Belmont County, Ohio

Belmont County Townships

History of Pease Township

This division of Belmont County was laid off and organized for judicial purposes in 1806. It derived its name trom the quantity of wild pea vines that grew here at an early day. It is also claimed by some of the old settlers that it derived its name from Judge Pease, a prominent man in early times.

It will be impossible to give the names of those who first settled here, as we find an account of a settlement at what is now known as Martin's Ferry as early as 17-5, and by referring to the article on Premature Attempts at Settlement in Ohio it will be seen that this was probably the first settlement made in Belmont county. The settlement of Captain Joseph Kirkwood, who came to this township and erected a cabin on a knoll overlooking what is now known as Kirkwood, a part of Bridgeport in 1789, and the attack upon him by the Indians in 1791 is given on page 164 of this work.

This affair was a check to immigration into what is now Pease township, and it was not until atter the treaty of General Wayne in 1795, that settlements in this part of Be.mont occurred to any extent. In 1796 and '97, however, immigrants from all parts of the country poured in and cabins were put up in every direction. This immigration continued for Several years.

In 1796, we find Joseph Tilton, from Virginia, located in Pease township, near the Jetterson county line, in the vicinity of what is now Tiltonville. The Tilton family became quite numerous in after years, and several of them remain in the neighborhood yet. Soon atter the settlement of the Tiltons, came that of the Moores. Joseph Moore, the oldest of the family, came in 1799, and located on the land now owned by his son Joseph. The Moore family grew to be quite extensive, and a number of the descendants are now living in the vicinty of the old homestead.

The Alexanders, Mitchells, Clarks and Pickens all came before 1800 and located on what is called Scotch Ridge, called so from the fact that the settlers were all Scotch. Benjamin Steel, a native of North Carolina, came in 1800 and built a cabin and made a clearing near where his son Joshua Steel now lives. William Wiley came from York county, Pa., in 1801, and located where his son James G. Wiley now lives. William Brown and his family came from Maryland in 1802, and located near where his son William lives at present. Robert Finney came from Pennsylvania in 1803 and purchased the farm now owned by his grandson, R. J. Finney. James M. Smith, an old soldier of the war of 1812, came to Pease township in 1815, from Loudon county, Va. John Allen, a Scotchman, located the land now owned by his son John, in the year 1805. The Griffins came about 1800, also the Johnsons, Scotts, Yousts and Worleys. This is but a partial list of the first settlers in Pease township, outside of Bridgeport and Martin's Ferry. There were many others of whom but little is now known.

Early Mills

The first mill in the township was a hand mill owned by a man named Clark, and was in operation as early as 1800. It was afterwards run by horse power. The date of the erection of the mill run by water power, we failed to get, as there were a number of them built on Wheeling creek and Glenn's run at a very early day. There are at present a number of steam mills in operation in the township; one owned by Mr. Burley, on Wheeling creek, one owned by Goodhugh & Brother at Burlington, and one owned by Thomas Mitchell.

Topography

The topography of this township is varied, and affords eligible sites for building or farming, suitable to almost any taste. The rich bottom lands cover an extensive area, and offer many inducements to the gardener; the more rolling and gently undulating portions are suitable for a variety of purposes, while the higher hills afford fine building sites, commanding views of a large scope of country.

The streams furnish abundant water power, and there have been, at different times, a number of mills in the township. Those which were operated in early days have all been discontinued, and there remains nothing to tell of their whereabouts, save a few old rotten timbers, and the traces of a mill dam.

In portions of the township may also be seen ancient log dwellings and barns, that have had their day, and now serve only as land marks of the past, when white settlers were few in the country, and their habitations situated far apart. The growth of the township has been steady and marked with prosperity, and the sons and grandsons of the pioneers, behold with pride the development of the territory opened up for their benefit so many years ago. Schools, churches, dwellings, farms and everything bear the stamp of improvement, and the inhabitants can "stand on memory's golden shore" and gaze backward into the dim long aisles of the past and trace, step by step, the changes from past to present, and be content to live in the present with all its advantages.

Schools

The interests of education were not overlooked in the busy life of the early settler, and due attention was given to the maintenance of good common schools. They were of course behind the schools of the present day, but were as good and even better than could be expected in those times; consequently as soon as their homes were made and some of their indispensable comforts secured, we find them looking about for some means of instruction for their children, and if regular school-houses were impracticable, the children met at private houses and received the first rudiments from some of the older members of the family.

The first house built for regular school purposes was that on Scotch Ridge in 1803. This was soon followed by others until the township has attained a high degree in educational facilities, and can boast of having schools equal to any in the county.

Scott M. E. Church

This church was organized at the house of Andrew Scott, but at what date we failed to learn. Mr. Scott was the first class leader, and James B. Finley and Archibald McElroy were among the first ministers. As to the date of the first church building our information is somewhat confused, but in 1834 a house was built, and dedicated on October 9, the same year, by Wesley Browning, the presiding elder. Rev. David Maryman was on the circuit that year. This is one of the oldest churches in Belmont county, and has been in a prosperous condition for over seventy-five years. The present building is of brick, and is a very fine one for a country church. It was built by Joseph McConnaughey, of Bridgeport.

Coal

In this township Coal No. 8 is extensively worked along the Ohio river, on Wheeling creek and near Kirkwood, and Nos. 11 and 12 attain extraordinary thickness in the central portion of the township. In the deep cut, on the road leading from Martinsville, is a coal nearly six feet in thickness, but evidently a very inferior article. On Captain Crawford's place, at two hundred and forty-five feet above Coal No. 8, a bed three feet six inches thick is worked. The development of this coal is local. The ore overlying the coal is worthless, owing to the large proportion of sulphur. The coal itself is good, and yields a very compact and handsome coke.

Coal No. 8 is mined for shipment by Mr. W. J. Rainey, in section 13. He mines 30,000 tons annually, the quantity being limited only by the opportunity to ship. Mr. Rainey states that the coal is in demand for gas manufacture, and brings with in thirty cents per ton as much as the Connellsville coal.

On Glen's run there are several deserted openings, in which the main coal averages five feet ten inches. At Mr. Sedgwick's the coal is five feet four inches. At Mr. McConnaughey's the section is the same, with the exception of the lower coal being two inches thicker. At Mr. Koehlein's works, near Bridgeport, the coal sometimes becomes seven feet.

South of the National road coal is worked by Messrs. Allen, Nicholson & Thompson. Iron ore has been found in some localities over Coal No. 13, and was formerly taken out for use at the Martinsville furnace. On property belonging to Mrs. Harrison there is found, above Coal No. 8, a limestone which seems to disintegrate readily on exposure, for at this elevation a similarly disintegrated rock can be found on nearly every farm in the vicinity. It is of a yellowish color, and can be taken out with a pick. Some persons have used it as a marl and found it very beneficial. On Mr. D. Allen's property there is a fire clay, ten feet below Coal No. 8. Samples of this clay have been sent to New Cumberland, W. Va., to be tested. The brick which was made is an excellent one, and the clay proved very refractory.

Many persons have mines in operation in this township, among whom may be mentioned Mr. Brown, Mr. Lyle, Mr. Handel and others too numerous to mention. On Mr. McKin's property openings have been made by Bracken and Lomax, and near the Jefferson county line we find an opening made by Mr. M. F. Sterling.

Fruits

There are a great variety of excellent apples grown in this township. Extensive orchards are found on almost every farm. Peaches are not cultivated to any great extent, but pears. cherries and plumbs of different kinds are common. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants and goosberries are cultivated in sufficient quantities to supply the demand.

The Grape

The first introduction of the vine was made by Mr. Noah Zane, who planted a vineyard about twenty-five years ago on the lands now in the possession of the Messrs. Newland. The vome jas been extensively cultivated, the soil and climate are well adapted to its growth. The Newlands have made large additions to the former plantings. They have erected a Press and have every facility for pressing the grape.

About the same time Thomas White planted a vineyard on the lands now owned by Prof. C. R. Shreve. T. B. Rice made an addition to this vineyard and cultivated it with success for seeral years previous to its passing into th epossession of the present owner. Some years subsequent to the above, Mr. A. D. Rice made an extensive plantin on the hill south of the plank road, now owned by Mr. L. Spence.

There are several larger vineyards in the immediate vicinity of Martin's Ferry, all of which have been cultivated with gratifying success on the hill slopes, and also on the run bottoms. The Catawba, Isabella, Concord and Virginia Seedling are the principal varieties that have been raised in this section of country. The vines are planted in rows eight feet apart each way, some train to stakes others to wires. Posts are placed from forty to fifty feet apart, to which two or three strands of wire are fastened. To these the vines are trained in any way so that they may spread the most canes over the greatest surface, and the light and heat of the sun will reach the greatest number of leaves.

The following estimated acreage planted and in cultivation in Pease township has been made by Mr. John Lee Vanpelt, who has been engaged in the culture of the grape for a number of years:

	No. of Acres
Henry Glass	6
Henry Zimmerman	3
Capt.Crawford	42
A. McSwords	25
Mrs. Vesey	12
Thomas Gow	3
A. D. Newland	40
J. L. Vanpelt	7
C. Seabright	7
S. B. West	2
John Hughes	4
O. Vanpelt	4
R> Marshall	3
Henry Helling	4
George Dorch	12
John Cochran	4
John Woods	4
John Kochuline	6
Ætna Co.	50
Mrs. Cillis	4
Delbrugge	8
C. Hess	25
— Reed	6
L. Spence	18
Dr. Schughart	16
Mrs. Rice	2
Wiley Werks	3
C. Swartz	3
William Clark	4
Schuble and Rehrer	35
David Donovan	1

Source: History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio by J.A. Caldwell, 1880