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 204

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 204
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 204


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).


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W. F. MYERS was born in Jefferson county, April 22, 1847, on the farm where he now lives. He is a great grandson of "Anver Mike" Myers; was married February 11, 1869; received just a common school education ; has followed farming for the last ten years, and in the winter runs on the river as a trader.


GEORGE CULP was born in Preston county, W. Va., in 1790, and came with his father to Jefferson county in 1800, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was married to Miss Ke- ziah Maple, May 12, 1808, and their union was blessed with ten children, eight of whom are still living. His wife dying he married Mrs. Isabella Warden, May 21, 1829, by whom he reared a family of eleven children, of whom seven are still living. Mr. Culp lived to the good old age of eighty-nine years and retained his mind to the last. He died March 29, 1879, with a bright hope of a blessed immortality. In 1817, he connected himself with the Island Creek Presbyterian church. In 1819, he was elected a ruling elder of this church during the administration of Rev. Snodgrass. He acted as commissioner for two terms and was called upon to serve as justice of the peace, in which capacity he served for over twenty years, and held various other township offices, all of which be filled satisfactorily to the people. He was drafted in the war of 1812, but his wife objected to him going and he hired a substitute to go in his place. flis father, Baltzer Culp, settled near where New Somerset now stands, at a very early day and afterwards laid out that town.


J. N. Cook was born in Washington county, Pa., and came to Jefferson county in the spring of 1875, and located at Knoxville, where he was engaged in the mercantile business till in 1877, when he came to Sloan's Station and opened a general variety store, in which business he is at present engaged.


M. B. EDWARDS was born in Pennsylvania and came to Jeffer- son county in 1866, and engaged in the business of general black- smithing. At that time his shop was the only one at Sioan's Station. He was married in 1861, and has reared a family of seven children.


JAMES MCCONNELL was born in Ireland in 1823, and came to America in 1851, and located in Ilancock county, W. Va., where he went to work in the fire brick works of Porter & Co. ; worked for them for twenty-four years. In the spring of 1872, he started a store at Freeman's Landing, W. Va. One of his sons took charge of the store and Mr. McConnell continued to work on in the brickyards. In 1877, he removed to Sloan's Station, where


he is now engaged in the mercantile business. He was married in Ireland just before leaving for America and has reared a fam- ily of eleven children, all of whom are living.


J. G. CULP, proprietor of the Rainbow Fire Brick Works, which were built in 1859 by Michael Myers. Mr. Culp has the works leased for five years, and has operated them since May 1, 1879. The works are of a capacity of 500,000 brick. He is also furnishing about 2,500 tons of clay, mostly to Carlyle, Donebne & Co .; employs eleven men, and will add during the summer a full line of terra cotta machinery.


JOHN BRAY was born in New York in 1797, and came to Jef- ferson county in 1822, where he remained until his death in 1872. During the time he was a resident of the county he served the people as a justice of the peace; was a zealous worker in the church from 1837 to the time of his death. He reared a family of nine children, six of whom are still living.


W. F. BRAY (a son of John Bray) was born in Jefferson county, where he was reared to manhood. At the age of 21 he went to California, where he remained for ten years. He then returned to Jefferson county and settled at Sloan's Station, where he is now engaged in the mercantile business in company with Mr. Hartford; commenced business in April, 1878; they are carrying a full line of goods suited to the trade. Enlisted October, 1861, and re-enlisted in 1863 as a veteran ; discharged in May, 1865 ; was a member of Company F, 2d Regiment Infantry, Califor- nia Volunteers; served as guard on the Pacific coast; was mar- ried in 1878 to Miss Annie L. Thompson, of Steubenville.


ISLAND CREEK TOWNSHIP


was erected in 1806 ont of Steubenville township, being one of the original five townships into which Jefferson county was di- vided in 1803. It contains 36 sections of township 7, range 2; also 4 full sections and 7 fractional sections of township 3, range 1, of the original "seven ranges" surveyed by the government in 1785-6. It received its name from Island creek, the princi- pal stream which traverses the township from west to east and empties into the Ohio opposite Brown's Island. This township is bounded on the north by Knox township, on the east by the Ohio river, on the south by Cross Creek township, and on the west by Salem township.


TOPOGRAPHY.


Island Creek township is drained on the south by Will's creek, and on the north by Island creek. The surface is broken and billy for a few miles west of the Obio river, but from thence westward to the line of Salem township is comparatively smooth and susceptible of cultivation. The soil is excellent, and pro- duces all kinds of grain abundantly.


PRODUCTS.


Wheat, corn and oats are the principal grains raised-the latter two, however, for home consumption only. The wheat is hauled to Steubenville and there ground for the market. The principal exports are wool and fat cattle. Orchards are large and numerous. A good market for all produce raised in this township is found in the city of Steubenville.


TIMBER.


The greater portion of this township is cleared, but the rough land bordering on the streams is still well timbered with white oak, sugar maple, walnut, locust, beech, elm and other woods.


EARLY SETTLEMENT.


We cannot state absolutely who is entitled to be named as the first settler of Island Creek township, but we know that the following may be justly entitled "early settlers," viz .: Isaac Shane, James Shane, Andrew Ault, Daniel Viers, Nathan Palmer, Wil- liam Jackman, Philip Cable, Richard Lee.


MANUFACTURES.


ISLAND SIDING FIRE BRICK WORKS,


King, Arthur & Morrow, lessees. These works were established in 1873, by Fickes, Cable & Abrahams and conducted by them


590


HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.


till 1878, when they passed into the hands of William Taylor, since which time they have been conducted by the present firm. The works have a capacity of 200,000 brick per annum. They make a specialty, however, of shipping clay to different points, the principal part of which is sent to East Liverpool, Beaver Falls and Akron, Ohio. The amount of clay shipped amounts to about three hundred tons annually. The works are situated opposite Brown's Island, on the Ohio river, and Mr. David King is foreman.


MILLS.


From the year 1810 to 1830, wheat was the staple product of the township. Flouring mills were numerous and profitable. The waters of Island creek served to propel three or four and Wills creek ran at least two, while saw mills were " two numer- ous to mention," but time has wrought a great change. Few of the mills are still standing and those are run by steam, whilst the " site " is all that remains of others and even their history is lost.


Bray's Mill is situated about one-half mile above the mouth of Island creek on that stream. It was built by Jacob Cable, about the year -- , but in 1823, Messrs. John Bray and Wm. Findley, finding it in a dilapidated condition, bought and re- paired it. In 1824, a woolen mill was attached and in 1838, Findley sold out to Bray, who continued the business ard added steam to the motive power. Of the other mills only Davison's and Hartford's are running, H. L. Blackburn's mill having been removed from Wills creek to Sloan's Station in 1873, and burnt in August, 1879.


ELECTIONS.


Island Creek township was organized in 1806, and the first election ordered to be held at the house of Daniel Viers, but no record of elections being kept we cannot report the result.


Elections for the township are still held at the village of Pekin, but a small portion of the inhabitants vote at Sloan's Station and another portion at Wintersville.


The following is the present board of township officers .


Justices of the Peace-Jacob P. Markle, Beatty McFarland and George McCausland.


Trustees-Thomas H. Montgomery, Samuel Burchfield and John Rex.


Constable-Wm Campbell.


Assessor-D. A. Moreland.


Clerk-Thomas S. Sanders.


Treasurer-John T. Williamson,


Land Appraiser-James Blackburn.


Board of Education-Benjamin Lee, Joseph Robinson, Abel J. Crawford, Allen Palmer, John D. Grafton, John D. Winters, Samuel Burchfield, D. M. Welday, Thomas Nixon, James Mills and R. B. Johnson.


SCHOOLS.


There are within the bounds of Island Creek township twelve schools. Two independent districts and one joint district. No high school or academies.


CHURCHES.


CENTER METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHAPEL


Is situated on section 16 of township 8, range 2, in Island Creek township. The first preaching in this vicinity was by Rev. J. Williams and Dr. Hare. A class was formed in 1847. Amongst the members were: Alexander Glenn and wife, Thomas Glenn, Charlotte Morrow, Richard Morrow, Washington Nicholls and his wife, Mary, and Sarah Nicholls, with A. Glenn as leader. This appointment was a part of Richmond circuit until 1849, when it was made a part of Wintersville circuit.


In 1849, a church was built-frame 32x42-and dedicated in January, 1850, by Rev. Nicholson. The ministers who served after this were Revs. John E. McGaw, Wm. Tipton, R. Cun- ningham, Wm. Devinney, S. F. Miner, George Crook, R. L. Mil- ler, Chester Morrison, Robert Boyd, W. H. Tibball, -- Chris- man, James Bray, S. H. Nesbitt, - Blackburn, John Hus- ton, J. Conn, Alexander Scott, D. K. K. Stevenson, J. R. Keyes, and J. W. Weaver, the present incumbent. Present number of members, 55.


--


Class Leaders-John D. Winters, D. M. Abrabams and A. M. Shane.


ISLAND CREEK M. E. CHURCH


Was organized by the Rev. James M. Bray, as follows : By the advice of the presiding elder, Rev. S. R. Brockunier, Mr. Bray entered upon a tour of missionary work, making Island creek one of his appointments, and in 1837, he was enabled to organ- ize a class at that place, consisting of sixteen persons, amongst them the following: John Bray and wife, Win. Taylor and wife, - Fleming and wife, John Fleming and wife, Wm. Fleming and wife, John Dobbs and wife and Mrs. John Nixon and daugh- ter. This number was increased to thirty-eight during the year.


During the summer of 1838, a church was erected on a plat of ground donated by Mr. Wm. Findley. The building was a frame 30x40 and was dedicated by Rev. P. K. McCue in Novem- ber, 1838. The same year this appointment was taken into the Richmond circuit. John Bray was the first class leader, and the present leaders are Wm. Taylor and James Lee.


MT. TABOR M. E. CHURCH.


Rev. James B. Finley first preached in that locality, at the house of Adam Jackman, in the year 1814, and organized the first class. Members of class : Richard Coulter and wife, Adam Jack- man, Mary Jackman, Margaret Jackman, Jane Patterson, Isabel Whittaker, George Alban, Garrett Albertson, -- Strickland, Wm. Nugent, Richard Jackman, Jane Jackman, Jane Arm- strong, John Crawford, James Crawford, Martin Swickard, Mar- garet Swickard, Jacob Vail, and some others whose names are not remembered. Richard Coulter was leader of the class.


Preaching was continued at the house of Adam Jackman for twelve years. The first church edifice-a brick building-was then erected. In this building the society continued to worship for thirty years. In the year 1856, the present neat and com- modious frame building was completed and dedicated. With the exception of a brief interval it has always been connected with Richmond. By deaths and removals its numbers are reduced to forty-nine. The church officers are as follows:


Stewards-A. J. Crawford and G. W. Burnett.


Class Leaders -A. J. Crawford and Samuel Swickard.


Trustees-Wm. Taylor, A. J. Crawford, Samuel Swickard, A. J. Patterson and Jacob Swickard.


The present pastor is Rev. J. R. Keyes.


TWO RIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.


This church was organized in the year 1802 or 1803, by Rev. Snodgrass. The first house of worship was erected in the year 1810, up to which time the people met for worship in various places, private dwellings, school houses, and often in the woods. Having served the church two years, Mr. Snodgrass was snc- ceeded (after an interval of one year) by Rev. Wm. McMillan. He continued pastor of this church and the Yellow creek church (now Bacon Ridge) for six years. The original session consisted of but two members, Messrs. James Cellars and James Bailey. Soon afterwards Messrs. Samuel Thompson, Andrew Anderson and George Day were added to the session; and in the year 1817, Mr. Thomas Elliott also. The church being supplied part


of the time occasionally and part statedly, from 1812 to 1818, (during which time a new house of worship was erected, 1816.) Rev. Thomas Hunt was then called to become pastor of this and Yellow creek churches, over which he was installed May 21, 1819. About 1828, Two Ridge church employed him for the whole of his time. He continued their pastor until October 4, 1836. Dur- ing his pastorate Messrs. James Torrance, Benjamin Coe, Henry Shane, Wm. Winters, James Milligan and David Gladden (whose widow is still a member of the church) were elected and ordained elders. Mr. Hunt was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Kerr, and he, after a pastorate of four or five years, was succeeded by Rev. Wm. Eaton, who was installed October 21, 1844. About this time three more elders were elected, viz: Messrs. John Leech, John McGregor and David Johnston. Mr. Eaton's la- bors as pastor of this church ceased April, 1853. The fol- lowing summer a new house of worship was erected, which con- stitutes part of the present building, having been afterwards en- larged and remodeled. After an interval of two years Rev. Da- vid R. Campbell was installed pastor. About this time Messrs. Philip W. Coe and John Huston were elected to the eldership ; and March 19, 1856, Messrs. Wm. Plummer and James G. Allen were also elected. The pastoral relationship between Mr. Campbell and this congregation was dissolved October, 1861, after which


591


HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.


they were without a pastor for a year and a half, when they ealled Rev. George Fraser, who accepted the eall and was ac- cordingly installed in the summer of 1863. The session being very much reduced at this time by death and otherwise, the con- gregation elected four new elders, viz: Messrs. Thomas Hunt, (son of a former pastor) John Rex, George D. Rex and T. P. Ross, who were installed April 24, 1864. The following year, November 19, 1865, Messrs. Robert Stark, Richard Wright and Samuel Kirk were elected to the office of deacon. In the year 1867, Mr. Frazer was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Dickey, who had formerly been a member of this church. During his pastorate, December 1, 1869, Messrs. Robert Stark and Richard Wright were elected to the office of elder, and on the 19th of the same month were ordained ; and during his pastorate the church was enlarged, being made twelve feet longer. Having served this church three years he was sueceeded by Rev. I. M. Lawbaugh, who continued pastor for but eight months. September 3, 1871, Messrs. John Leech and Thomas Robertson were ordained dea- cons. In April, 1873, Rev. Israel Price became pastor of this church for two-thirds of his time. During his pastorate, Feb- ruary 7, 1874, Messrs. Wm. Stark and John Leech were elected and ordained elders, and Messrs. Samuel Huston, Simon B. Warren and Wm. Gilkinson deaeons; and June 20, 1875, Mr. Darwin Rex, an elder from Pleasant Hill church, having united with this church, was elected and installed an elder. In 1874, a woman's foreign missionary society was organized and still con- tinues in good working condition. Mr. Price leaving in the fall of 1877, the church was left without a pastor for more than a year, when, January 9, 1879, J. C. McCracken was called and on the 6th of the following May was ordained and installed pastor. The membership of this church has been reduced to an unusual extent by removals, so that notwithstanding the constant in- gathering of members since its organization, it to-day num- bers but one hundred and ten members. It has always had a good record in every benevolent work of the church, its contri- butions being far above the average of the churches of its own presbytery or of the entire Presbyterian church.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ISLAND CREEK.


DAVID A. SLOANE, son of William B. and Ann A. Sloane, was born in Knox township, Jefferson county, Ohio, November 11, 1832. He was reared on a farm and educated at the Steuben- ville Academy. He married Jane O. Hood, daughter of James and Eliza Hood, of Steubenville, Ohio, April 11, 1855. Their children are as follows : Mary E., married to C. J. McConnell ; William E., James H., John O. and David C., deceased. Mr. Sloane came to his present location-Sloan's Station-in 1855. He has a farm of 192 acres, one-half of which is rich alluvial soil on the Ohio bottoms. His principal business is fruit growing, having twenty-five acres in apples, three acres in pears, five acres in strawberries and a variety of small fruits of all kinds.


JEFFERSON SALTSMAN, was born in Saline township, Jefferson county, Ohio, November 19, 1817. Received but a common school education, and learned the carpenter trade with Henry Yeagley for whom he worked three years. Followed his trade until 1847, when he began steamboating on the Yazoo River, having worked at carpentering two years in the South. In 1850 he bought the old home farm in Saline township and began farm- ing. In 1854 he sold this farm, removed to Cross Creek township where he remained nine years, when he bought a farm of 200 acres in Island Creek, bordering on the Ohio river, known as " the old Sloan homestead," where he is now engaged in farm- ing. He also owns and runs a planing mill at Sloan's Station. Mr. Sloan married Mary Clark, March 15, 1854, by whom he bad six daughters, viz : Maggie J., Lizzie L., Macy A., Arabella, Barria and Emma Saltsman. His first wife dying he married Nancy J. McElhase, of Beaver county, Pennsylvania.


THOMAS M. DANIELS, son of Abraham and Sarah Daniels, was born at Port Homer, Jefferson county, Ohio, January 29, 1850. His parents died when he was young, and he went to live with William Myers, with whom he remained till he was sixteen years of age. He then worked for Wilham S. Myers one year in a brick yard. After this he worked four years in Carlyle's Sewer Pipe Works, then in company with Messes. Connelly &


Hood, he leased Carlyle's works for five years, himself acting as foreman. Married Susanna Peters, September 1, 1870, and has three children, Charles A., John T., and Jefferson H. Daniels. Mr. Daniels visited Baton Rouge, La., as an agent of a Pitts- burgh coal firm July 1, 1878. Having returned to Ohio he and R. M. Francy leased the Calumet Sewer Pipe and Fire Clay Works, which business they still eontinne.


THOMAS J. WELLS, a native of Washington county, Ohio, was born October 8, 1832. When four years of age his parents re- moved to Meigs county, where he grew to manhood. Married Samantha J. Jewett of Meigs county, Ohio, April 15, 1858. Af- ter his marriage, Mr. Wells removed to Illinois, where he re- mained one year, and then came to Island Creek township, Jef- ferson eounty, Ohio, May 28, 1860, where he resides on a farm of 102 acres on the Ohio river. In April 1864, Mr. Wells enlisted in Company H, 157th, O. V. I., and served four months. His mother was a grand-daughter of Col. Oliver, who first settled near Marietta, Ohio.


REV. JOHN E. HOLLISTER was born in Woodsfield, Monroe county, Ohio. When nineteen years of age he united with the M. E. Church at Woodsfield, and was licensed to preach in 1853. In June, 1854, he was recommended and received into the Pitts- burgh Annual Conference. His first charge was at Newport, Washington county, Ohio; afterwards at the following places in succession : Sharon, Noble county, Ohio; Senecaville, Guern- sey county, Ohio ; Stafford, Monroe county, Ohio; Lower Salem, Washington county, Ohio; Liberty, Guernsey county, Ohio; West Chester, Tuscarawas county, Ohio; Woodsfield, Monroe county, Ohio; Mooreficid, O., Dearsville, O., Morristown, O., Centerville, O., Waynesburg, O., Salineville, O., and from thence to Sloan's Station in the fall of 1878. Married Hellen O'Con- nor, of Woodsfield, O., April 27, 1857; has four children, as fol- lows: Sallie R., Cora I., Laura B. and Anna E. Hollister.


MATTHEW R. HARTFORD was born in Steubenville, O., August 9, 1830. When small his parents moved to West Virginia, where the Black Horse brick yard now is, and in 1830 removed to Bray's Mills, in Island Creek township, Jefferson county, Ohio. In 1840 they moved to Kuox township, on the town fork of Yellow creek. When fourteen years of age he began work on the Sligo brickyard in West Virginia and remained with J. S. Porter for eleven years. April 2, 1855, he moved to Columbiana county, Ohio, and superintended N. U. Walker's brickyard, re- maining till 1872, the value of the works having advanced in the meantime from $10,000 to $100,000. He then took charge of the Calumet Sewer-pipe and Brick Works, where he remained six years. From there he came to Sloan's Station and engaged in the mercantile business with W. F. Bray. Married Delilah Knisely October 23, 1853, and has five ehildren living, viz., Wil- . liam C., Frank B., Elmer D., Harry T. and Laura A. Hartford.


J. H. ROBERTS, son of Leonard and Eliza Roberts, was born in Washington county, Pa., December 13, 1853. When about three years of age his parents died, and he went to live with J. D. Roberts, where he made his home until he was nineteen years of age. Received his education at Mt. Union, Ohio, and began the study of law with Mr. McCauslen in the fall of 1876. Was admitted to the Jefferson county bar April 16, 1879. Married Sadie V. Crawford, of Knoxville, Jefferson county, Ohio, July 4, 1877, and has one child, Emma C. Roberts. Mr. Roberts came to Sloan's Station in 1877, where he still resides.


GEORGE W. AULT, son of George and Margaret Ault, was born in Island Creek township, Jefferson county, Ohio, August 16, 1837; was educated at Hopedale, O., and Paris, Pa .; enlisted as a private in Company II, 157th O. N. G., in May, 1864, and served till the close of the war; married Naney W. Morrow, of Island Creek township, August 29, 1859. They are the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters. After his marriage Mr. Ault lived two years in Washington county, Pa, and then moved to Jefferson county, Ohio. Came to Brown's Station in 1872 and engaged in merchandising. The firm of Ault & Bro. also keeps the postoffice and railroad depot.


ANDREW J. AuLT was born in Island Creck township, Jeffer- son county, O., December 16, 1836; reared on a farm till the age of fourteen. Went to California, where for eight years he fol- lowed mining exclusively, after which he followed mining and trading.


592


HISTORY, OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.


DR. BENJAMIN MAIRS Was born in the county of Londonderry, Ireland, March 23, 1793. Attended the schools of his nativity, where he studied both Greck and Latin. He received his med- ical education in Trinity College, completing his studies in three years, and passing a creditable examination before that insti- tution. In 1820 he migrated to America, and located at Pitts- burgh, Pa .; but not being pleased with that locality, he removed to New Orleans. Here he followed his profession for one year, and then began traveling. This he continued for several years, and finally located in Steubenville, Ohio, where he practiced medicine for a number of years. He was united in marriage to a Miss Sarah Castner. This was a happy marriage and resulted in five children, two of whom are dead. Dr. Mairs now resides in Island Creek township, where he has for many years been a resident. He lost his wife on the 14th of April, 1878. He abandoned his profession seventeen years ago, his eye sight fail- ing him so fast that he was incapacitated for business.


JAMES MAIRS, a son of Dr. Benjamin and Sarah Mairs, was born in Steubenville, March 14, 1836. James first began in the drug business as a clerk, but disliked that business on account of the close confinement, and after about six months' experience retired from the store and moved with his parents to Island Creek township. He was married to an amiable young lady, by whom he became the parent of four children-Julia E., Ida- L., Sarah A. and Benjamin, Jr. He owns a large farm. His business is stock dealing and shipping.


JAMES PORTER, a son of Charles and Elizabeth Porter, was born in Steubenville, February 22, 1809. Charles, his father, was a native of Ireland, and was brought to America by his par- ents about the beginning of the Revolutionary war, and lived in York county, Pa., for a number of years. He married Eliza beth Maholm, and reared seven children, but two of whom are living-Carolina Norman and James. In 1804 he migrated to Steubenville, where he engaged in the hotel business for a great many years. He died in 1853, at the age of seventy-six. His wife, after surviving him some four years, died in her seventy- seventh year. Our subject learned the hatter's trade in early life, and followed that vocation for a time. In 1834 he married Mariah C. Carroll, by whom he reared a family of twelve chil- dren -- George C., James, William C. and Joseph, served in the late rebellion. The same year of his marriage he removed to Salem township, where he resided until 1862, and from thence he went to Island Creek. In May, 1871, he came to his present location. He has always lived in Jefferson county, where he was born, and grew to manhood.




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