Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-07-13
MARTINS FERRY.
Centennial Sketch Of Its Origin
and Progress.
BY DIR. s. B. WEST.

BY DR.. s. B. WEST.
Martins Ferry is situated in the
northeast part of Belmont county, and
State of Ohio, in north latitude 4O' L,
west Longitude 80 40 from Washington
City.
The site of the village on the west
bank of the Ohio river consists of two
plains, or bottoms, one near and bor-
dering the river bank comparatively
narrow, widening, however, from its
southern boundary as it stretches up
the river for two miles to its northern
limit ut the village of Burlington, and
is composed of argillaciOus alluvian, the
other or upper plain, four or five times
as broad, diluvial, and made up like
the higher or second terraces generally,
of pebbles, gravel and sand, with a thin
covering of soil. From the lower plain
to the upper the ascent is from forty to
fifty feet, the lower third OF the upper
terrace is bisected by small stream OF
water, leaving a depression of from %
To 40 feet, after which it becomes lev
ell and continues for half mile when
the surface ascends gradually to the ad-
iaeent highlands. This upland being
almost perfectly level, and elevated
above the first bottom, it affords fine
view of the city of Wheeling, immedi-
ately ON the eastern side of the eastern
side of the river, as we'll as a large por-
ton of West Virginia, with her wind
ing valley. which are well marked out,
as the eye runs over the distance; while
her everlasting hills stand out in bold
relief and at some points rising almost
perpendicularly from the river, gives
beautiful contrast. A chain of bold hills
surround the town and intersect each
other in such direction as to compose
an imperfect square, through which the
Ohio river enters and passes out. The
hills adjacent to the town are covered
with fine rich soil, and are highly
cultivated in gardens, vineyards, and
orchards, the production of rich and
bOuntilul soil, while the Ohio river,
needless of the surroundings, which can
be seen for some distance above and be-
low, is rolling on in all of its majestic
beauty as it winds its way to the great
Gulf. The hill on the opposite side of
the river is steep, precipitous, and ele-
waited 300 feet from the bottom of the
river, formerly covered with a dense
forest which has been laid waste by the
destructive hand of man. From its
summit the city of Whe, ling, Bridge
port, West Wheeling, Martins Ferry,
and the surrounding country, with its
we'll cultivated farms, Its bill clad vine
yards, orchards, and gardens, are seen
in all their beauty. Taking it all in all,
it presents to the eye scenery of pic
turesque beauty well worthy of the
slimner's' pencil. The hill lands sur
rounding the village in all directions
are undulating and rising into knobs
covered with rich soil on clay bed, very
productive and well improved. The
elevation of Martins Ferry is about
76O feet above the level of the sea, and
that of the surrounding hills one thou
sand.
179O-The present site of Martins
Ferry was owned originally by Col. Eb-
eneZer Zane, the grandfather, and Abb
SALON Martin, the father of the late Eb-
enezer Martin, who is the real founder
of the town. The original patent or deed
from the United States Government to
Absalom Martin, dated the fifth day of
March, 1888, is still in the possession of
the family.
In the year 1875 Absalom Martin laid
out quite number of town lots, with
the requisite number of streets and al
leys on that part of his farm Which lay
adjacent to the river, and being good
Republican of the old school, gave the
town the name of his patron statesman,
Jefferson and in 1901, when the cOun-
ty of Belmont was formed, Jefferson
was the competitor of NeweltOwn,
(now st. Clairsville), and Pultney, NOW
Bellaire), for the seat OF justice. But
the proprietor of Pultney was canny
He brought influence to
bear upon Gov. St. Clair, who was a
brother countryman, unknown to his
competitors, and so carried off the
prize. Whereupon, Mr.. Martin, find
ing that the prize had escaped his
grasp, he despaired of the success of his
enterprise, and supposing that if he
could not obtain the county seat, no
town could ever be built near Wheel
ing, purchased back the lots which had
been sold, and reduced them to corn
fields, which he continued to cultivate |
to the day of his death.
THE NAME MARIIN's FERRY.
IS35-Forty-five yedrs afterward, his
son, the late Ebenezer Martin, laid out
the town OF Martinsville, now changed
to Martins Ferry. One hundred lots |
were laid out and sold chiefly to the
operatives of the Top Mills, an extern
sive iron and nail factory situated on
the east bank of the river, in north
opposite the village of Mar
tins Ferry. The low price at which the
lots could be obtained, and the humble
structures which could be erected
were matters of economy
which prudent wOrkingman could
not afford to overlook. And thus orig
mated the small and inexpensive
buildings of the place, which by the
have been looked upon as
A reproach, but which are really the
glory of Martins Ferry. A large por-
ion of the buildings are small, cheap
and unpretending, but they are owned
oy the occupants. There is no display
If architectural skill, no external man.
festations of wealth, but they are own
I'd by the operatives in our mills, fOun-
1ries and machine shops, and we point
With pride to the fact that there is not
place of equal population to he found
n this region of the country where so
many of the labOring men own the
houses that shelter them.
ADDITIONS TO THE TOWN.
The next year, March 5th, 1886, more
OTIS were required, and Mr.. Martin
made his first addition. May I'd, 1887,
,e made his second addition, which
the territory from
Washington street on the south to
Walnut street on the north, and from
he river to Fifth street. In 1887, May