin, was a native of County Down, Ireland, where he was born in 1772. He emigrated to America and set- tled on Short creek, in Belmont county, at an early day. He proceeded to clear up and improve his land, and did much to ad- vance the country from its wild state and establish the new so- ciety upon a sound and moral basis. After the consummation of a great work begun in hardship, he died, mourned by many friends, a sincere christian and an honest man, Samuel, our

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

subject, has lived and grown up with the community of which he is an important member. He was married to Miss Margaret Kerr in 1845. She is an estimable lady, of the most exalted christian character. They have had twelve children, of whom eleven are now living. John, their oldest son, was licensed to preach the Gospel and is now located in the distant country of Egypt. Mr. and Mrs. Giffin are both members of the United Presbyterian church, having connected themselves with that church many years agc. Mr. Giffin is now in his 70th year, and can look back to a life work well and conscientiously done. Be- ing a man of strong convictions and high personal worth, none in his community have done more, by example and effort, to ad- vance moral and religious principles, and none have a higher place in the esteem of the people.

MATTHEW GREENLEE-Born in Pultney township, Belmont county, April 4, 1820. He is a son of James and Jane Greenlee. His father was born in Washington county, Pa., about the year 1795, and emigrated to Belmont county when sixteen years of age. Matthew Greenlee was married to Martha Allen in 1843, who died in 1877, aged sixty years. He was reared a farmer and was educated in the common schools of the neighborhood ; bas raised a family of four children. He now resides on his farm in Colerain township.

CHARLES ECKELS, son of John G. Eckels, was born on the 24th of December, 1826. His grandfather, whose name was Charles Eckels, came to Wheeling about the year 1790, and married Mary Gilkeson, who was in the fort at Wheeling during the Indian hostilities. J. G. Eckels, our subject's father, died in 1877, aged 75 years. Our subject was married to Miss Arabella Connell, who died. He then married Mrs. Nancy Eckels, nee Stephens. Mr. Eckels is a miller by occupation.

THOMAS HALL, EsQ., was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1831, and is a son of Thomas and Mary Hall, His father was born in the year 1788, in North Carolina, and emigrated to Jef- ferson county, Ohio, about the year 1801, settling in the same locality where he now resides. Our subject was married to Miss Hannah Webster, in 1856, and has raised a family of four chil- dren, all still living. He was educated in the common schools and at Mt. Pleasant boarding school, then under the control of the Society of Friends.

JOHN DUBOIS .- He was born in county Antrim, Ireland, June 7th, 1798, and is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth Dubois. He · was married to Elizabeth Douglas, in 1823; she died in 1863. They had born to them nine children, but of this number only two are now living-Joseph and John, Jr. Joseph served five years in the late war, and rose rapidly in promotion until he obtained the position of Colonel. He is now located in Kansas City, Mo. The other son, John, resides in Bellaire, Ohio. John Dubois, Sr., came to Ohio in 1834. He now owns three fine farms, and although 81 years of age, he is still able to look after his business without assistance.

DAVID HARDESTY, son of Robert and Naney Hardesty, was born July 12, 1816, in Richland township, Belmont county. He was married to Mary Turk in 1841; reared a family of eight children, four of whom have since died. Mr. Hardesty now re- sides in Colera in township. The full history of this noted fam- ily, who were the first permanent settlers in Belmont county, will be found elsewhere in this volume.

WILLIAM LASH .- The subject of this sketch was born January 10, 1819, and is a son of Abraham and Nancy Lash. His father was born in the year 1799, in what was then Please township, and died in 1869, aged 72 years. William Lash was reared a farmer and was married to Miss Isabella Sarns; had born to them seven children, three girls and four boys. Two of his sons participated in the late war. His grandparents emigrated from New Jersey about the year 1797.

DAVID COWAN is a native of Allegheny county, Pa., and was born in the year 1847. He came to Belmont county, in 1865, and is living on the farm formerly owned by I. Given. Hle was married to Miss Aggie R. Dubois, in 1873, She died in the spring of 1877. Mr. Cowan's father was among the early set- tlers of Allegheny county, Pa.

EZRA KINSEY, son of John and Mary Kinsey, was born August 16, 1821. His father was born in Chester county, Pa., July 15,

1789, and came to Belmont county in 1801. In Pleasant Val -. ley it was he and George Sharpless who built the old grist mill, still standing, and owned by Daniel Harris. Ezra Kinsey was born and brought up in this same valley. He was married to Miss Rachel Hardesty in 1845 ; has reared a family of four chil- dren. He was educated in the schools of the district and followed milling for twenty-five years, but is now quietly located on his farm, enjoying the fruits of his labor.

JOHN BAKER was born November 7, 1829, in Colerain town- ship, Belmont county. He is a son of Joseph Baker, and a grandson of the venerable John Baker, who was born in Penn- sylvania, in 1773, and died in 1858, in his eighty-fifth year. Joseph Baker, his father, was born also in the old Keystone state, in the year 1807, is still living and resides in Guernsey county, Ohio. John Baker the subject of this sketch was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Henderson, daughter of Alexander Hender- son of Harrison county. They have been blessed with six children all of whom are still living. He was reared on a farm and and received a liberal education in the schools of the vicinity. He has held several officers of the township, and is a man who always encourages such enterprises as tends to develop the pros- perity of the community.

JOHN COOK was born in the year 1823. He is a son of John Cook, Sen., who was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1796. Mr. Cook was a resident of Washington county, Penn- sylvania, for several years, and came to Belmont county, in 1867. He was married to Miss Ann McCracken, daughter of George McCracken, of County Down, Ireland. They have raised a family of five children, two sons and three daughters.

JOHN A. MAJOR-Born in York county, Pennsylvania, Oc- tober 3, 1812, and migrated to Belmont county, Ohio, with his parents in 1813. He was a son of Archibald Major, Sr., and cousin to Archibald Major, Jr., now a prominent farmer of the same locality. His father was also a native of York county, Pennsylvania ; was born about the year 1788, and died on the farm now occupied by his son. John A. Major was married to Miss Mary Ann Hawthorn, daughter of John Hawthorn, of Jefferson county, Ohio. They have reared a family of six chil- dren. He was raised a farmer, and received his education in the schools of the neighborhood.

D. K. NAYLOR, was born May 28th, 1818, in Jefferson county, Ohio, and is a son of Abram and Ruth Naylor. He remained in Jefferson county thirty-four years, and then came to the farm on which he now resides. He was married to Margaret Smith, in 1852, and has had a family of six children, three of whom are now living. His wife died Sept. 21st, 1878, in her 51st year. Received his education in the schools of the neighborhood, and has served as justice of the peace. His father died in 1878, aged 84 years ; his mother died in 1842.

JESSE BARTON, EsQ., is a native of Delaware county, Pa., where he was born on the 25th of December, 1804. He is a son of Ab- ner and Sarah Barton, who migrated to Belmont county in 1814, and settled in section 24, Colerain township, where Jesse now resides. This is the farm for which the first deed appears on the records of Belmont county. Jesse Barton, the subject of this sketch, was educated at the township-schools and reared a farmer. He has always been prominently connected with the growth of the county. At the age of 23 he married Miss Cath- arine Mulvaney. She died, and a few years afterward he mar- ried Mrs. Jane Eaton. In the year 1843 he was elected asso- ciate Judge of Belmont county, and served until 1850. In 1862 he was elected county commissioner on the Democratic ticket by 1200 majority, and served one term. After this Mr. Barton re- tired from public life. He is now in his seventy-fifth year, but is still very active and retains his faculties remarkably for one of his age.

WILSON LEMMON is a native of Lancaster county, Pa., and is a son of Jolin and Latitia Lemmon. He was born on the 15th of December, 1809, and came to Belmont county in 1842. Ten years previous, in 1832, he was married to Miss Sarah Ann Hawkins; they have had ten children, seven of whom are liv- ing. Mr. Lemmon has held the office of Postmaster at Colerain for several years. John Lemmon, his oldest son, resides in the same township, and is engaged in manufacturing carriages and wagons.

390

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

ARCHIBALD MAJOR, was born in Maryland in 1800; came to Belmont county with his father, Thomas Major, in 1807, and located on the farm now owued and occupied by the subject of this subject. He received a very limited education in his younger days, but by close application acquired sufficient learu- ing, to transact ordinary business. In 1845 he married Jane Cunningham. Mr. Major is a striet member of the Presbyteriau church, and has been for a number of years. Thomas Major, father of Archibald, was a Representative in the State Legisla- ture for the years 1812 and 1813, and was justice of the peace, twenty-one years.

ELI BAILEY, a son of Richard and Phoebe Bailey, was born in Chester county, Pa., December 4, 1843. His father emigrated to Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1833; remained there sixteen years, then removed to Harrison county, where he followed fanning some years and finally settled down in Colerain towuship, Bel- mout county, where he lived a quiet, peaceable and retired life mutil bis death, which occurred in the year 1878, at the age of seventy-niue years. Richard Bailey was a lawyer aud followed his profession successfully in Chester county, Pa. Eli Bailey, our subject, has resided in Colerain township since the year 1852, and has carried on blacksmithing quite extensively, in which he has met with considerable success. To-day he is the owuer of two fine farms aud valuable village property.

WILLIAM L. DENHAM is a native of Colerain township, Bel- mont county, where he was born in the year 1815. His father, William Denham, emigrated to Belmont county inany years ago, and settled on a tract of land south of St. Clairsville, where he remained for some years and then removed to the farm where William L. now resides. In the year 1839, William L. was mar- ried to Mary Ann Firney. They have had a family of four chil- dren, three of whom are living.

GEORGE M. THEAKER-Was born in York county, Pa., in 1796. He learned the trade of a blacksmith when very young. In 1820, he married Miss Isabella Gilbreath, of York county, Pa. In the fall of 1823, he migrated to Belmont county, Ohio, with his wife and one child. He followed blacksmithing for about thirty years. In 1853, his wife died, and in 1854, he married as his second wife, Miss Mary Mitchell. He has three children living, and is now in his 83d year. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he has officiated as elder a number of years.

THOMAS PYLE-Was born in Colerain township, Belmont county, Ohio, August 10, 1817. He was a son of Jesse and Ruth Pyle, who were born in Chester county, Pa. The original fam- ily of Pyle's came to America in a colony with William Penn. Our subject was reared on a farm and received a common school education. In 1840, he married Mercy A. Watson. He has al- ways engaged in agricultural pursuits and resides upon his farm in Colerain township, which is well improved.

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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 135

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