FIRST LAYOUT OF WOODSFIELD

     On which lot in Woodsfield the first house was built is not certainly known.  It is thought to

     Adams, March 6, 1826.  Population in 1880, 1,317; in 1890, 1,194 - decrease 123.
     Benton, March 27, 1815.  Population, 1880, 937; in 1890, 921 - decrease 16
     Bethel, March 5, 1832.  Population, 1880, 1,165; in 1890, 1,030 - decrease 135
     Center, July 19, 1815.  Population, 1880, 2,779; in 1890, 2,685 - decrease 94.
     Franklin, March, 1822.  Population, 1880, 1,251; in 1890, 1,111 - decrease 140.
     Green, July 9, 1824.  Population, 1,207, in 1890, 1,323 - increase 16.
     Jackson, July 19, 1815.  Population, 1880, 1,382;; in 1890, 1,191 - decrease 191.
     Lee, February 10, 1869.  Population, 1880, 1,240; in1890, 1,387 - increase 147
     Malaga.  December 15, 1820.  Population, 1880, 1,590; in 1890, 1,359 - decrease 161
     Ohio, October 18, 1818.  Population, 1880, 1,905; in 1890, 1,891 - decrease 14
     Perry, December 30, 1823.  Population, 1880, 1,214; in 1890, 1,270 - increase 56.
     Salem, July 19, 1815.  Population, 1880, 2,377; in 1890, 1,975 - decrease 402.
     Seneca, July 19, 1815.  Population 1880, 1,302; in 1890, 1,329 - increase 27.
     Summitt, June 4, 1850.  Population 1880, 914; in 1890, 861 - decrease 53.

elected in 1844 to the 29th congress, his term expiring March 24, 1847.
     Hon. William F. Hunter was elected from the same district in 1848 and re-elected in 1850.  His terms were the 31st and 32d congresses and expired Mar. 4, 1853.
     Hon. James R. Morris, (son of Hon. Joseph Morris) was elected to the 37th congress in 1866, from the district composed of the counties of Monroe, Belmont, Guernsey and Noble; and re-elected to the 38th congress, in1862, from the "steamboat" district, composed of the counties of Monroe, Washington, Morgan, Athens and Meigs.  He was re-nominated in 1864, but was defeated by Hon. T. A. Plants, of Meigs.
     Hon. A. J. Pearson was elected to the 52A congress, in 1890, from the district composed of the counties of Monroe, Belmont, Noble and Washington; and was re-elected in 1892, to the 53d congress, from the district composed of the counties of Monroe, Belmont, Harrison, Jefferson and Carroll.  His term expired March 4, 1895.

STATE CANDIDATES

     This county has twice had the honor of having candidates on the state ticket.  James R. Morris was nominated at the state convention, in 1857, for treasurer of state, but was defeated by A. P.

Weston, 1826; Thomas Mitchell, 1830; Philip Darby, 1831, Isaac Atkinson, 1832; Joseph Morris, 1833; William C. Walton, 1835; Peter Witten, 1837; William Johnson, 1839, 1847 and 1849; Edward Archbold, 1843; Joel Yost, 1845; James R. Morris, 1848; James Okey, 1850; Horiace Holland, 1864; Henry T. Grier and Alfred Ogle, 1856; Jere Williams, J. M. Stout, 1858; James M. Stout, 1860; John Keyser, 1862; Eliel Headley, 1866; William Milligan, 1870; James Watson, 1874; Henry Maury, 1878 and 1882; George W. Steward, 1880; James H. Hamilton, 1884 and 1888; Henry Lyons, 1886; Reuben P. Yoho, 1800; John Moore, 1894.

     Albert J. Pearson of Woodsfield, was born at Centerville, Belmont county, Ohio, May 20, 1846; removed with his parents at an early age to Beallsville, Monroe county, Ohio; was educated in the common schools of Beallsville and the Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio; was a private soldier in Company I, One Hundred and Eighty-Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; read law with Amos & Spriggs, of Woodsfield, Ohio; was admitted to the bar in September, 1868, and commenced the practice of his profession at Woodsfield, where he has since resided; his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth A. Pearson, is a daughter of Charles Alford, who resided near Woodsfield.  Their children are Chas? A. L. Pearson, A. J. W. Pearson, A. J. Pearson, Jr., Franklin M. Pearson, Elaise Pearson and Lorena Pearson.
     Mr. Pearson was prosecuting attorney of Monroe county for three successive terms; a member of the State Senate for two years; was Probate Judge of Monroe county for six yeas; was elected to the fifty-second and re-elected to the Fifty-third Congress as a Democrat.  In the fifty-second Congress he was chairman of a committee to codify __ pension laws, and on the 17th day of January, a __93, reported a bill for that purpose containing o__ hundred and forty pages and one hundred and ninety sections.  This bill was passed by the House, but was not reported to the enate by the committee on pensions, to which it was referred.  He was chairman of the committee on enrolled bills in the fifty-third Congress, and on the last day of that Congress the following resolution was prepared and offered by Hon. William J. Bryan:
     "Resolved.  That the House of Representatives hereby expresses its appreciation of the faithful and efficient manner in which the Hon. A. J. Pearson has performed the onerous duties of chairman of the committee on enrolled bills."  The resolution was unanimously adopted.
     Shortly after the close of the fifty-third Congress he was tendered as appointment by President Cleveland which he declined.
SEE NOTES Below

COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.

     The first court for the county was held in 1815.  Prior to the adoption of the present constitution the presiding judges were:  BenjaminTappan of Steubenville, who served until 1823; Jeremiah H. Halleck of Steubenville, until 1833; Alexander Harper of Zanesville, until 1836; Corrington W. Searle of Zanesville, until 1840; William Kennon of St. Clairsville, until 1847; Benjamin S. Cowen of St. Clairsville, until 1851.
     After the adoption of the new constitution, the following were the common pleas judges, in the order named:  Robert J. Alexander of Belmont county; John W. Okey of Monroe; D. D. T. Cowen of Belmont; William Kennon, Jr., of Belmont; John S. Way of Monroe; Robert E. Chambers of Belmont; William Okey of Monroe; St. Clair Kelly of Belmont; John B. Driggs of Monroe.

have been on Schumacher's corner, Armstrong's corner, or on the lot between them.  It may have been neither.  There were no brick residences in 1831 in the town.  The only brick buildings were the court house, twi brick store rooms and a brick kitchen.  In 1832 a brick building was erected on the lot now occupied by S. P. Door's New Columbia hotel, and the bank building was constructed by John Gibson, sr., of Barnesville.
     There is no means, within our knowledge, of ascertaining the number of inhabitants in Woodsfield in 1830, but judging from the number of families in 1831 there were then about 200 inhabitants.  IN 1880 there were 861, in 1890, 1031.
     County commissioners were, in the presence of the law erecting the county, elected at the April election, 1815.  They were John Linn, Elijah Stephen and Cornelius Okey, and were to hold office until the following fall election.  On the 19th day of July, 1815, they divided the county into four townships - Center, Jackson, Salem and Seneca.

TOWNSHIPS

     Below will be found the names of all townships, alphabetically arranged, date of organization, and population in 1880 and 1890

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM MONROE.

     Hon. Joseph Moris, the first member of congress from this county, was elected to the 28th congress from the district composed of the counties of Monroe, Belmont and Harrison, in 1843 - the state not having been apportioned in time to hold the election in 1842, on account of the whig members of the legislature resigning their seats to prevent the passage of the apportionment bill.  The election in 1842 gave the democrats again a majority in the legislature and the state was apportioned.  Mr. Morris was re-