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 192

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 192
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 192

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).

Charles Long, 1851-1853; Jason Brown, 1853-1861 ; James Watson, 1861-1866; Jason Brown, 1866-1869 ; Jonathan C. Harrison, 1869, present incumbent.

UPDEGRAFF.

This office was established in 1832 and so named from the pro- prietor of the village, or its first postmaster, Ambrose Updegraff. From its organization to the present time (1879) it has had the following postmasters : Ambrose Updegraff, Joseph Wallace, E. U. Kirk, James Hutton, A. J. Purviance, Robert Thompson, Henry Waddle, Jacob Peterman, William F. Hooper, V. P. Gorby, W. D. Thompson, the present ineumbent.

ADENA.

This office was granted by the department at Washington City in 1855, and Peter Hixon appointed postmaster, but there being no mail route yet established he never acted. After a route was established John Bendell was appointed as the first postmaster who served. The postmasters from the establishing of the office until 1879, are as follows : John Bendell, Robert S. Hague, George G. Morgan, John M. McMillan, Eli Shields, Oli- ver Wildman, Eli Shields, James B. Watson, Alexander G. Hawthorn, William Barkhurst, Eli Shields, present ineumbent.

SMITHFIELD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

In the summer of 1866, the propriety of establishing a Pres- byterian organization at Smithfield was diseussed and in the fall of that year the Presbytery of Steubenville appointed the Rev. W. R. Kirkwood to preach at that plaee, and propose the sub- ject of an organization to the people. The proposition meeting with favor, a committee was appointed at the spring meeting of the Presbytery, the following year, to explore the field and re- port at the June meeting as to the feasibility of effecting a church organization. This committee was composed of the Revs. A. Swaney, M. A. Parkinson ard W. R. Kirkwood, and elders W. Plummer and John Gault.

Upon a favorable report of this committee to the June meet- ing, 1867, held at Beech Springs church and the request of the congregation, the Presbyterial committee of church extension was directed, if the way be clear, to organize a church at their diseretion as to time, and report at their next regular meeting, on the first Tuesday of October, 1867.

In accordance with this order the committee met in the month of September, and everything found favorable for an organiza- tion, the persons desiring to enter into it, mutually agreed to adopt the following, as their act of organization, to-wit :

" We, whose names are hereunto appended, do voluntarily unite ourselves together, in fear of God and with earnest prayer for his blessing, into a chureh organization, to be known as the Smithfield Presbyterian church, under the care of the Presby- tery of Steubenville and belonging to the Old School General Assembly of the Presbyterian church in the United States ; and to secure the more unity in doctrine and church order, we hereby receive the confession of faith of the Presbyterian church as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scrip- tures, and we receive the form of government, the discipline and the directory for worship as embodying the principles of the church government and order by which we are willing to be regulated and to which we are willing to be in subjection."

Done in a public meeting held in Smithfield, September 21, 1867. Signed by the following persons as the original mem- bors :

William Ekey, Margaret Ekoy, Eleanor Peters, Mary E. McGhil, Elizabeth J. Newlin, William Vermillion, Mary Mat- thews, Abigail JJ. Scott, John Medill, Eliza O'Donnell.

The first officers were as follows : Elder, John Medill ; deacon, William Vermillion. Subsequently there were elected to the eldership three others, viz: James in October, 1869; John V. McCulley, in June, 1871 ; and Dr. William A. Bates, in . September, 1873. All these form the present session. There were added to the deaconship, in October, 1869, William Ekey, who with the original doacon, William Vermillion, form the present deaconship.

The church now numbers about sixty members. The first pastor was W. R. Kirkwood, from its organization until De- cembor, 1871. The second was the Rev. T. A. Grove, from 1872 to 1875. The present pastor is the Rev. A. A. Hough, who took charge of the congregation September 1, 1875.

554

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

PRESBYTERIAN SABBATH SCHOOL.

This school, which is under the management of the church, was organized in 1870, with Rev. W. R. Kirkwood as superin- tendent and an enrollment of 108 scholars.

It is provided with thorough officers, and is efficiently man- aged. Its superintendent for 1879 is William Vermillion, with efficient assistant officers and an able corps of teachers.

SMITHFIELD UNION SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Was organized in May, 1855, with Joel H. Carr, superintend- ent. It had an enrollment of eighty scholars. Soon after its . organization a library of one hundred volumes was purchased, besides several donations of books. Several additions have since been made. At different periods the enrollment has run up to 125 names; at the present time it is 100. Although the present attendance is not as large as it should be, yet the school is in a prosperous condition. Joel H. Carr was the first superintend- ent, R. C. Smiley, 2d superintendent, James W. Tarr, 3d super- intendent, W. M. Cope, 4th and present superintendent.

FRIENDS' CHURCH.

This is undoubtedly the oldest church in the township. It was organized as early as 1802. The first meetings were held at the private residences of members until about 1804, when they put up a log building near where the present one stands. They used this building until 1813, when a good substantial brick took its place. This brick, with some repairs, stood un- til 1879, when it was torn away and the present ample frame house was erected. This last building cost about $2,000. The building committee consisted of Nathan L. Wood, William M. Cope and Evan Purviance. The lot on which this lot stands contains ten acres. It was deeded Jnne 7, 1810, by James Carr to George Hammond, Casparius Garretson, David Purviance and Nathan McGrew, as trustees for the society. This church was originally called Plymouth Monthly meeting. In 1818 the name was changed to Smithfield Meeting. The congregation at pres- ent numbers about 180 members.

The following is a partial list of the original members of the church in 1802: Benjamin Townsend and Jemima his wife, Ma- lachi Jolly, Richard Jelks, James Carr, William Kirk, George Hammond, James Hammond and David Purviance.

The first marriage in this church was Evan Evans and Mary Brighte, or Brite, which took place April 20, 1808.

The lot of ten acres on which the church stands is used as a cemetery. The first burial was a child of Malachi Jolly. The first grown person buried there was Jemima Townsend, wife of Benjamin Townsend.

There was in connection with this church a Sabbath school established, commencing with about twenty scholars, that has increased to sixty in 1879. Evan Purviance has been superin- tendent for the last seven years. Joseph Hoyle is assistant su- perintendent and Mary E. Blackburn, secretary.

The same causes that brought about a division in the churches of the Society of Friends throughout the land in 1828, that re- sulted in the establishment of two separate organizations, had the same effect in the Smithfield church as in the others. It di- vided into Hicksites and Orthodox parties. The Hicksites or- ganized a society and in 1829, built themselves a house of wor- ship near the east end of Fourth street, where they met and worsbiped until 1859, when by removals their numbers became so small that they ceased to hold regular meetings and dissolved their organization and sold their property. Their house was a brick building and is now owned by William Vermillion.

In 1854, another division occurred in this church this division was brought about by a difference of opinion between J. J. Gur- ney and Thomas Wilbur on some theological points not clearly understood by the writer and not necessary to the purpose of our work, if it was. These two parties were distinguished by the names of Gurneyites and Wilburites, more commonly called " Gurneys " and " Wilburs." The former of them being largely in the majority, retained possession of the property and the " Wilburs " withdrew and formed a separate church organiza- tion. The seceding members, though very respectable in influ- ence and standing in the community, were weak in numbers and have as yet built no meeting-house, though they contem- plate doing so. They hold their meetings at private residences.

HOLMES M. E. CHURCH.

The Holmes M. E. church, now an appointment on Smithfield circuit, Steubenville, is probably the oldest Methodist Episcopal

church organization in Ohio. The first church building ever ereeted west of the river by that denomination was the original house put up by this congregation in 1803, on the banks of Short creek. It is called Holmes meeting house, after Jacob Holmes, a prominent member of the society and local minister, who lived near it. It was a hewed log house, about twenty-six feet long, with chimney in the side. The fireplace was not less than seven feet in the clear, the heighth of story nine feet. The joists were close together and covered with clapboards, forming the ceiling. The roof was clapboards held on by weight poles: The floor was of puncheons, and the seats were made by splitting small-sized trees in two pieces. The house ranged with the creek, and the door was in the end fronting the south- east. There was not one dollar in money expended in the building. The people came together, cut the timber, hewed the logs, split the clapboards, and put up the building. Jacob Holmes, Charles Moore, Richard Moore, Isaac Meek and - Crane originated the enterprise. There was preaching occa- sionally at Jacob Holmes' and Isaac Meek's before the building was erected, but there is no account of any preaching earlier than 1800. The Moores, Holmeses and Meeks constituted the first society. They were good families. Three of Isaac Meek's sons, John, James and Jacob, were preachers, John being in the traveling connection. Here John Meek and Jacob Holmes were licensed to preach the gospel. Here preached Ellis, Mat- thews, Asa Shinn, Cullison, James Riley, Jacob Young, Thorn- ton Fleming, Burke, James Quinn, also Bishop Asbury. While the bishop was preaching, a bench broke down ; he stopped and thanked God there was a floor to catch the persons that fell. This church was abandoned in 1810, in consequence of the difficulty of crossing the creek in times of high water and ice, in the winter season. The creek now runs over where the graveyard was, including nearly, if not all, the location of the church. Some of the bodies in the graveyard were removed to other cemeteries, while others were doubtless carried away by the waters. The logs of the building are still preserved, and canes have been made from them and presented to eminent ministers.

In 1810, a new house was completed, about a half mile from the first and on higher ground. The ground, which was se- cured for the church and graveyard, was deeded to Jacob Holmes, John Stoneman, William Storer, Jacob Jones, James Smith, S. Moore, E. Pierce, R. Moore and John Barkhurst. Elias Crane, a local preacher, preached a sermon at the laying of the corner- stone, his text being in reference to Christ himselt being the chief corner stone. This house, originally, was a singular struct- ure. It was a long narrow building ; the pulpit and door were in the sides. The pulpit place was made by the building of a large pen of logs outside and connected with the main walls; the same arrangement was inade at the door, forming a large vesti- bule, giving the house the appearance of an ark, with large wheel houses at the side. For several years it had neither stoves nor chimneys. Two places were made on the floor, of stones and mortar, and the house was warmed by burning charcoal on these elevations. Some seventy ministers have preached to this church. Up to the year 1829, there was a large and flourishing society, when the unfortunate division took place resulting in building a Methodist Protestant house of worship, a mile away. In February, 1874, the trustees agreed to build a new and more commodious house. It was commenced in June and completed in November.

Holmes church No. 3, is a plain, neat, beautiful house, and neatly furnished, costing about $3,200. An indebtedness of only about two hundred dollars remained at dedication day. Under the superintendence of the Rev. J. S. Bracken and the preaching of Rev. I. A. Pearce, the amount was more than realized. There have been over seventy ministers who have preached to the con- gregation of this church since its organization. The following is nearly a complete list, and almost in the order in which they served. The years are not given: Rev. Jas. B. Finley. Jacob Young Brooks, Wm. Dixon, Daniel Townsend West, William and John Meek, John Graham, Edward Taylor, David Merryman, Simon Lonck, Walter Athey, William Tallman, who was afterward an attorney-at-law in St. Clairsville, Kent Hanks, Samuel Worth- ington, Robert Hopkins, Israel Dallas, William Knox, John Spencer, Joseph Montgomery, Pardon Cook, J. N. McAbee, Hi- ram Gilmore, J. R. Brochunier, Simon Elliott, Wm. Summers, Wm. Tipton, C. A. Holmes, James Merriman, J. W. Shriver, Robert Boyd, Geo. Crook, W. Cox, Wm. Devinney, S. W. Bailey, Isaac Atkins, C. H. Jackson Ludwig Petty, George. McKee, T. C. McClure, J. D. Vail, George W. Dennis, James H. Rodgers, Henry Neff, J. S. Heagle, Homer J. Clark, John Huston, James

555

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES

M. Bray, J. McK. Garrett, D. L. Dempsey, Hosea McCall, Geo. W. Baker, W. C. P. Hamilton, A. E. Hard, John Conner, John Williams, J. S. Bracken, T. Storer. There are others who have preached, but the time is not known. Among these are : Rev. - Limerick, Archibald McElroy, Calvin Ruter, Wm. Savage, Dr. S. Adams, A. L. Petty, T. Winstanley, - Clegg, J. W. Miner.

SMITHFIELD M. E. CHURCH.

In the fall of 1814 a class was formed at this place by the Rev. James B. Finley, who was that year appointed to the Cross Creek circuit, Smithfield being within its limits. The following are a portion of the names of that class : Benjamin Roberts, John Stout, James Coleman, Pollard Hartgrove, David Long, Thomas Mansfield and John Dougherty. They met at a private house that soon became too small to accommodate the increas- ing numbers. At the next conference Finley was sent back to the same circuit, with Joseph Powell for his colleague, and Da- vid Young, presiding elder.

The increased number of members of the church requiring a larger building in which to meet, measures were taken to pro- cure a lot and build a house. A lot situated on the west side of the village, at the end of Green street, was bought of James Carr for forty dollars, on which a frame building was erected, about 1816. This house was 36x27, and continued as their place of worship until 1862, when they sold their property to the African M. E. Church. They then bought a lot in a different part of the village, located on the east side, near the end of High street, and erected a frame house 38x48, at a cost of about $1,800. The new house was dedicated March 9, 1863, by Revs. Bishop Janes and Dr. S. B. Nesbitt, then editor of the Pitts- burgh Advocate. The text used on the occasion was Isaiah, chapter VI.

M. E. SABBATH SCHOOL.

This school was organized about 1836, and was the first Sab- bath school in Smithfield. It commenced with an attendance of about forty scholars. Although heid in the M. E. Church, and largely patronized by them, it was in no sense a denominational one, but might properly be termed a union school. Charles S. Barnes was the first superintendent. It was carried on under this arrangement till 1853. On the 13th of April of that year, it was reorganized as a M. E. Sabbath school, with George W. Lee as superindendent, and Wm. A. Judkins, secretary.

There was an enrollment of about sixty scholars, and a small library. It has continucd under this supervision ever since, and has now (1879) an enrollment of two hundred scholars, and a library of 150 volumes. The school is well supplied with the various Sunday school papers of the country, which have large- ly superseded the library books. William A, Judkins is the present superintendent, which position he has held for fourteen consecutive years. D. L. Harrison is secretary. There are five officers connected with the organization, and in its existence of twenty-six years but one of them has died, namely, Joseph Grimshaw, once a superintendent.

DISCIPLES' CHURCH OF SMITHFIELD.

This church was started on Salt Run, about 1831, under the labors of Thomas Campbell. It was removed to Smithfield in 1836. The first elders were William Scott, Joshua Carle and John Cramlet, of whom Joshua Carle is now the only one living. The first deacon was David Carson. Alexander Campbell preached here occasionally for a number of ycars. Elder Young, of Wellsburg, was among the first who preached for the congre- gation ; also, Jonas Hartzell, Dr. George Lucy and Harrison Jones. The first meetings were held in the school house, but in 1838, a good, comfortable brick building was erected, costing over a thousand dollars. This house is still occupied by the con- gregation. There are at present about sixty members, with reg- ular preaching ouce a montb. As there is no baptistry in the. church, the ordinance of baptism is generally attended to in MeIntyre's creek, some two miles distant from the church. In 1867 a Sunday school was organized, with James P. Hopkins as superintendent. This school is still in progress.

AFRICAN M. E. CHURCH.

The African M. E. Church in 1862 -- 3, at an expense of $150, purchased from the M. E. Church their church property in Smithfield consisting of twenty 37-100 perches of land and the 1-70-B. & J. Cos.

. .

the buildings thereon, where they established the A. M. E. Church. The property was deeded January 28, 1863, by the trustees of the M. E. Church to the trustees of the A. M. E. Church. These buildings were used until 1878, when the old house was removed and replaced by a neat frame build- ing 36x26, at a cost of $1,500. This new church was dedi- cated November 10, 1878. Rev. Johnson Underwood preached the dedication sermon, assisted by Rev. D. N. Mason. There were ten members at the organization, which is now, 1879, increased to twenty-five. A Sabbath school was organized in connection with this church in 1864, with a small library of books.

WHEELER'S M. E. MEETING HOUSE.

The ground on which this church stood belonged to the farm of James Wheeler, some three miles south of Smithfield village. It was probably built about 1815, as the deed conveying the land to the trustees of the church bears that date. The trus- tees were James Wheeler, William Whitten, Jacob Cramlet, Thomas Kems and Dennis Lawry. A burrying ground was in- cluded in the church lot. For fifty years this church has ceased to be an appointment of the circuit as a preaching place, and the old church building which was a log house was removed many years ago.

The burying ground is still kept in repair and many of the old citizens have found their last resting place there.

The church derived its name from James Wheeler, who was a local minister of that denomination, and an early settler in the neighborhood. Mr. Wheeler was a native of Maryland, but removed to Smithfield township as early as 1803 or 1804, and bought sixty acres of land of Nathaniel Kellum, who had doubt- less first settled it, as their was a cabin on it. Mr. Wheeler aft- erwards entered a quarter section adjoining it. He married and reared a family of thirteen children. At the age of sixteen he united with the M. E. church. For a brief period he changed his church relations, but soon returned to the church of his carly years and continued in it until his death in 1872, in his eighty- eighth year. Mr. Wheeler was proverbial for his honesty. He used to follow the huckster business and traveled from house to house, buying up the products of the farmers, which he took to Wheeling and sold. If he sold his trade for better prices than he expected, he invariably on next round paid back to the farm- ers the additional amount realized above his anticipations, and if in any trade with a neighbor for stock, should he afterwards become satisfied he had not paid enough, he would insist on making the additional amount, to make right. In his tempera- ment he was impetuous, earnest and active, but always honest in his convictions. He was beloved and respected as a citizen, neighbor and friend. He lived on one farm over sixty years, and died February 21, 1873, in the 88th year of his age.

PINEY FORK U. P. CHURCH.

The first preaching here was in 1800. The first pastor was Rev. Alexander Calderhead, a Scotch minister of the Associate Reform Church. He preached here until his death in 1812. Soon after Calderhead's death Rev. John Walker commenced preaching to the church. December, 1821, Rev. Thomas Ilan- na accepted a call in connection with Cadiz. He was pastor until 1835, when Rev. Joseph Cloky took charge. In 1840 Mr. Cloky and congregation connected themselves with the Steu- benville Associate Reformed Presbytery. In 1842 Rev. Cloky quitted his charge. The congregation then had no pastor until 1856, when Rev. William Lorimer became pastor. He was re- leased from his charge in the spring of 1859. In May, 1860, Rev. J. M. Jamison became pastor, and still continues in charge.

They at first preached in the woods. They built a tent be- tween two trees and covered it with clapboards, and the congre- gation sat on logs and poles arranged for seats. They after- wards built a cabin to be used in winter. In 1824 they built a hewed log house 60x30. The contractor was Thomas Hamilton, who lives near Adams. In 1838 they built the present house, a brick building, 60x30. John Lacy was the contractor.

SHORT CREEK CHURCH, AT ADENA (PRESBYTERIAN).

This church was organized June 1, 1848, and a house built 46x36, same year, at a cost of $825. The original members were: Samuel Kerr, Agnes Kerr, James Kerr, Julia A. Kerr, Joseph Kerr, William Stringer, Isabel Stringer, James W. Carrick. Sarah Carrick, Robert Brown, Isabel Brown. John S. Carrick, Eleanor Carrick, James Hamilton, Sarah Hamilton, Sarah

556

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

Stringer, John Hagan, Jane Hagan, Elizabeth Hope, old Mrs. Stringer, old mother Hamilton and William Hamilton, twenty- two in all. Rev. James Kerr, of Cadiz, preached the dedication sermon.

Rev. Samuel Boyd (now of Wheeling) preached as a stated supply for 1848-49-50, about three years. In 1856 Rev. Robert Armstrong was installed, and served as regular pastor until the fall of 1870, when Rev. Hugh Whiteford Parks was ordained, and installed as regnlar pastor, and is still (1879) serving the congregation in that capacity, so the church has had but two regular pastors since its organization.

In 1878 the old church was torn down, and a neat frame build- ing, 50x36, has taken its place. The new house cost $2,400. The Rev. Robert Alexander, of St. Clairsville, preached the dedication sermon on Thursday, October 31, 1878.

The church now numbers 125 members, and a good Sabbath school the year around, with an attendance of 65 or 70 scholars.

Samuel Kerr, Sr., was the original founder of the church. He and Robert Brown and William Stringer were the original elders. The former, now in his 87th year, is still living.

The present elders are: Samuel Kerr, Thomas Hamilton, James Hamilton, James W. Carrick and John Hagan. Super- intendent of Sabbath school, Thomas H. Kerr.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

BENJAMIN W. LADD was born in Charles City county, Va., in the year 1784. He came to Smithfield and was married to Eliz- abeth, daughter of William and Mary Wood, in the spring of 1814. He purchased from his father-in-law, William Wood, the farm known as Prospect Hill, adjoining Smithfield on the west, and in 1814-15 erected the brick dwelling-house, still standing and occupied by Hngb Hammond, the present owner of a part of said farm. About 1817, he erected a building for the purpose of curing bacon and commenced the pork packing business, be- ing, so for as is known, the first enterprise of the kind west of the Allegheny mountains. The undertaking proved successful and was extended from time to time, until he had erected four houses on the farm, and also a branch honse at Martin's Ferry, Belmont county, Ohio. The chief markets for his cured bacon were Baltimore and Richmond, to which cities it was transported in large covered wagons, drawn by five or six fine belled horses, driven by their proud teamsters, prominent among whom were William Price, Eli Sidwell, Charley Chenney, Abraham Naylor and William Carter. The average time required for the round trip was five to six weeks, the wagons on the return trip being loaded with dry goods and groceries for western merchants. He was also engaged in merchandising in company with his broth- er-in-law, Joshua Wood, and Wm. Blackston, at Smithfield, and Henry Crew, at Richmond. He was not only remarkably enter- prising, but equally disposed to help others, and not unfrequently entered into business almost wholly with a view to the benefit of others whom he had become interested in. In later years, after he had given up pork packing and merchandising, he frequently bought wool of his neighbors, besides being an extensive grower of that staple himself. He raised and liberally educated a family of nine children-four sons and five daughters -- seven of whom are still living, two in Brooklyn, N. Y., three in Chicago and two in Iowa. He was a prominent member of the Society of (ortho- dox) Friends and faithfully served the church in various capaci- ties. Amid all his extensive business cares he was always at leisure to attend to his duties as a citizen and christian man ; freely devoting both time and means in his Lord's service and for the good of others, benevolence and unbounded hospitality being marked traits in his character. He was the special friend and protector of the poor down-trodden colored man, assisting many in their flight from the thraldom of slavery and more who were manumitted, to come and get a start for life on the free soil of Ohio. He died on the 31st day of May, 1851, in his 67th year, and was followed to an honored grave by a large concourse of friends, neighbors and citizens.

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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 192

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