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.
Jacob Beltzhoover | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 16, 1770 |
| Died | August 7, 1835 (aged 56) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Saams |
| Children | Mary Ann, Sarah |
| Parent(s) | Melchior Beltzhoover, Elizabeth Schunk |
Ferry and bridge on the Monongahela
editMonongahela Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°26′06″N 80°00′07″W / 40.435135°N 80.001957°W |
| Carried | Smithfield Street |
| Crossed | Monongahela River |
| Locale | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Preceded by | Beltzhoover Ferry |
| Followed by | Roebling's Monongahela Wire Suspension Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | covered bridge |
| Material | Wood |
| No. 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 |
| Location | |
 | |
| References | |
| 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
editIn 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
editHe was a slaveholder, with child slaves registered in the county courthouse.[4]
Death and interment
editBeltzhoover died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 7, 1835.[5] His grave is located at the Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh (section 16, lot 135).
References
edit- ^ Cushing, Thomas (2007). A genealogical and biographical history of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Baltimore: Clearfield Company. p. 554. ISBN 978-0-8063-0686-5. OCLC 182858196.
- ^ Hazard, Samuel, ed. (1832). Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania. Vol. 9–10. p. 96. OCLC 7922038.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Crumrine, Boyd, ed. (1872) [1853-1873]. "NORRIS et al v. KNOX et al". Pittsburgh Reports. p. 57. OCLC 9320464.