Formed in 1819, Meigs County was fostered by its location on 57 miles of the Ohio River, called "Oyo" by Indians and meaning beautiful river. Pomeroy, the county seat, was named for early landholder Samuel Wyllys Pomeroy. His company, Pomeroy, Sons & Company, and his son-in-law, Valentine B. Horton (1802-1888), helped develop the region's coal, salt, and iron industries. Horton pioneered river transportation of coal by building the world's first coal barges and, in 1835, the first coal-fueled towboat, the Condor. Coal, salt, iron, and other local products were shipped from Pomeroy's 125' x 40' wharf to ports from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. Excursion, passenger, shanty, and showboats also visited Pomeroy's port. Today, the Ohio River remains a busy waterway carrying commodities including coal, petroleum, chemicals, steel, sand, and gravel, and it is also a haven for recreational craft and stern wheel boats.