THE HISTORY OF MARTINS FERRY, OHIO


From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties" - J. A. Caldwell, 
1880, pages 289-290.

This active and growing little city lies along the banks of the Ohio 
river in the northeast part of Belmont county.  Its site is a 
beautiful one, and consists of two plains or bottoms. The lower one, 
which is near and bordering the river bank, is comparatively narrow, 
widening from its sourthern boundary as it stretches up the river for 
two miles to its northern limits at the village of Burlington, and is 
composed of argillaceous alluvium.  The upper plain is four or five 
times as broad, 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 a small 
stream of water,leaving a depression of from twenty-five  to forty 
feet, after which it becomes level and continues for half a mile when 
the surface ascends gradually to the adjacent highlands.  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 town is built partly on the bottom 
and partly on the hill.  The buildings stand over an irregular extent 
of ground, occupying a very large space that is being gradually built 
up.  This town was laid out by Ebenezer Martin on the 13th of March, 
1835.

The founder, from whom the name is derived, was born November 9, 
1791, in a log cabin immediately above where the Excelsior Glass 
Works are now located.  His father, Captain Absolom Martin, who was a 
soldier in the Revolutionary war, emigrated from the state of New 
Jersey in the year 1787, and settled upon the tract of land now 
occupied by this village.  Mr. M.'s mother, whose christian name was 
Catharine, was a sister of Col. Ebenezer Zane.

Captain Martin was employed by the government as surveyor in the 
Northwestern Territory.  From an examination of his field notes, it 
seems that he had been engaged in surveying for several years in 
different localities in the territory.  He died in 1801, leaving his 
widow with two children - Ebenezer, aged ten, and Patty, aged eight 
years.

Shortly after the death of his father, Ebenezer was sent to school at 
New Brighton, New Jersey, where his grandfather resided.  At this 
place he lived until the death of his grandparent, and then returned 
to Wheeling, where his mother lived.  From thence he was sent to 
Washington College to complete his education.  On his return from 
college he commenced the study of law, but having arrived at the age 
to control his own affairs, he took charge of the large estate left 
him by his father, and he removed on his lands on the Ohio side and 
began improvements on them.

In 1810 he married Miss Hannah McLaughlin.  This union was one of 
unbroken happiness, and lasted until the death of Mrs. Martin in 
September, 1833.  This misfortune he bore like a Christian, 
submitting calmly to the will of his Maker.  He did not forsee, great 
as the loss was, that it would one day be repaired by a companion no 
less worthy of his affection than the one he so justly mourned.  In 
183- he married Minerva Zane, granddaughter of Jonathan Zane, one of 
the brave, noted borderers who came out to the present site of 
Wheeling in the year 1770.  In this union he was blessed with ten 
children, eight of whom are living. He lived to see his children 
arrive at the age of maturity.  But another afflicting dispensation 
of Providence overtook him in 1872, by the death of his second wife.  
This was a severe stroke, from which time a gradual decline in his 
health became apparent.

In consequence of his liberality and kindness of heart, he became 
involved as security for a friend, for which the greater part of his 
farm was sold in the year 1847, retaining  but some forty or fifty 
acres, upon which he removed from his old homestead in the spring of 
1848.  After his loss he applied himself to the cultivation of his 
few remaining acres and enjoyed his situation with apparent 
happiness.

Mr. M. always took a deep interest in the cause of education and was 
a constant visitor of the Union School, having served as a member of 
the board of education for several years.

He was a life long student and was well versed in both the ancient 
and modern history and the sciences of astronomy, botony, natural 
philosophy and chemistry.

As a husband and parent he was affectionate and indulgent; as a 
citizen and neighbor charitable and accomodating.  No man ever 
performed his duty with more scrupulous integrity.  He was a 
consistent christian, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, without the least taint of sectarian prejudice, contributing 
liberally to all denominations as long as his means would permit. He 
donated the lots upon which the Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian 
churches are built, as well as making other liberal donations in the 
erection of the present edifices.  His death occurred on Saturday, 
January 15, 1876.

On the Monday morning after the death of Mr. Martin, the Mayor issued 
the following proclamation: 

Mayor's Office, Martin's Ferry, Ohio
January 17, 1876

     Ebenezer Martin is dead.
     This announcement calls us back eighty-four years in the 
calendar of time when our father of Martin's Ferry was born.
     The founder of our growing city is no more.  It is meet that we 
honor ourselves in honoring of him whose name our homes and firesides 
bear;  and over which he has watched like a ministering spirit for 
many eventful years.
     Therefore, I, James Dean, Mayor of Martin's Ferry, do make and 
issue this, my proclamation, expressing grief in behalf of the 
citizens of our town, in respect for the honored deceased and sorrow 
at his demise, and do invoke our people to show appropriate regard 
for his memory by closing (as far as practicable) all places of 
business between the hours of twelve and three o'clock P.M. and 
attend the funeral ceremonies, and that the bells of the town be 
tolled during the hours of the funeral.
"After  life's fitful fever, he sleeps well."
JAMES DEAN, Mayor.

The following extracts are made from a special correspondent to the 
"Belmont Chronicle":
***In him we all knew we had a kind, true friend; and in years long 
agone we loved to sit and listen to the stories which have never 
grown old, with those whose heart beat responsive to the scenes and 
trials nearly a century ago.***

Mr. Martin was born in a log cabin or block-house near where the 
building of the steel works now stands, in the extreme upper end of 
the town.  Far above and below the rude humble cabin of his father 
was stretched out the finest sugar camp ever known in Eastern Ohio, 
and over which ground at present there are more than three thousand 
persons busy at work.  Here quite near the bank of the Ohio river 
(nothing like it is now) was born the first white child of the 
place*** About 1815, he built a log house a little further down the 
river (the property is now owned by Mr. Charles Swartz) about one 
hundred feet below the glass house landing, where Capt. A. Martin had 
a ferry -  a rude flatboat propelled with oars or poles.  Here for 
many years Mr. E. Martin lived, always entertaining all who came to 
him with a freedom and kindness that was never forgotten by either 
white or red man.  For many years this part of the country was but 
sparcely settled, there being at this time not over a dozen families 
north of Wheeling creek in what is now Pease township.  The hill part 
of the town was then a dense forest and the home of the bear, the 
deer and the turkey.  His home and generosity ws known far and wide, 
and the red man, squaw and papoose were as welcome to his table as 
were the noted borderers, McColloughs or Zanes.  For many years he 
owned the ferry and was brought  in contact with many of those whose 
names are associated with the rise and progress of the country.***

The original patent or deed from the United States Government to 
Absolom Martin of the present site of Martin's Ferry is dated March 
5, 1788, and can be found in the possession of Dr. S. B. West.

In 1795, Absolom Martin laid out quite a number of lots, with the 
requisite number of streets and alleys on htat part of his farm which 
bordered the river and named it in honor of his favorite statesman 
"Jefferson."  In 1801, when Belmont county was erected, this place 
was the competitor of Newelltown (now St. Clairsville) and Pultney, 
which was situated in what is known as the Pultney bottoms, and near 
the present site of Bellaire, for the seat of justice.  The 
proprietor of Pultney, Daniel McElherron, was a canny Scotchman, and 
brought influence to bear upon Gov. St. Clair, who was a brother 
country and so carried off the prize.  Mr. Martin finding 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 so near Wheeling, purchased back 
the lots which had been sold, vacated the town and continued to 
cultivate his broad acres to the day of his death.

Forty-five years later, Ebenezer, his son, laid out one hundred lots 
and named the town Martinsville.  These lots found rapid sale to the 
operators of the Top Mill, an extensive iron and nail manufactory 
situated on the east bank of the river, in North Wheeling, opposite 
the postoffice, there being a Martinsville in Clinton county, Ohio.

There is no display of architectural skill in the buildings of 
Martin's Ferry.  A larger portion of the houses are small and 
unpretending.  There is no place equal to Martin's Ferry to be found 
in this region of country, where so many of the laboring men own the 
houses that shelter them.

In 1836 more lots were required, and on May 2d, 1837, he made a 
second addition, which included the territory from Washington street 
on the south to Walnut street on the north, and from the river on the 
east to Fifth street on the west.

Daniel Zane laid out lots May 3d, 1837, from Jefferson street to the 
point where S. B. Williams' saw mill now stands.  After this date 
there were twenty other additions made to the town as follows:

John Wallace's first addition May 8, 1849:  Ann McGargle, October 12, 
1849; John Wallace's second addition August 14, 1850;  Zane's second 
addition March 5, 1851; Martin & Sharpless' addition March 5, 1851;  
John Wallace's third addition July 5th; fourth, August 5th; fifth, 
September 18, 1851, Zane's out lots August 8, 1851; Gill & 
Hobensack's addition August 16, 1851; Sharpless' out lots, January 
20, 1853;  S. S. Bigger's addition February 3, 1853;  Sharpless' 
second addition May 24, 1854.
David Cross' addition, October 2, 1855.
Joel Wood's first addition, April 16, 1869;  second addition, January 
20, 1872;  third addition, January 1, 1873.
Charles Seabright's addition, March 18, 1873.
William Clarke's first addition, May 28, 1873.
Newland's addition, July 7, 1873.
Carmichael's addition, July 25, 1873.
Burke's addition, March 2, 1874.
Martin's third addition, October 1, 1874.
William Clarke's second addition, October 1, 1874.
Evan Wallace's addition, March 30, 1875.  
        
          
Contributed by Linda Cunningham Fluharty.