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 176

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 176
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 176

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The original members of this church, ninety-three in number, withdrew from the Methodist Episcopal church in 1830, and formed a separate organization under the leadership of the Rev. George Brown. Having secured a suitable site, a building was put up at a cost of $4,000, the congregation worshipping the meanwhile in the Court House and elsewhere. This build- ing stood until 1853, when a new and larger one, holding nearly 500 persons, took its place, and is still standing. The pastors have been Revs. Robert C. Hutton, E. Woodward, B. W. John- son, John Elliott, W. W. Arnet, John Burns, J. Dalby, Z. Ragan E. S. Wayland, Robert Andrew, J. W. Case, J. H. Hamilton, F. A. Davis, Wm. Collier, Ambrose Abbott, J. C. Ogle, G. W. His- sey, J. W. Baker, John Cowl and O. V. Chandler. The church has been overhauled and improved the present season, and the society is in a flourishing condition, an excellent choir being one of the features of the orgaization.

"LATIMER CHAPEL"

is located on the corner of Sixth and Slack streets, and belongs to the Primitive Methodists, who organized a society in 1869, their new building being occupied the following year. It holds about 300 people. Following is the list of pastors since organi- zation : Revs. G. Parker, W. B. Beach, L. O. Beach, J. W. Reed, Mr. Batch, R. Fothergill and John Mason. They have no pastor at present.

AFRICAN M. E. CHURCHES.

Of these, there are now two in the city-or rather, we should say, there are two congregations of colored people worshipping in Steubenville. The original one, known as the A. M. E. Church, was organized as early as 1823. A brick church was built on the corner of Third and South streets, which stood until 1874, when it was torn down. A new building was proposed to be erected in its place, but the plan was changed, and a house and lot purchased on the corner of Fifth and Washington streets, the lower part of which is used for religious services, and the upper for a parsonage. The pastors have been Rev. M. Free- man, Jeremiah Miller, Noah C. Cannon, James Gray, George Bowler, Austin Jones, George Coleman, Turner Roberts,

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

Charleston, Fiatt Davis, George Coleman, Thomas Lawrence, Wm. Newman, Charles Peters, S. H. Thompson, Jeremiah Bow- man, Sunrise, John Ridgway, Leaven Gross, Alexander Austin, Nelson Carter, James Stewart, S. H. Thompson, Wm. Ralph, M. M. Smith, S. T. Jones, John Gibbons, S. H. Thompson, (third time) Revs. Ralph, Burrs, Lowry and D. N. Mason.

A separate congregation from the A. M. E. Church was form- ed in 1876. The following year a frame building seating about three hundred people was erected on North Sixth street, which is still in use. The pastors of this congregation have been Revs. Posey, Carr and Bougher, the last named still in charge.

EARLY BURIAL GROUNDS AND THE PRESENT CEM- ETERY.

The earliest information we have been able to resurrect in reference to burial grounds in this vieinity, places the present site of the rolling mill as the sacred spot selected by the Indians for the interment of their dead, a fact fully established by in- numerable human bones, and disconnected parts of skeletons (said to be of Indians) which have there been exhumed. But the earliest burial grounds for the white race were generously dona- ted by Bazaleel Wells to the Presbyterians and Methodists, respectively, where the present South street school stands, and at the end or junction, as it were, of Fourth and Fifth streets. Subsequently the Episeopalians, the Presbyterians and Metho- dists, secured additional adjoining lots, but the whole of these recepticals for the departed were closed about 1854, when

THE PRESENT UNION CEMETERY

Was opened with fifty acres of ground, in the western part of the town, which attractively laid out site has been increased from time to time, until it now embraces a territory of 147 acres of level ground, hill and valley, with romantic and varied scenes around it. It is, indeed, a deeply interesting location, and admira- bly fitted to receive the remains of loved ones gone before. There are two entrances to the grounds, about a mile and a quarter apart, with handsome gateways of stone and iron, and lodge houses adjoining, erected through the liberality of Dr. C. C. Beatty, at a cost of certainly not less than $10,000. A promi- nent landmark in the cemetery is the soldiers' monument, com- pleted in 1870, at a cost of $8,000. It is a beautiful corinthian column of white marble, surmounted by a flying eagle, while at the base stand life size statues of a soldier and a sailor. Em- blems of war and names of the fields upon which Jeffer- son county soldiers bled and died are found on the sides. It is superb in design and execution, and no one who visits the cemetery should fail to make a elose examination of it. Beside this there are exceedingly fine monuments, tab- lets, &c., erected to the names of Colonel George W. Mc- Cook, Rev. H. G. Comingo, J. G. Morris, George Scott, John Andrews, the Borelands, Dotys, Garretts, McGowans, Hukills, Crawfords, Russells, Doyles, &c., and a specialty of neat head and foot stone designs, with tablets, erected by Mr. E. F. An- drews to the memory ofhis children. The Rev. Dr. C. C. Beatty is the only one who has a vault, and it is a very fine one. Up to June, 1879, 3,356 interments had been made in these grounds, 383 of which consisted of removals. The cemetery is the prop- erty of a private company, of whom Joshua Manly is at present the president, the Rev. Dr. C. C. Beatty, treasurer, and J. S. Pat- terson, secretary, the latter gentleman's office being on Fourth street, opposite the postoffice. The walks and general lay out of the cemetery, added to the excellent order in which it is kept, are a compliment to the city. A half day spent among the miles of walks and drives of this beautiful spot would fully repay even the hurried visitor.

THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY.

Our information as regards the earliest interments of Catho- lies in this community is meager, and we must therefore confine our comments to referring our readers to the brief data con- tained in the excellent article on the Catholic church inserted elsewhere.

STEUBENVILLE CITY BIOGRAPHIES.

DANIEL McCONVILLE was a native of county Down, Ireland ; born in 1820, and died September 27, 1878. He came to Amer- ica in June. 1849, with his wife, nee Martha Cochran, (sister to

Mr. R. Cochran, dry goods merchant, Market street,) and two sons, Daniel and James. He first located in Knoxville, butin two years came to the city, and went into partnership with Cochran in the wholesale notion business. Two years later he bought out Moses Alexander, but having an eye to a more central loca- tion, moved to Vierling's present stand, Market street, in 1860. He remained there till the present very fine McConville block was built on the corner of Market and Fourth streets, where he remained to his death, and pending the settlement of the estate, the business is still run under the old firm style by his sons. He was a thorough type of the fine old Irish gentleman-genial, whole-souled and at heart devoted to the country and its people. He might be termed a sound liberal democrat in politics and from birth associated with the Catholic church. He was liberal to the poor and a worthy citizen and shrewd merchant, with a very large circle of friends in this community. He was also at one time a director in the old Merchant and Mechanic's Bank and in the Jefferson Insurance Company ; while as a trademan his ability and diligent application earned for him a desirable competency. While in this country his family increased by three sons and two daughters-Edward, Thomas, Emmet, Han- nah and Edith. Daniel is a director of the state penitentiary, and James has already served in the city council.

DAVID MYERS, the present agent in Steubenville for the Ad- ams Express Company, is a native of that city, and was born in 1828, his parents being from Pennsylvania. He early learned the trade of a smith and for several years worked at it, subse- quently becoming a steamboat engineer on the river-his last engagement being second engineer on the "Eclipse," under Capt. R. W. Doyle. After that (in 1855) he bought an interest in the wharfboat with J. and G. O'Neal & Co., succeeding to it as agent. He only held that position, however, about one year, when he removed the Adams express business to the center part of the city-October 1856-its present address being 417, Market street. A few years later, Mr. Myers also became insurance agent, and has succeeded in obtaining the representation of probably the oldest, finest and most reliable offices known in America, including the "Ætna," " Royal" of England, " Insur- ance Company of North America," "Hartford " of Hartford, " Fire Association of Philadelphia," " Teutonia," "Laneashire " of England, " Niagara," the " Underwriters," and several others. In 1865 Mr. Myers also received the appointment to succeed Daniel MeCurdy as Deputy Collector ot Revenues for Jefferson county, to which Carroll county was subsequently added, and as an evidence of his executive ability and trustworthiness, dur- ing a period of fourteen years he has officiated under five differ- ent collectors. He has also ever evinced a deep interest in local affairs, serving two years in the council and four years a county treasurer, during which latter period he introduced a new sys- tem of tax receipts that is gaining universal adoption. He was married May 21st, 1843, to Amy, daughter of Samuel Kirkpat- rick, of New Jersey, but who was one of the earliest settlers in Steubenville, by whom he has a family of six children living. One daughter has become Mrs. John McGowan-one son, (Sam- nel A.,) is chief clerk in the Railroad Postal service on the Pan Handle route, and William is in the Western Union Telegraph service at Pittsburgh.

Q. A. LOBENZIER is a native of Westmoreland county, Pa .; born 1848, He learned and was subsequently engaged for a num- ber of years at telegraphy. He arrived in Steubenville in 1877, where he opened up business as a florist. He has a fine location on North Fourth street, and commands a very fine assortment of plants, flowers, shrubs, &c. He also engages in general gardening and fruit growing.

A. K. MANSFIELD, born in Newberryport, Mass., is by profes- sion a graduate in the study of mechanics, and perfeeted in that science in Europe. He was engaged for a number of years in Boston and vicinity, and now is in charge of the P., C. & St. I .. R. R. car shops, Steubenville, a responsible position he has filled for some time with efficiency.

WILLIAM B. COLLIER, of Ithaca, New York, was born in 1815 ; spent his early life in that section, but came to Jefferson county in 1822. He followed steamboating for twenty years, but has been in the service of the P., C. & St. L. R. R. Co. for the past fifteen years. Mr. C. first took up his abode in Steubenville fifty years ago, and has witnessed the maturity of the city from

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

a comparative hamlet. He married Cornelia, daughter of Dr. Wm. Hunt, of Fredericktown, New Jersey, in 1841, by whom he has three danghters.

E. P. RALSTON is a native of Jefferson county, was born in 1844, and commenced working in a flour mill when only twelve years of age, and has made the manufacturing of flour the study of his life. He was formerly engaged in Cassell's mill, Zanesville, but is at present running the "California" mill, in Steubenville, conducting both a merchant and custom trade in the manufac- ture of flour, feed, &c. He married Emma, daughter of Robert Dawson, of Knox county, Ohio, in 1867, by whom he has a fam- ily of four children. He enlisted in the 157 Regiment O. N. G., company N., as private in the 100 day service, and was mustered out at the expiration of his term at Camp Chase.

E. E. PAUL, by trade a blacksmith, was born in' Steubenville in 1836. He engaged with the P., C. & St. L. railroad company in 1867 and worked for them until April, 1879, and then com- menced business for himself on the corner of Fifth and Sonth streets. Mr. Paul's ancestors were among the very first settlers in Jefferson county, for which his grandfather was the first prosecuting attorney. He married Amelia, daughter of William Clemens, of Allegheny City, Pa., in 1860, and has had a family of four children, three of whom still live.

JAMES PARKS was born in Mercer county, Pa., 1806. His father died when our subject was only six years of age, and he came in 1812, with his mother, to Steubenville. When only ten years of age he commenced working on a farm for his uncle at Mingo Bottoms. From here be subsequently went to learn the carpenter business, and worked at the trade in Philadelphia, and in Steubenville for a few years. He then commenced in the gen- eral mercantile business, on Third street, and afterward re- moved to what is now the McConville block, Market street ; was in that business about twenty years, and sold out to connect himself with what was then the Steubenville and Indiana rail- road. He was one of the first directors and labored hard to build the road-traveling some two to three years on horseback to secure stock, right of way, and generally furthering the inter- ests of the road ; was with this road until it merged into the P., C. & St. L. railroad, and is still engaged with the company, be- ing the only original director still living-having survived to witness the old S. & I. railroad form one of the most important links in the connecting railroad route uniting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Mr. P. still lives in Steubenville, bis early home, and has ever evinced the warmest interest in its prosperity. His first wife was Mary, daughter of Ambrose Shaw, of this city, whom he married in 1829, and by whom he had ten children, five of whom are, still living. His second wife was Alice Rock, of Urbana, Ohio, by whom he had no family.

JAMES WYATT, born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, in 1809, had accomplished himself by a full apprenticeship to the dyeing business in England ere he came to America in 1830. from New York he proceeded to Philadelphia, and there fol- lowed his business until 1834, when he came to Steubenville and engaged immediately with Messrs. Orth & Wallace at their woolen mills, taking charge of their dyeing department. With them, and others, he remained seven years, and then, in con- nection with George Cropper, he started a dyeing business, in woolen and cotton goods, on Sixth street, near Market, and they carried on the business twelve years. Mr. Cropper then with- drawing, Mr. Wyatt has since continued, single handed, in a general steam dyeing and scouring business, his present location being Nos. 613 and 615 Adams street, just above the track of the P., C. & St. L. railroad, where he has been for twenty-seven years. Mr. W. has long been identified with the business inter- ests of Steubenville, and to-day has the oldest and most compe- tent establishment of the kind in the city. His first wife was Martha Cartwright, of Philadelphia, to whom he was married in 1830, but had no issue. His second wife was Mrs. J. J. Vick- ery, of Steubenville, whom he married in 1860.

JOSHUA HENRY, a native of Pittsburgh, was born on February 12, 1826. IIe early learned coach blacksmithing, and then ac- quainted himself with the shovel making business, and worked at it a number of years. In 1845 he took to the draying busi- ness on his own account, and continued it until 1849. He then came to Steubenville and engaged in the grocery and feed busi- ness for three years, after which he opened up a mineral water mannfactory, continuing the same for a number of years. His

health failing, however, he is at present retired from business, Mr. Henry married Ann, daughter of James and Margaret Lee, of Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1847, by whom he has had a family of four children,

H. D. PECK was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1842 ; en- listed in company E., 22d N. Y. Cavalry, in 1863, as a private, but was elected second lientenant immediately on the organiza- tion of the company. He was promoted at different times, and when mustered out of the service, at the end of the war, ranked as captain. He came to Jefferson county in 1866, and engaged in the coal business; followed it until recently, and is now en- gaged in the picture and fancy goods trade on Fourth street, near Market. Mr. Peck was married in 1870, to Harriet A., daughter of Thomas Burns, of Jefferson county, and has a family of three children.

J. C. BROWN enlisted in Company E., 52d Regiment O. V. I. as a private in August, 1862, and served two years. He was wounded and lost a limb near Atlanta, Georgia, in 1864. Dis- charged in 1865.

B. N. LINDUFF enlisted in Company E., 157th Regiment O. N. G., as a private. He served four months, and was honorably dis- charged at the expiration of that term at Camp Chase, Colum- bus, Ohio. Being a native of Jefferson county, he substantially studied law with the Hon. Thomas McCauslen, of Steubenville, was admitted to the bar October 1, 1873, and is now engaged in the practice of his profession in Steubenville.

ISAAC LINDUFF enlisted in Company I., 53d Regiment O. V. I. in 1862 as sergeant, and was promoted to orderly. He was wounded before Atlanta, Georgia, in 1864, and discharged on ac- count of disability in 1865.

O. A. WORTHINGTON enlisted in Company B., 157th Regiment O. N. G., as a private, and served 100 days, He afterward re- enlisted in Young's Battery, of Pittsburgh, and serve till the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged at Harris- burg, in 1865.

ROBERT ANDEW SHERRARD, an old and honored resident of Jefferson county, Ohio, was born in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, May 4th, 1789. He was the fourth son of John and Mary Sherrard. His parents were both natives of County Derry, Ireland. His father came to this country in the year 1772, and after serving in the early part of the revolutionary war, and also in Crawford's campaign against the Indians on the Sandns- ky Plains in 1782, he purchased land and settled near Connellsville, Pennsylvania. In 1804, the subject of this sketch, removed with his father's family to a farm near Smithfield, Jefferson county, Ohio. In 1811, he and three brothers, unit- ing their resources and labors, built saw and flouring mills on Rush Run, near Warrenton. During the many years of his residence there, and in conducting the business of the mills, he was widely known and universally respected as a man of sound judgment and strict integrity. His acquaintance was extensive, and he was often called into public positions of great responsi- bility. In 1833, Mr. Sherrard removed to the well known Sugar Hill Farm, near Steubenville, where he brought up a large family of twelve children-six sons and six daughters. On this farm, he continued to live until the time of his death, In 1816, he was nnited in marriage to Miss Mary Fitheart of Westmore- land county, Pennsylvania. In 1823, she departed this life, leaving five children-three sons and two danghters, Mr. Sherrard was again married in 1827. His second wife was Miss Jane Ilindman of Jefferson county, Ohio. She still survives at the advanced age of 75 years. The result of the last nnion was three sons and four danghters. Mr. Sherrard lived to see all his children grown up and settled in life, and members of the Presbyterian church-in which church two of his sons are min- isters, viz : Rev. John HI. Sherrard, pastor of Upper Ten Mile Church, Prosperity, Pennsylvania, and Rev. Thomas J. Sher- rard, pastor of the church of Mifflintown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Sherrard made a profession of religion in the Presbyterian church of Centre, Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1816. In the year 1824, he was elected an elder in that church, and continued there in office for nine years, until his removal to Sugar Hill, when he became a member of the First Presbyterian church, Steubenville, Rev. Charles C. Beatty, D. D., pastor. In 1851 he was chosen and installed a ruling elder in that church, and

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

remained in office till his death. How faithful he continued to the trust committed to him is thus testified to after his decease by one who knew him well : "Mr. Sherrard was in many re- spects a remarkable man. His intellect was clear, vigorous and commanding. He was for more than fifty years in this com- munity an ardent advocate of total abstinence. His example and precept blest, in no ordinary degree, the people among whom he lived. As a neighbor, he was kind, generous, and ever ready to sympathize with those in suffering, and to help those in dis- tress. As a business man, he was firm in his integrity, and un- deviating in soundness of honest principle and morality. As a friend, he was true, candid, and far removed from all pretension and hypocrisy. As a christian, he was not demonstrative, nor in any sense ostentatious, but calm, firm, and joyous in his con- fidence in God, and firmly settled on Christ, the foundation of his hope, and source of all his comfort and joy." Though Mr. Sherrard had received only a common school education, yet by great diligence and preserving effort, he became a writer of no mean merit and a converser excelled by few. He had a memory of extraordinary tenacity. His articles for the press were frequent and interesting, touching the early history of the county and state where he resided almost 70 years. Few men were better acquainted with the history of Jefferson county than he, as his numerous MSS testify. His end was peace. He died at Sugar Hill, January 1st, 1874, in the 85th year of his age.

THE REV. CHARLEY CLINTON BEATTY, D. D., L. L. D., is the oldest Presbyterian minister in this region of country. He was born January 4, 1800, near Princeton, N. J., where he received his collegiate and theological education. He was licensed to preach January, 1822, and was ordained the 1st of October in the same year. He came to Steubenville in May, 1823, and having settled in the First Presbyterian church, continued its pastor for thirteen years. He afterwards built and organized the Second Presbyterian church, and preached in it till 1848. For some years he has been engaged in an effort to establish a third Presbyterian church. He is better known as the founder, in 1829, (with his wife) of the Steubenville Female Seminary, of which he contiued superintendent for fifty years. He is now eighty years of age, and has retired from public business, though he has always identified himself with all the interests of the place, as one of its most active and enterprising citizens.

REV. ALEXANDER MCCANDLESS REID, Ph. D., proprietor and principal of the Steubenville Female Seminary, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, April 20, 1827. His father, Hen- ry Reid, also of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, was well and favorably known as a Presbyterian elder of unimpeachable rec- titude. His mother, Jane (MeCandless) Reid, a woman of nota- ble piety, was so sorely afflicted with rheumatism that for twenty years she was unable to walk or to move from her chair. He was educated at Cannonsburg, in the Jefferson College, and at the Allegheny Theological Seminary. Upon relinquishing school life be engaged in teaching at Sewiekly Academy, Pennsylvania, associated with Rev. Jos. S. Travelli, and there remained for several years. In 1855 he went to Europe for the purpose of extending his sphere of knowledge, and finding im- provement in foreign travel. He was married in 1855 to Sarah Lambert, of Mercer county, Pennsylvania. In October, 1856, he became associated with Rev. Dr. Charles C. Beatty in the management of the Steubenville Female Seminary, an institu- tion over which he has presided as proprietor and principal for several years past. During the nineteen years of his connec- tion with the seminary, the average number of pupils has been about one hundred and fifty; the number of boarding pupils about ninety. The whole number of pupils that have attended here is over four thousand. He received his degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) from Washington and Jefferson College. In 1875 Le went as a delegate to the Pan-Presbyterian Assem- bly at London, representing the Northern Presbyterian church. After the close of his labors with that body, he made an exten- sive tour of the continent, visiting France, Switzerland, Ger- many and Holland, after having journeyed through England and Wales. While abroad in 1855, he was the European cor- respondent for two newspapers, and for many years has writ- ten more or less regularly for the general press. Of his many brilliant sermons, several have been published, and in a printed form elicited warm encomiums from many quarters. The fol- lowing condensation of facts is gathered from various reliable sources : "Nineteen years ago Rev. A. M. Reid, Ph. D., and wife, who had been teaching for a number of years in Sewickly,

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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 176

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