USA > Ohio > Columbiana County > History of Columbiana County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 71
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In 1815, with his son James,-who still resides in Wells- ville, aged ninety,-he built on Little Yellow Creek the first saw-mill in the township, near where James Wells now lives.
Previous to that date,-in 1806,- Daniel Swearingen built a grist-mill on Little Yellow Creek, upon the farm of his son Elimalech ; and in 1810, higher up on the same stream, Joseph Ritter built a grist-mill, upon the present site of John C. Smith's mill. A grist-mill was built in 1827 by Gwinn & Neff, near where Benjamin Way now lives, on Water Street. Gwinn had failed in a cotton-mill venture at Steubenville, and succceded no better with his Wellsville grist-mill. Afterwards he achieved considerable distinction as a civil engineer in constructing the first rail- way built in Russia.
In 1815, Robert Skillinger opened a ship-yard and began to build flat-boats. In 1817 the hull of the steam- boat " Robert Thompson" was laid there, and boat-building became an important element in the industry of the place, flat-boats being the principal production.
James, the son of Wm. Wells, followed the river and farmed occasionally, and was a hardy, industrious pioneer. Now, at the age of ninety, he is hearty, hale, and active, looking like a man of seventy instead of ninety, and it is his boast that he has never drank ardent spirits, never used tobacco in any form, and that for seventy years sunrise has never found him abed. With his father, he established the first ferry at Wellsville, and operated it many years.
In 1814 a " mud turnpike" was constructed from Wells- ville to New Lisbon, and that event led directly thereafter to a material increase of business at the former point. There the river was nearer the lake than at any other place, and, the opening of the turnpike affording means of convenient transportation from the interior to the Ohio of produce intended for shipment to market-towns, it was not long before Wellsville grew to be a busy, bustling depot, where large quantities of supplies were received from the country for shipment to river-points above or below. Flour was an important article of manufacture in the neighbor- ing country, where grist-mills were plentiful, and in some years as high as 50,000 barrels annually were received at
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Wellsville for transshipment. Mr. Joseph Wells says he remembers having seen as many as 150 loaded wagons at Wellsville in a day, waiting turn to discharge freight for the river and to reload with merchandise for the inte- rior. The height of business prosperity was enjoyed be- tween the years 1832 and 1842, during which period the town controlled a large share of the river business of fifteen Ohio counties, including the Western Reserve, with its important cheese trade.
To go back to early days, it may be noted that the first store in Wellsville was kept by Sanford C. Hill-afterwards a prominent citizen of East Liverpool-from 1814 to 1819. This store was at first an exceedingly small affair, and con- tained-to use an expression of an aged pioneer-" about as many goods as a man could carry in a basket." The next store, and the first one of any magnitude, was opened by Feehan & Shearman, who came down from Pittsburgh, both of whom were subsequently postmasters at Wellsville. George Wells had a large warehouse, measuring 200 feet in length, where William R. Wells' store now stands on Third Street, and for years transacted a heavy business in receiving and shipping freight.
Robert Ralston was a steamboat-builder at Wellsville, and had three sons, one of whom became famous in after-life as William Chapman Ralston, the great California banker, whose tragic end was one of the sensations of the day. He and his two brothers attended school in the basement of the Methodist Protestant church, and were conspicuous as exceptionally bright lads.
The first lumber-yard in Wellsville was opened by Allen McDonald, and the first tavern by Jonathan Whittaker, in 1800, on the line of the old State road (now Third Street), under the hill. The same tavern was afterwards kept by - Belden, who was a famous landlord for miles around, while his wife was thought to be one of the best cooks in the State. Belden was subsequently a Cleveland hotel- keeper of great repute.
Upon the termination of the war of 1812, one McLean, who had been a surgeon in the service, settled in Wellsville as a medical practitioner, and was the first settled physician the town had. Earlier in life he was a Presbyterian preacher, and was accounted a fine orator. Before his time Drs. Curry, Long, and others practiced occasionally in Wellsville.
The first blacksmith-shop in the township, and the second one in the county, was kept by John Robbins, and stood on Robert Dobbins' farm. . The first blacksmith in Wells- ville was one Jared Long, whose shop was at the east end of the town.
William Wells, the founder of Wellsville, and from whom the town took its name, remained one of its prominent and most honored citizens until his death, in April, 1852, at the age of eighty-eight. He lived long enough to see Wellsville, the wilderness of 1798, a thriving and populous town, and in his later years enjoyed the comfortable ease to which the labors of his early manhood had entitled him. Wellsville had, for some years, between 1832 and 1842, a daily line of steamboat packets plying to Pittsburgh, and, in 1834, a daily stage connection with Fairport, on Lake Erie. The Ohio has at Wellsville, at all times, a fine
stage of water of an average depth of 20 feet. The excel- lent landing-place afforded by the town contributed in no little degree towards making it a favored shipping-point.
The population of the village in 1878 was about 2500, and, although the place has probably reached its greatest. growth, it possesses elements that make that growth a substantial one. As a place of residence. it is an exceed- ingly inviting spot. It has, upon the Ohio, a water-front of upwards of a mile, and, viewed from the stream or from the Virginia side, the village is most attractive. Water Street, upon the river's bank, is a prettily-shaded ave- nue, and is adorned with many handsome residences. From any portion of this thoroughfare the natural prospect is one of singular beauty. The green hills of Virginia frame in graceful form and color the picture of the silvery river, while above and below the town the course of the stream may be traced as it flows at the feet of the foliage- crowned elevations that shut it in upon either side.
Wellsville is an important station on the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad, which at this point has a branch line reaching from Wellsville to Wheeling, W. Va. The village contains seven churches, three hotels, a large pot- tery, the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad car-shops, iron- foundries, a terra-cotta works and minor manufactories, a weekly newspaper, and a large number of stores of various kinds, of which some are large and well-appointed business houses. Main Street, which is the chief business thorough- fare, is also, below the business centre, embellished with nu- merous attractive residences. Wellsville was incorporated as a village Feb. 6, 1833. The early village records being lost, the obtainable list of mayors, recorders, and trustees who have served the village dates from 1855, and is as follows :
1855 .- Mayor, Benjamin Evans; Recorder, George Baker; Trustees, H. S. Wilson, N. K. Mckenzie, David Ralston, Levi Hull, J. F. Moore.
1856 .- Mayor, N. U. Walker; Recorder, George Baker; Trustees, J. F. Moore, H. S. Wilson, N. K. Mckenzie, Jacob Stewart, P. F. Geisse.
1857 .- Mayor, N. U. Walker; Recorder, William L. Clarke; Trus- tees, P. F. Geisse, J. F. Moore, H. S. Wilson, Jacob Stew- art, Thomas P. Leonard.
1858-59 .- Mayor, N. U. Walker; Recorder, W. P. Carpenter; Trus- tees, Alexander Smith, H. S. Wilson, P. F. Geisse, William Blakely, Jacob Stewart.
1860 .- Mayor, Jacob Gibbons; Recorder, W. P. Carpenter ; Trustees, William Blakely, Alexander Smith, William A. McIntosh, Alexander Denham, John Lawrence.
1861 .- Mayor, William G. Wells; Recorder, William M. Hamilton ; Trustees, Alexander Denham, Alexander Smith, John Law- rence, William Blakely, W. A. McIntosh.
1862 .- Mayor, William G. Murdock ; Recorder, William M. Hamil- ton; Trustees, Alexan.ler Denham, Alexander Smith, Wil- liam Blakely, J. A. Riddle, F. R. Vantyne.
1863 .- Mayor, Asa H. Battin ; Recorder, John R. Stokes; Trustees, William Blakely, William Bright, James T. Smith, Samuel Stevenson, H. S. Wilson.
1864 .- Mayor, Asa HI. Battin ; Recorder, Laughlin McLean; Trus- tees, J. A. Riddle, James T. Smith, Samuel Stevenson, F. R. Vantyne, John W. Vinacke.
1865 .- Mayor, A. H. Battin ; Recorder, E. H. Ayers; Trustees, J. W. Riddle, P. F. Geisse, Alexander Smith, O. L. Lodge, W. Lawrence.
1866 .- Mayor, S. B. Mckenzie; Recorder, William G. Torrance; Trustees, W. G. Wells, William Blakely, Cyrus Barthol- omew, John N. Burnett, Alexander Smith.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY, OHIO.
1867 .- Mayor, S. B. Mckenzie: Recorder, W. G. Torrance; Trus- tees, W. G. Wells, William Blakely, John N. Burnett, Alex- ander Smith, Cyrus Bartholomew.
1468 .- M. yor, S. B. Mckenzie : Recorder, William G. Torrance ; Tr ... ttes, William G. Wells, Cyrus Bartholomew, O. I. Lodge, J. W. Hammond, James F. Smith.
1869 .- Mayor, John C. Long ; Recorder, W. G. Torrance : Trustees, Giles MeGregor, William Blakely, J. R. Stoakes, John Salts. man, Alexander Denham.
1870 .- Mayor, J. C. Long : Clerk, W. G. Torrance ; Councilmen, J. R. Stoakes, Alexander Denham, Gillis McGregor, William Blakely, John Saltsman, Harmer Blackburn.
1871 .- Mayor, J. C. Long; Clerk, W. G. Torrance; Councilmen, Wm. Blakely, T. B. Stevenson, John Saltsman, Harmer Blackburn, Philip Frazer, Gillis McGregor.
1872 .- Mayor, W. G. Wells; Clerk, W. G. Torrance; Councilmen, T. B. Stevenson, Philip Frazer, Gillis McGregor, E. S. May- lone, J. R. Stoakes, H. Blackburn.
1873 .- Mayor, W. G. Wells; Clerk, W. G. Torrance; Councilmen, J. R. Stoakes, H. Blackburn, E. S. Maylone, Thomas B. Ste- venson, Win. M. Hamilton, J. W. Stevens.
1874 .- Mayor, Samuel L. Fisher; Clerk, W. G. Torrance; Council- men, Thomas B. Stevenson, Wm. M. Hamilton, J. W. Stevens, George B. Aten, George B. Cooper, T. G. Ham- mond.
1875,-Mayor, Samuel L. Fisher; Clerk, W. G. Torrance; Council- men, T. G. Hammond, George B. Cooper, George B. Aten, John R. Martin, John C. Catlett, Philip Bruner.
1876 .- Mayor, Samuel L. Fisher; Clerk, W. G. Torrance; Council- men, Philip Bruner, John C. Catlett, John R. Martin, G. B. Aten, George B. Cooper, O. C. Sincluir.
1877 .- Mayor, Samuel L. Fisher; Clerk, W. G. Torrance; Council- men, O. C. Sinclair, George B. Cooper, George B. Aten, Philip Bruner, John C. Catlett, John R. Martin.
1878 .- Mayor, John C. Catlett ; Clerks, W. G. Torrance and D. D. Davidson : Councilmen, John R. Martin, Philip Bruner, J. T. Smith, O. C. Sinclair, George B. Cooper, George W. Menough.
1879 .- Mayor, John C. Catlett ; Clerk, D. S. Brookman; Councilmen, Philip Bruner, J. T. Smith, J. R. Martin, O. C. Sinclair, George B. Cooper, George W. Menough.
CHURCHES.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
At a very early date the Presbyterians of what is now Wellsville-as early as 1800-enjoyed occasional preach- ing, and among the first preachers they heard was Rev. George Scott, one of the first Presbyterian ministers known to the region west of the Alleghenies. Mr. Scott, and perhaps others, preached in the house of Mr. George Wil- helm, on the Virginia side of the river, opposite Wellsville, and at a later date Thomas E. Hughes, Mr. Hale, and other occasional supplies preached at Wellsville, in the woods and in tents during the summer seasons, and in winter in the school-houses.
The brick school house erected on Main Street in 1829 was used in common by all religious denominations, and in 1833 the First Presbyterian society built a brick house of worship, on the river bank where McGregor's saw-mill now stands, which house they occupied until they built a new brick church, in 1852, on the site of the present one.
The old house was afterwards used by John Urie for a machine-shop and threshing-machine factory, and was destroyed by fire. The second church-building was burned Aug. 27, 1869, and on the following day the erection of the present fine temple of worship was commenced.
The church was organized October, 1832, in the town school-house. The original members were Mary and Eliza
Hughes, John McLain, Sarah A. Jackson, Nancy Murdock, Elizabeth Creaton, Sarah Noble, Jane Anderson, H. J. and Elizabeth Hamilton, William and Maria Workman, William Mccullough, William Travis, Elsie Travis, Polly Webber, Thomas B. Jones, William and Margaret Hibbits, Pleasant Rough, Jacob McDevitt, John and Mary Allison, Mary Aten, Robert Martin, Mary Hibbits, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hamilton, Margaret Hibbits, Ann Putnam, Penel- ope Ray, Isaac Putnam, Matilda Wilhelm, James Martin, and the first elders, Alexander McBeth, John Mitchell, and George Johnson.
The stated pastors of the church have been Revs. Thomas E. Hughes, William Orr, Thomas Magill, John M. Lowry, Thomas B. Gordon, William W. Lafferty, Thomas McCur- dy, J. Wickoff, John Meloy, and S. M. Davis, the latter being now the pastor,-May, 1879. The church has a membership of 300, and owns, besides the church-building, which cost $18,000, a fine parsonage, erected at an expense of 84500. The society was incorporated Jan. 11, 1833. The first trustees were William McCullough, H. J. Ham- ilton, Wm. G. Murdock, Henry Aten, and Wm. Hibbitts.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WELLSVILLE was founded upon a class that was organized about the year 1800 by Rev. John Callahan, who, sent out by the Balti- more Conference, had preached to the Methodists shortly before the date of organization. The organization took place in the house of William Wells, and among the original members were William and Ann Wells, Robert and Jane Dobbins, Samuel and Eliza Flowers, and William and Mar- garet Richardson. This class is supposed to have been the first one organized in Ohio. Among the early preachers were Revs. Benjamin Essex, Jesse Stoneman, Geo. Askins (a lame man ), James Reid (a very popular young preacher), James Charles, Thomas Church, James Watts, Henry Baker, and John Seisel. The earliest class-leaders were William Wells and Robert Dobbins. Preaching was for some years heid in Mr. Wells' residence, and in a shingle- roof log house built by James Clark. Later on, the circuit preachers who tarried at Wellsville were Revs. William Knox, Joseph Hall, and John Desellems.
The active progress of church matters was irregular and feeble until 1826, when Rev. B. O. Plympton responded to a call, and early in that year held services in the potter's shop of Joseph Wells, where a class of ten persons was organized, among them being George aud Sarah Gibbons and George Kearns and his wife. Mr. Wells' shop was used as a place of public worship until 1827, when, in common with other denominations, the Methodists occupied a brick school-house erected by the town that year.
In 1833, William Wells donated to the society a lot, and upon it in that year a plain but substantial edifice was erected. The second church, a structure of considerable architectural pretensions, and said to have been the largest church-building in Wellsville, was dedicated Oct. 25, 1877, the dedication sermon being preached by Rev. Dr. Barrows, president of the Pittsburgh Female College. In 1874 the church was enlarged and remodeled, at a cost of $3000, into its present form.
The pastors who have served the church since 1833 are
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named as follows: Revs. Alcinus Young, - Mahon, Marcellus Ruyter, David Sharp, John White, J. J. Swuzee, Lewis Burton, John Spencer, Thomas McGrath, N. Cal- lender, Cornelius Jackson, M. P. Jamison, J. Gibson, T. McCleary, G. A. Lowman, E. T. Fletcher, A. L. Petty, A. J. Endsley, Edward Burket, Samuel Babcock, Stephen Minor, James Henderson, J. M. Carr, H. Hollingshead, J. Conkle, Lewis Payne, the latter being the present pastor.
METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.
This church was organized, in 1829, in the house of Mr. Joseph Wells, by Rev. Geo. Brown. Of the ten original members, the names of eight are as follow : Joseph and Hezekiah Wells, Christopher and Sarah Murray, Nicholas Murray, Wm. Senter, George and Sarah Gibbons.
In 1833, the congregation having previously worshiped in the town school-house, a house of worship was built which, as enlarged and improved in 1878, is the one now used. Mr. Joseph Wells, in whose house the church was organized, and who is one of the original members, rang the church- bell and swept the church every day for a space of forty years, and is still living in Wellsville at the age of eighty-one. He is an active and zealous member of the congregation.
The pastors who served the church while it was in the circuit were Rev. Wm. Reeves, Mrs. Wm. Reeves, his wife (who occupied the pulpit once each month during her hus- band's ministry), Rufus Richardson, Edward Poulton, and Jeremiah Browning. Then the church became a mission point, and the subsequent pastors were Revs. W. W. Arnot, Washington Maynard, Thomas Cullen, Joseph Ruy, Wm. Hastings, Charles Callahan, Wm. Case, - Sears, Jolin Hodgkinson, J. B. Wilkin, Wm. Baldwin, and David Tru- man, the latter being the present pastor. The church membership is now 120.
THE DISCIPLES CHURCH OF WELLSVILLE
was organized probably as early as 1838. The loss of carly records leaves the matter of fixing the date of organization to partial conjecture, but it seems agreed that 1838 was about the time. Certain it is that there was preaching at that time and before, by Elder Mahlon Martin, about two miles north of Wellsville, in the dwellings of a few in- habitants.
Among the original members at the organization in 1838 were George and Naomi Martin, Mahlon Martin and wife, John McDonald, Alexander Campbell and wife, Thomas Orin and wife, and Samuel Alluback and wife. In 1841 a hewn-log church was built upon the farm now occupied by Hiram Cuppy, and then owned by his mother. About that time preaching was provided by William Beau- mont, - Roudebush, Eli Ragal, and Mahlon Martin, the latter of whom was a merchant, and supplied when no other preacher could be secured.
In 1845 the society transferred its location to Wells- ville, and there in that year built a brick church, which in 1874 was replaced upon the same site by the present church. In addition to the preachers already named, the church has been served by Elders Israel Belton, George Lucy, Thomas Dyer, Thomas Hillock, D. J. White, Henry White, William Baxter, C. P. Cone, J. M. Van Horn, and N. P. Hayden. The church membership numbers 130.
THE OAK RIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
having a domicile about four miles west of Wellsville, was organized in 1852, by members of the Yellow Creek church and the Presbyterian church at Wellsville, the reason for the organization of the new church being a desire for a house of worship nearer the homes of the members than were the two churches named. A church-building was erected in 1850, or two years before the church was organ- ized, the original idea being to have a convenient house of worship, without any immediate reference to organization.
The organization was effected by a session composed of Rev. John Price, as moderator, and Elders John Mckenzie and John Huston. There were about 25 original members, of whom James Martin, Wm. C. Smith, and Wm. Work- man were chosen elders. Previous to 1852 preaching was supplied from Wellsville and other points. The first settled pastor, in 1852, was Rev. John Price, who was succeeded by Revs. John Arthur, Dr. Brown, and David Hargest, who has been the pastor since 1872. The church has now a membership of 75.
FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The first religious services held in Yellow Creek by mem- bers of the Associate Reformed church, in connection with which the members of the United Presbyterian congrega- tion worshiped, took place probably in January, 1847, although the absence of records bearing upon the matter Icaves the fixing of the date to the uncertain authority of tradition. Before the organization of the church there were two communions, the first being held Aug. 17, 1847, and the second April 1, 1848.
The former was conducted by a session appointed by the Associate Reformed Presbytery of Steubenville, and com- posed of Rev. Joseph Clokey (now D.D.) as moderator, and Elders D. D. McIntosh, Thomas Warren, and John Crawford. The members admitted to communion were sixteen in number, as follows : James and Hannah J. Stev- enson, Alexander and Mary Denham, Robert and Har- riet Ralston, David and Eliza Ralston, John and Sarah Crane, Alexander Rose and wife, John Robinson and wife, Thomas Robinson and wife. At the second communion, Thomas Arbuckle and wife, Isabella Smith, and Wallace Fogo were received as members; and these, with the sixteen above named,-except John and Thomas Robinson and their wives,-were the members of the congregation upon the organization of the church, May 12, 1848. The or- ganization was effected in the Methodist Protestant church- edifice by the election of Alex. Rose, Wallace Fogo, and Robert Ralston as elders, and on the 29th of the same month the organization was completed by the ordination and installation of the elders named. The Session which officiated at the organization was composed of Rev. John M. Galloway as moderator, and Elders Thomas Warren, John Crawford, and D. D. McIntosh.
The congregation bore the name of the First Associate Reformed congregation of Wellsville, until the union of the Associate Reformed and Associate Presbyterian churches in 1858, since which time it has been known as the First United Presbyterian church of Wellsville.
The first pastor was Rev. J. C. Campbell, who began
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his labors in 1849, and since his time Revs. Joseph An- drews, J. D. Brown, and J. A. Bailey have been the settled pastors. Mr. Bailey, now in charge, entered upon his term of service in 1877.
After the organization, in 1848, worship was held in the Methodist Protestant church until 1850, when a church edifice, begun in 1849, was completed, the site being the one now occupied by the United Presbyterian church. The first church was a plain brick structure, which cost about $1500. The one now used replaced it in 1872, and cost 816,000. The church membership on April 1, 1879, was 206. In addition to the elders already noted, those subsequently elected were George Imbric and David Ralston in 1851, Wallace Fogo, James Mckenzie, Sr., and James Stewart in 1858 (when the church was reorganized), Wil- liam Urquhart in 1859, James Mckenzie, Jr., in 1866, John McCarrell, and Noah Ellis in 1867, and Thomas B. Kerr, D. H. Harper, James L. McDonald, and J. R. Stoakes in 1874. The present elders are James L. McDonald, J. R. Stoukes, Wallace Fogo, James Mckenzie, Jr., John Mc- Carrell, Noah Ellis, T. B. Kerr, and D. H. Harper.
THE CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION (EPISCOPAL)
was organized in 1863 in the Methodist Protestant church, and after that worshiped in a public hall on Main Street, over Bright's drug-store. Previous to that date Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Ayer had organized an Episcopal Sunday-school at their residence, and afterwards transferred it to the hall. The school flourished, and in its early history numbered 120 scholars.
The first rector of the church was Rev. John Lee, who was the assistant minister at St. Paul's, at Steubenville. His successors were Revs. - Gilbert, Edward Hubbell, O. T. McMurphy, Thomas K. Coleman, John Long, and Philip MeKim, the present rector. The public hall was used until 1870, when the present church-edifice was built, at a cost, for house and lot, of $6200. The parsonage, built in 1871, cost $1700. The church owns its house of wor- ship and parsonage, and is clear of debt. An excursion to Cleveland, given for the benefit of the church in June, 1870, curried sixteen hundred people, and netted $2500.
THE WELLSVILLE CATHOLIC CHURCHI
is now enjoying an era of prosperity, and owns, on Main Street, a fine and commodious brick church-structure, which was erected by Rev. P. J. McGuire in 1867.
For many years, dating back to 1840, or carlier, the Catholics of Wellsville were able to enjoy only occasional and irregular worship in private dwellings. About 1850 services began to be held monthly by priests sent from Summitville, until 1876, when Rev. P. J. McGuire, who for ten years had been preaching at Wellsville and East Liverpool, was permanently stationed at East Liverpool, and has since that date been holding services each Sabbath, and at other times as occasion has demanded, in the church ut Wellsville.
The first mass held in Wellsville was conducted in the house of Mr. Patrick Butler, about 1838. by Rev. James Conlon, who was sent from Summitville. Mr. Butler's house served as a place of worship until about 1853, after
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