Near Belleville in Wood County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Belleville
Erected by West Virginia Department of Culture and History. (Marker Number WO-1.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Settlements & Settlers • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the West Virginia Archives and History series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1785.
Location. 39° 7.531′ N, 81° 43.884′ W. Marker is near Belleville, West Virginia, in Wood County. Marker is on West Virginia Route 68 near Lee Creek Road (Local Road 1/7), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Belleville WV 26133, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Reedsville (approx. 0.9 miles away in Ohio); Tupper Plains (approx. 3.4 miles away in Ohio); Long Bottom (approx. 4.8 miles away in Ohio); George Washington (approx. 6.1 miles away in Ohio); Coleman Chapel (approx. 6.3 miles away); North End Valley (approx. 7˝ miles away in Ohio); The Coolville Bridge (approx. 7.6 miles away in Ohio); Birthplace of Ambrose Bierce (approx. 8.1 miles away in Ohio).
Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry. Excerpt:
In 1785, William Tilden, President of William Tilton and Company, a mercantile firm of Philadelphia with extensive land holdings along the Ohio River, to include the Belleville land tract purchased from Washington, entered into a business agreement with Joseph Wood of Pittsburgh. Wood was contracted to act as a land agent for the company and recruit prospective settlers.(Submitted on October 7, 2018.)
A colonizing expedition left Pittsburgh in the Fall of 1785 with the two men, four Scotch pioneer families from Pennsylvania, and several hired hands, and sailed down the Ohio River landing in present-day Belleville on December 16, 1785. They constructed a block house surrounded by a stockade and over the course of the next year cleared over 100 acres of land for cultivation, built several cabins, and named their new settlement Belleville. The 1785 settlers included James Pewthewer, William Ingals, David Jemerson (Jamison), Andrew McCash, Francis Andrews, and a Mr. McDonal, Mr. Greathouse, Mr. Tabor (Taylor), and Thomas Gilruth. In 1787 they were joined by the following persons: Joel and Joseph Dewey, Stephen Sherrod, Malcolm Colman, Petre and Andres Anderson and their families.
About the year 1796 or 1797 the settlement at Bellville received additional of immigrants from Connecticut. This party was led by George D. Avery, a professional surveyor and civil engineer. Avery was granted leave to construct a dam on nearby Lee Creek near the falls and built a mill January 5, 1803 which served as a base for Avery’s merchandise business there in connection with shipbuilding.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 7, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 624 times since then and 62 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 7, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.