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 173

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 173
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 173

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).

"The rolling mill shaft and the shaft of the O. & P. Coal Co, have also strong currents of air moving through the mine. The roll- ing mill shaft has a furnace and the exhaust steam from a No. 6 steam Cameron pump to produce rarefaction ; the furnace com-

pany's shaft exhaust steam alone. The Mining and Coal Com- pany have a furnace ; the Boreland shaft a furnace ; the Bustard shaft a furnace; the Mingo shaft a furnace ; La Grange exhaust steam (a new mine) ; and Rush Run a double furnace. All these furnaces are unusually well constructed, and the fire constantly maintained.

"The manager of the Stony Hollow shaft and the Market street shaft has supplied the following monthly report of the amount of air in circulation. These two mines belonging to one firm and managed by one engineer, are three-fourths of a mile apart, and are holed through on each other, one serving as a downcast and the other as an upcast shaft.

"The following is the monthly statement, being equal to 500 cubic feet per minute per person employed :

January

65,000 cubic feet per minute.

February

.62,824

March

.. 55.940

May.

50,060

June

48,640

July

50,456

September

.62,990

October

.67,212

November

68,925

December

53,250

In the report of 1876, speaking of Stony Hollow pit, we read as follows: "There is an abundant ventilation prevailing in every division of the mine, the amount of air in circulation reaching 50,000 cubic feet per minute. The air is split at the bottom of the shaft into two nearly equal parts, one split going north and the other sonth. The south split is again split into two parts a short distance from the bottom of the shaft, one-half going east. Six hundred feet ahead the eastern split is again divided, the northern division ventilating the ' east arm ' on the north side of the pit ; thence it passes to the Stony Hollow pit, traversing a series of rooms there, and returns to the upcast. The south part of the east split travels south, ventilating a se- ries of rooms, then uniting with the part it split from, airs the workings on the southwest, then moves north to the pillar work- ings, passing which, it returns to the upcast at the old pit for- nace.

On page fourteen of the report for 1877, this testimony is added :

" The plan of laying out the workings, which prevails at all the Steubenville mines, is modeled after the practice followed in the colleries in the north of England. The pillars left in the English mines are larger and stronger than those in Steuben- ville, because the pits are so much deeper in the Old Country, some of them reaching one thousand eight hundred to two thou- sand five hundred feet of perpendicular depth. In Steubenville the rooms are eighteen feet wide, the walls and cross- cuts twelve feet wide, the pillars twenty-four feet in thickness and seventy- two feet in length. The walls and rooms cross cach other like latitude and longitude lines, the walls being driven on the butts, and the rooms on the face of the coal. The main entries are ten feet wide. The miners get seventy-five cents per yard, be- sides the tonnage price for driving entry, but nothing is allowed for wall driving. The mine cars hold twelve and one-half to fifteen bushels, and are pushed out from the room faces to the stations on the hanling roads by putters or pushers. In Bore- land's shaft, Shetland ponies are used instead of putters. These ponies are only three feet two inches to three feet six inches high. This mine has seven of these hardy and useful animals under ground. In the galleries and hanling roads a foot or more of the fire-clay floor is taken up to make height for the hanling mnles. These roads are made five feet two inches high above the rail, and the track is laid with 'T' iron. In mining the coal, powder is used to knock it down, cach digger firing three shots per day on an average, two in the top and one in the bottom coal. The workmen fire at all hours of the day; but a few inches of powder suffices for a 'shot,' and not more than three pounds of powder per man per week is needed for blasting pnr. poses. No blasting is done in the solid coal ; a shot is undercut to the depth of four feet, if the miner is a skillful workman. The miners are paid every two weeks in cash, and there are no store orders forced upon them, as is done in many other districts in the state. As the . Bustard" 'Gravel,' 'Stony Hollow,' the ' Market street,' ' Rolling Mill,' ' Averick ' and Boreland shafts are all situated in Steubenville or its immediate vicinity, the

#In the "report of the State Mining Commission," we find the following clause : "The class of mine superintendents in charge of the Steubenville mines is of a much higher order in mining knowledge than the majority of the managers in the Mahoning Valley and other regions ot the state. Most of them have had a practical knowledge of mine engineer- ing and survey, and plot their own mines All of them have a thorough, practical knowl- edge of the principles of ventilation, and of the noxious gases of the mines. These mines are the best ventilated in the state. The system of working the coal is by pillars and rooms, being a suitable modification of the panel system introduced in the English mines by the cele- brated John Buddle, generally and justly regarded as the ablest practical miner that Great Britain has produced."

I-63-B. & J. Cos.

April

50,070

August

.56,570

500

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

miners live in town, and a large number own their own house and lot."

From the foregoing, it will be seen that Steubenville is favored in the highest degree as a coal field, and now we proceed to say a few words about other treasures abundantly recovercd here- abouts.

IRON ORE, LIMESTONE, BUILDING STONE, FIRE AND BRICK CLAY, AND CHEMICAL MATTERS.

Referring to these products, of which special analysis would be superfluous, Mr. Doyle's interesting pamphlet further says :- "Within six and eight miles of the city have been found excel- lent beds of iron ore, which have been tested by analysis and actual use and found to be of sufficient purity for commercial purposes. Pockets of hematite yield from 50 to 60 per cent. of iron, and a two-foot vein of grey ore is also found. When the Island Creek narrow guage, more fully referred to elsewere, is completed, these ores can be put down in the city at a trifling cost, and even if they do not come into profitable use at once, are a sure guarantee of protection against a material advance in Missouri or Lake Superior ores, whether that advance result from increased cost of transportation or stronger demand at the mines. As intimated, this ore has been tested in one of the furnaces here with good results. Liinstone also plentifully abounds, and although little of it is suitable for building pur- poses, yet is largely used in the manufacture ot lime and as flux in blast furnaces. Steubenville lime presents a remarkable free- doin from magnesia. and on this account is superior for cement- ing purposes, especially in locations exposed to the weather. There are four leading sandstone quarries opened in our vicin- ity,known as Speaker's, Bustard's, Schwartz's and Spencer's, of good quality, susceptible of ruled, cranelled, drafted, pinked or pitched ashler. Other quarries are found on both sides of the river. Samples can be seen in the City Engineer's Office or in the partial construction of the county buildings, new St. Paul's Church, Pan Handle Railroad bridge, Post Office, Dougherty block, Sherrard & Mooney's bank, Jefferson Insurance, and many other of our most valuable buildings. In many cases where it has been exposed to the weather for years, the marks of the cutter's tools are as sharp as when first made. The quar- ries named are on the Ohio side of the river, and within or just outside of the city limits ; and on the opposite side of the river arc supplies rivaling these, which can be floated over at com- paratively trifling expense. A brown sandstone is also found in the neighborhood, although it is not so plentiful as the other. As to fire clay it is beneath and all around us, overlying and underlying the coal seams. The supply in the shafts is inex- haustible, but as yet it has been but little worked on account of the cheaper method of running banks into the sides of the hills, by which means, a few miles north of town, an enormous trade has been built up in the line of terra cotta, fire brick, tiling, sewer pipe, ctc., both sides of the river being lined for a long distance with the extensive manufactories devoted to this pur- pose.

The common brick clay burns readily into a good common red brick, strong and durable, and from it pressed bricks are also made, of excellent color and finish.

Mineral springs abound convenient to the city, containing solutions of alum, iron and other substances, and it is not im- possible that a closser examination of their qualities might re- sult in proving them of economic value.

Clean, sharp sand, suitable for building is found in abundance within the city limits, and also along the river, where it is easily gathered up and boated to town.

Although natural gas cannot be classed as a "mineral" yet as it is a product manufactured by Nature in the bowels ot the earth, a reference to it here will not be out of place. It is found in our coal mines as already intimated, and has in some cases been conducted through pipes to the upper air, where it burns freely. No attempt has been made in the city to convert it to any practical use except giving light at night, but twelve miles above town large manufactories of fire brick and tiling are run by this agency."

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF STEUBENVILLE.

[Kindly contributed by the Rev. Wm. M. Grimes, D. D.]

Early in the year 1798, the Rev. Smiley Hughes preached to the settlers by the appointment of the Presbytery of Ohio, and

by a similar appointment, Mr. James Snodgrass preached in the town and neighborhood in the month of June, 1799. The Pres- bytery continues to send occasional supplies, and in the spring of 1800 the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered by the Rev. Thomas Marquis, who had the assistance of ruling elders from the opposite side of the Ohio river. At this time the Presbyterian congregation seemed to have been considered as permanently formed. A union arrangement was entered into between Steubenville and Island Creek church for the sup- port of a minister, and Mr. James Snodgrass was invited to preach regularly among them. In accordance with this invita- tion, Mr. James Snodgrass returned in the summer of 1800. A. call was made out for him in October, by the churches of Sten- benville and Island Creek, and in November he was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry, and installed as their pas- tor by the Presbytery of Ohio. He continued to preach statedly. for the first year or two ; for two-fifths of his time at Stcuben- ville, and afterwards for the one-half. About 1810, the Rev. Wm. McMillan came to the town to preside over the Academy, and he was engaged as a stated supply to the congregation, for that half of the time (when the Rev. James Snodgrass did not preach, he being absent at his other appointments). This ar- rangement caused somc disagreeable feelings, and divisions in the church. In the fall of 1816 application was made by some of the congregation to have the pastoral relation dissolved. After careful deliberation on the reasons given, there being no objections made, the Presbytery of Ohio proceeded to dissolve the pastoral relation then existing between the Rev. James Snodgrass, D. D., and the First church of Steubenville, January, 1817. At the same time the Rev. Wm. McMillan ceased to act as stated supply to the same church. Early in the spring of 1817, a call was made out for Mr. Obadiah Jennings, and he having accepted it, he was by the Presbytery of Ohio ordained to the full work of the Gospel ministry, and installed pastor of the First church of Steubenville for the whole of his time. He continued the pastor of said church until March 25, 1823, when the pastorial relation existing between Rev. Obadiah Jennings, D. D., and the First church of Steubenville was dissolved at his own request. On the 2d of June, 1823, a call was made out tor the Rev. Chas. C. Beatty, which he accepted, and entered upon the duties of it, and on October 21, 1823, he was installed by the Presbytery of Ohio pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Steubenville. He continued to labor in his pastoral office until the spring of 1835, when owing to his infirm health, he made known his intention to resign his charge. At the request of the congregation he consented to retain his office until an arrange- ment could be made to supply his place. The pastoral relation was not formally dissolved till April, 1837.

In July, 1837, the congregation united in a call for the ser- vices of the Rev. Ephram I. McLean to become their pastor. He having accepted the call, in November following entered upon his ministerial duties. Before the close ot the winter he was visited with a severe pulmonary attack, which, in the opinion of his physician, rendered it dangerous for him to labor in this climate; and in May, 1836, without having been installed over the church, he removed to the South. During the spring and summer of the last named year, Rev. Charles C. Beatty, D. D., preached occasionally, as the state of his health would per- mit; and other supplies having been obtained, the public ser- vices in the church were continued, with few intermissions. In the fall of 1836, the services of Mr. Henry C. Cornings, a li- centiate of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, were obtained as a stated supply, until the congregation should unite in a call for a pastor. On the 13th of February, 1837, Mr. Henry G. Cornings was elected pastor; the call was presented to him in April, which he accepted, and in the following May, he was by the Presbytery of Steubenville ordained to the full work of the Gospel ministry, and installed over the First Church of Steuben- ville. For twenty five years Rev. Henry G. Cornings, D. D .. continued the beloved, and successful pastor, of the First Pres- byterian church. In the midst of his usefulness, enshrined in the hearts of his people, and admired by all who listened to his messages of Gospel love, with less than a week's illness, God called him away to that everlasting rest, and joy, reserved for all his children, in his palace above. On the Ist of December, 1861, Dr. H. G. Cornings, fell asleep in Jesus .- "Lo, He giveth bis beloved sleep." In the spring of 1862, the Rev. Henry Woods was employed as stated supply by the congregation. A call was made out for him in September of the same year, and having accepted it, he was installed paster on the 22d of October, 1862. He continued as pastor of the First church until the spring of 1867, when on account of ill health he requested a dissolution of the pastoral relation which was granted by the Presbytery of

501

HISTORY OF 'BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

Steubenville, in April, 1867. On the 11th of December, 1867, a call was made out for Rev. L. A. McCurdy. He having accepted the call was soon after installed as pastor of the First Presbyter- ian church, Steubenville. This relation continued until April, 1875, when at his request, and with the consent of the congregation the pastoral relation was dissolved by the Presbytery. In November 1875, a call was made out for Rev. William M. Grimes, D. D., and having accepted it, he was installed as pastor of the First church, February 8th, 1876.

ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.

In the summer of 1801, the church was first regularly organ- ized by the election and ordination of Thomas Vincent, John Milligan and Samuel Hunter, as ruling elders. In addition to these, in 1803, John Ricky and Samuel Meek were chosen and ordained. Dr. Vincent removed in 1800, and Mr. Ricky soon after ceased from infirmities to act as an elder. James G. Hen- ning, David Hoge and Stephen Riggs were elected ruling eld- ers September 1, 1817, and soon after ordained to this office. Mr. Meek removed in 1821, and Mr. Hunter in 1822. John C. Bayless and Alexander J. McDowell were elected elders August 5, 1822, and soon after ordained and installed. Mr. Ricky died in April, 1825, and in April, 1829, Messrs. Riggs and Bayless both removed. Jeremiah H. Hallock, Daniel Potter and Wm. Mclaughlin were elected elders, and on the 26th of December, 1830, ordained to their office. Mr. Milligan died December 2, 1832. On the 14th of August 1837, Humphrey H. Leavitt and Alexander Conn were elected ruling elders, and on the 8th of October, 1837, were ordained. Between the year 1840 and 1858, great changes took place in the session. James G. Henning re- moved to Missouri, and died there ; David Hoge having remov- ed to Mercer, Pennsylvania, for several years, was disconnected with this church. Subsequently he returned, and was by the con- gregation urged to resume his place in the session, which he did. He died September 15, 1847. Judge Hallock died November 29, 1847. On the 10th of November, 1851, Wm. C. McCauslin, Joseph Sheets and Robert A. Sherrard were elected ruling eld- ers, and on the third Sabbath of December following, ordained to that office. In 1855, Dr. Sheets removed to Frederick, Ohio, and Judge Leavitt to Cincinnati, Ohio. On the 5th of Decem- ber, 1858, Wm. Dunlap and Benjamin P. Drennen, having been elected elders, were ordained and installed in that office. Mr. Drennen removed to New Orleans in 1865, and died there. On December 20, 1868, David E. Hervey and Robert K. Hill were also ordained as elders, being elected some time before. Daniel Potter died in September, 1867, and Alex. J. MeDowell, in De- cember, 1871. D. E. Hervey removed to New York in 1870, and died there.

On the 11th of January, 1872, Robert M. Beatty, Daniel Pot- ter, Jr., Johnston I. Eckles and Joseph W. Hill were elected ruling elders, and on the 19th of January were ordained and in- stalled. Joseph W. Hill withdrew from the church in 1873. Wm. Mclaughlin died in 1874, and Robert A. Sherrard in Jan- uary, 1875. R. H. Beatty removed to Pittsburgh in 1874, and in the spring of 1875, J. I. Eckles withdrew from the church. During the spring and summer of 1875, there were some disa- greements and want of harmony among the members, and at the congregational meeting held on the 8th of June, 1875, it was decided by the congregation to enter into that plan known as the rotary system of electing elders. in the fall of 1875, the then existing officers having voluntarily retired from office, were re- elected on the rotary scheme. At the same time Leander Browning, David Robertson, Thomas Simpson, Jr., and Alexan- der T. Stewart, being elected elders, were ordained. David Robertson withdrew in 1876. Alexander Conn died in July, 1876. R. R. Hill and Alexander T. Stewart removed in 1877. The rotary system not proving in itself any special wisdom, or bringing any harmonious results to the church, at the an- nual meeting of the congregation in November, 1877, it was unanimously agreed to return to the old regular system of elect- ing officers. The existing session was re-elected on the perma- nent system, and in addition Henry W. Nelson, M. Luther Mil- ler and John Moore were elected ruling elders and installed in the First church.

THE OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.

The session now, September 10, 1879, is as follows : Pastor, Rev. Wm. M. Grimes, D. D.

Ruling Elders-Wm. Dunlap, Daniel Potter, Leander Brown- ing, Henry W. Nelson, M. L. Miller, John Moore.

Deacons-John H. Miller, Esq., John Hagan, Wm. F. Sim- eral, Samuel Johnson, Wm. D. Mclaughlin.

Treasurer-Samuel Johnson.

Miss Sarah Marion, organist, and Wm, Brady, janitor,

THE INCORPORATION.

The congregation was first incorporated February 4, 1819, under a general law of the state of Ohio. In the fall of 1833, the members petitioned the Legislature of the state for a special act of incorporation, which was granted. Under this act the corporation have formed a constitution and regulations which are to govern it. On the 13th of July, 1834, Hans Wilson, John Abraham, Wm. B. Copeland and Alexander Conn, having been previously elected, were ordained to the office of deacon, and on the 10th of November, 1839, James Patterson and Thompson Smith, were elected, and shortly after ordained to the same office. At an election held November 10, 1851, Justin G. Morris, Benjamin P. Drennen, Arnold H. Dohrman and Alex. Meikle were chosen deacons, and shortly after ordained to that office. Isaac MeDonald had been elected at a previous date. In 1858 all the deacons in office in 1841 had passed away. John Abraham died in Steubenville; James Patterson removed to Mansfield, Ohio, and died there; Wm. B, Copeland removed to Pittsburgh, and died; Thompson Smith removed to Pittsburgh, and thence to Iowa; Isaac McDonald removed to Missouri in 1858. Hon, Robert Sherrard, Jr., James M. Shane and Thomas Drumead were elected deacons in November, 1858, and in De- cember following were ordained to that office. In December, 1863, John H, Mills, Esq., and Daniel E. Hervey, having been elected, were ordained deacons. A. H. Dohrman ceased to act as deacon in 1860. James M. Shane was killed in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, in 1864. In November, 1871, Leander Browning, Wm. H. Sherrard and James P. Woodward, were elected, and shortly after ordained as deacons. Thomas Dru- mead removed to Dennison in 18-, and Hon. Robert Sherrard, Jr., to New York in 1870. Wm. H. Sherrard died in' 1875, and James P. Woodward removed about the same time. In Novem- ber, 1875, Wm. F. Simeral, Samuel Johnson, John C. Robertson and John Hagan were chosen deacons, and shortly after ordain- ed to that office. Wm. D. Mclaughlin was elected and ordained in November, 1876. J. G. Morris died in March, 1876, and J. C. Robertson in December, 1877.

THE PLACE OF WORSHIP.

The first place of preaching was the grove, near Walcott's factory. This continued to be used in summer, and the court house in winter, until a small brick building was erected, upon the ground where now stands a church called the " Old Presbyterian church " on South Fourth street, which was first occupied in 1803-4. The congregation increasing and the times being flour- ishing, it was thought proper to erect a larger building, and one was commenced in 1816. The erection and finishing of this house of worship, proved more than the congregation could perform, so that at the end of seven years it was still unfin- ished, with a considerable debt resting on the church for the work already done. This, with other embarrassments, greatly discouraged the church. The church building not being satis- factory to some of the congregation, it was only so far finished as to render it comfortable for the present.

In the spring of 1828, it was taken down, and a larger and more commodious building erected in its place. This building was forty-seven feet wide and extended eighty-eight feet back, and it was, in 1832, surmounted by a cupola, containing a bell for the use of the congregation. In the year 1851, the church building was enlarged and improved by the addition of sixteen feet to the west end, increasing the pews on the first floor to about one hundred. This was done at an expense of abont one thousand dollars. The building otherwise was greatly im- proved in comfort and convenience by the introduction of base- ment heaters and lighting the house with gas.

In the fall of 1835, the Rev. C. C. Beatty, D. D., anxions that a suitable house should be provided for the residence of the pastor, offered to donate as a proper site for such building the lot north of and adjoining the church, on the condition that the congregation, with the aid of $100, which he engaged to con- tribute for that purpose, would provide the sum necessary to complete a parsonage.

At the same time, and on the same conditions, Mrs. Susan F. Beatty and Mrs. Hetty E. Beatty, as a further inducement to the congregation to engage in this undertaking, proposed to

502

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

erect, at their own expense, south of the church, a building suitable for a session room and a Sabbath-school room. The necessary sum having been subscribed by the congregation, the parsonage was erected during the next season; and the Mrs. Beattys, in conformity with their liberal proposal, erected the building south of the church, for said purpose.

In the spring of 1857, the congregation with great spirit and liberality, refitted and decorated the church within, and improved it without, so as to render it attractive and comfortable. This building continued to be used until the year 1872. In 1872 the congregation becoming uncomfortable in the old building, it was decided to erect a new building, and a majority of the members residing in the northern part of the city, it was therefore de- cided to chance the location. After some trouble endeavoring to secure a location that would be satisfactory to the greatest number, the present site was secured, viz : between Washing- ton and North on Fourth street, and the building commenced, which was completed, and occupied by the congregation, in the fall of 1872. It is an imposing building, a fine structure, in architectural style exquisite, commodious, and an ornament to the city. The audience room being 65 feet in width, and 100 feet in depth, and 81 feet in height from the floor to the apex. In the rear of this room are the chapel and Sabbath school rooms and the pastor's study ; on the second floor, the church parlors and kitchen. The building was completed at a cost (including ground, and the parsonage adjoining,) of about $75,000. Shortly after its completion, the old property on South Fourth street was sold and is now the site of the old Presbyterian church.

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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 173

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