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 98

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 98
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 98

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

THE KIDD MINES,

On the property of Joseph F. Hutchinson, on McMahon's creek, four miles west of Bellaire, were opened in 1866. In 1873, Mr. John Kidd purchased the entire interest in these mines, and their capacity as they are now being worked by him, is from thirty- five to forty thousand bushels per month, and employing about twenty-five men.

There are many other valuable mines of excellent quality of coal in this township ; among them is Sullivan's, Kelley's, Mor- gan's and Barnard's, in Bellaire.

HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ROCKHILL.

The Presbyterian Church of Rockhill is located on a high point of land about two miles west of Bellaire. Its organiza- tion took place in 1812, with John Moore and John Cunning- ham as Ruling Elders. At different times subsequently there have been added to the eldership, Win, Keyser, James Milligan, James Greenlee, John Rankin, Joshua W. Keyser, A. W. An- derson, John W. Milligan, Robt. Merritt, Wm. Thomas, John S. Cratty and Matthew Wallace. The present Board of Elders consists of J. W. Keyser, Robert Merritt, Wm. Thomas and Matthew Wallaee.

The church depended on Stated Supplies from her organiza- tion in 1812 to 1834. Of these the following ministers labored through periods of different length . Rev. Abraham Scott, Rev. John McMillan, D. D., Rev. Jacob Lindley, Rev. James Arbuth- not, Rev. Joseph Anderson and Rev. Samuel Reed. The first settled pastor was the Rev. Benjamin Mitchell, who was called in 1834, entering on his work the same year; continued pastor till 1857. He was born and educated in York county, Pa., and came to Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, in 1829, where he settled as pastor of that church. After 1834 his time was divided between Mt. Pleasant and Rockhill, each receiving one-half of his services, during a period of twenty-three years. Over a distance of more than twelve miles of rough roads, he came through heat, or cold, or rain, with the greatest regularity on his great errand of good to this people. Ilis ministry was a very faithful one and great- ly blessed to the people among whom he labored. After he re- signed his charge of Rockhill he continued at Mt. Pleasant, giv-

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ing the whole of his time to that church, till increasing age led him to resign in 1876. He holds the position still of Pastor Emeritus, The degree of D. D. was eonferred on him by Frank- lin College in 1859.

The Rev. R. H. Hollyday was installed pastor in June, 1858, and resigned in 1860. He was a laborious and faithful minister, and during his brief labors the church of Bellaire was formed and became a part of his charge, Mr. Hollyday is now a mem- ber of the Presbytery of Lima, Ohio.

The Rev. John Moffat beeamc pastor of Roekhill in connection with Bellaire in January. 1861, and resigned in 1863 to take charge of the Second Presbyterian Church of Wheeling.

The Rev. I. D. Fitzgerald served the same charge as Stated Supply for six months from October, 1863.

The Rev. D. H. Laverty beeame . pastor of Rockhill as a sep- arate charge in 1865, and resigned in 1867.

The Rev. John Jay Lane began his ministry in 1868, which has just closed in May, 1879. Declining health compelled Mr. Lane to give up the active work of the ministry. He has re- moved to York county, Pa.

The first place of worship was a tent, which was used for a number of years, and in 1817 gave place to a log house. This house served the congregation nearly thirty years, and in 1846 a commodious brick church was built on the same site. It is 44x60 feet in size, and so well was the building of it managed that the total cost in cash was only $1,100. A neat and eom- fortable parsonage was built by the congregation in 1866 on land donated for that purpose by James Alexander.

Two churches have been formed from this parent church. Bellaire church, which was organized in 1860, drew off a colony of forty-one from Rockhill and again in 1874 another colony beeame the nucleus of the church of Colebrook. But with all this depletion the old church has still a good measure of vitality.

The following members of Rockhill Church have entered the ministry, and are now engaged in its active duties :

Rev. W. V. Milligan, Cambridge, Ohio.

Rev. Robert Alexander, D. D., St. Clairsville, O.

Rev. James L. Merritt, West Los Animas, Col.

Rev. John W. Allen, D. D., St. Louis, Mo. Rev. James M. Alexander, Minpurie, India.

In all active Christian work this church has always been among the foremost in the Presbytery, and her people have always given liberally to all objects of benevolenee, as well as generously supporting those who served them in the Gospel.

VILLAGES.

QUINCY, on the line of the B. & O. R. R., four miles west of Bellaire, is a thriving little village, containing about one hun- dred inhabitants. It has one store, one woolen factory and one ehureh. It is the junction of the Bellaire and St. Clairsville Nar- row Gauge railroad, Kidd's coal mines are located at this point.

WEST WHEELING .- This village of about 350 inhabitants was laid out by Martin S. Todd, July 30, 1838, into three tiers of lots, running parallel with the river and containing one hun- dred and one lots. Soon after an addition of five lots were made. Andrew Woods owned all the land upon which the town is built and Squire Kelsey says, he thinks he owned all of the land in the fractional sections 19, 20 and 21. He came in possession of it about the time of the first sale of Congress land made by the government at New York.

The first improvement made in the place was the ferry house, a frame building which stood in the street leading to the river, opposite the old hotel stand. It stood until 1839, when it was removed by Squire Kelsey, who purchased the lot south of it. He erected a brick house upon it, which is still standing. He kept a hotel there for two years, It was rented by him to a man named Dietrich, who oceupied it for about a year and then it was rented to one Loe. The Squire subsequently sold the stand to Mr. Maser. This gentleman occupied it from 1844 to 1864. It then passed into the hands of W. H. Rester. From him the present proprietor, James Comeford, secured it.

The first ferry was kept at the mouth of Whisky run and af- terward removed to the present point. It was kept by Thomas Reynolds, and in about 1826 it was changed.

In about 1830, Andrew Woods built a grist mill and it was operated by his two sons, Alfred and Robert. It was sold to Andrew Woods, Jr., and R. McKee by those gentlemen. It was operated by this firin a short time when Mekce purchased his partner's interest and continued for a number of years. The

mill property finally fell into the hands of T. H. Genin, who willed it to his nephew, J. N. Genin, and now belongs to his heirs. McKee was quite a prominent and extensive coal dealer and was also engaged in building flat-boats, and continued in these several occupations until 1840. McKee also built a saw mill, which stood on the land now in possession of the Genin heirs. It was operated by Smith and Boyles. Fowler and Tut- tle erected the first briek house in the place. It is a double one and is the one now owned by George Davis. Fowler was a gun- smith and drove quite an active trade in carly days. A man named Arbutnot was among the first to purchase lots in the vil- lage. He built a small frame now owned by Barrett, of Wheel- ing. John Smith was an early settler and followed coopering. Wilson Stinger built a brick residence on the street facing the river. He owned a large warehouse and store on the river bank, which was carried away with all its contents during the flood of 1852. He is still engaged in the dry goods and grocery busi- ness. Mr. Benedict built a brick house below Stringer's. It is now owned by Rhodes, of Bridgeport, who has since remodeled it. Loe built a brick house south of this. It is now owned by 50 00 = a widow lady named. Torbet. Laird built a brick house owned by G. W. Davis. Forbes built a frame, which is still standing, and is in the possession of Mary Moore. Seth Lewis built a frame now owned by W. A. Dieters. Robert Stewart built a frame house. David Wagoner built a house now owned by Wil- liam Whitney. George Davis built a frame at an early day. Wilson Smith built the brick now owned by D. Wagoner. Ag- nes Boyles built the brick house now owned by Alexander Lisle. John Johnston erected the brick house owned now by Isaae Wise. George Otto put up the stone house now belonging to his heirs. Samuel Hardesty built the frame now owned by Dieters. John Johnston kept a store on the river bank, which was car- ried off by the flood of 1852,

For a number of years in the early history of West Wheel- ing the coal trade formed the business of the village. Since that has eeased the town has improved but little. The following comprises the business to-day : Two grocery stores, one dry goods and grocery store, one saloon, one church of the M. E. de- nomination, one school building, one blacksmith and wagon shop, one paper mill, one shoeshop.

West Wheeling is situated on the C. & P. R. R., one mile from Bridgeport and about three from Bellaire.

PATRON'S RECORD OF PULTNEY TOWNSHIP.

JAMES DIXON .- The subject of this sketch was the only son and youngest of twelve children. He was born near McMahon's ereek, four miles west of Bellaire, in the year 1797, and was the first white ehild born in Pultney township. He received a lim- ited education in the log school-houses of that day, and remem- bers well the many incidents connected with the pioneer schools of the county, where reading, writing and arithmetic were taught, and the dispensers of knowledge were thoroughly im- bued with Solomon's idea, that "whoso spareth the rod spoileth the child." Mr. Dixon was reared on a farm from carly life, was inured to toil and hardships, and grew up to mankind amid the trying times of the early history of the county. He has always been identified with and interested in all public and pri- vate enterprsies that had for their end the welfare, prosperity, growth and development of the township that has always been his home. He married Elizabeth (daughter of Henry Neff, of Belmont county, Ohio,) in 1823. He is still living on the farm on which he was born, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, where he is surrounded by kind friends ever ready to adminis- ter to his temporal wants.

DAVID WORKMAN .- This gentleman is the oldest citizen of Belmont county. He was born in Allegheny county, Maryland, in 1789. He came with his parents to the then Northwest Ter- ritory and settled in what is now Pultney township, Belmont county, in 1799, locating about five miles west of Bellaire, near McMahon's creek, In 1812 his father purchased and settled upon the farm that has since been his home. At the time of their settlement the country was a dreary and lonely wilder- ness, with only here and there a hunter's cabin. He was brought up amid hardships and privations so common with the pioneers,

36-B. & J. Cos.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

In 1813 he was united in marriage to Sarah Penrose, of Morgan county. Va. This union resulted in eleven children, five of whom are dead. He owns 117 acres of land. Mr. W. is now in his 91st year, still in the enjoyment of comfortable health and is living on the same farm where he helped to clear the land and build the first rude cabin.

JOHN Z. MCFARLAND was born in Richland township, Belmont county, in 1838; received his education in the common schools, and worked on a farm until the age of twenty-two years, at which time he engaged in teaching school. After four years experience in this profession his health failed him, and he then purchased a farm in Monroe county, where he engaged in farm- ing and stock dealing for a number of years. He sold his prop- erty there and purchased a place at Neff's Siding, on the B. & O. Railroad, and engaged in the grocery business, where he still remains. In 1867 he married Miss Maria B., daughter of James Gordon, of Belmont county.

SAMUEL ALEXANDER was born in Belmont county in 1827. He was reared on a farm and has paid considerable attention to the raising of fine stock. His farm contains 275 acres; is finely located on McMahan's Creek, four miles west of Bellaire. Mr. A. has been school director for several years, and always has taken a deep interest in all public and private enterprises cal- culated to benefit the community and county that has always been his home. He married Mary A., daughter of Robert Mer- ritt, of Belmont county, in 1854.

ANDREW NEFF was one of the pioneers of Pultney township. He settled in the western part of the township at an early day, owning the property some time before he built the house in which his widow and some of his children now live. The home- stead farm contains about 844 acres of excellent land, with good buildings, well watered, &c. Underlying the property are a six and four foot vein of coal, a part of which is now being worked. He married Jane, daughter of Robert Alexander, of Belmont county, and was the father of three children, John W., Alexan- der, and Andrew J. He died in October, 1852, and his widow is still living on the old homestead with her children, Alexander and Andrew J., they managing their mother's property in con- nection with their own.

WM. C. SHIELDS was born in Berkeley county, Virginia, in 1814. He came to Belmont county with his parents when two years of age. At the time he came to this county it was mostly a wilderness, with here and there a log cabin. He was early innred to the toil and privations of a pioneer life, grew to manbood amid the exciting scenes and incidents of the early settlers, and has lived to see the "wilderness blossom as the rose." Mr. Shields owns 238 acres of excellent land, upon which he has lived for thirty-eight years. He has paid eonsid- erable attention to sheep raising, and in fact was the pioneer sheep grower in Pultney township. Married his wife Sarah, daughter of James Huffman, of Belmont county, in 1840, who died. His second wife was Hannah, daughter of Andrew Mc- Farland, whom he married in 1876.

LEWIS ROCKENSHOUSEN was born in Germany, June 7, 1825. and came to the United States in 1842, first landing in New York. He learned the cabinet trade in that city, and worked at the business five years, when he removed to Pittsburgh and continued the same occupation. In 1867 he came to Bellaire and engaged in the coal business. He is now member of the firm of Rockenshousen and Sterritt, proprietors of the Pitts- burgh Coal Works .. He was married in 1848 to Martha E., daughter of Martin Swetzer, of Allegheny county, Pa. They have seven children, two sons and five daughters.

JAMES BRANNEN and wife migrated from York county, Pa., in about 1826 and settled in Belmont county, O. They purchased a tract of land and commenced clearing it. He reared a large family. and died in 1831. James and Joseph Brannen, sons of the above, are now living in Pultney township, five miles west of Bellaire, on the Bellaire and Jacobsburg road; own 244 acres of land in a good state of cultivation, with good fruit, and well watered, &c .; sixty head of cattle and five head of horses. Joseph Brannen married Harriet Shahan in 1852.

WILLIAM MCFARLAND was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1838. Edueated in the common schools; attended the high school of Bellaire for three years; taught two years; has been

for a number of years engaged in farming on the old homestead ; was appointed notary public by Gov. Allen, and reappointed by his successors. In 1874 he married Eliza S. Russell. He owns 108 acres of rich land, upon which is found excellent fruit.

G. W. MYERS .- Born in Pultney township, Belmont county, Ohio, in 1820; was reared on a farm, and has followed farming as a business. Married Mary Porterfield in 1845. By her he became the parent of nine children, five of whom are dead.

J. H. MILLIGAN was born in Pultney township, Belmont county, Ohio. He follows the business of farming; owns sixty acres, which is in a good state of cultivation, with good build- ings and excellent fruit, &c. In 1855 he married Hannah J. Carson, of Ohio county, W. Va. He was elected to the office of township trustee of Pultney, and served in that capacity two terms. He is a successful farmer.

J. E. STERRITT was born in Allegheny county, Pa., October 11, 1849, His father, David Sterritt, was a farmer, and our sub- ject was reared to the same occupation until the spring of 1870. After receiving a liberal common school education, he attended an academy in Allegheny City. His father having purchased an interest in the Pittsburgh Coal Works, near Bellaire, in the spring of 1870, our subject came to the mines to look after the business, and remained one year. He then went to Pittsburgh and took a full business course in the Iron City College, when he returned to the coal works and took charge of the books of the firm of Rockenshousen & Sterritt. He remained in this ca- pacity for five years, when he became weigh-master for the firm (his brother taking charge of the books), which position he holds at the present time, together with the supervision of his father's interests. He was married to Christina Geyer on the 3d of July, 1873.

WM. H. GRIFFITH was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1838 ; was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools; fol- lowed farming for a number of years. At the breaking out of the war he enlisted in Company A, 43d Regiment Ohio Volun- teers, in 1861, as private ; served ten months and was discharg- ed on account of disability, at Columbus, Ohio, He re-enlisted in Company H. 193d Regiment Ohio Volunteers, in March, 1864, as private and soon afterward was promoted to corporal ; serv- ed till close of war and was honorably discharged. In 1867 he married Sarah C., daughter of Isaac Griffith. During the last year he has been engaged in the coal business on the line of the Bellaire and St. Clairsville Narrow Gauge Railroad, two miles west of Quincy. Some six years ago, Mr. G. purchased the property on which the village now stands, and in connection with the Kidd Bros. was instrumental in building up the place.

WM. KIDD was born in Scotland in 1846; migrated to the United States with his parents in 1852 and settled in Coshocton, Ohio; was educated for the most part in Steubensville; followed coal mining for five years. In 1873 he married Hattic, daughter of Wm. Cramp, of Steubenville. In 1871 he came to Quincy and engaged in the coal business.

JOHN KIDD is a native of Scotland ; was born in 1844 ; brought by his parents to this country in 1852; received a common school education. From early life he has been engaged in eoal mining, and is now proprietor of Kidd's mines at Quiney. In 1875 he married Susan Hutchison, of Bellaire.

JOSEPH F. HUTCHISON, born February 22, 1820, on the farm about sixty rods from the residence in which he now lives. He was reared on a farm and has followed farming as a business. In 1848, he was married to Eliza J., daughter of Franklin Bell, of Belmont county, Ohio. Mr. H. owns a farm of 140 acres of first quality of land, situated about four miles west of Bellaire and is one of the finest locations on McMahon's creek, being well watered and containing choice fruit. The celebrated Kidd's coal mines, which have been successfully worked for the last thirteen years, underlies his farm. He has held the office of justice of the peace a number of years. He has, during a long and busy life, been identified with the many public and private enterprises that have for their end the growth and development of the eoun- ty in which he was born and has always lived.

SAMUEL CONNELL, a native of Belmont county, was born in 1816. He received a common school education; learned the trade of a blacksmith in St. Clairsville, where he worked three

J. F. HUTCHISON

Mrs. J. F. HUTCHISON.

, MAPLE GROVE" FARM AND RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH F. HUTCHISON, QUINCY, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

vears. He then worked at different places, among which were Wheeling, Elizabethtown, Pa., and Cincinnati, and then came to near Bellaire, where he is carrying on blacksmithing and gar- dening. In 1833, he was married to Caroline, daughter of Na- thaniel Sutton, of this county.

THEOBALD KLEE, born in Germany in 1828. Migrated to America in 1851 ; located in Pittsburgh and engaged immediate- ly in gardening. In 1852, he removed to Belmont county, and in 1864 purchased the property he now occupies, some ten or fourteen acres of first quality of bottom land, on McMahon's creek, two miles from Bellaire. In 1854, he was united in mar- riage to Nancy J. Lowman. He has a fine residence, good out- buildings, and the land is in a good state of cultivation yielding largely of vegetables and berries for the Bellaire market. Mr. K.'s family consists of himself, wife and three children-John E., Sarah C. and Nora. Mr. Klee has been prominently identi- fied with the Christian church for a period of twenty years. He became a member of the congregation at Bellaire in 1854, In the crection of the present edifice he served as one of the finance committee, and personally donated at various times and in differ- ent ways an aggregate of several hundred dollars. He was a deacon for several years, and is now one of the elders.

ROBERT MERRIT, a son of William and Mary Merrit, of Berke- ley county, Va., was born on the 6th of March, 1809. In 1810, he came with his parents and settled on section 35, about one mile and a half west of the mouth of McMahon's creek when it was yet a wilderness. Early inured to the hardships and pri- vations of pioneer life, he grew to man's estate without the ad- vantages of much education. He has lived to see the " wilder- ness blossom as the rose," and a thickly settled and prosperous community grow up around him. In 1831, he was married to Eveline, daughter of Hugh Milligan, of Ohio county, West Va. Mr. M. owns 171 acres of first quality of land, which is well watered and in a good state of cultivation.

JOHN R. ROBINSON .- Born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1829, and removed to Pittsburgh in 1844, where he commenced learning the iron business in Grafton & Lindsley's mills. He worked there some two years and then went to New York city for a time; thence to Wheeling; worked in the Belmont Iron Works when they first started; was engaged in the La Belle mills as manager and otherwise for twenty years. He married Sarah J. Oxley in 1850. In 1865 he purchased the McMurry farm, on McMahon's creek, two miles west of Bellaire, and has since been engaged in farming and gardening. Owns 72 acres of rich ground, with good buildings, fruit, &c.

OLIVER C. TARBET was born in West Wheeling, Pultney township, in 1844; educated in the common schools, and reared on a farm. In 1860 he was married to Ellen, daughter of John and Sophia McCormick. In April, 1864, he enlisted in Com- pany C, 60th Regiment O. V., as private; promoted to corporal February, 1865; mustered out of service with regiment at Wash- ington, August, 1865, and was honorably discharged at Cleve- land a few days later. In 1873 he purchased the property which he now owns, about one mile west of Bellaire, on the St. Clairs- ville road. Has a tract of 48 acres, well improved. Is at pres- ent engaged in fruit-growing and gardening.

WILLIAM NICHOL .- Born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1830; educated in the common schools, and brought up on a farm. He follows farming and stock-raising. In 1858 he was united in marriage to Nancy, daughter of Jacob Neff, of Richland town- ship, Belmont county. He owns a beautiful farm of 117 acres, upon which is found a good variety of fruits, &c.

HISTORY OF BRIDGEPORT.

Bridgeport, originally called Canton, was laid ont by Ebe- nezer Zane, May 9, 1806. It is beautifully located on the west bank of the Ohio river and on either side of Indian Wheeling creek, along whose banks it stretchics westward for about half a mile, and over a mile up and down the river. Immediately back of the town rises steep and ahnost precipitous hills, which form a picturesque and romantic site. It is one mile from Wheeling, which lies in full view. The boundaries were the I-36-B. & J. Cos.

present pike, cast and west, Bank street north and south, both then county roads. A state road leading from Marietta to Wells- ville crossed near the mouth of the creck and run between the town and river in a northerly direction. Colonel Zane at this time owned all the land from Scott's to the river and up to Burlington. He laid out about two acres along the state road north of Fleming's run. In the same year he deeded eight acres south of the run on this road to his son-in-law, Elijah Woods. who laid the same out in five blocks.

At this time considerable improvement had taken place and the marks of civilization were being made visibly plain. Kirk- wood's cabin was in sight and the block house that stood near. Other cabins likely were seen through the partially thinned timber up the river and creek. Emigrant wagons no doubt were very numerous about this date passing over an almost imprac- ticable road, stopping here perhaps, or going further on to the interior of the county. Settlements along the river were made very carly. Sce article on Premature Attempts at Settlement in Ohio.

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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 98

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