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 90

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 90
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 90

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).

STEPHEN L. SMITH, son of William Smith, was born in Lan- caster, Ohio, September 16, 1833. When one year old his pa- rents eame to Bridgeport, Belmont county, where they remained some five years, from whence they went to Kirkwood township, remaining about twenty years. His father then removed to Lick- ing county, Ohio, where he yet resides. Our subject was reared a farmer, and in March, 1855 ; he married Miss Margaret Fitz- gerald. After his marriage he lived in Wheeling township, en- gaged in farming. In 1874, he removed to Richland township, on the farm he now resides, one-quarter mile southwest of the county infirmary, on the National pike.

SIMON LENTZ was born in Bavaria, Germany, February 5, 1824. He learned the trade of a stone-cutter, and when 23 years of age he emigrated to America. Not long after his ar- rival he went to Marshall county, Va., and contracted for the building of two bridges on the B. & O. R. R. He was some- thing over two years in this place. He then went to West Alexandria, Pa., and built two bridges on the Hempfield Rail- road, and from thence to Wheeling, where he married Miss Annie. Meyer, a native of Monroe county, Ohio, on the 7th of

July, 1853. In 1854 he removed to the stone house, four miles west of Bridgeport, and kept hotel for one year. In 1855 he came to his present location, five miles west of St. Clairsville, on the National road, where he kept hotel for one year, and then began the grocery business and farming, which he still follows.

THOMAS E. HECKETT, son of John J. Heckett, was born near Burr's Mills, Belmont county, April 12, 1852. His early life was spent on the farm. After receiving a common school edu- cation he attended the National Normal School at Lebanon, O., and the Hopedale Normal School, in Harrisou county, since which time he has followed teaching to some extent. At pres- ent he is studying law with the expectation of making that his profession.

JOSEPH SMITH, a son of William Smith; was born in Wash- ington, Pa., October 19, 1803 In the year 1806 his father came to Belmont county, located in Wheeling township, where he re- mained a few years, and then removed to where Warnock's sta- tion now is. There he erected a grist-mill, which still stands, and is run by his brothor. 'In 1816 he removed to where Terre Haute, Indiana, has since been built. In September of the same year he died, and, eight days after, his wife followed him, leav- ing a family of ten children, the eldest being 16 years of age and the youngest only seven months. They returned the same fall to their friends in Wheeling township .. Their names are as follows : Sarah, John, Joseph, James, William, Robert, Steel, Washington, Smiley and Rebecca, Our subject is a blacksmith by trade, which he followed for twelve years, when, finding it did not agree with his health, he abandoned it. He married Miss Rebecca McMillan' September 24, 1827, He came to his present location in the'spring of 1865. He has been a subscriber of the St. Clairsville Gazette for fifty years. His son, John S., served in the Union army, Company G, 98th Regiment O. V. I., until the close of the war, and in 1874 he was elected justice of the peace, which office he still holds.

DR. WILLIAM PIPER was born in Richland township, Belmont county, May 11, 1832. His early life was passed on the farm, but at the age of majority he decided to study medicine, and be- gan the same with Dr. Walker, of St. Clairsville, with whom he continued three years. In the years . 1856-7, he attended Star- ling Medical College, at Columbus, O., and immediately thereaf- ter began practice at Jacobsburg, where he remained nine years. From thence he removed to Newark, O., and formed a partner- ship with Dr. Rister, with whom he continued a year and a half, after which he returned to his native county, and began his labors at Glencoe, where he has an extensive practice. On the 14th of October, 1858, he became united in marriage to Marga- . ret J. Rankin. Our subject's father was a native of Northum- berland county, Pa. When young he emigrated to Ohio, and after being in different parts of the State, concluded to locate in Belmont county. He died in 1864. His widow still survives him, and resides at Centreville.

EDWARD ECKHARD is a native of Prussia and was born May 11, 1834. He was educated by private tutors, and when young he began the mercantile business, which he has pursued all his life. In 1854 he emigrated to America, where he landed in August. After his arrival he remained a short time in New Orleans and then went to Logan, Ohio, where he followed his business for fifteen years. He was then at Galioplis a few months, where he married Annie J. Dunn, April 1, 1867. Short- ly after his marriage he came to his present location, at Glen- coe, Belmont county. Mr. Eckhard keeps a general assortment of goods at his store, and is postmaster of the village.

BENJAMIN GARRETT was born on Short ereek, Harrison coun- ty, Ohio, January 4, 1814. When twenty-two years of age he began the carpenter trade with Wm. Shepard, for whom he worked one year, and then began the trade of a miller, thinking it a more profitable business. This he continued for about twenty-five years. In April, 1842, he married Margaret Ogil- bee. In 1837, he removed to Warnock's Station, and remained in that vicinity till 1864, when he removed to his present loca- tion, at Glencoe. Here be ran a grist mill one year and then worked at the carpenter and wagon making trade till March, 1873, when he became a watchman on the B. & O. R. R. and still continues the same.

RESIDENCE OF JAMES S. GILL BELLAIRE BELMONT COUNTY OHIO.

RESIDENCE OF MISS MAGGIE CROZIER, CORNER CENTRAL AVENUE AND BELMONT STREETS, BELLAIRE, 0.

257

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

HISTORY OF THE CITY OF BELLAIRE.

Bellaire is beautifully situated on the west bank of the Ohio river, a few miles below Wheeling, and is the largest town in Belmont county. Its commercial advantages "outside of the ad- vantages of accumulated capital in older cities," are not equalled by those of any other point between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, The Ohio river, with a good landing at all stages of water, lead- ing north and south and southwest, the Central Ohio railroad, giving connection with all the railway lines west, southwest and northwest, the Cleveland & Pittsburgh railroad with its double connections at the lakes, and at Pittsburgh with the whole Pennsylvania system, reaching to the seaboard, and the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, reaching to and connect- ing with the capital of the country and the south Atlan- tic seaboard, and the two latter roads having steamship relations with Europe, all serve to make up the sum of commercial avenues rarely met with in any city so young as Bellaire, while for local commerce the Bellaire & Southwestern railway, now building, will open out a country of extensive and valuable traffic. The Bellaire & St. Clairsville (narrow guage) railway, now in operation, is also a convenience for the place. It con- tains a population of about 8,000.

OLD ORIGINAL TOWN.

What now, in part, comprises the Second Ward of Bellaire, is the site of the old original town. It was laid out by Jacob Davis, a son of Jacob Davis, Sr., who emigrated from Hartford county, Maryland, and settled here in 1802. He purchased the interest of two of John Buchanan's sons. Buchanan bought from John Duer, July 3, 1795. The land upon which the entire eity is built was conveyed by a government grant from the land office in Steubenville, to said John Duer, in 1792. Buchanan willed this land to his three sons. John Rodofer also purchased from one of the sons 133 1-3 acres immediately south of Indian Run, on the 30th of March, 1832. Jacob Davis divided his land be- tween his children. Reuben Harris purchased James Davis' tract. Jacob Davis built a log house or cabin on the ground upon which the implement works now stands, in 1829. The settlements were few, and neighbors, as a consequence, scarce. In order that he would have no trouble in having help in the erection of his log house he had a general muster appointed here. Davis was an officer in the malitia of the state. He of course succeeded in securing a general muster, after which he made good use of the soldiers to complete his house.

THE CHOLERA FRIGHT OF 1832.

The cholera fright in 1832 came even here. One man, a boat- man in the employ of Captain Fink, died with the disease. The captain gives a graphic picture of Wheeling at that time. Coal fires were kept burning in the streets constantly to fumigate the atmosphere. Business was almost suspended, and the cap- tain failed to get money from his banker to pay his men upon their return from a trip to New Orleans.

NUMBER OF HOUSES AND BUSINESS IN 1832.

In 1832, Captain John Fink says, there were four houses near the creek and one where Benson's ferry is. In this year he pur- chased all of the tract below the creek, of Jacob Davis for $1,400. Jacob Heatherington's present property, together with his addition to town, was seenred by him from Captain Fink, who opened out one of the first coal banks. The business of coal mining began to attract some attention at this point. The veins, which are six feet in thickness, and of excellent quality, were discovered to the northwest making the advantage super- ior to that on the opposite side of the river. Coal was taken ont, carried to the river and shipped down the same to different points-Maysville, Marietta, Cincinnati and New Orleans. This business, which was remunerative both to dealers and miners, naturally drew laborers to this field of action. Mr. Davis, rec- ognizing the beautiful plateau here for a town, concluded to lay ont about six acres in lots and sell them. So in April, 1834, he

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laid out his land into lots and named the place Bell Air, in honor of his native town in Maryland. Among the early and first purchasers, the following names appear :

H. B. Cunningham purchased lot No. 6, May 13, 1834. John Wallace bought lot No. 10, the same time. R. Wallace and William Frazier purchased lots Nos. 1 and 2, May 20, 1834. George Wheatley lot 12; Adam Long lot 14; Francis Hollings- head lot 31 ; Hiram McMechen lots 11 and 13; R. H. O'Neal lots 19 and 20; Robert Torbet lot 29 ; Jesse Bailey, in 1836 pur- chased lot 16 ; John Huffman lot 36 ; James Manul lot 35 ; James Dunlap lot 17, and others-Richard Hawkins, C. S. Baron, Amos Worley, Thomas M. Davis, Harrison Porter and John Christian.

Jessie Baily built a house near Bradford's tavern on the same side of the street in 1837,

Amos Worley built the third house on the southwest corner of Belmont street. He was a cabinet maker and carried on that business there.

Joseph Rine was one of the principal coal merchants in the early history of the town. He was among the first.

Francis Hollingshead kept a small grocery.

Wallace and Frazier's lots faced the river. They purchased them in 1834, intending to build a warehouse near the river, but for reasons best known to themselves never built it.

R. H. O'Neal built the O'Neal House, and it stood across the present site of Union street, near the bridge over the railroad. It was moved back and a brick built in front of it. The property is now owned by a Mr. Johnston. Mr. O'Neal also engaged in flat-boat building. He followed that business about five years.

A man named Wakefield was the first carpenter and he, it is said, built the first frame house in the town. It is now owned by Mrs. Crosier. The second house is the one standing imme- diately north of John Archer's residence. Joseph McCulloch kept a shoe shop in the above building. He was succeeded by Benjamin Westlate, who is still living in the place. He and John Archer, so the latter says, are the oldest residents now liv- ing in Bellaire.

Long & Archer built the first warehouse on the river bank on Water street in the fall of 1837. This firm continued doing business a number of years. They were succeeded by Muth. Muth subsequently rented to Welsh, who engaged in the mer- cantile trade for a short time, when the building took fire from some unknown cause and was burned to the ground with entire contents.

Wm. Hunter, it is claimed, made the first brick manufactured in this place. He soon afterward built the house owned by Bradford, where he started a small store and also engaged in the tavern business.

The Longs were engaged in the manufacture of flat boats. They drove a lively trade in that business. They built on the north side of the river and gave employment to a number of men.

John Archer, Sr., was carrying on the cooper trade in 1838. His shop stood near the river bank, opposite Mrs. Bute's resi- dence. After the death of John Archer, Sr., in 1847, John Acher, Jr., took charge of the shop and continued the business until 1852, when high water in the river carried off the building and all his stock and material, he incurring considerable loss.

After the death of Adam Long in about 1847, J. C. Anderson purchased the lot owned by him. There was a house on the lot at the time which is still standing, and belongs to McKelvey now. The same year Judge Anderson purchased the Jesse Bailey lot and erected a store house on it and engaged in the dry goods business.

Among other carly merchants were Gallaspie, who sold to Cunningham and the latter sold to Sprohl. In about 1847 his store took fire and the goods with the building were destroyed. Sprohl then started a store in the building now standing oppo- site the Bellaire House. Fulton carried on a store in the house now owned by McVey, on Union street. Josephus Gorbey started a store in the property now owned by Mrs. Johnston, in 1853, formerly the property of O'Neal. Samnel Calhoun kept in the property owned by John B. Haney. These were followed by Morgan, Cowon & Co., (wholesale grocers) Sheets, &c., &c.

The first clothier was a Jew named Weish. He kept a store on Main and Water streets. Soon a like establishment was open- ed on the corner of Main and Chestnut.

John Rees was a blacksmith and carried on a shop on Main, between Water and Union.

J. M. Beard was carrying on wagon making on the corner of York and Union.

33-B. & J. Cos.

258

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTES.

POSTAL MATTERS.

Some little time after the year 1840 a few of the citizens of the neighborhood conceived the idea that there was enough mail matter received and sent from here to justify the estab- lishment of an office. Prior to this all postal business was transacted at Pultney, a village not now in existence, but then just below the site of the city. The office was established in the summer of 1841, and John Archer, Sr., appointed

FIRST POSTMASTER.

He kept the office in a building that stood in the southwest corner of the lot now owned by John Archer, Jr., his son-in- law. At that time only a weekly mail was received, the carrier riding on horseback from Wheeling to Woodsfield. He was from Virginia and named John Mitcheltree. The first office below this was Pultney, thon Dille's Bottom, Sunfish, &c. In a few years, however, the boats began to run regularly from Wheeling to Parkersburg, and a mail was sent and one received every other day. Archer was succeeded as postmaster by Dr. Andrews, who kept the office but a short time, and was followed by John Anderson. Mr. Anderson retained his position until his election to the office of sheriff of the county, in 1858, when A. W. Anderson was appointed. Upon his resignation William Dunn obtained the position through the instrumentality of William Lawrence, then (1858) representative of this district in Con- gress. Dunn established his office in the lower town, and this arrangement was so inconvenient for citizens of the upper part, that they established a little office of their own, sending their mail to Bridgeport, and receiving it therefrom by the C. & P. baggage masters. Dunn complained to the department, and an official of the Wheeling Custom House came over to in- vestigate matters. A well known physician, still living here, took the agent in hand and by means of that potent soother, whiskey, sent him home with his investigation unmade. Dunn soon consented to move the office to a more accessible part of the city, and the difficulty was so removed. Robert Harper followed Dunn, keeping the office until 1866, when the present incumbent, Mrs. H. A. Birdsong, was appointed. Instead of the weekly mail of the early days of our history as a postoffice, eight mails are now received and sent each day. The first sign ever used on the postoffice here is the one used now. It was originally painted by Frank DeHass, now the celebrated min- ister and traveler.

JOSEPHUS GORBY'S LEDGER.

The following names appear among others on Mr. Gorby's ledger. The gentlemen who dealt with him in 1854-5-6-7-8 here mentioned were prominent citizens of the place and are closely allied to its prosperity and growth :

John Archer came about 1838; Benj. Ogle came in about 1840 ; Rudolph Archer came in 1838; James Archer, in 1838; John A. Gallagher, in 1845 ; Anderson Fulton and Thomas Fulton, in 1852; Robert O'Neal and Jacob Ruffer, in 1834; J. B. Shanne- felt, in 1853; Benjamin Westlake, in 1838; Amos Worley, in 1834; John W. Kain, in about 1847; Dr. Birdsong, in about 1845 ; Dr. Junkins, in about 1852 ; Patrick Curran, T. O'Maley, William Clark, Thomas Riley, Conrad Ernst, Charles Broch- man, all came in about 1854; Ralph Crosier and John Crosier, came in about 1832 ; William Davis was born here in about 1805 ; Jacob Davis, in about 1802 ; John Muth, came in about 1848 ; Jas. Davis, Sr., in 1802; James Gill, in 1839; Daniel Goodwin, in 1844, William Hume, in 1854; Stephen Hipkins, in 1850; Thornton A. Horn, in 1842; John Kelly and E. G. Morgan, in 1858 ; Jacob Heatherington, William Heatherington and Ralph Heatherington, came in about 1832; Elias Loman settled in about 1844; Evan Lake, in about 1839; William Marling set- tled in about 1838 ; Arthur Sherry, in about 1856.

BELLAIR CHANGED TO BELLAIRE.

On the 30th of August, 1852, Col. J. H. Sullivan, George B. Wright and John Welch, the founders of Bellaire City, pur- chased what was known as the Harris farm, for the purpose of laying out a new town. It was surveyed off into lots, streets and alleys in 1854, and on the 14th of November of that year the first sale of lots occurred. The founder of the original town had named it in honor of his native town in Maryland, Bell Air, but the word had undergone an incorrect orthography, and cus- tom adopted it, and it was spelled Bellair-making one word. Belair is a French word, signifying "beautiful air." A word more descriptive of the site was desired by these gentlemen, and at the suggestion of Moses Sarchett, at that time one of the

directors of the Central Ohio Road, the name was changed to Bellaire. Not wishing to make too much of a departure from the original name, the double ell was retaincd, and the last addi- tion was changed from air, that which we brcathe, to the French word aire, "level picce of ground," which was so interpreted to mean by the gentleman named, who was a Frenchman and a na- tive of the Isle of Guernsey. It is claimed the proper ortho- graphy is Belaire.

ENLARGEMENT.

From this second laying out of lots sprang the flourishing city of to-day, by far the most important town in the county. It seemed to give an impetus to the then almost dormant village of Bellaire, which at that time contained but very few good houscs. Lots sold readily for awhile, and business houses and residences began to loom up. Ere long it became necessary to make addi- tions, and its limits began to extend further up and down the river.

On January 30, 1856, Rodefer made his first addition to Bel- laire. On September 5, 1856, the first Harris farm addition was made. The other additions are as follows: Rodefer's second addition, July, 1856, Rodefer's third addition, November 3rd, 1859; Sullivan, Barnard and Cowen's addition, October 13, 1866 ; Butes' addition, March 31. 1868; Fink's addition, September 15, 1868; Fink's second addition September 25, 1869, Sullivan, Bar- nard and Cowen's second addition, June 5, 1869; also Mrs. J. H. Sullivan's Rose Hill addition ; Cummins' first addition, Decem- ber 1st, 1870; Cummins' second addition, September 10, 1872 ; Cummins' third addition, June 28, 1873; Cummins' fourth addi- tion, October 3, 1874; Heatherington's first addition, July 11 1871; Bates' addition, July 15, 1871; Barnard, Cummins and Hammond's addition, July 25, 1871; Carroll, Armstrong & Co's addition, February 21, 1872; Fink's third addition, June 22, 1872 ; Heatherington's second addition, June 27, 1872 ; Heather- ington's third addition, December 5, 1872; Barnard's first addi- tion, April 3, 1873 ; Austin's addition, August 22, 1873 ; Horn's addition, February 21, 1874; Austin's second addition, August 28, 1874 ; Barnard's second addition, September 4, 1876; Cum- mins' addition, April 15, 1878; Sullivan, Barnard and Cowen's addition, February 27, 1878; Sheets' addition, March 21, 1879.

EARLY PHYSICIANS.

Amongst the first physicians to locate and practice medicine in Bellaire, was Drs. R. M. Anderson, Charles Baron, E. P. Birdsong and M. W. Junkins, the latter of whom still continues the practice of his profession. He came here a young man, and went into partnership with one of Bellaire's very prominent physicians, Dr. E. P. Birdsong.

FIRST STEAM ENGINE.

In 1853, John Workman built a saw mill on the south side of McMahon's creek, where was placed the first steam engine used in the city. In 1855, Joseph Long was taken into partnership, and in 1856 James Nicholl purchased the mill and operated it until February, 1878, when it burned down. It is supposed to have been the work of incendiarism.

CHOLERA EXCITEMENT OF 1849.

John A, Gallagher, who came to Bellaire in June, 1845, but who resided in the immediate neighborhood a number of years prior to this date, says, that the excitement along the river in 1849, on account of the cholera, was intense, and the fatality very great. He suffered with an attack, and for several weeks was unable to get about. Out of sixty-three cases in this locality there were seventeen deaths, among whom he recol- lected the following names: Thomas Shane took the disease first ; he took sick at noon and died before night. Richard Sut- ton, Mrs. George Sutton, Mrs, John Keiser, William Ray, Mrs. Jacob Rufer, and two boys named respectively G. W. Baily and James Horn, aged about twelve years, died with this discase. The ravages of this epidemic continued for two or three weeks before abating.

In 1854 there were two fatal cases in Bellaire-Mrs. Harvey Porterfield and her daughter died with it.

INCORPORATED.

On the 13th of May, 1857, a petition bearing a goodly num- ber of names on it, was submitted to the honorable board of

PT. KING

P.T.KING.

PAKING DRY GOODS

P.T. KING NOTIONS

P.T.KING, DEALER IN, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC DRY GOODS, 119 & 121, BELMONT ST, BELLAIRE, OHIO.

259

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

county commissioners, praying that the village of Bellaire be incorporated. The principal reasons given in said petition for grounds of incorporation, was the great amount of disorderly conduct by persons on the streets, both day and night, caused by excessive drink. But, it seems, this petition had been sent up to the commissioners, who ordered that the town be incor- porated, without the knowledge of a majority of the citizens, who set about instanter and succeeded in having the whole affair annulled, July 25, 1857, to the great satisfaction of those

who loved their beverages. But a few years elapsed until another petition was presented, signed by a majority of the cit- izens, who by this time became more interested in quelling dis- turbances and placing some restriction on the dealing out of strong drink. So, accordingly, on the 22d of May, 1860, the village was permanently incorporated. In 1870 the incorporate limits were extended ; and they were again enlarged on the 23d of December, 1873.

John Kelley was elected the first mayor. His opponent at the election was Dr. Holloway, who was supported by the whisky element. This element was the stronger, and their can- didate, under ordinary circumstances, must have been elected. But some of the citizens took the matter in hand, and by a piece of strategy eleeted Mr. Kelly. Red paper was secured and the tickets printed upon it, the Holloway tickets being upon white. Men who secretly favored the whisky ticket would approach the polls, look at the tickets, put on a long face and vote for Mr. Kelly. Holloway had but twelve votes, and half of these were red tickets scratched. Kelley's surety was for $1,500, and the names of John S. Anderson and E. G. Morgan appear on his bond.

The change from the village to the city eharter was made in 1873. The following is a list of the officers from the beginning of the incorporation up to the present time :

MAYORS.

From 1860 to 1861-John Kelly.

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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 90

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