700 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS Liberal educational advantages were accorded Hamilton Wilson, who completed his studies at Purdue University in 1913, winning the degrees of B. S. and Chemical Engineer. In the year of his graduation he entered the field of investment banking as a bond salesman for Hullgarten & Company of New York city but severed his connection with the house in 1916 to accept a similar position with the Guaranty Trust Company and so continued for five years. From 1921 until 1926 he was manager of the Cincinnati office of the Guaranty Company of New York and then came to Cleveland as resident vice president of the corporation. He is in charge of its interests in the states of Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee and his experience, ability and energy have enabled him to secure a large volume of business for the company in his territory. His office is one of large responsibility and in addition to his financial activities he is a director of the United States Airlines, Inc., of Cleveland and the Hamilton Production Company of Cincinnati. At Hamilton, Ohio, in October, 1919, Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Margaret Brandon Millikin, whose great-grandfather, Judge Millikin, was the first federal judge in southern Ohio. Their children are : Margaret Ione, who was born in 1925 and Cheyney Stevens, born in 1928. The family reside at 2923 Glengarry road, Shaker Heights, and Mr. Wilson's business address is 1300 Union Trust building, Cleveland. He belongs to the Phi Kappa Psi club of New York city, to the University Club of Cincinnati, and the University, Country, Hermit, Union and Mid-Day Clubs of Cleveland, being a director of the last named. SOCIETY FOR SAVINGS Of the Society for Savings it has been written : "It blossomed from the humble seed, And fostered by a loving care It grew to meet a people's need And gave a service fine and rare ; And through the changes of the years That swiftly come and backward drift, Its friendly walls it proudly rears— A monument to faith and thrift." On the 24th day of June, 1849, the Society for Savings came into being. It was an unselfish project, founded on an ideal of practical service. Whether the suggestion came from Charles J. Woolson, William A. Otis or Dudley Baldwin, is of little moment. It was made and acted upon and a sponsor, faithful and tireless, was found in Samuel H. Mather. The name of the Society, according to the tradition, was taken from that of a similar institution in old Hartford, but there were other "Societies for Savings" and "Institutions for Savings," all in the east, some of them now a century old—the first distinctly savings institutions in the country. From its inception the Society for Savings has been purely "a benevolent institution, without capital, managed by trustees without salary, in the interests of the depositors only, to whom profits are paid, or for whose benefit they are accumulated and reserved." On March 22, 1849, by legislative act, "The Society for Savings in the City of Cleveland" was incorporated. The - 701 - 702 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS names of the following representative citizens of the Cleveland of eighty-two years ago appear in the act of incorporation : Nathan Brainard, James H. Bingham, James A. Briggs, Henry W. Clark, Ralph Cowles, John A. Foot, James Gardner, John H. Gorham, Lewis Handerson, Josiah A. Harris, Morgan L. Hewitt, Joseph Lyman, Samuel H. Mather, William A. Otis, Alexander Seymour, Daniel A. Shepard, Charles J. Woolson. On June 24, 1849, the Society was organized, the first corporate members were elected and a board of officers chosen, as follows : president, John W. Allen ; vice presidents, Reuben Hitchcock, Dudley Baldwin, F. W. Bingham ; secretary, S. H. Mather ; treasurer, J. F. Taintor. Trustees— S. J. Andrews, T. S. Beckwith, Levi Benedict, J. F. Borges, H. W. Clark, William Day, John A. Foot, James Gardner, B. Rouse, Alex. Seymour, W. T. Smith, W. H. Stanley, J. H. Gorham, L. Handerson, J. A. Harris, M. L. Hewitt, Charles Hickox, J. Lowman, William A. Otis, James Pannel, E. T. Sterling, J. B. Waring, S. Williamson, M. C. Younglove. Corporate members—John W. Allen, S. J. Andrews, D. Baldwin, T. S. Beckwith, L. Benedict, F. W. Bingham, J. F. Borges, William Day, Charles Hickox, R. Hitchcock, J. Lowman, James Pannel, B. Rouse, W. T. Smith, W. H. Stanley, E. T. Sterling, J. F. Taintor, J. B. Waring, S. Williamson, M. C. Younglove. The office was located at 4 Bank street and consisted of a single room twenty feet square in the rear of the Merchants Bank at the corner of Superior and Bank streets. The room was shared by two other tenants—an insurance company and Mr. Mather for his law business. The corner was the original home of banking in Cleveland. The first deposit—ten dollars from Mrs. D. E. Bond—was received August 2, 1849, and with its receipt the active career of the Society for Savings began. Presumably the young city gave little heed to the young enterprise in its midst. Yet that ten-dollar deposit was to blossom into millions, and that single THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 703 depositor prove the leader of an army of patrons whose number would exceed many times the population of the Cleveland of 1849. In 1852 the Society felt called upon to advertise itself in this terse and practical fashion : "The design of this institu-tion is to afford a secure investment to persons of either sex, who receive money in small sums, and are desirous of saving it, but have not the facilities for securely putting it to use, or for investing it in business." In January, 1852, there were 484 depositors and the trustees were greatly pleased with the outlook. Five years from its founding the bank had 1,787 depositors and the deposits amounted to $265,095. President John W. Allen was succeeded in 1850 by Flavel W. Bingham, who was mayor of the city when the Society was organized. He in turn gave way to Trustee William A. Otis, who was the executive head of the institution until 1855. The fourth president was Trustee Sherlock J. Andrews, one of the most distinguished lawyers in Ohio, who served until 1861. It was during President Andrews' incumbency that the panic of 1857 swept over the country. Business houses crashed, specie payments were suspended, industry was paralyzed. Through it all the Society stood like a Gibraltar. In proof of its stability the fact is cited that in 1857 increasing business drove it to its second location, at the corner of Bank and Frankfort streets, in rooms built for it in the Weddell House, where it remained for ten years. The Society closed its first decade with 2,200 depositors and deposits of $360,000. Its second decade opened on the eve of the Civil war—a time of anxiety, of uncertainty, of dread. The stress of war, however, had no effect upon the progress of the Society for Savings. In 1865, the closing year of the war, the number of depositors was nearly twice the number in 1860, and the deposits had increased fourfold. In that first half of the decade Cleveland had changed from a commercial to a manu- 704 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS facturing city, a city of mills and forges, a city of oil and steel. With this municipal progress the great savings institutions kept pace. Its facilities were hampered by lack of room and it became necessary to seek new quarters. William A. Otis, who had succeeded President S. J. Andrews in 1861, had given place to Samuel Williamson in 1866, and with the beginning of the latter's regime plans for a new building on the Public Square were hurried forward. The new home, erected on the site of the John W. Allen residence, built prior to 1835, was occupied in 1867. The structure was in the northeast corner of the square, an ornamental building and the first thoroughly fireproofed edifice in the city. It stood on the site of the present Chamber of Commerce building, now occupied by Cleveland College. With its occu-pation the business of the Society rapidly increased. At the end of the decade of the Civil war the city had doubled its population, while the Society trebled the number of its depositors and increased its deposits eightfold. Its 9,499 depositors represented more than ten per cent of the city's population, 92,829. The third decade began auspiciously for the Society, whose new home was the only modern business building on the square. The number of depositors steadily increased, the out-of-town patrons became an important factor in the progress of the institution. Five years from the time of its occupancy the building was pronounced too small for the Society's grow-ing needs. In 1873 the depth of the structure was increased twenty feet. In 1875 the addition, the basement, the first and second floors were all occupied. Before the end of the decade the trustees decided that a new building was required. In 1875 the Society had 17,638 depositors and the deposits had increased to $7,130,220. In 1880 the number of depositors was 22,584, which was fourteen per cent of the city's population. The deposits were $9,247,230. The Society was not only a leading institution of its own city it was becoming a model for savings institutions throughout the country. THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 705 The fourth decade of the Society was a period of continuous increase. It was a period marked by what was possibly the most important step taken by the institution—the erection of a structure that would meet the demands for space for many years to come. Land was purchased at the northeast corner of the Public Square and Ontario street. It was the site of one of Cleveland's finest early residences. Erected in the early '30s, it was first owned and occupied by Charles M. Giddings and subsequently was the home of N. E. Crittenden. Having perfected its plans, the Society made preparations for the construction of a ten-story office and banking building, which was to serve primarily the necessities of the bank and was also to be a monumental addition to the city's structures. The building was sorely needed by the Society, whose depositors in 1885 numbered 29,881, while the deposits were $11,850,226. In 1884, President Samuel Williamson, who had headed the Society for eighteen years, was succeeded by Secretary and Treasurer Samuel H. Mather and Luther Allen become secretary and treasurer, holding the dual responsibility until 1886, when Myron T. Herrick succeeded him. In 1890 Cleveland had 261,546 souls and the Society had 41,378 depositors and deposits of $19,145,276. The fifth decade was made memorable by the completion of the new home and its occupancy by the bank. The removal was made at the close of business on Saturday, June 21, 1890, and on Monday the Society's staff welcomed the old and new depositors, and incidentally the general public. In 1890 the building stood out among the other structures of the Public Square as the Terminal Tower does today. It was by far the largest and finest commercial building of the downtown district. Burnham & Root, the architects, whose buildings have ornamented many American cities, gave it such enduring beauty and strength in design and material that after forty-two years it is still one of the imposing edifices in the city. On January 14, 1894, the sponsor of the Society, its early 706 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS moving spirit and faithful guardian, President Samuel H. Mather, died. On January 20, 1894, the trustees met and took action on his demise. At that meeting one of the officers paid this fitting tribute to Mr. Mather: "The record of the last forty-five years of his life lives, and will continue to live and speak while the Society exists." Secretary and Treasurer Myron T. Herrick succeeded to the presidency and Albert L. Withington became secretary and treasurer. On the Society's fiftieth anniversary the deposits aggregated $32,253,145 and there were 54,966 depositors. The Society's sixth decade carried it into the new century. It had long been a widely recognized institution in a city whose enterprise and progress were matters of national pride. In 1905 Albert L. Withington was elected president and Myron T. Herrick became chairman of the board. At that time John H. Dexter succeeded Mr. Withington as secretary and treasurer. In 1908, upon the death of Mr. Withington, Mr. Herrick resumed the duties of president. The Society has been particularly fortunate in the character of the citizens who conducted its affairs. If a list of the several hundred of trustees and corporate members could be made, it would prove an admirably complete directory of the leaders in the various professions and industries of the city during the time of the Society's existence. These men, faithful, patient, exact, developed and strengthened that public confidence which has been the Society's strongest asset. On the Society's sixtieth birthday its deposits were $50,000,000 and it had 85,000 depositors. When in 1917 our country entered the World war, the Society with many other leading organizations undertook a substantial service to the nation. It put its large resources behind the war loans. It helped depositors to acquire government bonds and it placed its facilities and personnel at the disposal of war work enterprises. In past years the Society has repeatedly aided the state of Ohio and the city of Cleveland with cash advances when they needed temporary THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 707 financing. During the war period the Society added the Home Economics bureau, originally established to help depositors to do their share in financing the government from savings made possible by a more efficient handling of the household budget. So strong was the popular endorsement that the Society determined to continue the bureau as a permanent function in its encouragement of thrift. The present officers are: John H. Dexter, president; Henry M. Merrihew, Howard M. Yost and Harlan H. Newell, vice presidents; Richard T. Edison, secretary and treasurer; Fred E. Burdett, assistant secretary and assistant treasurer; Charles P. Scoville, assistant treasurer; and B. H. Sheibley, auditor. The board of trustees is composed of Newell C. Bolton, Eckstein Case, Harold T. Clark, Frank M. Cobb, J. S. Crider, Ernest C. Dempsey, S. D. Dodge, Parmely W. Herrick, William T. Higbee, Lawrence Hitchcock, Evan H. Hopkins, Albert S. Ingalls, William H. Marlatt, John E. Newell, Laurence H. Norton, Drake T. Perry, Henry A. Raymond, Frederick P. Root, Samuel Scovil, Henry S. Sherman, William B. Stewart, Alexander S. Taylor, Rollin A. Wilbur, James D. Williamson, J. B. Zerbe. This is a mutual savings bank, one of 600 institutions of the mutual type in the United States. These banks have 13,000,000 depositors and more than $11,000,000,000 on deposit, which is about one-third of the savings deposits of the country. Through the years the Society for Savings has watched, and has contributed to, the development of the Public Square and of the city. Its mounting resources have been invested and reinvested, in large part, in Cleveland itself. From the leisurely days when the people of the city lived within easy walking distance of the Square, through the horse-and-carriage era, to these years of electric cars, automobiles and airplanes, this bank has been at the center of the city's life and has served the financial needs of the people. Today, with individual deposits of $108,000,000, a surplus 708 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS fund of $8,000,000, undivided profits of $670,000 and resources amounting to $117,000,000, the Society is still in the heart of the city and still keeping pace with its marvelous growth and progress. From the vantage point of eighty-three years of activity in the field of banking, it looks back over the years of peace and war, of prosperity and depression, of its own difficulties and achievements, and with confidence based on a long tradition of stability and service, it looks forward to a future in which it shall carry on for the generations yet to come. ALBERT HARLAN BATES Commencing practice in Cleveland thirty-five years ago, Albert Harlan Bates has steadily advanced in a field of endeavor which demands thorough preparation and strenuous effort as well as keen powers of perception, and is regarded as one of the foremost patent lawyers in this city. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 24, 1869, a son of Cyrus S. and Laverna (Sutherland) Bates, and made the most of the liberal educational advantages accorded him by his parents. After attending the Kenyon Military Academy at Gambier, Ohio, he took a course in Lehigh University at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he won the degree of Mechanical Engineer in 1889, and was next a student at Ohio State University, which awarded him the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1892. In the year of his graduation he was admitted to the Ohio bar and then joined the legal staff of the Brush Electric Company of Cleveland, with which he was identified until 1893, when he went to Chicago. There he was associated with Robert H. Parkinson, one of the most prominent patent lawyers of the country, for about three years and with this added experience returned to Cleveland at the end of 1896, and on January 1, 1897, he became the junior member of the firm of Thurston & Bates—a relationship that existed until 1905. In 1906 the firm of Bates, Fouts & Hull was formed and soon gained prominence in the field of patent law. For some years after 1909 Mr. Bates practiced alone and in 1916 took in a partner, operating under the style of Bates & Macklin until 1923. This organization was enlarged in 1924, becoming known as Bates, Macklin, Golrick & Teare, and four years - 709 - 710 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS later the present firm of Bates, Golrick & Teare was formed. They maintain their offices in the Terminal Tower and their expert advice and services as patent lawyers are in wide demand. Mr. Bates was married October 11, 1904, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Miss Kathleen Jones, by whom he has a daughter and a son, Margaret, who married W. C. McCally, M. D., and Darwin, who married Miss Jane Teachout. Fishing is Mr. Bates' favorite sport and motoring also affords him enjoyment. He belongs to the Cleveland Automobile Club, the Union Club, Psi Upsilon fraternity, the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the Loyal Legion and the New England Society. His scientific and professional affiliations are with the Cleveland Engineering Society, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Bar Association, the Cleveland Patent Law Association and the American Patent Law Association. GEORGE HAYES BROWN The late George Hayes Brown long figured prominently in business and financial circles in Cleveland and was also an active factor in moral and cultural progress here. He was born in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1855, a son of Wilson and Sarah Jane (McCalmont) Brown, who have long since passed away. Through both parents he Was descended from Revolutionary stock. In his youth he was afforded the advantages of a high school education, and later took a business and cultural course. As a young man he came to Cleveland and later became identified with the Winton Bicycle Company which became the Winton Automobile Company, of which he served as secretary and treasurer throughout its existence. As treasurer he contributed largely to the expansion and success of the Lindsay Wire Weaving Company, extensive manufacturers of wire cloth, and he was also a director of the Garfield Bank from 1911 until it was merged with the Cleveland Trust Company in 1922, when he became a director in the latter, serving until his death. He also served as a trustee of St. Luke's Hospital for twenty-four years, and for many years as a director ; was trustee of Baldwin-Wallace College and chairman of the finance committee. He served as first vice president of the Good Will Industries of Cleveland and was connected with other philanthropic organizations. He was the first and only president of the official board of the Lakewood Methodist Episcopal Church, serving over twenty-five years and also served for thirteen years as a trustee and later as the treasurer of the Superan-nuates' Fund Association of the Northeast Ohio Conference - 713 - 714 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Brown and Frank Arter were the representatives from Greater Cleveland to the general conference of this denomination held in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1920. This conference meets every four years and it is this body that makes the rules and regulations for the churches of the Methodist faith. Being a representative to this conference is an honor to any layman. On December 15, 1886, in Cleveland, George Hayes Brown and Miss Alma S. Davis were united in marriage. Mrs. Brown is a native of Cleveland and a representative of an old colonial family, members of which served in the war of the Revolution. Her parents were John H. and Rhoda Helen (Dixon) Davis, both born in New York State and came to Ohio and settled in Cleveland with their respective parents were here married. Mr. Davis was engaged in the real estate business in the latter years of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Brown became the parents of seven children, as follows : Hat-tie Sarah Helen, who is the wife of Earle Parmelee Hobson, of Cleveland, and they have two children, George Willis and Alma Susan ; Iva Lucile became the wife of Charles Burgess Ketcham, D. D. of Warren, Ohio, and they have three children, Dorothy Jean, Lucile Tipple and Charles Brown ; Alma D'Etta married Martin Dodge, Ph.D., of New York city, and they are the parents of two children, Diana and Peter ; Georgie Linn married William Arthur Mitchell, of Short Hills, New Jersey, and their children are, David Lindsey, Robert George Bysshe, Janet and Elizabeth Anne ; Jean Katryn is the wife of Norman Hill Wright, of Cranbury, New Jersey, and the mother of two children, Angela and Pamela Davis; Wilson Davis, who died in 1924, at the age of twenty years, was a graduate of Lakewood high school and was attending Baldwin-Wallace College, where he was held in high esteem and won many honors; and Winton Henderson, who was graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan University in 1932, is now taking post graduate work at Babson Institute, Babson Park, Massachusetts. Mrs. Brown resides at No. 15620 Detroit THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 715 Avenue, Lakewood, and is a member of the Western Reserve Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and takes a very active part in civic, charitable, cultural and church organizations. Mr. Brown passed away on December 26, 1930, at which time Mrs. Brown received telegrams and letters of condolence from people in every walk of life from various parts of the United States and from four foreign countries. Mr. Brown was a gentle man, gracious and lovable in his contacts, yet firm in his convictions. He believed in the inherent good in mankind and had an unyielding trust in God. The world is a richer and better one because of his wise and varied contribution to the common good. His life was honorable and upright, his benefactions were many and unostentatiously bestowed. He was particularly interested in helping young men to get a start in life and many there are who owe to Mr. Brown their present position. He was essentially a home man, a great reader and well informed on almost every topic, and his heritage to posterity is that of an untarnished name. WILLIAM B. WATKINS William B. Watkins, better known as "Bill" Watkins, has attained a position of distinction in the iusurance field by reason of the fact that he writes more accident business than any other one man in the world. He organized and is presi-dent and treasurer of William B. Watkins, Inc., of Cleveland, and president of the John Ward Insurance Company, both sales organizations of the Travelers Insurance Company, which he has represented continuously for nearly a quarter of a century. William B. Watkins was born in East Schuyler, New York, December 6, 1872, his parents being James H. J. and Mary Ione (Richardson) Watkins, the latter also a native of East Schuyler, New York. Mrs. Watkins, a daughter of Duane Richardson, was a member of an old colonial family and a descendant of General Richard Charles Richardson of Revolutionary war fame. James H. J. Watkins, the father of William B. Watkins, was born in Wales, a son of John Watkins, who brought his family to New Jersey in 1857 and subsequently established his home in the Empire state. James H. J. Watkins, whose death occurred in 1921, was a teacher of elocution. His wife passed away the same year. Educated in New York, William B. Watkins attended Frankfort Academy of that state and was a young man of about twenty years when in 1892 he came to Cleveland. Here he entered the employ of the Commercial National Bank, with which institution he was connected until 1908, when he became a salesman with the Travelers Insurance Company at the Cleveland office. In three months he had made more - 717 - 718 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS money than he had received for a year's work at the bank, and he has remained active in the insurance field with ever increasing success to the present time. He is president of William B. Watkins, Inc., and of the John Ward Insurance Company. In December, 1927, he wrote new accident insurance to the amount of $5,000,000, all in $100,000 policies, breaking all world records for twenty-six days' work. During 1928 he sold insurance to the amount of $15,800,000, all in $10,000 policies, breaking all world records for one year's work. Again he held the year's record in 1929, when he wrote $13,000,000 in $100,000 policies, and in 1930 once more made the world's record, which he thus held for four consecutive years. In 1931 he broke all daily records by writing twelve applications for total premiums of $1,357. He leads all insurance men in the United States for personal work. Aside from his activities in the insurance field he is a director of Malin & Company, and a director and vice president of the Busford Realty Company. A man of magnetic and inspiring personality, Mr. Watkins is frequently called upon by his company to address insurance conferences held in various cities. We quote one of his published articles, entitled "How to Sell Big Policies to Big Men." "In the building of an accident business, it has always been the belief of the writer that an agent should divide his policy-holders into two classes. The first group should be made up of small or medium-sized risks and the second group should consist of large policyholders. In this way an agent will have a well balanced account. His loss ratio will prove satisfactory to his company, the lapse ratio on his business will be comparatively small and, with the proper selection of risks, such a well balanced account cannot help but prove in the long run highly satisfactory to the agent himself. "In the first ten years of the writer's experience in the accident insurance field, he devoted himself to writing medium-sized risks and was successful in building up a substan-tial business. He then wine to the conclusion that the larger THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 719 executives should be written policies more in keeping with their station in life, and believed that if they were properly approached and sho wn the need of a policy which would pay them something worth while in the event that they were disabled through accident, they would buy such a contract. Therefore, during the past ten years, he has devoted himself largely to the solicitation of this class of men. He soon dis-covered that the greater the executive, the easier he was to sell ! "A special maximum accident contract which was designed for the executive type only, and which was offered by his company a few years ago, is largely accountable for his success among these captains of finance and industry. "Before soliciting one of these executives, a personal letter is written to the prospect in which mention is made of this special contract being offered him, but no details are given. After the prospect has had time to read the letter, the writer calls him on the telephone requesting an appointment. If the prospect doesn't seem willing to grant an interview, he is given a few interesting features of the contract, which usually create enough interest to obtain the desired appointment. With this part of the battle won, victory is practically assured, for, although the prospect is not aware of it, he was practically sold before the writer left for his appointment. "Now, for the actual closing of the business—he is not the type of risk that will stand for trivialities. The agent must be prepared to look him squarely in the eye ; explain the 'high spots' of the contract in the shortest possible time. He must be a student of psychology; must watch the expression on the prospect's face for the favorable moment to close and when that psychological moment arrives, must produce his application blank, obtain the data for the policy quickly, ask him to sign his name on the dotted line, and with the least possible delay, bow himself out of the office. The agent must remember that it is to his advantage to be brief ; not allowing 720 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS the prospect time for reconsideration of the matter and the possibility of his changing his mind. "By making it a practice to always explain thoroughly the coverage of a contract so that there might not be any question in the mind of the policyholder as to what his policy provided, the writer has found it easy to keep the customer well sold. "It is the writer's firm belief that a large accident production can only be secured by the application of hard work, perseverance and real concentration on this particular line of insurance. Three things must be forever imprinted on the agent's mind: belief in his ability, belief in what he sells, and, last but by no means least, belief in the company he represents !" In 1898 Mr. Watkins was united in marriage to Miss Maud V. Donaldson, of Youngstown, Ohio. They are the parents of a son, William D., better known as "Don," who graduated from Syracuse University with the Bachelor of Science degree in 1929, and is associated with his father in business, serving as vice president of William B. Watkins, Inc., and the John Ward Insurance Co. He is a member of the Greek letter fra-ternity Zeta Psi and is also a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner. A worthy exemplar of the teachings and purposes of the Masonic fraternity, William B. Watkins is a member of the blue lodge, the chapter, the commandery, the consistory, the Mystic Shrine and the Grotto. He also belongs to the Acacia Country Club, the Shrine Club, the Cleveland Athletic Club, the Rotary Club of Cleveland and the Cleveland Life Underwriters, Inc. A man of outstanding ability and phenomenal success in the insurance field, he is favorably known among leading citizens of Cleveland. The family residence, which he built in 1922, is at 2936 Paxton road, Shaker Heights. JOHN F. RUST, SR. Though a third of a century has passed since John F. Rust, Sr., departed this life, he is still remembered by many of Cleveland's older residents as one of the most successful financiers and business men of the city. He started in life in a humble capacity but his ready recognition of opportunity led him continually to broaden the scope of his labors until he attained a commanding position in the financial and business circles of Cleveland as the vice president of the Citizens Savings & Trust Company, as a director of every national bank in the city and as the owner of large real estate interests here, while his business connections also included investments in other parts of the country. John F. Rust, Sr., was born in Rutland, Vermont, June 15, 1835, and was the youngest of a family of five sons and three daughters, whose parents were Amasa and Charlotte (Ward) Rust. On leaving Rutland they removed to Marine City, Michigan, John F. Rust being at that time two years of age. Spending his boyhood days there, he attended the public schools and at the age of eighteen became an engineer in the employ of his brother, who was the owner of a saw-mill. Soon afterward he went to Saginaw, Michigan, with his brothers and there engaged in the lumber business. He was also connected with the firm of Ward Brothers, who were prominent shipowners. He retained his residence in Saginaw until 1865, when, having saved some capital from his earnings, he decided to come to Cleveland and enter busi-ness circles in this city. Here he formed a partnership for - 721 - 722 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS the conduct of a lumber enterprise under the firm name of Rust, King & Company, and when the silent partner of the firm sold out the name of Rust, King & Clint was adopted. For a number of years they did a profitable and growing business as lumber merchants and then Mr. Rust, in 1883, sold his interest and became one of the founders of the Citizens Savings & Trust Company. In this he was associated with Messrs. King, Newcomb, Leuty and other prominent business men, and assumed part of the active management of the institution as director and vice president. He was largely instrumental in instituting a safe and conservative policy which won public confidence and, taking on the legitimate branches of a banking business, did much to promote the effi-ciency of the bank and, therefore, win the patronage of the public. He retired from active business interests in 1886 and through his remaining days gave his time to those interests for which his taste inclined him and his leisure permitted. His name, however, was closely linked with banking inter-ests, for in addition to his connection with the Citizens Savings & Trust Company he was vice president of the Western Reserve National Bank and a stockholder in every national bank of Cleveland. He was, moreover, financially interested in many of the most important business houses of the city and was a heavy investor in real estate, owning. much Euclid avenue and downtown property that proved very profitable. At the time of his death he was the owner of many of the most valuable sites in the downtown districts, was the owner of large vessel interests on the Great Lakes, as well as min-ing interests in the west and in the lumber districts of Mich-igan. In fact, he had extensive holdings in various sections of the country and came to be considered as one of Cleveland's wealthiest business men, who was widely known and courted socially by club men and those prominent in society. On the 15th of December, 1863, at Saginaw, Michigan, Mr. Rust was married to Miss W. A. Smith, a daughter of THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 723 Isaac and Welthena (Stevens) Smith, the former a prominent jeweler of Knowlesville, New York. Mrs. Rust was born in Knowlesville in 1846 and came to Cleveland in 1863. The children of this marriage were five in number : Frank P., who was born July 1, 1865, and died in California in 1901; Gertrude, who married George N. Chandler, of Cleveland ; Charlotte, born in Cleveland, April 28, 1878, who wedded Wilson Potter, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; Clara, who was born in Cleveland, July 25, 1879, and who is the wife of W. E. Brigham, of Providence, Rhode Island ; and John F., Jr., who resides in Cleveland. A biography of John F. Rust, Jr., will be found in another part of this work. Mr. Rust was prominent in many projects for the city's welfare and was very widely known in Cleveland. He at-tended the Second Presbyterian Church, in which he was a trustee and to which he was a liberal donor, and he held membership in the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Industry, the Union, Euclid, Colonial, Roadside and Gentlemen's Driving Clubs. He was a director of the Huron Street Hospital. He was also a Master Mason and appreciated the duties of the metaphorical teachings of the fraternity. He was fond of driving and always kept some good horses. His home interests, however, were paramount to all else and his success was a source of gratification to him because it enabled him to provide the members of his own household with the comforts and the opportunities of life. His death occurred August 9, 1899, when he was sixty-four years of age. Mrs. Rust survived until December, 1909, when she passed away in Philadelphia. An earlier biographer concluded his review of the career of Mr. Rust with the following tribute : "So many and varied were his activities that he touched in large measure the general interests of society, nor was he ever unmindful of his obligations to his fellowmen. He never allowed personal interests or ambition to dwarf his public spirit or activity. His was the record of a strenuous life—the record 724 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS of a strong individuality, sure of itself, stable in purpose, quick in perception, swift in decision and energetic and persistent in action. It is a recognized fact that in this, the twentieth century, other things being equal, the men of sub-stance are the stronger force in the progress of the world and it was to this class that John F. Rust belonged." SAMUEL E. STRONG In the development of the business of Strong, Cobb & Company, manufacturing chemists of high standing, Samuel E. Strong played an important part and was also identified with financial interests of Cleveland, his native city. Born in 1867, he was a son of Samuel Merwin Strong, a pioneer druggist, who founded the institution, now operated under the style of Strong, Cobb & Company. In Cleveland, Samuel E. Strong attended the old Brooks School and was next a student in Phillips Academy, a prepar-atory school at Andover, Massachusetts, where Dan R. Hanna, a son of the late Senator Mark A. Hanna, of Cleveland, was one of his classmates. As schoolboys they had become steadfast friends and so continued until the death of Mr. Hanna. Following his return home Mr. Strong entered the drug house headed by his father and gradually progressed through the various departments, acquiring the knowledge and experience which qualified him for the responsibilities of an executive. Eventually he became a partner in the concern, having as his associates Edwin Lee Strong, an older brother, Ralph L. Cobb, and Lester A. Cobb. This relationship was continued until the death of Samuel E. Strong on the 5th of January, 1927. In that year Edwin L. Strong retired and the business was incorporated, with C. H. Strong as president, but a few months later he was succeeded by Theodore S. Strong, who is a son of Edwin L. Strong, now deceased, and has been the directing head of Strong, Cobb & Company for the past five years. Starting as retail and wholesale dealers in drugs, they enlarged the scope of their - 725 - 726 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS activities in 1875, when they began the manufacture of a general line of pharmaceutical and medicinal products, and since 1918 have been manufacturing chemists. In his special line of business Samuel E. Strong was widely known and was honored with a high office in the National Wholesale Druggists Association, serving as its treasurer. His name appeared on the directorate of the Dow Chemical and he was also a direc-tor of the Union National Bank, which his father had repre-sented in a similar capacity. This bank was later absorbed by the Union Trust Company of Cleveland. In 1916 Mr. Strong was united in marriage to Mrs. Ruth (Strong) McMillan, who resides at Gates Mill, Ohio, and has a family of three children, Sterling, David and Jean McMillan. Greatly enjoying horseback riding, Mr. Strong was a leading spirit in the organization of the Chagrin Valley Hunt Club and never missed a hunting meet or horse show. He also belonged to the Hermit, Mid-Day and Union Clubs of Cleveland. Genial, companionable and optimistic, he found life well worth the living and made the most of it day by day. His demeanor was ever marked by the courtesy, consideration and kindliness which characterizes the gentleman, and his integrity and honor were above question. JOHN FRANKLIN RUST, JR. John Franklin Rust, Jr., has devoted his time and attention to the management of the Rust estate during the past twenty-five years and has become widely known as one of Cleveland's leading capitalists. He was born in this city on the 16th of June, 1882, a son of John F. and W. A. (Smith) Rust, and has proved a worthy successor of his honored father in the handling of extensive and important interests. A review of the career of John F. Rust, Sr., deceased, may be found in another part of this publication. John F. Rust, Jr., attended private schools and the University School of Cleveland, after which he went east to continue his education in the Lawrenceville School of New Jersey. Subsequently he entered Princeton University, from which he was graduated in 1907 with the Bachelor of Letters degree, and on completing his college course he was called to manage the estate left by his father. Throughout the intervening period, covering a quarter of a century, his attention has been given to the property interests and investments which constitute the estate, and his business ability is manifest in the capable manner in which he has controlled the affairs entrusted to him. He is a director of the Wilson Cypress Company and has extensive lumber interests in Florida and on the Pacific coast. On the 4th of December, 1907, Mr. Rust married Irma Lisette Squire, a daughter of F. B. Squire, of Cleveland, and they reside at 2215 Overlook road, Cleveland Heights. They hold membership in the Presbyterian Church and Mr. Rust belongs to various social organizations, being prominent in - 727 - 728 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS the club life of the city as a member of the Union, Hermit, Country and Mayfield Clubs. His political allegiance is given to the republican party. "Mr. Rust," wrote a contemporary biographer, "came to manhood well equipped by liberal education for the duties and responsibilities that have devolved upon him. To accumulate a fortune requires one kind of genius; to retain a fortune already acquired, to add to its legitimate increment and to make such use of it that its possessors may derive therefrom the greatest enjoyment and the public the greatest benefit, requires another kind of genius. Mr. Rust belongs to that younger generation of business men in Cleveland who have been called upon to assume responsibilities materially different from those which devolved upon their predecessors. In a broader field of enterprise they find themselves obliged to deal with affairs of greater magnitude and to solve more difficult and complicated financial and economic problems. The subjective and objective forces in the life of John F. Rust are well balanced, making him cognizant of his own capabilities and powers, while at the same time he thoroughly understands his opportunities and meets his obligations." CLEVELAND TRUST COMPANY Early in 1894 three prominent young Cleveland men, then just at the beginning of their careers, conceived and initiated a new financial institution that has since become one of the largest banks in America, The Cleveland Trust Company. They were Harry A. Garfield, attorney, now president of Williams College ; Charles L. Pack, forest economist, now president of the American Tree Association ; and Amos B. McNairy, manufacturer, now retired. All are living in the east, but frequently spend some time in Cleveland. These gentlemen had been actively interested in the erection of the Garfield building at Euclid avenue and Bond street (now East Sixth street) and had secured for one of its tenants the New England Safe Deposit Company of Boston, Massachusetts, to occupy the larger part of the basement room. A vault of large size had been put in place when the Boston company decided not to establish an office in Cleveland. Mr. Garfield informed Mr. Pack and Mr. McNairy of the situation, and advanced the thought of organizing a bank to take over the lease and fixtures of the Safe Deposit Company, the state legislature having just enacted a law permitting safe deposit companies to engage in trust business. Mr. Pack favored the idea and Mr. McNairy joined Mr. Garfield in interesting others in the project. The counsel and cooperation of a number of Clevelanders were enlisted, one by one. That was one of the years in which "times were hard" and the organizers moved with caution and slowly but surely. At the first preliminary meeting for organization, in September, 1894, there were present Messrs. - 729 - 730 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS H. Clark Ford, Henry A. Sherwin, J. D. Cox, R. A. Harman, J. G. W. Cowles, Benjamin Rose, Judge Samuel E. William-son, F. L. Alcott, W. F. Carr, J. M. Henderson, and C. S. Bissell, besides the three "prime movers." A list of 125 stock-holders was completed within a year, no one holding more than 150 shares. Among them was John D. Rockefeller. Late in 1894 Mr. E. G. Tillotson, until then a junior officer of the Euclid Avenue National Bank, was secured as secretary and treasurer to organize and head the staff. On September 10, 1895, The Cleveland Trust Company opened its doors with J. G. W. Cowles as first president, and H. A. Sherwin, H. A. Garfield and A. B. McNairy, vice presidents. Mr. Charles L. Pack was chairman of the executive committee for many years. On its thirty-fifth anniversary in 1930, the bank published a reproduction of its first statement of condition, rendered in April, 1896, to the auditors of state (as then required by law), showing resources of $1,191,000, including' deposits of $565,000. A recent statement showed resources of approx-imately $300,000,000, including deposits of about $250,000,- 000 held at fifty-eight banking offices in and near Cleveland, and representing over 500,000 deposit accounts. A recent survey of the relative positions of the large banks of this country showed that The Cleveland Trust Company ranked sixth in savings deposits, and nineteenth in total deposits; and no other banking institution in America whose branch offices are confined to a single local region had as many depositors. This remarkable growth is attributable to several factors, chief among which is the pioneering spirit, evidenced notably in three directions; branch banking, advertising, and the establishment of unusual safeguards. Chronologically the first of these departures from precedent was the bank's advertising policy, and the credit for its initiation belonged to Mr. H. A. Sherwin. On accepting a position on the board of trustees, before the organization was completed Mr. Sherwin urged that the names of 10,000 pros- THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 731 perous Clevelanders should be secured and a direct printed invitation sent to them to open. an account with the new institution. No such thing had ever been done before by a bank, and all of those trustees who had previously had any connection with banks, and all other interested and experienced persons who were consulted, at first held up their hands in horror at the thought, some being certain that it would be fatal and destroy all confidence in the judgment and conservatism of the bank's management. Nevertheless, the suggestion of Mr. Sherwin, known for his great success in building up the Sherwin Williams Company largely by means of a bold advertising policy, finally prevailed, and the perilous experiment was tried, with amazing success. The subsequent decision to utilize large newspaper space for more persuasive advertising than the mere statement of the bank's name, location, capital stock and deposits and possibly its financial situation—the maximum extent to which banks had previously advertised-- was similarly horrifying at first, but more rapidly won its way because of the first prod of Mr. Sherwin's good judgment. Through all its history the bank has been a consistent user of local advertising on a comparatively large scale, and its example has since been followed by practically all success-ful banks. It was in January, 1903, that a merger was consummated between The Cleveland Trust Company and the Western Reserve Trust Company, another institution organized in 1900, primarily to provide a banking tenant for the new Williamson building, just as The Cleveland Trust Company had been organized by those interested in the Garfield building. The headquarters of the combined institutions were established in the Williamson building banking room, and it was decided to operate the original banking offices in the Garfield building as a women's department--the first such department in the history of banking. At the same time an opportunity arose to purchase the business of another small bank in East Cleveland, and to operate it as a branch. Later in the same year the business of the East End Bank, which had an office on 732 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS St. Clair street as well as its main office at the corner of Euclid and Willson avenues, was acquired; and The Cleveland Trust Company was definitely embarked upon branch banking'. Led by Mr. Tillotson, ably supported by Director H. Clark Ford, lawyer and student of banking, who was a firm believer in the branch banking system as established in Great Britain, Canada and elsewhere, the directors of the company decided to extend their scope gradually to city-wide banking, which was later broadened to include a few institutions in suburban communities and adjacent counties. The state law limiting branches to the city containing the main office and only its contiguous suburbs had not then been enacted. By the end of 1906 the company had fifteen branch offices, which with two exceptions represented the acquisition of small banks that had already built up a successful business in their respective localities. In the meantime the bank had acquired the church property at the corner of East Ninth street and Euclid avenue and adjoining land, where its main office has stood since 1908. This, too, was pioneering, since upper Euclid avenue beyond East Ninth street was then virgin territory as far as any business was concerned, and many believed it to be a fatal location for a bank. The vision and courage of Mr. Pack at last won the board to this purchase ; but there was widespread head-shaking at the price paid for the Euclid avenue frontage. Twenty years later the consensus of able real estate opinion estimated its value at much more than ten times the price that was paid. Mr. Frederick H. Goff, who had achieved widespread recognition for brilliant legal work, and was also in public service in connection with the settlement of the street railway controversy, had joined the directorate of The Cleveland Trust Company in the early years of the century. Mr. Cal-vary Morris, who had succeeded Mr. Cowles as president of The Cleveland Trust Company at the time of the consolidation with the Western Reserve Trust Company, was desirous of retiring from active service. Mr. Goff was prevailed upon THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 733 to take the presidency "for one year," giving up his large and lucrative practice as counsel for important corporations. Thus began a remarkable banking career which lasted until Mr. Goff's death in 1923. All of his associates would agree that of all the pioneers who contributed to the success of the company, he achieved first rank. At the time Mr. Goff was elected to the presidency, the board of directors met once a month ; upon his recommendation the board began to meet twice a week, and it still does. It has been the general custom for banks to have their books and cash examined once a year by a committee of directors, and some banks, including The Cleveland Trust Company, had begun the practice of employing auditors for that purpose ; examinations by state authorities were rudimentary, and the searching clearing house examinations now common were unknown. The head of a firm of auditors was employed as the auditor of The Cleveland Trust Company, to build up a staff whose duty should be constantly from day to day to examine and audit thoroughly all of the transactions, reporting to the board of directors and acting independently of the officers. All the vaults in which the cash, valuables and securities of the bank were housed were equipped with two inde-pendent combinations, one known only to the auditors, and the other to delegated officers ; thus none could be opened with-out the presence of an auditor and an officer or his delegated representatives. These were new and rigorous standards at that time. In 1914 another great act of pioneering established lasting fame for Mr. Goff. He conceived and developed, and by resolution the directors of The Cleveland Trust Company adopted, the plan of The Cleveland Foundation, the model of over seventy-five "community trusts" that have since been established in American cities. The history of The Cleveland Foundation is elsewhere recounted in this work. Its conception has been termed "the most important single contribution of a generation to the art of wise giving." In 1917 The Cleveland Trust Company, under Mr. Goff's 734 - THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS leadership, entered the Federal Reserve System, being the first large state institution in the fourth federal reserve district to render its support to the new system. Up to that time the company had confined itself chiefly to the functions of a trust company, safe deposit company and savings bank. It had made almost no commercial or discount loans, and so had attracted checking accounts only from depositors not in need of such loans. Its commercial business has since that time developed rapidly and substantially, and among its deposits subject to check are now included those of many of the largest industrial and commercial institutions of its field. As its name implies, the bank was and is primarily a trust company, and its fiduciary capacities have been developed to a very large degree and a scope and volume of trusts that are outstanding. Though its corporate trust functions are many and extensive, it is in the field of trusteeship of individual estates that the company has made most conspicuous advance. Mr. Goff was a pioneer also in the development of the "living trust," and perhaps largely because of that leadership, the bank has long managed one of the largest accumulations of personal trust funds held anywhere in the country, which is annually increasing materially. Its statement of condition as a banking institution does not, of course, disclose the extent of its trust business, which is, however, understood to be comparable in volume to the total of other assets indicated by its published statements. In 1922 occurred the largest merger in the history of the company. It included the Lake Shore Banking and Trust Company and the Garfield Savings Bank Company, each of which had several branch offices. When Mr. Goff died a year later, Mr. Harris Creech, who had been president of the Garfield Savings Bank Company for many years, became president of The Cleveland Trust Company. Under his administration the deposits of the combined institutions have been almost doubled, and its scope and success have increased markedly. The Pearl Street Savings Bank became a part of the institution in 1929. THIS CLEVELAND OF OURS - 735 At one time or another the directorate of The Cleveland Trust Company has included many men whose names have been prominent in the roster of Cleveland's industrial, commercial and professional leaders. The members of the present board are: