Belmont County was the ninth county to be formed from the Northwest Territory by Governor Arthur St. Clair. Its name comes from the French, meaning "beautiful mountain" and refers to the beautiful scenery. The county seat of Belmont County is St. Clairesville, Benjamin Lundy, a Quaker who organized the first abolition group, made his home there. The main industries include; metals, mining, stone-clay-glass, machinery, transportation equipment, food, apparel, galvanized sheet metal, pipe couplings, glass products, and dairy products. Probate Court has birth, death, marriage, & probate records; Clerk of Courts has divorce & civil court records from 1820; County Health Department has burial records.