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Belmont as at present
constituted is divided into three parallel ridges that are
separated by Wheeling, McMechen's and Captina creeks, that empty
into the Ohio at Bridgeport, Bellaire and Powhatan respectively.
On the west side of the county, Stillwater Creek flows
north and empties into the Tuscarawas River. The present
area of the county is 461 square miles, with a population of
60,875 at the last census. The marvelous growth of the
county in the century just closed is evidenced in the following
census table, which reveals the increase in population by
decades:
POPULATION OF BELMONT COUNTY FOR A CENTURY
| 1800 |
...............................................600 |
| 1810 |
............................................1,185 |
| 1820 |
..........................................20,556 |
| 1830 |
..........................................29,224 |
| 1840 |
..........................................31,623 |
| 1850 |
..........................................35,378 |
| 1860 |
..........................................37,396 |
| 1870 |
..........................................41,021 |
| 1880 |
..........................................49,638 |
| 1890 |
..........................................57,413 |
| 1900 |
..........................................60,875 |
The growth by
townships can only be computed from 1840, the decade in
which the last township was formed, and is as follows:
| Township |
1840 |
1900 |
| Colerain |
1,389 |
2,987 |
| Flushing |
1,683 |
2,142 |
| Goshen |
1,823 |
2,471 |
| Kirkwood |
2,280 |
1,680 |
| Mead |
1,496 |
1,726 |
| Pease |
2,449 |
15,158 |
| Pultney |
1,745 |
13,833 |
| Richland |
3,735 |
4,367 |
| Smith |
1,956 |
1,710 |
| Somerset |
1,932 |
1,862 |
| Union |
2,127 |
1,482 |
| Warren |
2,410 |
5,881 |
| Washington |
1,388 |
1,540 |
| Wayne |
1,734 |
1,415 |
| Wheeling |
1,381 |
1,222 |
| York |
1,290 |
1,400 |
A study of this
table reveals the fact that the great increase has been in
the manufacturing townships of Pultney and Pease along our
river front, and this gain is the result of the industrial
development in Bellaire, Bridgeport and Martin's Ferry.
At present many new mining and manufacturing industries are
in process of organization and the next decade will witness
largely increased numbers in wealth and population.
The vital statistics for 1901 show 1,126
Pg. 56 -
births, and 535 deaths in the county: viz., 588 males and
538 females; deaths, 313 males and 222 females.
THE "OLD COURT HOUSE."
THE SECOND JAIL.
Pg. 57 -
THE THIRD JAIL.
The second jail was
soon found wholly inadequate to confine the ever-increasing
number of prisoners, and in 1842 it was again found necessary to
build the third or stone jail, which was erected by Charles
H. Bailey and Charles Collins at a cost of $38,002.
NEW COUNTY PROJECTS
Pg. 58 -
THE COUNTY SEAT WAR.
Pg. 59 -
[ BELMONT COUNTY COURT HOUSE ]
Pg. 60 - BLANK PAGE
Pg. 61 -
THE NEW COURT HOUSE AND JAIL.
Pg. 62 -
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS.
Pg. 63 -
STATE SENATORS.
REPRESENTATIVES TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Pg. 64. -
SHERIFFS.
TREASURERS.
CLERKS OF THE COURTS.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
Pg. 65 -
AUDITORS.
1823-25, Peter Tallman;
1825-36, William McNeely;
1836-38, G. S. Nagle;
1838-40, William Anderson
1840-42, T. Hogue;
1842-44, William Dunn
1844-48, William Pancost;
1848-52, David Allen;
1852-54, David Trueman
1854-56, J. F. Charlesworth;
1856-1858, Stephen Gressinger;
1858-62, C. L. Poorman;
1862-66, R. S. Clark;
1866-71, R. M. Clark;
1871-73, John B. Longley;
1873-77, W. E. Stamp;
1877-81, W. N. Coffland;
1881-84, R. R. Barrett;
1885, D. H. Darrah (appointed);
1886-89, R. R. Barrett
1889-92, Joseph Henderson;
1898-1902, Madison Aldedge;
1902, A. W. Beatty, present incumbent |
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS
Pg. 66 -
PROBATE JUDGES.
RECORDERS.
INFIRMARY DIRECTORS.
VOTE FOR GOVERNOR.
Pg. 67 -
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