Demands for better ferryboat services between Follansbee and Mingo became news when J. W. Johnson petitioned the county court for a ferry franchise. The only Follansbee ferry service available was operated by Mrs. Maxwell.  Her ferry was described as excellent, but primarily consisting of a rowboat leaving a landing nearly a mile below town.  It had been nearly two years since horse-drawn wagons were taken across the river from Follansbee. The two other ferry services across the river were at Wellsburg and the Steubenville ferry that crossed the river near Holliday Cove.

Johnson argued that Follansbee and Mingo had thriving industries and commerce.  Prohibition in West Virginia also created more demand by folks who wanted to travel across the river to saloons in the Mingo Bottoms vicinity. Workers also crossed daily to factories.  Likewise, farmers would prefer to use a local ferry rather than drive their wagons four miles to the Wellsburg or Steubenville ferries.

Johnson proposed to establish a landing in the south part of town.  A qualified ferryman would be in charge and capable of operating a boat that could carry both passengers and wagons.  The proposed landing would be built so that steamboats may stop for passengers or cargoes.

• Mill Towns Review, “Plan Greater Ferry Service with Mingo,” June 19, 1914, front page.

In August 1906, the Follansbee city council held an election to decide whether or not alcoholic beverages should be sold in town.  The wets won 88 to 47 over the prohibition minority.  But the drys declared they’d keep the “Devil’s Brew” out of Follansbee.

On the state level, the Anti-Saloon League had gained devoted followers and won votes in many of West Virginia’s counties.   By 1913, enough money poured into the state to gain statewide prohibition.  The Anti-Saloon League had the support of community churches that had the influence to help elect temperance members to the legislature.

West Virginia prohibition legislation was passed with the directive to public officials to enforce the laws.

Saloons were quickly remodeled into storerooms and restaurants in Brooke County.  Not a liquor sign or advertisement could be seen in Follansbee or Wellsburg.  Establishments serving malt, vinous or spirituous liquors, wine, porter, ale, beer or any other intoxicating drink containing one-half of 1 percent of alcohol by volume were deemed to be liquor.

In Follansbee, two important city personalities who supported National Prohibition were William Banfield, manager of the Follansbee Tin Mill, and H.B Mahan.

Despite the social ills it produced, the saloon did serve the social needs of the working class, especially the first-generation immigrants in Follansbee.  Their cultural traditions were strongly committed to moderate drinking of beer and wine.  They viewed prohibition as repressive.  The new age of Prohibition quickly became characterized by poker joints, speakeasies, booze smuggling in private autos, and State prohibition raids.   See Timeline, July 26, 1920 – Prohibition Officers Raid Follansbee.

• Mill Towns Review, “West Virginia Ninth Dry State Under drastic Law,” July 3, 1914, front page.
• Mill Towns Review, “Wm. Banfield Speaks to Christian Workers League,” December 26, 1913. p. 4.

The term Vaudeville (1880-1920) refers to stage entertainment consisting of various acts such as comedians, singers and performing animals.  It was the most popular form of entertainment until the rise of major motion pictures during the early 1920s.

In Follansbee, the Oberfield Brothers vaudeville troupe arrived in town on June 7, 1910.  The troupe traveled on a circuit that included Follansbee.  They pitched their tents at the corner of Virginia avenue and Ohio street for a week stay.  The Herald Star reported, “A good clean vaudeville play is being presented, the show here under the auspices of the Follansbee band.”

The Palace Theater and other city movie houses presented live vaudeville acts along with motion pictures.   In early June 1914, the Palace featured Dr. Atkinson, magician and king of ventriloquists, Joe Egan, the funny man and eccentric dancer, Irene Hallman, a popular singer and comedian, and Helen Gatley, who sang beautiful illustrated ballads.   A 1915 vaudeville act at the Palace featured Professor Odar and his dogs.  “Teddy, one of the canine stars, performed so much beyond the ablest of his kind that many thought the animal possessed human intelligence.”

• Mill Towns Review, “Review of the Week,” June 5, 1914, front page.
• Follansbee Review, “Wonderful Attraction at The Palace,” September 3, 1915, front page.
• Steubenville Herald Star, “Follansbee Notes,”  June 7, 1910.

As a result of the remarkable energy and accomplishments of Rev. Achille Cremonesi, the only Italian Presbyterian mission in West Virginia was dedicated.  Situated on South Virginia Avenue near Broad Street, the lot for the Italian Presbyterian Chapel was donated by the Follansbee Brothers Company.

The formal dedication of the new chapel occurred in three languages: Italian, English and Slavish.  Many of the Italians present were from surrounding cities. About half of the congregation at the dedication were members of the Follansbee First Presbyterian church.   Rev. Regneiner, pastor of the Slavonian Presbyterian church of Mingo Junction, and members of his congregation were present.

“The chapel was decorated with American and Italian flags.” Rev. Cremonesi labored for two years to create the Italian colony estimated at about 400.   Among the others who were part of the service were:  President Joe Zago of the Garibaldi Society, H.G. McMillan of the Wheeling Presbytery, and Rev. W..J. Holmes of the Presbyterian Church.  William Banfield, manager of the Follansbee Tin Mill, gave a keynote address.

Italian Presbyterian Church. Taken from 1914 Mills Town Review newspaper.

• Mill Towns Review, “Italy & Her Part in Development of the Protestant Religion,” March 29, 1914, front page.
• Mill Towns Review, ‘Three Languages Spoken at Dedication of Italian Presbyterian Chapel,” June 5, 1914, front page.

Bullets possibly fired by the Federals and Constitutionalists were found in the Follansbee mill yard by Walter McCroda and Cecil Lusk.  The “greaser” pellets were extracted from the side of a boxcar bearing the title “N de M 9271” (National de Mexico) and the car was billed here direct from Texarkana Texas. The inside of the car walls were covered with Mexican epithets.

By1916 the Mexican Civil War was encroaching into U.S territory. President Wilson sent troops commanded by Gen. John J. Pershing to stop Pancho Villa’s border raids into New Mexico and Texas.

John Meno of Follansbee, who lived on lower Highland Street, was in the army stationed along the border.  Meno took photos of the army camp, including a firing squad shooting a Mexican bandit. Because Meno was under age when he enlisted, he was discharged and joined again in 1918.

Photos Courtesy of Tillie Meno.

*Mill Town Review, “May 29, 1914, p. 1.

*Interview, Tillie Meno, Dec., 2014.

The smallest graduating class in the history of Follansbee High School was preparing for commencement. The three graduates were Mildred Wood, Marie Jackson, and Joseph Boyd. The annual sermon to the 1914 class was delivered at the Christian Church by Rev. N.W. Phillips. The banquet was held at Eagles Hall. Oliver Williams, of the class of 1912, was the master of ceremonies. In conjunction with the graduation, was the second annual field day exercise of Follansbee High that occurred at Ferguson Field. The events begin with the field meet. All members of the high school took part in the many contests.

Photo: Follansbee Brooke Library. 

• Mill Town Review, “Pupils Ready for The Commencement,” May 22, 1914, front.

Employment opportunities and the rapid influx of population into Follansbee soon exhausted housing space in the bottomlands. Real estate agencies began preparations to open lots on the hillsides overlooking town. They realized the promotional value of hillside steps for easy access to down town, increasing residential sales and shopping benefits for the city. In May 1914, the first flight of steps was built from the lower orchard that existed next to the river below Duquesne street, up the hill toward the city reservoir, called Reservoir Hill.    

Developers and real estate agencies lobbied city council for funds to construct more steps.  In a short time, nearly every street in Follansbee from Alleghany to the lower end had hillside steps. Most of these steps still exist in various conditions including those at the south end of town, and Duquesne, Ohio, Penn, and Raymond streets.  Other hillside steps were built from Clifton up to Highland and Walnut avenues. 

Steps were also constructed for access to the Orchard area, then known as the Cyrus Ferguson addition of town.  Located in the north portion of the city, the Orchard is significantly higher in elevation than the town below.  Drivers on Main street passing Alleghany going North are able to see buildings at the original hillside level compared to the street that was lowered so streetcars could operate on leveler ground.     

The Orchard steps are still used by folks going down town and children walking to Jefferson school and exist from Alleghany street up to Mahan avenue. They cross over the Alleghany creek below Jefferson and above Linden streets.    

Denney Williams, who grew up in town, remembered that there was a prestige attached to owning a home overlooking the city and in the Orchard section.  

The Follansbee Brothers Company built approximately 20 homes, many for their executives, in the Orchard.  Most of these stately looking homes are located along the west side of Main street between Mahan and Mark avenues.  James funeral home was originally built as a residence for William Banfield, first general manager of the Follansbee Mill.  The Follansbee Brothers also built homes on Highland street overlooking the city and valley.  The Orchard and hillsides were also safer areas from river floods that occurred on the city’s bottomland. 

Peen Street Steps

Lower End Steps

Jefferson Street

Duquesne Street

 Steps above Linden Street

 Raymond Street steps

• Mill Town Review, “City Grows In Beauty,” May 8, 1914, p. 1. 
• Denney Williams, Interview/tour of town, October 2015.
• Steubenville Herald Star, “Follansbee,” (Highland street), Oct 24, 1919, p. 20.
• Steubenville Herald Star, “Built More Homes,” July 22, 1920, p. 4. 
•  See Timeline -1914 The City Was Divided.

A survey of the religious affiliations of Follansbee citizens was conducted by city churches.  While the survey probably did not include many city immigrants who were unable to read or speak English, it is an interesting reflection of the city. The survey committee was made up of prominent city leaders including Elmer B. Jackson, chairman.  Others included H.B. Mahan, William Thomas, and Robert Montgomery to mention a few of the 22-member committee.   The results of persons who reported being affiliated with a church were as follows:

• Presbyterian                 174
• Christian                       164
• Catholic                         162
• Methodist Episcopal   144
• Episcopal                         39
• Hebrews                          22
• Greek Catholic                11
• United Presbyterian      10
• Baptist                                9
• German Lutheran            8
• Lutheran                            8
• Italian Presbyterian         3
• Congregation                     1
• Free Methodists               1

A space was left on the survey for those who were not members of any church, to state their preference, with the following results:  Methodist Episcopal 95, Presbyterian 79, Christian 65, Episcopal 24, Catholic 19, Baptist 9, German Lutheran 7, Methodist Protestant 3, Lutheran 1, United Presbyterian 1. 

“Sixty-one stated they were not members, nor attended any place of worship, and had no preference of a church or denomination.”  Of the 162 Catholics surveyed, fifty-three were Americans or English speaking, the others were foreigners.

• Mill Towns Review, “746 Christians in Follansbee,” April 24, 1914, front page.

One of the largest celebrations in the city occurred when a symbolic union of the American and Italian flags was inaugurated into the Italian Society of Mutual Aid Giuseppe Garibaldi.  Italians from the surrounding cities who belonged to the order participated. About five hundred people marched as the parade took the following sequence:  First to come were men on horse back, then the Follansbee Garibaldi Society accompanied by an Italian band from Bellaire, Ohio, and led by flag carriers and the officers of the local lodge.  Then came all the members of the Follansbee lodge. They  were followed by the sponsors of the flags in automobiles.  Next was the Christopher Columbus Society of Steubenville, which consisted of over 200 members. They were accompanied by an Italian band from Wellsville, Ohio, and the General Ameglio Society of Wellsville.  The final group was the Romanian Society of Follansbee.

The actual inauguration of the flags took pace at the Eagles’ Hall on Penn Street after the parade.  Joe Zago, president of the local Garibaldi society, was in charge of the ceremony.   The sponsors for the American flag were Mayor Thomas Rogers and his daughter, Elizabeth.   The Italian flag was sponsored by Rev. A. Cremonesi and Mrs. Cremonesi of the Italian Presbyterian Mission.  The official speaker was Rev. Cremonesi.   As they held the flags, Mr. Zago broke two bottles of champagne.  The national hymn for each country was played and the flags were crossed.  Joseph Zago had his horse-drawn wagon decorated in American flags and colors and in it were 40 Italian children waving flags.

• Mill Towns Review, “Christen Flags With Champagne,” March 27, 1914, front page.

The early high school and city athletic clubs played their basketball games at the Mahan gym. Lower Enders who attended Mahan will remember the basketball gym.  The baskets were 7 feet and the ceiling was about 12 feet.  A water troff ran the length of one side of the cement court.  Spectator stands were on the ends of the court.  Frequently the players would shoot the ball bouncing it against the ceiling then making the basket.  Out of bounce occurred when the ball hit the cement side walls.  The Herald Star reported Follansbee opening its 1919 basketball season against Weirton at the Mahan gymnasium.

Kids who attended Mahan school and played on the basketball team will recall the team’s uniforms were green with yellow numbers.

• Steubenville Herald Star “Follansbee – Open Cage Season…, December 15, 1919, p. 4.
• Gerald “Peck” Blakley, Oral Interview, Follansbee, July 2008.
• Parker Berket, Oral Interview, Follansbee, July 2010.