USA > Ohio > History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. II pt 2 > Part 11
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Bellaire Goblet Works --- This company was organized in 1876, by E. G. Morgan, C. H. Over, Ilenry Carr, John Robinson, M. L. Black- burn and W. A. Gorby, all practical glass men from the Belmont glass works, except Mr. Morgan, who had the capital. The capital stock was $40,000. A ten-pot furnace was erected and nothing but goblets manufactured. These works were remarkably successful, and in March, 1879, the company leased the Ohio glass works then recently suspended, which they subsequently purchased, and erected a large fourteen-pot gas furnace alongside of the eight-pot furnace in these works, and for several years run both with great success. In 1886, this company leased their works here and erected a large factory at Findley, where they are now operating, but both works here are oc- cupied by the Lantern Globe works in the production of lantern globes, for which a ready market is found.
The Bellaire Bottle Works .- The Bellaire Bottle works were organ- ized in 1SS1, with a capital of $23,000, and the works were erected with a ten-pot furnace, and operated by practical glass workers, Julius Armstrong, president; John Kelley, secretary, and Thomas K. Sheldon, factory manager. The factory has run steadily since finding a market for its products, and doing a fair business, employing about 100 hands, paying them $1,300 per week, and turning out about $So,ooo worth of fine prescription and other bottles annually. The present officers are, Thomas K. Smith, president; G. W. Yost, secretary, and D. A. Colbert. factory manager.
The La Belle Glass Works .- These works are situated in Pease township, below Bridgeport. Were incorporated in 1872, capital stock, $100,000; officers, E. P. Rhodes, president: F. C. Winship, secretary, and A. H. Boggs. manager. The product was table ware of all kinds, and introduced a great deal of fine cut and etched ware. It was des- troyed by fire in 1885, and again rebuilt, but has not since been suc- cessfully run.
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486
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
The Elson Glass Company .- In 1882, W. K. Elson and M. Sheets, secretary and manager of the Belmont Glass works, at Bellaire, or- ganized a company as above named, and constructed a large and com- plete glass factory, with a sixteen-pot furnace, at Martin's Ferry, with W. K. Elson, president, and M. Sheets, secretary, with a capital of $120,000, employing about 175 hands, running steadily, and turning out about $150,000 worth of glass ware, of large variety and much of it of fine quality, annually. Present officers are, W. H. Robinson, president; Charles J. Gill, secretary, and W. K. Olson, manager.
The Atna Glass Manufacturing Company was organized in 1879, and purchased the property formerly occupied by the Bellaire Imple- ment and Machine works, on the banks of the river at Bellaire. It continued the foundry and machine shop business, and in connection with it erected a twelve-pot glass furnace, and commenced the pro- duction of fine cut and etched glassware, which it continued until ISgo, when it discontinued the glass business and leased the furnace to the Bellaire Bottle Company.
The Window Glass Business. - The production of window glass was commenced in this county some years after the production of glass- ware. The first window glass factory erected in the county, was in Bellaire, in 1872. Since that date the original factory has been doubled in capacity and three other factories erected in Bellaire, and one with two furnaces at Barnesville.
The Bellaire Window Glass Works. - This was the pioneer factory. and was erected in 1872, by an incorporated company, with S. M. Sheets, president; John Sanders, secretary, and James Heburn, manager. The original capital was $45,000, subsequently increased to $60,000, and an additional furnace erected in 18So, started under peculiarly favorable circumstances; this establishment was very successful. A labor trouble in the old factories stopping their production, this factory found a ready market at high prices and made large dividends to the stock- holders. This incited the investment of capital in other factories here and elsewhere, and created competition that has reduced the prices and profits. Star Woodbridge in the secretary and manager, and the factory employs about 120 men.
The Union Window Glass Company. - Among the new factories induced by the profits of the Bellaire, the first in order was the Union, organized in 1885, with a capital stock of $45,000. Its factory was erected in Bellaire, near the Bellaire Nail works. Its first officers were W. C. Stewart, president; C. C. Kelley, secretary, and W. T. Blackston, manager. The works employ about seventy hands, and turn out 75,000 boxes of glass annually. The present officers are, H. Roemer, president; D. J. Smith, secretary, and John T. Adams, manager.
The Crystal Window Glass Company .- In November, 1882, this com- pany appointed a board of control to facilitate the construction of their factory, while giving legal notice for election of board of direct- ors, December 30, 1882. The first officers were R. W. Muhlman, president; D. J. Smith, secretary. The paid-up capital was $50,000;
487
BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO.
hands employed, fifty-five; averge capacity 38,000 boxes glass annu- ally, worth from $70,000 to $So,000. The present officers are R. W. Muhleyman, president; A. W. Voegtly, secretary. This entire plant was destroyed by fire in March, 1886, and was promptly rebuilt en- tirely of iron, and started up in February, 1887, since when it has run successfully.
The Enterprise Window Glass Company .-- This company was or- ganized by the employes of the Bellaire Window Glass company, during a lockout in that factory in 1SS3, with a capital stock of $45,000. A ten-pot furnace was erected and business commenced under the following officers: A. Schick, president; D. B. Cratty, secretary, and Joseph Bates, manager. The company employs sixty-five hands, and produces about 30,000 half boxes of glass annually. The factory runs steadily, and the present officers are: Andrew Schick, president; J. Il. Johnson, secretary, and Joseph Bates, manager.
Stamped Iron and Tin Warc .- In 1871 the Barnon manufacturing company was organized at Bellaire with a capital stock of $30,000. The principal business at the start was the manufacture of lanterns and plain tin ware, but the business has increased and new articles made, until it has three or four times its original capacity, and is now producing a complete variety of stamped ware in steel, iron, tin, and brass, and nickel and silver plated ware. The present capital is $200,000. The factory recently doubled its capacity; employs 225 hands. It has . been one of the most prosperous manufacturing establishments of the county. Col. John T. Mercer has been, and still is, its president; A. P. Stewart, secretary.
The following table shows the number of hands employed, amount and value of products of leading manufactures in the county:
Name of Product.
Hands employed.
Tons produced.
Value of.
Coal mined
1,275
828.048
$830,000
Pig Iron
159
73.389
1,147,613
Nails.
419
14,38S
575,520
Steel.
303
54,831
1,371,270
Sheet Iron
350
7.660
383,000
Glassware ..
1,850
1,288,000
Window Glass.
1,332
210,000
Stamped Tin, Iron and Steel
200
145,000
Stoves and Castings
2,100
125,500
Coal Car Wheels.
60
400
16,000
Steam Engines.
10,000
Threshing Machines
6,500
$6, 108,403
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HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
The Barnesville Window Glass Company .- In 1873, a company was incorporated at Barnesville, with a capital of $60,000, to erect a win- dow glass factory. The original officers were: J. J. Buchanan, presi- dent, and J. M. Lewis, secretary, who are still in charge of the works. Shortly after the completion of the first eight-pot furnace, a second furnace was commenced, and this company has run successfully, the two factories employing about 125 hands, paying monthly about $8,500 in wages, with an out-put of about 6,500 boxes of glass per month.
. The Railroads .- Nothing has contributed so much to the growth of Belmont county in population and wealth during the past thirty years as the construction of railroads. The principal increase in popu- lation and wealth in the county during that period has been along the lines of the railroads. To these more than any other cause has been due the building up of Bellaire and Martin's Ferry, the leading centers of population in the county, as large manufactur- ing towns and the growth of Bridgeport, Barnesville and other towns along them. All roads built or contemplated through the county or any part of it terminate or form connections at Bellaire, where the great bridge constructed by the B. & O. and Central Ohio compan- ies in 1869-70, crosses the Ohio river. These roads, in the order of their construction, are the Central Ohio, now managed by the B. & O. railroad company; the Cleveland, Pittsburgh & Wheeling, managed by the Pennsylvania company; the B., Z. & C. railroad; the Bel- laire & St. Clairesville railroad; the C .. L. & W. railroad; the St. Clairesville Northern railroad, now running, and the Wheeling & Lake Erie railroad and the Ohio Valley railroad in process of con- struction, the latter by the Pennsylvania company.
The Baltimore & Ohio or Central Ohio .- The Central Ohio railroad was chartered in 1848 by act of the general assembly. The incorpo- rators were: Robert Neil, Samuel Medary, Joel Buttles. Joseph Ridge- way and Bela Latham, of Franklin county; David Smith, Daniel Duncan, Adam Seymore, Israel Dillie, Albert Sherwood. Nathaniel B. Hogg, Levi J. Haughey, Jacob Glessner, George W. Penny, Jonathan Taylor, A. P. Prichard and Wickliff Condit, of Licking county; James Ragnet, Robert Mitchell, Daniel Brush, James Hamm, Solo- man Sturges, Richard Stilwell, Daniel Converse, Levi Claypool and Solomon Woods, of Muskingum county.
The company was vested with power "to construct a railroad, with single or double track, commencing at Columbus, thence by the towns of Newark and Zanesville, to such point on the Ohio river as the directors might select." The capital stock of the company was fixed at $1,500,000, with the privilege of increasing to $2,500,000; shares $50 each. The $10,000 required by law before organization was sub- scribed by the incorporators, and a meeting for organization called, which met at Newark, August 26, 1847, at which the following direct- ors were elected: Solomon Sturges, John Hamm, William Denni- son, Jr., George James, Albert Sherwood, Charles B. Goddard, Daniel Marble, Levi Claypool. Daniel Brush and Stephen R. Hosmer. Solo-
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489
BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO.
mon Sturges was elected president; Daniel Brush, treasurer, and David H. Lyman, secretary. The meeting authorized a survey, and called upon the cities of Newark and Zanesville to raise money to complete the survey. During the first year but little progress was made, and at the next election held August 22, 1848, a change was made in the board of directors and officers, the following being elected: Lewis Claypool, Israel Dillie, A. Sherwood, R. McCoy, Will- iam Dennison, Jr., James Ragnet, John llamm, Solomon Sturges, Daniel Brush, C. B. Goddard, S. R. Homer and John Sullivan. In September, Mr. Sullivan was elected president; Daniel Brush, treas- urer, and Israel Dille, secretary. This organization commenced a vigorous canvass for stock and stock subscriptions by counties along the line, and the road was opened from Zanesville to Newark in 1849, and from Newark to Columbus in 1850. This was called the ""western division." The work on the "eastern division," from Zanesville to the Ohio river, was pressed by Mr. Sullivan with great energy, and to his efficient management and remarkable canvassing ability was largely due the collection of the stock subscriptions from individuals and county with which this part of the work was constructed. The road from Zanesville to Cambridge was opened in 1853, and from Cambridge to Bellaire in 1854. The road from Columbus to Bellaire is 137 miles long, and its construction cost about $7,000,000, only $1,600,000 of which had been subscribed as stock, so that when the road was built there was a debt of about $5.400,000. A one-half in- terest in the road between Newark and Columbus was sold to the P., C. & St. L. railroad company for $Soo,ooo, which reduced the debt to $4,600,000 and the scaling of the stock at date of re-organiza- tion, in 1865 the debt and stock were fixed at $5.500,000, upon which the lessee, the Baltimore & Ohio railroad company now pays interest. The bridge across the Ohio river, at Bellaire, completed in 1871, was constructed by the B. & O. and C. O. companies, the former paying two-thirds of the cost and the latter one-third of the cost.
The Cleveland &. Pittsburgh Railroad .- This company was chartered by an act of the general assembly, passed March 14, 1836, and was amended March 11, 1845. Active work, however, was not commenced until 1847, when the line was located from Wellsville to Cleveland. Work was commenced in August. 1847, but progressed slowly, for want of money, but the whole main line was let in the summer of 1849, to Joseph and Silas Chamberlain, and was completed and opened for traffic from the lake to the river, in March, 1853. In the fall of 1853, the Beaver and Bellaire division of the road was put under contract, and on January ist, 1857, opened for business. The Bayard and New Philadelphia branch was opened for traffic in 1856. At the first or- ganization of the road, Cyrus Prentiss was elected president; Samuel Folzambe, secretary, and William Wadsworth, treasurer. In 1857, the board was re-organized and J. T. Mccullough was elected president and has held the position since. . At the time of the completion of the road the stock was worth So to go cents, but after the panic of 1857. the stock ran down and much of it changed hands at as low as 5 to 8
490
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
cents. The road now runs through an almost continuous town, and when leased to the Pennsylvania company, it was on the basis of 6 per cent. interest on the stock valued at $1.47.
The Bellaire, Zanesville &. Cincinnati .- In 1875, the Bellaire & Southwestern railroad company was organized to build a railroad through Belmont, Monroe, Washington and Athens counties, from Bellaire to Athens. The first division of the road was located, and the work of raising subscriptions undertaken, and the amount sub- scribed on this division in 18;6, was $240,000, about half the estimated cost of a narrow gauge road. Much of the work of raising this money was done by Col. John H1. Sullivan, who had charge of the construc- tion of the Central Ohio railroad. This road was completed to Woodsfield in 1877, over a rougher country than traversed by any road in the state, at a cost of 11,500 per mile. The name of the com- pany was changed in 1882, to the Bellaire, Zanesville & Cincinnati Railroad company and the road completed, first, to Caldwell, in Noble county and then to Zanesville, in Muskingum county. The road passed into the hands of a receiver in ISS;, who ran it, paying some of the debts and improving the road, until i Soo, when the re-organized company again obtained possession, having paid or adjusted all the claims against it. Hon. S. L. Mooney, of Woodfield, is its president.
The St. Clairsville &' Bellaire Railroad. - This was constructed first as a narrow gauge railroad from St. Clairsville to Quincy, or St. Clairs- ville Junction on the B. & O. railroad, four miles west of Bellaire. After the serious high waters of 1883. it was changed to a standard gauge road, and is now run in connection with the B. & O., making five trips a day from Bellaire to St. Clairsville and return.
The St. Clairsville Northern Railroad .- This is also a short line running from St. Clairsville on the north side, to connect with the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling railroad, on Wheeling creek, and by that road to Bellaire. It also makes five trips a day from Bellaire to St. Clairsville and return.
The Cleveland, Lorain &' Wheeling Railroad .- This road was com- pleted to Bellaire in ISSS. It was constructed from Dennison, Tus- carawas county, to Bridgeport, Belmont county, in 18;6, and has devel- oped an immense coal trade along the Wheeling creek valley west of Bridgeport, carrying over a million tons of coal annually toward the lake. Its length from Lorain to Bellaire is 161; its capital stock, $5,600,000; funded debt, $$50,000; gross earnings, $1,170,976; oper- ating expenses, $815,484.
The Ohio Valley Railroad. - The Ohio Valley Railway company was chartered April 26, 18;1, to construct a railroad on the north side of the Ohio river from Bellaire to Cincinnati. The surveys were made and the road located over the route laid out, and partly constructed in 185 -, by the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad company. For a num- ber of years little was done by the present company, but three years ago the Pennsylvania company became the owner of its franchises, and the work of construction was commenced at Bellaire by the con- struction of two miles of track from the C. & P. railroad depot to the
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491
BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO.
southern corporation line, and last year further work was done, ex- tending the line to Pultney Bottom. Contracts have now been made for the construction of the road between Bellaire to Powhattan, which will be followed by others, placing the whole line under contract.
The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad .- This road running from Toledo on the lakes, to the Ohio river at Portland, twelve miles above Bellaire, and now being constructed to Bellaire, was organized in 1886. The road was completed from Bowerston to the river in 1889, and will be completed to Bellaire the present year. It has 250 miles of main track. Its paid-up capital stock is $3,600,000; its funded debt, $1,000,000; its earnings in 1888 were $818,353; running expenses, $576,518.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHIES.
COLERAIN TOWNSHIP.
David S. Adams, one of the prominent citizens of Colerain town- ship, was born in Washington county, Penn., January 2, 1820, son of Dr. David and Eliza (Stewart) Adams. The father was born in Pennsylvania, where he educated himself in the practice of medicine, and was a successful practitioneer for several years. He remained in Pennsylvania till his death. The mother was born and reared in Pennsylvania and was of a very noted family. Our subject grew to manhood in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio in 1838. He received a good common school education. In IS41 he married Margaretta C. McNeely, daughter of William and Eliza McNeely. Ile was for a number of years cashier of the old St. Clairsville bank, and served two terms as auditor of Belmont county. To this union six children were born, all living: William, Charles, Mary, wife of L. Dan- ford, Stewart, Ella Lee and Thomas. The mother was born and raised in St. Clairsville. This wife died while he was in the late war, and in 1866 he married Mrs. Isabella Robson, wife of John Robson (deceased). They have two children, Mark A. and Anna. The mother was born in Ohio, W. Va., and came to Ohio when three years of age. In June, 1863, he went out as a lieutenant, and on Jan- uary 24, 1865, he resigned his position and was discharged on account of disabilities. lle was under Col. Wallace, Fifteenth Ohio regi- ment. Ile also had two sons in the war, William, who enlisted in 1861, Company E, Fifteenth regiment, under Capt. Danford, and Charles D., enlisted in 1862, and was in the navy in what they called Mississippi flotilla. Mr. Adams has always taken an active part in politics, and was one of the organizers of the know-nothing party of Belmont county. Ile was at the head of the movement in St. Clairs- ville, from which point the whole county was organized. Along in the '50's he was appointed to fill a vacancy in the clerk's office of Bel- mont county caused by the death of William R. Carroll, and after serving out that time he was nominated by the republican party, and was elected over J. R. Mitchell by a handsome majority, and served
492
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
out his second term with credit to himself. He was the first wool buyer who bought and shipped wool in Belmont county.
Dr. Isaac G. Cope, a leading practitioner of Colerain township, was born and raised in Farmington, where he now lives. Ile was a son of Caleb and Mildred Cope. The Cope family has been connected with the history of Colerain township since the year 1804, at which time George Cope removed to Concord settlement from Frederick county, Va. A member of the Society of Friends and opposed to the institution of slavery, he sought a home in young and free Ohio. He was married in 1790, to Abigail Steer. They had nine children, three of whom were residents of this township, viz .: Joshua, George and Caleb H. Joshua Cope owned a mill near the source of Glenn's run. It was the first and only mill in Concord settlement. His residence was noted for being one of the southern termini of the Under Ground railroad; and in spite of the danger attendant upon such a course, he helped many a forlorn and destitute fugitive on the way to liberty. George Cope, about the year 1829, started a store in the town of Farmington, which was for many years the only store in the place. He was an active member of the Society of Friends, and especially noted for his adherence to principle and unbending rectitude. Caleb H. Cope was born near the town of Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson Co., Ohio. in which town he pursued the study of medicine and commenced prac- tice. In 1834, he removed to the town of Farmington and continued the practice of his profession. He was for more than thirty years the only physician in the township. The doctor was a man of fine natu- ral ability, and although in youth deprived of all advantages of edu- cation, except those generally afforded by early settlers, he by his own efforts acquired a good education, and always took an active interest in the educational advancement of the country. Our subject was raised in Colerain township. and studied medicine with his father and attended medical college at Nashville, Tenn., and located at his old home where he began the practice of his chosen profession, and has now a large business, and is regarded as a very successful physician. In 1865, he married Elizabeth Dungan, and to this union were born three sons: Herman, Ellis, Isaac G., and seven daughters. Ellis is now studying medicine with his father. The doctor was raised in the Society of Friends, and besides being one of the leading doctors of the county, he is also one of the leading citizens.
David Cowan, a farmer of Colerain township, was born in Pennsyl- vania, 1847, and removed to Wood county, W. Va., when six years of age, with his parents, where he remained till 1865. when the family removed to Ohio, settling in Belmont county. He was a son of Robert and Margaret (Bowels) Cowan. The parents were natives of Pennsylvania. Robert Cowan's father was an early settler of Penn- sylvania, where he remained till his death. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and when he crossed the mountains he carried all his posses- sions in a red cotton handkerchief. Ile settled in a new country, but by hard work and close economy he made a great deal of money and died quite wealthy. He lived to the good old age of eighty-nine
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493
BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO.
years. Our subject's father died when he was only three years of age. He received a good common school education through his own exer- tions. At the age of thirteen years he began life for himself. In 1872 he was married to Aggie R. DuBois, who died in 1876, and to this union was born one child, John A. In 1882 he married Catherine Warner. Their marriage has been blessed with four children: Jesse, Albertha, Carrie and Blanche. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. In 1882 he was elected trustee of Colerain township, and has served in all seven years, and acquitted himself with credit to himself and constituents. He began in life without anything but now owns seventy acres where he lives, and a two-thirds interest in 129 acres with his brother. He is one of the leading citizens of the township and is well respected.
David Hawthorne, one of the pioneers of Belmont county, was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, January 24, 1824, and came to Belmont county when he was twenty-six years of age. He was a son of John and Martha ( Boggs) Hawthorne. The father was born February 26, 1786, in Ireland, and was brought across the sea when ten weeks old, and was fourteen weeks crossing. Ile was a son of William and Han- nah (Bigham) Hawthorne, who were both natives of Ireland. He was born May 1, 1751. She was born February, 1759, and emigrated to America in 1786, and first settled in Washington, Penn., where they remained until 1810. They removed to Ohio, settling in Jefferson county, where he remained until his death. Our subject's father was raised in Pennsylvania, and came with his parents to Ohio in 1810, and his father gave him 100 acres of good land, but it was all in the woods at that time, which he cleared into a beautiful farm. He was married to Martha Boggs, January, 1814. Their children are: Hugh B., William, Eliza J., Samuel J., David, Hannah, Mary A., Martha, Sarah, Margaret and John B., of these children, six are now living: Hugh, William, David, Mary A., Margaret and John B. The mother was born in Belmont county, 1792. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and served through the war. Our subject was raised in Jefferson county, receiving a very limited education in the pioneer log school, and after reaching his majority he attended school and finally began teaching, and followed that about three years. In 1849 he was mar- ried to Margaret E., daughter of Archibald and Elizabeth (Lemon) Major. They have four children, three now living: Martha E., wife of George W. Chandler, of Chicago; Rebecca J., former wife of W. S. Barton, who is now dead; Archibald M. and Adda V. The mother was born in Belmont county on the old Major homestead farm. Archi- bald M. married Mary Oxley. He and wife are members of the United Presbyterian church, likewise all the family. He served as justice of the peace of his township fifteen years. He now owns 119 acres of good land which is well improved, and he has placed all the improvements upon the same. He is a worthy citizen and represent- ative farmer of Belmont county, and is well respected by all who know him.
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