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....Since the 1770’s when the three Cox brothers established their
claim, many and varied are the industries that were established in Brooke County. ....In 1776, according to old newspaper clippings, a powder mill at the mouth of Panther Run was supplying powder to the Continental Army. As early as 1788 Wellsburg had mills and shops and was trading and marketing. Records show that between 1791 and 1794 we had craftsman such as JACOB HOOVER, Shoemaker; ABRAHAM FULTON, hatter; JAMES PERRY, and NATHAN REEVES, tanners; ELIJAH COLE, carpenter; and JOHN SMITH, taylor(note the spelling in those days). ....In April 1781, a land owner on the current Half Moon Addition, Thomas Edgington was captured by Indians on Harmon Creek. He was held captive in the Indian Towns of Ohio, taken to Detroit and sold to the British. Three years later he was traded for British soldiers and walked home. ....Flour, woolen and saw mills were in operation before 1797. In 1794 a MR. GRANT was operating an iron foundry on Kings Creek. This old foundry is better known today as the PETER TARR FURNACE. In 1815 an iron foundry was established in Wellsburg. ....From the DUVAL GLASS HOUSE in 1813 to the present time there have been 40 glass factories located in Brooke County. In the early 1800’s we had boat yards, a rope walk and numerous warehouses. ....From the 1820’s through the 1870’s there were powder mills, soil and candle factories, three potteries, a cotton mill, marble yard, silversmiths, furniture factories, shoemakers, skiff makers, a carpet factory, hat manufacturers and cigar makers. The June 1855 issue of the Wellsburg Daily Herald advertised JOHN TWEED’S saw mill in the upper end of Wellsburg as well as W.D. TOREYSON’S blacksmith shop below the Market House on Charles Street. ....The manufacturing of paper started here in 1835 and shortly after the paper bag industry was established. ....In the 1880’s through the 1900’s there were the NICHOLS BRICK YARD and RALSTON’S Ice plant out Bethany Pike. A cannery in the upper end of Wellsburg a broom factory out Cross Creek and other industries too numerous to mention. ....Brooke County citizens an be proud that from 1770 to the present time, there have been ingenious and hard working men and women living in our area.
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