Jacob Beltzhoover

Jacob Beltzhoover
Born May 16, 1770(1770-05-16)
Washington County, Maryland
Died August 7, 1835(1835-08-07) (aged 56)>
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ethnicity Pennsylvania German
Spouse Elizabeth Saams
Children Mary Ann, Sarah
Parents Melchior Beltzhoover, Elizabeth Schunk

Jacob Beltzhoover was a pioneer of St. Clair Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. He and his family received a land grant from the Penn family. He was one of six sons of Melchior Beltzhoover[1], a tavern keeper from Hagerstown, Maryland who immigrated from Metterzimmern, Germany in 1752.

Contents

Ferry and Bridge on the Monongahela

Monongahela Bridge
Carries Smithfield Street
Crosses Monongahela River
Locale Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Design covered bridge
Material wood
Number of spans 8 of 1188 feet (57 m)
Constructed by Louis Wernwag
Construction end 21 November 1818
Opened 10 October 1818
Toll yes
Preceded by Beltzhoover Ferry
Followed by Roebling's Monongahela Wire Suspension Bridge
Collapsed north end, 21 January 1832, re-opened 29 October 1832
Closed 10 April 1845
Structurae database listing [1]

He owned a ferry that ran from the end of Wood Street across the Monongahela, operated by William Graham, who kept a tavern at the northwest corner of Wood and Water Streets. It was in operation until 1818, when it was replaced by the Monongahela Bridge, in which he was a shareholder. One of his coal wagons was on the bridge when in collapsed in 1832. [2] The collapsed north end of the bridge was re-built, and the bridge re-opened on 29 October 1832. The bridge was destroyed in a fire 10 April 1845. [3]

Mine

In 1825, he opened a mine on the northern side of Mt. Washington, across the river from the town of Pittsburgh. This penetrated the hill to the southern side in 1861, and was later enlarged to become the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Tunnel.

Slavery

He was a slaveholder, with child slaves registered in the county courthouse.[4]

He died 7 August 1835.[5]

References

  1. ^ Cushing, Thomas (2007) (in Baltimore). A genealogical and biographical history of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Clearfield Company. p. 554. ISBN 0806306866. OCLC 182858196. http://books.google.com/books?id=4IDdaF-3HBsC&pg=PA554&dq=%22Melchior+Beltzhoover%22&cd=8#v=onepage&q=%22Melchior%20Beltzhoover%22&f=false. 
  2. ^ Hazard, Samuel, ed. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania. 9-10. p. 96. OCLC 7922038. http://books.google.com/books?id=eHwoAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=%22Monongahela+Bridge%22+Beltzhoover&source=bl&ots=e6Ip5W-Zm8&sig=egVIdC6KMxU47Hmk-78LF-okemI&hl=en&ei=ildaS9zkO5W4Ns-9xYYP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CB0Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22Monongahela%20Bridge%22%20Beltzhoover&f=false. 
  3. ^ Du Puy, Herbert; Christian Latshaw, John Thaw, Wm. Wilkins, Fr'd. Holmes, Joseph McClurg and P. Gilleland (1906). "A Brief History of the Monongahela Bridge, Pittsburgh, Pa.". The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 30 (2): 187–205. 
  4. ^ "The Freedom Papers". Free at Last? A history of slavery in Pittsburgh in the 18th and 19th centuries. University of Pittsburgh. http://www.library.pitt.edu/freeatlast/freedom_papers.html. Retrieved 21 January 2010. 
  5. ^ Crumrine, Boyd, ed. "NORRIS et al v. KNOX et al". Pittsburgh Reports. p. 57. OCLC 9320464. http://books.google.com/books?id=6EMQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=%22Jacob+Beltzhoover%22+died&source=bl&ots=1dZjicufd3&sig=BrP1d7FuoYuYymkAjPhcx1HiRzA&hl=en&ei=ixRZS47BBI6QNsXBoJAP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Jacob%20Beltzhoover%22%20died&f=false.