Jacob Beltzhoover

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

Ferry and Bridge on the Monongahela

Monongahela Bridge
Coordinates 40°26′06″N 80°00′07″W / 40.435135°N 80.001957°W / 40.435135; -80.001957
Carries Smithfield Street
Crosses Monongahela River
Locale Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Preceded by Beltzhoover Ferry
Followed by Roebling's Monongahela Wire Suspension Bridge
Characteristics
Design covered bridge
Material wood
Number of spans 8 of 1188 feet (57 m)
History
Constructed by Louis Wernwag
Construction end 21 November 1818
Opened 10 October 1818
Collapsed north end, 21 January 1832, re-opened 29 October 1832
Closed 10 April 1845
Statistics
Toll yes
Structurae database listing

He owned a ferry that ran from the end of Wood Street across the Monongahela. The ferry was operated by William Graham, who kept a tavern at the northwest corner of Wood and Water Street. The ferry was in operation until 1818, when it was replaced by the Monongahela Bridge, in which he was a shareholder. One of Beltzhoover's coal wagons was on the bridge when it 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 The Great Fire of Pittsburgh on 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). A genealogical and biographical history of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Baltimore: Clearfield Company. p. 554. ISBN 0-8063-0686-6. OCLC 182858196.
  2. Hazard, Samuel (ed.). Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania 9–10. p. 96. OCLC 7922038.
  3. Du Puy, Herbert; Latshaw, Christian; Thaw, John; Wilkins, Wm.; Holmes, Fr'd.; McClurg, Joseph; Gilleland, P. (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. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  5. Crumrine, Boyd (ed.). "NORRIS et al v. KNOX et al". Pittsburgh Reports. p. 57. OCLC 9320464.


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