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one grist mill, one saw mill, one carding and fulling mill, some six or eight stores, three or four avenues, etc."


The Monroeville Spectator was founded in 1870, and Mr. Simmons has been its editor and proprietor for the past twenty-four years. He is therefore one of the most widely known and popular men in this section of Huron county.


OLD COVERED BRIDGE NEAR MONROEVILLE.


THE VILLAGE TODAY.


The Monroeville of the present embraces a number of fairly prosperous industries, among which may be mentioned the following : The piano factory of F. H. Mason & Son, established in 1892 ; the Yingling Brothers Manufacturing Company, which turns out handles and fellows ; the Aten Lumber and Manufacturing Company, a comparatively new concern, which makes such wooden specialties as stepladders ; and two grain elevators, two flour mills and two brick and tile factories. The leading bank of the place is conducted by the Farmers' and Citizens' Banking Company. It was established in 1905 and has a capital of $50,000. Monroeville has a good system of water works and electric lighting, its plant having been completed in 1898. The was supply of the village is obtained from Huron river. The churches represented the Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, German Evangelical, Reformed and Catholic. The last named denomination has two societies, one composed of the German and the other of the English speaking element. Of the local societies, the Knights of Columbus are the strongest, although the Masons and Odd Fellows have well sustained lodges.


THE "START" OF HENRY M. FLAGLER (?)


Careful inquiry has failed to unearth any greatly distinguished characters who have been born or passed their early years in Monroeville. The only item which might fall in this class concerns Henry M. Flagler, the Standard Oil magnate and railroad and hotel king, of


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Florida. It has always been insisted by the old-timers of the village that Mr. Flagler was given his first start toward opulence by Stephen Harkness, who ran a little harness shop at this place during his early manhood. At that time young Flagler was a budding business man at Bellevue, and the Harkness and Flagler families were related by marriage. Stephen became interested in the Standard Oil Company and not only invested some of his money in its stock, but assisted Mr. Flagler to go and do likewise. The ultimate result was the creation of a fortune, on the part of Flagler, and the earning of a national fame as a leading official in Standard Oil matters and the creator of modern Florida.


Near the outskirts of Monroeville is an old covered bridge, built in 1836, which is one of the very few structures of the kind still standing unaltered between the east and the middle west, and is one of the picturesque landmarks of Huron county.



GREENWICH.


Although the township of Greenwich, in the southeastern part of Huron county, was one of the earliest to be settled, the village by that name was not considered of sufficient importance to be incorporated until 1879. It is now a place of about 900 people, situated on the line of the Big Four, and its business mainly consists of shipments of cattle and dealings in grain. It also has a tile factory and a lumber yard, and, as the surrounding country is rich agriculturally, its merchants enjoy a fair retail business.


OTHER SETTLEMENTS OF THE COUNTY.


New Haven is a village in the township by that name, and has not to, exceed 300 people, although it was laid out in 1815 by David and Royal H. Powers. It was platted upon the gen-eral plan of New Haven, Connecticut, and was designed to be a place of broad streets and large parks, but this-was not to be its destiny. New Haven was a dangerous business competitor of Norwalk in the early twenties, but commenced to decline at the completion of the Sandusky, Mansfield & Norwalk railroad, and since that time has never asserted itself as a progressive town.


Eleven miles east of Norwalk is the little village of Wakeman, containing some 600 people, whose business is such that it is able to support a good local newspaper and a substantial bank. Its journal, the Wakeman Independent, was founded in 1875. The Wakeman Banking Company came into existence in 1892. The township and the village both derive their name from Jessup Wakernan, one of the original proprietors of the land.


The story of the rise and decline of North Fairfield, in the township of Fairfield, is the old tale of railroad neglect. As early as 1831 a store was established in the center of the township on the present site of the village, and around this pioneer business place grew a flourishing settlement. Not only were there a number of prosperous stores at this point, but several manufacturing plants in the' early thir-ties and forties. A newspaper, the Fairfield Gazette, was even established and became quite vigorous ; later, however, it moved to Bellevue.


Both West Clarksfield and Clarksfield are old settlements in the township of the latter name. During early years the inhabitants of these places had to go to Florence, or even to New London, for their mail, but in 1821 a postoffice was established at Clarksfield with Smith Starr as postmaster, and Mr. Starr filled that position without interruption until 1853.


In 1834 Samuel Husted and David Tyler built a saw mill between the river and the east and west roads. This was operated until about 1888, but now has almost disappeared. The milldam at Clarksfield, with a fair sized grist mill, is the chief present evidence of industrial life at that place. In the southeastern part of Brownson township is a little settlement known as Olena village, the first house upon this site being built by William Burroughs in 1852. The village was formerly called Angell's Corners and continued thus for several years,


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when its citizens publicly christened it Olena. The other settlements of the county worthy of mention are Havana and Collins.


THREE PIONEER WOMEN.


Lois Starr Hoyt, a charter member of the Baptist church of Fairfield, "spun and wove the first linen tablecloth for communion use and gave her necklace of gold beads to aid in the purchase of a communion set."


Jane Robinson Phillips, of Hartland, was one of the most industrious women Huron county ever had. "She often walked to Milan and returned in a day, and she could knit a pair of socks as she journeyed."


Another remarkable pioneer woman of Huron county, Greenwich, was Nancy Doud Horr. She was slight of build, but possessed of great endurance. She did all the work of a family of six and wove and sold linen cloth, buying a cook stove with the money. "After spinning all day she would sit late at night knitting woolen socks to sell. She also picked geese and sold the feathers."


PIONEER PHYSICIANS OF THE FIRELANDS.


Before all other professional men the physicians of a new community are a necessity, and in many respects affection goes out to them in more abundant measure than even to ministers of the gospel, for the reason that they and their ministrations seem nearer to the hearts of men, women and children. This fact is sufficient reason for the reproduction of the following, taken from a paper contributed to the Proceedings of the Firelands Historical Society by Dr. F. E. Week :


The first physicians of the Firelands seem to have left very little history to be read by us of the present time, and in many instances we have been able to find nothing more than a mere mention of the name and date of residence here. The first historical collection of the Firelands was not begun until more than half a century after the advent of the first settler. Our history is principally a compilation from the volumes of The Firelands Pioneer.


Many of the early physicians found themselves in unpromising fields, where the prospects of gaining a livelihood by the practice of medicine was small on account of the poverty of the settlers, the sparseness of the settlement, the hardships necessary to reach their patients and other causes. There were undoubtedly many physicians in the Firelands at an early day whose names have not been preserved by the historian. In studying the history of these early physicians we notice that some of them became engaged in other lines of business in addition to the practice of their profession, or abandoned the profession for some other business. In many cases they found it necessary to add to the slender income gained by their profession by some other means. We often find mention of their taking an active part in the business and social affairs in the new settlements. The usefulness of their lives deserves a better history than has been written by men who lived at a time when the facts could be more easily obtained.


The pioneer doctor was thrown on his own resources to a greater extent than those of modern times. He had not so many books or journals. He had fewer aids to diagnosis treatment. He could not command the seervices of a specialist in obscure or critical cases. These obstacles tended to develop a greater personality among the brighter minds, and out of the obscurity of history we see a few names shining like beacons, such as Sanders, Tilden, Baker, Kittredge, Fay, Campbell, Morton and others, which were known all over the Firelands.


Dr. George Hastings settled in Groton in 1810 and died in 1864.


Dr. Watsell Hastings settled in Oxford in 1811. He moved to Groton and died there.


Dr. Strong lived in Vermillion before the war of 1812.


Dr. Ansolem Guthrie settled in Huron in 1812 and moved to Canada in 1817.


Dr. Erastus Goodwin settled in Mian in 1812 and died in 1834.


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Before Drs. Guthrie and Goodwin came, a Dr. Long, of Cleveland, used to come when sent for.


Dr. Parks was among the refugees who left Danbury after Hull's surrender.


Dr. Samuel Carpenter lived at Cold Creek in 1824. Another writer says that Dr. Carpenter succeeded Dr. Hastings in Oxford and was the only physician there for many years. He moved west and died. His son, Samuel B., succeeded him.


Dr. Richard P. Christopher came from. Hartford, Conn., to Perkins in 1815, having graduated from Yale the previous year. He died in Perkins in the thirties.


Dr. Lyman Fay, a native of Barnard, Vermont, moved to Milan in 1815. He married Caroline Kellogg, of Townsend, in 1816. In 1823 he moved to Milan village, where he died in 1854. In an old account book of Samuel Husted, of Clarksfield, we find the following entry in the account of Ephraim Webb : "July 25, 1820. To paying Doct. Fay for 2 pukes, 25 cts.”


Dr. Joseph Pierce moved from Herkimer county, New York, to Norwalk in 1815. He became the first postmaster there. He moved to New Haven about 1825 and thence to Indiana.


Dr. Heman M. Clark settled in Wakeman in 1817 or 1818. He had been a surgeon in the navy in 1812. He practiced medicine when there was occasion, but worked his farm. He was too generous to live by his profession, but traveled through the settlement on foot when called upon, without regard to compensation. If the patient was able to pay he took a moderate fee, but if not able he attended just the same.


Dr. Dake lived in Huron in 1817.


Dr. Hartshorn was the first physician in Venice in 1817.


Dr. George Anderson was the pioneer physician in Sandusky and the only one there for many years.. He was born in Otsego, New York, on his .father's farm, which is now the site of Cooperstown, on February 8, 1792. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania under the 1instruction of Dr. Rush, and studied with Dr. Joseph White, of Cherry Valley. He settled in Venice in 1817 and in Sandusky a year later. There were only half a dozen families in the town at that time. In 1821 he was married to Eleanor Hull. He gained a wide practice and became skillful in treating the diseases which prevailed at that time. He was one of the promoters of the Mad River and Lake Erie railroad, the pioneer railroad of this section. In August, 1834, he visited a patient sick with the cholera in the morning and died of that disease in the evening of the same day.


Dr. Samuel Day, a native of Vermont, settled in New London in 1818 and lived there until his death in 1829. He had a family of eighteen children.


Daniel Tilden was born at Lebanon, New Hampshire, August 19, 1788. His father, with four brothers, served in the Continental army during the war of the Revolution. He entered the office of Dr. Joseph White, of Cherry Valley, New York, in 1807. He continued his medical studies until the spring of 1812, when he received his degree of M. D. from Dartmouth College. He was married to Nancy Drake on April 10, 1814. In 1817 he arranged a wagon train and started from Cassinovia, New York, for the Firelands. On the fourth day of July they reached Cook's Corners. He was charmed with the beauties of the prairie and soon purchased 2,000 acres of land, but found that he was land-poor, like so many others. In 1825 he moved to Norwalk and entered into partnership with Dr. Kit-tredge. He had a large practice at this time. He served in the State Senate from 1828 until 1835. In 1839 he moved to Sandusky, where he lived until his death on May 7, 1870. He was president of the Erie County Medical So-ciety for several years and a delegate to the American Medical Association, of which he was elected one of the vice-presidents in 1854. In 1857 he was president of the Ohio State Medical Society.


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Moses Chapin Sanders was born in Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, May 27, 1789. While a youth he moved with his father's family to Saratoga county, New York. He attended medical lectures at the University of New York and graduated there. He began practice at Galway, New York, but moved to Peru, Ohio, in 1818, with his father, mother and younger brother. Here he entered into an active practice of his profession and gained a high place in the esteem of his patients. He performed every operation known to surgery. His reputation gained him the appointment of medical censor of the old Cleveland Medical College, now the medical department of Western Reserve University, which office he held until his retirement from practice.


Dr. Cyrus Cole moved from Washington county, New York, to Delaware, Ohio, in 1817, then to Canada, then to Fremont, where he married Elizabeth Desang. In 1820 he moved to Ridgefield township and lived until his death in 1853.


Dr. Samuel Stevens lived in Lyme township in 1820. A doctor of the same name and possibly the same man, who lived at Bloomingville, one day rode west through Groton, then south of the Ridge, thence home, arriving in the night, and visited forty patients and passed some who were not so sick, but whom he would have visited if it had not been night. This was in the sickly season of 1819.


Dr. L. G, Harkness, who was born in New York state in 1801, settled in Lyme in 1823 and became associated with Dr. Stevens. He moved to Bellevue and abandoned the practice of medicine. He was succeeded by Dr. Daniel A. Lathrop in 1835.


Dr. Charles Smith was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, February 2, 1797. About 1826 he moved to Lyme township and lived there until his death in 1861. He took an active part in the affairs of the township and was an ardent advocate of temperance and religion.


Other early physicians in Lyme were Drs. Otis and Boise.


George G. Baker was born in Montville, Connecticut, December 19, 1798. He attended Plainfield Academy, thirty miles from his home, and walked home every week to save the expense of washing and mending his clothes. He received his medical degree at Bowdoin College, Maine, in 1822. In that same year he came to Berlin or Vermillion (historians differ). He then moved to Florence, where he was the first physician. In 1838 or 1840 he moved to Norwalk, where he lived until about 1870, when he moved to Norwich, Connecticut, where he died April 22, 1877. His wife was Mary Crane, daughter of Joel Crane, of Vermillion. In 1846 Dr. Baker went to Europe with his family and traveled extensively. In 1851 he became consul at , Genoa, Italy. In 1861 he became consul at Athens, Greece, but returned after a year and entered the Union army as a surgeon. After the cloe of the war he again traveled exten-sively through Europe.


Dr. William M. Ladd settled in Fitchville in 1822 and died in New London in 1853. His practice extended over six or seven townships.


Andrew McMillan, of Scotch parentage, was born in the state of New York. He came to Monroeville with his father's family and settled on a farm. In 1822 he moved to Clarksfield and began the practice of medicine, being the first physician there: He continued his medical studies until 1827, when he gradu-ated from the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati.


Dr. Hervey Manley lived at Clarksfield be-tween 1828 and 1832. He taught school a part of the time. He loved to hunt turkeys with Fred Wildman and James Monroe.


Dr. Allen Barney died in Ridgefield in 1823.


Dr. George W. Sampson settled in Greenwich in 1824.


William F. Kittredge was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, November 27, 1803. He studied medicine at Rush Medical College. In 1825 he settled at Norwalk and entered into a partnership with Dr. Tilden. This partnership continued until Dr. Tilden moved to Sandusky. Dr. Kittredge then entered into partnership


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with Dr. Baker and this partnership continued until 1851, when the former retired from prac-tice and became engaged in mercantile pur-suits. He died in 1877.


Dr. Richard Morton, a grandson of John Morton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, moved to Greenwich in 1825 and lived there until his death.


Dr. Henry Niles was born in Massachusetts in 1796. He graduated from Hanover College in 1820. He practiced medicine at Halifax, Vermont, until 1830 or 1831, when he settled in Greenfield township. In 1833 he moved to Clyde and in 1837 to Seneca county, where he died in 1864. The first physician in Ruggles was a Dr. Baker, who settled there in 1831. Dr. Lemuel Powers was the first physician at Plymouth. He started a distillery, but, becoming converted to total abstinence, he turned the distillery into a hat factory.


Dr. J. N. Campbell was a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, receiving his diploma in 1832. He located in Fairfield township in the fall of the same year, entering into partnership with Dr. Sanders, of Peru. He took an active part in the building of the village of Fairfield.


Dr. John Tifft was born in Cayuga county, New York, June 11, 1808. In 1833 he located in Norwalk and practiced there until 1859, when he retired. His first wife was Louisa Fitch, who died in 1859. In 1862 he married Mrs. Nancy Earl. He died July 10, 1881.


At an early day New Haven seems to have been a favorite field for physicians. Dr. Samuel B. Carpenter lived there from 1814 until 182o. He was licensed to 'keep tavern there in 1816 and to sell liquor in 1820.


Dr. Royal N. Powers was a partner of Dr. Carpenter from 1814 to 1820: Dr. Selden Graves came soon after but soon moved to Seneca county. Dr. John B. Johnson arrived in 182o and died in 1824, and his funeral was the first one in the township conducted by the Masonic order. A Dr. Brown was a partner of Dr. Johnson for a time. Dr. Lemuel Powers practiced there for a time, as did also a Dr. Dimmick.


Dr. Philo P. Hoy practiced here at one time. Dr. Joseph Pierce settled there about 1825, then moved to Indiana. Dr. Hulbert went there in 1825 and died in 1828. Dr. Johns was said to be one of the early settlers there.


PIONEER MEDICAL SOCIETIES.


Dr. Sanders was president of the first medi-cal society in the Firelands, as shown by a call issued by him for a meeting of the society on June 4, 1822. The Fourteenth District Medical Society was organized in 1824. At that time no person other than members of one of the medical societies of the state were permitted by law to practice medicine or surgery. This society continued to hold meetings until 1830. In 1827 there were eighteen regularly licensed physicians and surgeons in Huron county (which then included Erie county). They were Drs. Baker, Tilden, Sanders, An-derson, Fay, Kittredge, Wm. W. Nugent, C. B. Harris, Clark, Pierce, McMillan, Christo-pher, Stephens, Smith, Carpenter, W. Mer-riman, Lemuel Powers and A. H. Brown.


FIRELANDS "UNDERGROUND" RAILWAYS.


The Firelands were honeycombed with "underground" railways in early Abolitionist days, this feature of its history being graphically described in the following paper contributed to the Firelands Historical Society by Dr. A. Sheldon : "This essay or reminiscence will mostly concern the Society of Quakers, or Friends as they are now called, who settled on the Firelands in the township of Greenwich about the year 1831. They built a log church and about ten years later built a large frame church. It was located one-half mile east of the township center, at the northwest corner of the farm owned by my father. Many of my friends and relatives were members of this Society. While I have no means of knowing


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the number of members, it must have been near one hundred and twenty-five.


"This soon became an active and important station on the Underground Railway. While there were homes here and there in other townships in the southern part of the Firelands which were stations, I know of no other locality, where, with exceptions, the entire community were friendly to the negro. And just here I want to record the names 0f some of those heroes. At the head of the Society was Willis R. Smith, who at that time was the principal preacher. He was liberally educated for an Episcopal minister. Next, I mention Joseph Healey and his son, Jacob, who were also preachers ; John L. Eddy, another preacher ; John Jenny and his sons, Benjamin and Abraham ; James and Joseph Bartlett ; Humphrey Gifford ; Benoni Coutant, and many others. There were also quite a number of others, not members of the Friends Society, who held office on the Underground Railway. Cyrus H. G. Mead, living south of the Center, a genuine Down-East-Connecticut Yankee ; Luther Mead, living in the northwest part of the township, another New Englander ; my father, Rufus Sheldon, also of New Erigland stock—any of these could be depended upon as conductors or engineers where the passen-gers were headed for the North Star.


"Well I remember the quietness and secrecy that seemed to pervade all nature when a train had to be made up. While we boys were not told much about what was doing, we soon came to know that an Ethiopian was some-where in the vicinity.


"Another first-class station was at Alum Creek in Morrow county where there was a large society of Friends. This station was too far from Greenwich to make a safe run, especially if they were pursued. There were quite a number of stations in Richland county where stops could be, made when necessary. Two stations were located just west of Mans-field. Each had excellent accommodations. One was kept by James Roe, the other by John Phinney—these stations were about four miles apart. I have heard the following incident regarding Phinney : At the time he had three negroes secreted in his corn crib. He received a 'grapevine' message that the two owners would probably be there early in the morning. Of course his plans were soon ar-ranged. Just before breakfast two gentlemen rode up wishing to see Mr. Phinney. He very graciously invited them to alight and have breakfast and they accepted his invitation. In seating them at the table he placed them so they could not see the corn crib, while he had full view of it. Soon after they were seated he gave the hired man, who was outside, a pre-arranged sign to hitch up, take the niggers and `git.' The blessing consumed a long time, and it is reported that the family ate very slowly that morning. After breakfast Mr. Phinney took down the old family Bible, remarking that it was his custom to have family worship before beginning the active duties of the day. The Southerners hesitated somewhat, but could hardly do less than acquiesce. Mr. Phinney very slowly read the 119th Psalm, then kneeling so that the old clock was in view, he prayed for one hour. By that time, the negroes were well under way to the next statfon.


"My informant told me that nearly all the passengers who came over that route were ticketed by the way of Greenwich. The Palmers of Fitchville maintained a station on the Underground.


"There was also a station in Hartland, kept by James Lee. Lee was a big brawny fellow and Was never known to let any slaveowner. interfere with, or thwart his plans. A little north of Milan was a Friends' settlement of Hathaways. The home of Peter Hathaway sheltered many a negro on his way to freedom. On one occasion two negroes took an evening train from Greenwich for Hathaway Station. On arriving they were informed that an acquaintance from the Southland was awaiting them in Sandusky, Ohio. Peter and his good wife were equal to the occasion.


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Having secured women's mourning suits, they left for Sandusky. The negroes attired in deep mourning, wearing heavy veils, each sup-ported on the arm of a man, went to the landing. The boat was waiting and the slaveowner was standing on the gangplank. Peter approached him, saying, Will thee please stand aside and let these ladies on the boat ?' As soon as they were aboard, the boat left the dock. The negroes were on deck and taking off their veils, bid their master an affectionate farewell. The owner, in great rage, turning to Peter said : 'I will follow them to hell.' Peter replied : 'Thee had best go the other way ; thee will not find these people there.'


THE FAMOUS WELLINGTON RESCUE CASE.


"It suits the purpose of this paper to make a little digression from the Underground on the Firelands. Some time late in '59, I began attending school at Oberlin. This was at the time of the Wellington Rescue Case, a brief history' of which may not be uninteresting. In 1856, a negro, John Price, was received and protected by Oberlinites. His master, John G. Bacon, in September, '58, learned that Price was in Oberlin. He immediately took steps for his capture. He sent one B. P. Mitchell with papers to consummate the arrest and return of Price. Mitchell, afraid to go into Oberlin after him, secured the services of a treacherous farther living about three miles from Oberlin. The farmer's son persuaded Price to take a ride and went a short distance outside of town, Price was captured and by a circuitous route taken to Wellington to get a train on the Big Four. But the fates were against the kidnappers. On the way to Well-ington they were met by two boys on horse-back going to Oberlin. The town was soon apprised of the kidnapping. This was about 2 P. M., and in an incredible short time, at least two hundred men and boys were on their way to Wellington. Arriving there the nuber was augmented to five hundred. The rescuers went at once to the hotel and demanded the release of the negro. The captors were terribly frightened ; however, they were soon assured that no harm could come to them personally.


"The Southerners tried to get Price to make a speech saying he wished to go back to the Southland. Finally he appeared and made this memorable speech :—`Gentlemen : I want to go back-because-because-I 'spose I must.' It is hardly necessary to add that John did not go South.


"After a few weeks maneuvering on the part of the slaveholders, bills of indictment were found against thirty-seven citizens of Oberlin, and warrants for their arrest were issued. Among them Were many prominent citizens. Such men as Prof. H. E. Peck, J. M. Fitch, Charles Langston, Simeon Bushnell, Hon. Ralph Plumb. They were confined in the Cuyahoga county jail for months. They were offered their freedom on their own recognizance, which freedom they scorned to accept. The story of their pris0n life would make a volume by itself. While there they published a bi-monthly paper called the Rescuer. As I remember it, a more appropriate name would have been the Hornet.


"On the fifth day of April, '59, the preliminary began. Hon. R. P. Spaulding, Hon. A. G. Riddle and S. O. Griswold, volunteered their services for the defense. The trial lasted for weeks, causing intense excitement throughout the whole country.


"After remaining in jail three months the cases were nolled and then came the triumphal return home. Such a homecoming ; such a welcome, no words of mine can paint ! A special train brought them from Cleveland and with them scores of others, among them prominent citizens of Cleveland and other cities. Thousands gathered at the depot to greet them. Amidst the thundering of cannon and inspiring martial music they left the train. Professor Monroe in a thrilling speech made the address of welcome, closing with these words : 'Erect as God made you, you went into prison. Erect as God made you, you have


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come out of prison. Welcome, thrice welcome, Fathers of Liberty. The vast company then repaired to the First Church, which was soon filled to its utmost capacity, and then began a meeting, which I beleive has never had its counterpart in the history Of this, or , any other country. I will not attempt a description. Among the speakers were, Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, and you who were privileged to know Giddings in the strength and vigor of his manhood, may imagine something of what this opportunity offered to him.


"Among those who came from Cleveland to witness the occasion was Gray, or as he was called, Deacon Gray, one of the editors of the Plain Dealer. It was understood that Gray had come to write for his paper an abusive article about the meeting. Gray was given a seat on the platform as a reporter, which took all the sting out of the article, and instead, he sent in his account highly eulogizing the meeting. This greatly angered the Democratic press throughout the country. Mr. Gray afterwards became a Republican, left the Plain Dealer, and fought in the war with the Union Army. On the morning following the meeting, Professor Monroe and Giddings were walking. out and met Deacon Gray on the corner near Fitche's book store. Professor Monroe introduced them. As they shook hands Giddings remarked that he felt an editorial thrill run through his system. Gray retorted that he thanked God he was able to send a thrill through one of these Black Republicans. You should have seen the twinkle in the eye of Giddings as he came back with am glad to find a Democrat that thanks God for anything.’


"These were days when history was being made by leaps and bounds. Oberlin then de-spised and almost forsaken on account of her devotion to the cause. of human liberty-today., respected and honored throughout the entire land!


TRIBUTE TO FIRELANDS PIONEERS.


"In conslusion, I turn again to the Firelands. I know of no greater honor that can come to this Society than to have recorded the history of these noble men and women, who were among the early pioneers in the settlement of the Firelands, but pioneers in a greater sense in the struggle for the downfall of that relic of barbarism, Human Slavery. Their place in the history of this county is beside Wm. Lloyd Garrison ; Wendell Phillips, Salmon P. Chase, Edwin M. Stanton, Joshua R. Giddings and Benjamin F. Wade. Though they were in the humbler walks of life, they knew the right and knowing, dared maintain it. They were of those who lit the torches that built the furnace fires that were to melt the shackles from the limbs of millions of human beings. I am proud to have known them and thankful that the years of my boyhood and young manhood were spent in their midst."


WAR HISTORY OF THE FIRELANDS.


Although Huron. and Erie counties have long been separate political bodies, historically they are often still included in the old-time division known as the Firelands. The part which this section of Ohio played in war matters is therefore here described under the title given above.


The patriot citizens of the Firelands were ready and eager to do their full share in supporting the nation at the outbreak of the Mexican War, and nearly a full company of the Third Regiment of Ohio Volunteers was enrolled at Norwalk for the purpose. It was mustered into service at Camp Washington at Cincinnati, June 24, 1846, under the command of Captain Shiver, and although ready to march to the front in the far south, their services were not required, and they were discharged in the following August. Company C of the Fifteenth United States Infantry, however, was not only enlisted in the Firelands, but saw active service in Mexico, and


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marched into the southern capital with General Scott, September 14, 1847.


The first command to be mentioned, of which a considerable portion was raised in the Firelands, is the Eighth Ohio Infantry, a three-months' regiment. Its men enlisted from April 16 to 22, 1861, and within a week later the regiment had arrived at Camp Taylor and was re-enlisted for the three-years' service, with the exception of Company I. The Eighth took part in the campaigns and engagements at Winchester, Antietam, Freder-icksburg- and Gettysburg, and Company I especially distinguished itself at the last-named battle in the capture of three stands of colors from the enemy.


There were many men from the Firelands in the Thirty-second Ohio Infantry, which was the first regiment in Ohio to reach the front in the three-years' service. It was sent into the field under Colonel Thomas H. Ford, formerly Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, and participated in the various campaigns of the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia ; in Tennessee and the southwest, including Champion Hills and the siege of Vicksburg ; in Sherman's March to the Sea and in subsequent movements in the Carolinas toward the north. At Atlanta the Thirty-second suffered terribly, more than half of its number being either killed or wounded. It took part in the Grand Review at Washington and received its final discharge at Columbus, Ohio, July 26, 1865.


The Fifty-fifth regiment went into camp at Norwalk; October 17, 1861, companies A, C, D and I being entirely composed of men and officers from Huron. and Erie counties. In January, 1862, it left for Graiton, West Virginia, and joined the Army of.. the Potomac in time to be present at Culpeper Court House, Fredericksburg, afterwards being transferred to the southwest, and participated in the battles at Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge, Resaca and Kenesaw Mountain. It was also with Sherman and was finally mustered out of service at Louisville, Kentucky, July 1, 1865.


In the Seventy-second Ohio regiment were many from Erie county. The men saw active service in Tennessee under Sherman, and were also at Corinth and the siege of Vicksburg. The regiment afterward participated in opera-tions around New Orleans and the siege of. Forts Gaines and Blakely, and was mustered out at Vicksburg, September 1, 1865.


The One Hundred and First regiment was. drawn from Huron, Erie, Seneca, Crawford and Wyandot counties, and was mustered in at Monroeville, August 30, 1862. Companies A, B, D and G were raised entirely in Huron and Erie counties. The military move-ments in which these commands participated commenced with the campaign which resulted in repelling the threatened cavalry raids of Kirby Smith in Kentucky. The regiment sub-sequently became part of Buell's army engaged in the pursuit of Bragg, and participated in the battles of Perrysville, Stone River (the first on the field), Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Franklin and Washington, and was mustered out of the service at Huntsville, Alabama, June 12, 1865.


The One Hundred and Seventh regiment was composed entirely of Germans, and received quite a number of recruits from the Firelands. It suffered its most serious loss at Gettysburg, and was honorably discharged from the service at Charleston, South Caro-lina, in July, 1865.


Companies B, C, E and G and part of companies H, I and K of the One Hundred and Twenty-third regiment enlisted from Huron and Erie counties and entered the service in 1862. They participated in the Shenandoah Valley raids, but in June, 1863, had the misfortune to be surrounded by an overwhelming body of Lee's troops and made prisoners of war, with the entire brigade to which they were attached. Most of the officers were confined in prison for eleven months, although the following of the Firelands quota managed to. escape : Captain J. F. Randolph and Lieutenant Frank B. Colver, of


460 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


company B, and Captain O. H. Rosenbaum and Lieutenant B. F. Blair, of company G. In April, 1864, about 250 of the original 700 men, comprising the One Hundred and Twenty-third regiment reassembled at Winchester and were equipped for the field. They had the pleasure of participating in the final compaigns around Winchester, which resulted in such a brilliant victory for Sheridan ; they were also present at the battle of Cedar Creek and witnessed the surrender of Lee at Appomattox Court House. In June, 1865, the command was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio.


The Third Ohio Cavalry, organized in Sep-tember, 1861, at Monroeville, was largely composed of Huron and Erie county men. It took part in the operations before Nashville and Pittsburg Landing, and in March, 1862, in the engagements around Corinth and Bowling Green, and also joined the Union cavalry in pursuit of Morgan's troops, as well as of Wheeler's famous cavalry. The Third Oh Cavalry re-enlisted at Pulaski, Tennessee, in January, 1864, and in the following March re-assembled at Monroeville to receive recruits and reorganize for active duties. Through the efforts of Major Charles W. Skinner and Captain E. M. Colver, nearly 1,000 recruits were re-enlisted and the command returned to the front over fifteen hundred strong. In the following May it moved to Columbia, Tennessee, as advance guard of the Seventeenth Army Corps, and gave a fine account of itself at Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville. After the collapse of the Confederacy it was de-tailed in the chase after Jeff Davis. The saddest incident connected with the history of this regiment was that which resulted in the death of Lieutenant E. C. Lewis, who was killed while on his way home, in the explosion on the government steam-boat "Sultana," near Memphis, Tennessee.


CHAPTER XXVII.


CUYAHOGA COUNTY.


Cuyahoga county, which did not acquire its present limits until 1843, is named after its principal river, which in" the Indian language signifies "crooked." The rivet is well named, since its source is further north than its mouth. The surface of the county is generally undulating and, except near the immediate lake districts, the soil is generally of a loamy nature.


NOW ALMOST PURELY INDUSTRIAL.


Since the early sixties, Cuyahoga county has not only largely lost its agricultural character,

but has even been transformed from a commercial district into one which is almost purely industrial.


In 1880, 184,680 bushels of wheat were produced in Cuyahoga county ; 550,108 bushels of oats and 360,6o4 bushels of corn. In 1907 the production of the same grains was as follows : Wheat, only 132,725 bushels ; oats, 349,409 bushels, and corn, 121,670 bushels. Substantially,

during the same period the population of the county increased nearly 300 per cent.


CLEVELAND VIRTUALLY THE COUNTY.


From the best of authorities we learn that the population of Cleveland was


In 1796

" 1800

" 1810

" 1820 (estimated)

" 1830

" 1840

" 1850

" 1860

" 1870

" 1880

" 1890

" 1900

" 1910 (estimated)

4

7

57

150

1,075

6,07

17,034

43,838

92,829

160,146

261,353

381,768

500.000





Since the commencement of the Civil war period, when the character of Cleveland was permanently fixed as industrial, that great city has virtually absorbed the activities of the entire

county. The valuation of the property in the county is about $250,000,000, while the real estate and personal property outside of this great municipality is placed at about $55,000,000.


ORGANIZATION OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.


By the articles of association adopted by the Connecticut Land Company, in 1795, the Western Reserve was to be surveyed into townships of 16,000 acres each, one of which was to be selected as the initial point for settlement. Cleveland township was selected for the latter purpose and the five other townships to be sold to actual settlers were Euclid, Willoughby, Mentor, Madison and one on the Mahoning river. When Trumbull county was organized in 1800, Cleveland township, then a part of it, consisted of all the present area of Cuyahoga county, a part of Geauga and all of the Western Reserve west of the Cuyahoga. On December 31, 1805, the general assembly of Ohio passed an act dividing Trumbull county and establishing Geauga county. This territory comprised the western and a part of the northern limits of Trumbull county and


- 461 -




HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 463


extended west to the Cuyahoga river and north to Lake Erie. On January 16, 1810, Cuyahoga county was fixed as embracing all the territory now within its limits east of the river and including Willoughby township. There was an earnest dispute over the line between Cuyahoga and Huron counties in 1811, and when Medina county was organized in 1812, the western boundary of Cuyahoga county was changed. Lorain county was organized in 1812 which created another disturbance over the western boundary, and in 1840 and 1841 there were still changes of territory between Geauga, Lake and Cuyahoga counties, in which Willoughby township was given to Lake. By this act the present bounds of this county were fixed.


THE COMMENCEMENT OF CLEVELAND.


General Moses Cleaveland was not the orig-inal discoverer of the importance of the geographical site of the great city which bears his name. As early as 1755 there was a French station within the present limits of Cuyahoga county, and several years before that time the mouth of the Cuyahoga river was recognized by explorers as the natural site for a great commercial, mart.


"As early. as 1765," says Harvey Rice, in one of his addresses before the Early Settlers' Association of Cuyahoga County, "Benjamin Franklin, with his usual sagacity, foresaw its availability, and recommended its occupancy as a military post. Washington, while various projects for water communication between the great northern lakes and Chesapeake Bay were being considered, suggested the practicability of a route from Lake Erie by way of the Cuyahoga, Tuscarawas and Muskingum into the Ohio, as an 0utlet to the future inland commerce of the lakes. This route necessitated a portage near Akron of less than seven miles, whereby shipments were to be transferred from the lakes to the river Ohio ; thence to ascend its upper tributaries into the mountains; from whence by another portage would be reached the navigable rivers falling into the Atlantic. The commercial importance of the mouth of the Cuyahoga was thus early perceived by distinguished men ; nevertheless history gives no reliable information of its permanent occupancy for trade or commerce anterior to the year 1786; nor is there any evidence that any active measures were taken to carry forward this scheme for opening communication between the lakes and the Atlantic, and nothing more is heard of it until 1793-4, when the state of New York proposed to provide an outlet for its lake commerce by clearing out and improving the Oswego and Mohawk rivers, and then the discussion of the route by the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers into the Ohio was revived. We are destitute of further historical facts concerning either of these projects from the year 1794 until 1807—five years after Ohio was admitted into the Union as a State. In that year the legisla-ture passed an act authorizing a lottery for the purpose of raising $12,000 for improving navigation between Lake Erie and the river Ohio." The lottery tickets were sold, but afterward the money was. refunded and no drawing ever occurred. Water connection between Lake Erie and the Ohio river therefore remained an unsolved problem until the final completion of the Ohio canal in 1827. The Completion of this undertaking finally fixed Cleveland's position as a city of national importance.


THE MORAVIAN MISSIONS.


Ten years prior to the coming of the Cleve-land survey party, a band of Moravian missionaries, with a number 0f their Indian con-verts, arrived from Detroit at the mouth of the Cuyahoga river in a vessel called the "Mackinaw." They proceeded up the river about ten miles from the site of the present city of Cleveland and settled in an abandoned village of the Ottawas, within the present limits of Independence township. Although they called their refuge "Pilgrims' Rest," their stay there was brief, for in the April following (17861 they abandoned their temporary settlement for


464 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


Huron river and located in what is now Erie county, at a point which they named New Salem, near the present site of Milan. Until 1790 the British refused to yield possession of the country along the shores of the lake west of the Cuyahoga and even when the surveyors of the Western Reserve arrived in 1796 their traders had a house north of the Detroit road on the future site of Ohio City.


FIRST FOURTH OF JULY.


On the 4th of July, 1796, the surveying party of the Connecticut Land Company for the Western Reserve arrived at Conneaut, or rather at the mouth of Cuyahoga creek, which was christened Port Independence. As general agent of the company, Moses Cleaveland was in active command of the expedition. His refined but rugged features, his square and substantial figure, proclaimed him to be a nat-ural leader of men. Fortunately, the general has left on record an account of this historical celebration of the first Independence day in the Western Reserve, and also of the appearance of the future site of Cleveland, while it was yet in a state of virgin nature. From a series of letters unearthed a number of years ago and from a great mass of correspondence which had been preserved by Walter H. Phelps, a descendant of Oliver Phelps, chairman of the board of trustees of the Connecticut Land Company, the following are reproduced, as they came from the pen of General Moses Cleaveland, July 5, and August 5, 1796. The latter, it will be remembered, was dated less than two weeks after the landing of the party upon the site of Cleveland and while

the survey was in active operation : honor of the new state of Connecticut, christened


PORT INDEPENDENCE,


ALIAS CONNEAUT CREEK, July 5, 1796. Sir :—

We sailed from Buffalo creek a week yesterday, and having head winds and very heavily loaded, with much perseverance was able to reach this place yesterday at 6 o'clock p. m. It being the 4th of July and the sound of celebration of Independence at Presque Isle animated us to a participation of the general joy. We gave a Federal salute and one in the place (Port Independence), drank a few patriotic toasts and supped and retired in reasonable order and decency.


There are a number of families of the Marengo Indians who reside on this creek. Paqua, alias Bear, acts as the chief, and his companions and I have had an interview and smoked the pipe of peace. I told them I should not purchase any right of theirs. I should not disturb them and would treat them friendly, and they might improve their land and raise their corn, and continue to hunt as usual. With this they appeared to be satisfied, and declare they will use our people well. They had been told that we should drive them off and were much alarmed. Their fears are now to appearance removed. I think we shall receive no further trouble from them, except begging. If possible, they are ten times worse than the Senekas. I am informed there are a few on the Cuyahoga. I shall in a few days set out and see them, and I think no fears will creep in the minds of any. Tomorrow Mr. Potter and the other surveyors set out for to take the south line, and as soon as they have proceeded west five miles will commence running the ranges. The appearance of the country at first view strikes most agreeably, and I am not dissatisfied on further view. I have found people on here a viewing and anxious to settle.


Through great encouragement and much persuasion and pains taken to get settlers on the Presque Islands, I have received many applications of their settlers to purchase and settle here. We must send back some of our boats to bring on the provisions left at Fort Erie. The men are yet in good health and spirits. I am with sentiments of esteem your most obedient,


MOSES CLEAVELAND


PROGRESS OF THE SURVEY.


PORT INDEPENDENCE, 5 Aug., 1796


Gentlemen :—Since my last communication I have seen, I believe, all the Indians that reside on the lands deeded by the existing treaties and find but few, and have so settled the business that no fear can possibly be apprehended from that quarter. Their small possessfons will do us no essential injury. It will be a market for venison and a place to which traders will resort to purchase their peltries. While they claim not any title (but resident), I tell them they shall not be disturbed ; the time will come when they


HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE- 465


will voluntarily quit their possessions. Mr. Porter and the surveyors are out and have run

the East line and taken the latitude on the South, which is sixty-eight miles from where it stikes the lake. The south line is part run, and they are now trying to take five ranges.


CHARACTER OF LANDS.


Mr. Porter and the surveyors not returning, I am tillable to inform you the quality of the lands., but am apprehensive (from information) that the east and northerly parts are low and flat though not of the most inferior kind. The lands on the dividing ridge East and West more hilly, and of a better quality. On the lake shore to the Cuyahoga, up that river, as also up the one called Ashtabula, now Mary Easter, and the Grand river, I have personally examined, yet not so fully as to determine the width of the bottoms.


The Mary Easter is about twice as large as the Conneought. The land excellent, black and white walnut, sycamore, cypress and hickory, grapes, hops and crab-apples, plums and white thorn, etc., etc. The Grand river is about twice as large as the Mary Easter, and will afford ood navigation for small vessels and boats. The land on which we went is as good as any I ever saw in any country. On this river is an Indian corn, etc., growing luxuriantly. The Indians were all out on their hunting parties.


The Cuyahoga is navigable for sloops about eight miles as the river runs, and for boats to the portage, if the immense quantity of trees drove down and lodged are cleared out. The land excellent, the water clear and lively current, and streams and springs falling into all three rivers. We went up the Cuyahoga in a Schenectady boat about twenty-five miles to the Old Moravian Indian town, and I imagine on a meridian line not more than twelve or fifteen miles. Here the bottoms widen, and, as I am informed, increase in width, and if possible in quality. I believe we could have proceeded further up the river, but found the time allotted and the provisions inadequate to perform the whole route. At this place we found a stream that empties into the river which will make a good mill seat. The lands on the lake shore in some places low, here and there a small cranberry pond, not of any great extent, nor discovered low drowned lands of any bigness for twenty or thirty miles on the lake shore.


On the east of the Cuyahoga are clay banks from twenty to forty feet high, on the top the land level, covered with chestnut, oak, walnut,


Vol. I-30


ash, and some sugar maple. There are but few hemlocks, and those only on swamp, pond or •lake, and in. the immense quantity of flood wood lodged on the lakes and rivers I rarely found any of that wood. The shore west of the mouth of the Cuyahoga is a steep bank for ten miles, the quality of the soil I know not, but from the growth and kind of timber these present no unfavorable aspect.


I should with great pleasure readily comply with what I suppose you have heretofore expected that I should leave this country about this time. I have not as yet been interrupted in a constant attention to business more than I could have imagined, or would have voluntarily entered into, and I see no prospect of its lessening at present. Those who are meanly envying the compensation and sitting at their ease and see their prosperity increasing at the loss of health, ease and comfort of others, I wish might experience the hardships but for one month ; if not then satisfied their grumbling. would give me no pain.


I apprehend the stagnant waters in Lake Erie (except to the westward) must be of small dimensions. The interior lakes and ponds, though not included in Livingston's computation, are, I expect, few and small ; unless the land bears more to the northwest after it passes the Cuyahoga than it does this side, the surplus will not be consequential. I expect soon to leave this for the westward, and shall make my residence there until I am ready to return to Connecticut. The men are remark-ably healthy, though without sauce or vege-tables, and in good spirits. I hope they will continue so. At Presque Isle and parts adjacent the people have been and still are very sickly. I am, with sentiments of esteem, your most obedient, MOSES CLEAVELAND.


BIOGRAPHY OF GENERAL CLEAVELAND.


As the party which surveyed the original town of Cleveland made a landing at the mouth of the Cuyahoga riyer July 22, 1796, that date is generally observed by the citizens of Cleveland as Founders' Day, and in 1888, the ninety-second anniversary, was unveiled the beautiful and impressive bronze statue of General Cleaveland, which now stands on the public square, surrounded by massive brick and stone blocks, and grand and impressive public buildings. After laying out the city,




HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 467


General Cleaveland returned to his home in Canterbury, Connecticut, where he died on the i6th of November, 1806, aged fifty-two years. The deceased was born-in the town of Canterbury, January 29, 1754, graduating from Yale College in 1777, and practicing law in his native town for nearly thirty years before he set foot in the Western Reserve. He was elected a member of the Connecticut state legislature several times, and was recognized as a practical statesman and public man of high character. In 1779, while a young man, he was appointed by the" national congress as captain of a company of sappers and miners in the army of the United States, but after rendering brief services in this capacity he resigned and returned to the practice of law. In 1796 he was not only elected general of the state militia but chosen chief of the staff of surveyors sent out by the Connecticut Land Company to the Western Reserve. His landing at the mouth of the Cuyahoga river prior to commencing the active work 0f the survey is thus described by a speaker oi the present, on Founders' day : "In attempting to land, he ran his boat aground amid the bulrushes on the eastern margin of the river. He now realized, though not an infant that he was a 'second Moses' cradled among the bulrushes. He soon extricated himself, however, and ascended the steep bank of the river, and, on looking about him, found that he stood upon an elevated plain, bounded on the west by a ribbon-like river and on the north by a sea of molten silver. He probably stood about where we now stand when he exclaimed : 'Here is the spot where, in the coming future, will arise a great city. ' "


THE FIRST SURVEY OF CI,EVELAND.


Although General Cleaveland was chief of the party of surveyors which laid out the Western Reserve and the future site of Cleveland, the active work was under the direction of Augustus Porter, assisted by Seth Pease and Amos Spafford. The area selected for the founding of the capital of the Western Reserve contained about 520 acres, and was divided into two-acre lots, with reservation for streets, alleys and public grounds. By the first of October, 1796, the city map was con-sidered complete, and upon it was written in fair hand, "City of Cleveland, in honor of the chief of the surveying party and the general agent of the Connecticut Land Company for the Western Reserve." In the spelling of the city the letter "a," which the general always used in his name, was omitted, as was the cus-tom generally followed by other members of




SETH PEASE.


the family to which General Cleaveland belonged.



Another account for the spelling of the name, which has been often repeated, is that a certain eastern newspaper man "found it convenient to increase the capacity of his iron frame by reducing the number of letters in the name of the city." The 0riginal streets, as laid out in the Pease map, were Miami, Water, Ontario and Erie, running at right angles to the lake ; and Superior, Huron, Federal, Lake, Ohio and Bath, running parallel to it. Of course, these early streets were like those of all the early towns—laid out for short distance, sometimes not more than paths, and none of them of not any great length.


Euclid avenue was surveyed from Huron to the public square in 1815. "At first it was not an imp0rtant road." Kinsman and Broadway


468 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


were used much more, but as the city grew the' beauty of this street increased. In the beginning it was wet and marshy ; was filled in with logs and was not graded until 1857, to the city limits. As houses were built, drainage extended and trees felled, this road, like all other roads, dried up.


Kinsman street was named after Kinsman township in Trumbull county, and got its orig-inal name from the Kinsman family, one of the most reliable families of the Western Reserve. The grandsons of old John Kinsman now live in Warren and a great-grandson is the Bishop of Delaware (Episcopal). Kinsman street vvas changed later to Woodland avenue. Scovill avenue was named from Philo Scovill.


CLEVELAND RESURVEYED.


In 1801 Major Amos Spafford resurveyed the original plot of Cleveland and on his map he has described the public square as follows : "The square is laid out at the intersection of Superior street and Ontario street and contains ten acres. The center of the junction of the two roads is the exact center of the square."


This plot, now known as Monumental park, was never to be given up to private uses, but, with the subsequent widening of streets in its vicinity, it was eventually decreased to about four acres. As shown by the Pease and Spafford maps, the easterly line of the original city of Cleveland was the east boundary of the tier of lots beyond Erie street coinciding with the present Canfield. It began at the lake and extended southerly one tier of lots south of High street. The. line then ran to the river ; thence to Vineyard lane ; thence to the junction of Water and Superior streets; thence to the river and down that stream to its mouth. Superior street was one hundred and thirty-two feet in width and the other streets ninety-nine. With full confidence in the future growth of Cleveland, its founder had directed that the lands immediately beyond the town proper should be laid out in ten-acre lots and the rest of the township in one hundred acre lots. The territory which would then be designated as "suburban" was surveyed and laid out in ten-acre lots during 1797, and extended on the east to the line of what is now Fifty-fifth street, and on the south to the ridge along Kingsbury run, extending westerly to the Cuyahoga river. "The Flats" were not surveyed into lots, and there was also an un-surveyed strip between the ten-acre lots and the river, near the mouth of Kingsbury run. South, middle and north highways were laid out through the suburban lots, being ninety-nine feet in width to correspond with the city streets. South highway becanie Kinsman street, Middle highway, Euclid avenue, and North highway, St. Clair.


COUNTY PIONEERS AND HAPPENINGS.


Way back between 1783 and 1800 a block house was built as a trading post by John Jacob Astor, at the outlet of the old river, beyond the present location of the water works, probably at the foot of Waverly street. Mr. Astor mav have named the land lying west of the Cuyahoga—Brooklyn—in honor ofhis own neghboring city.


Job V. Stiles located in Cleveland in 1796 and built a cabin on the ground opposite the Weddell House on Bank street.


James Kingsbury raised corn in 1797 on an Indian clearing where the old city hall stands in Cleveland. He later moved back on the Ridge.


First hotel in Cleveland, erected in 1797, by Lorenzo Carter, and stood "under the hill, about one hundred feet back from the river and some three hundred feet northerly from the present St. Clair street."


Abraham Hickox, the village blacksmith, had his shop south of the middle of the block between the square and Seneca street. His sign read : "Uncle Abram works here."


The first brewery was built "on the Light House street lot," and the first fire in the community

was when that brewery burned.


Captain Timothy Doane built one of the


HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 469


early houses. His wife and babies, accompanied by his brother Nathaniel, came with two horses through the forest path to their new home. Mrs. Doane rode and carried one baby ; her brother-in-law led a horse with two other children on it. Mrs. Doane was an unusual woman of executive ability and industry, and the baby she carried lived to be an old man. He remembered how he used to play with pappooses; who taught him to eat candles. At one time either he alone, or accompanied by his dark-skinned friend, ate up half of the winter supply. The Doane family was identified with all the early history of Cleveland and is probably as well remembered by posterity as any other family. Great balls were held at Seth Doane's tavern and people were turned out of the church for dancing, being taken back when they said they were sorry. Mrs. W. A. Ingham in 1893 says : "In 1810 there were but three frame dwellings here and five or six log houses," and in 1812 Mrs. Long relates that the public square was only partly cleared and had in it many stumps and hushes. In 1831 Dr. Long built a stone house with ample grounds, corner of Superior and Seneca streets.




It is supposed that Edward Payne had the first dry goods store in Cleveland.


The first three-story building on the Western Reserve was the Franklin House, which was built by Philo Scovill in 1826, and the spot was afterwards used for the erection of the Scovill building. As this work is going to press wreckers are demolishing the building located on the west side of West Twenty-fifth street, near Detroit avenue. In the early days the Franklin House was the place where many famous personages who passed through Cleveland by coach stayed over night.


John Jacob Astor, who had the first trading post with the Indians in Cleveland, made it a regular stopping place. His house, the oldest in Cleveland, stands on West Twenty-eighth street, near Detroit avenue.


In 1810 wolves' skins brought a dollar. Men had, to pay six cents to be ferried across the river ; loaded wagons fifty, empty twenty-five. A person running a ferry paid four dollars license, and a tavern license was the same.




HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 471


Sarah McIlrath Shaw, an early Cuyahoga county settler, was very much interested in her church and her husband was interested in the schools. They had no children, although they brought up and educated many. Three Of these were Indians who became missionaries. At one time Mrs. Shaw wanted some money for her church and her husband told her if she would drink sage tea instead of real teas for a year he would give it to her. This she did.


What a lesson is here ! First, that when a woman did at least half the work she was not entitled to any money, but it was given to her. Second, that any woman would have the courage to give up the things she liked the best, namely tea, in order to help her church. No one would have thought of asking Mr. Shaw to give up his grog, and probably his tobacco, for the schools he dearly loved.


The town of Olmstead was originally called Kingston and then Lenox. In 1829 Charles H. Olmstead, who owned land in the northern part of the township, offered to make the people a present of a library if they would change Lenox to Olmstead. This they did.


The first frame house built in Olmstead was raised by the daughters of Lemuel Hoadley. The house was building when the father and mother went away for the day and the daughters, Maria and Eunice, thought it would be nice to have the framework raised when the parents . returned. They called the assistance of a neighbor, Mrs. Scales, and the three completed the work.


Among a party of Connecticut people who came to Middleburg, walking from Buffalo,

was Mrs. Bela Bronson, who carried a child in her arms part of the way. This child

was Shalock and afterward he became a clergyman in the Presbyterian church and president of Kenyon College.


The first Bible class taught in Middleburg was Mary Baldwin's. From childhood she was interested in education and saved by teaching enough money to go to college. This, however, she loaned a young man, whom she married and together they came West. Together with him she founded the Baldwin University. She lived to be ninety-four years.


It is recorded of Alice Brockway Roggers, of Chagrin Falls, for twenty years she never left her own door yard. She lived to be ninety-five years old:


CLEVELAND A PORT OF ENTRY.


The next really important event which had a bearing upon the future standing and growth. of Cleveland was its designation, in 1805, as a port of entry for the customs district of the Western Reserve. In March, 1799, congress had divided the Northwest territory into customs collection districts, that of Erie including the shores of the lake from the Pennsylvania line to the Maumee river, the port of entry for which was ordered to be established near Sandusky. In 1805 this district was divided, its western boundary being the Vermillion river. The president was authorized to proclaim a port of entry for the new district, which he did by designating. Cleveland. On the 17th of January, 1806, Judge John Walworth was commissioned collector. In 1805 a postoffice was Also established in Cleveland and Elisha Norton was appointed postmaster.


NEWBURG THE HEALTHIER PLACE.


In the meantime the surveys had been progressing in other portions of the territory now embraced in Cuyahoga county. In fact, Newburg had been allotted in 1796 and Bedford and Warrensville in the following year In Newburg, it will be remembered, was to be raised up within the succeeding few years, one of Cleveland's most threatening rivals. During the progress of the survey it developed that the country near the mouth of the Cuyahoga river was especially subject to malarial fevers, and this fact occasioned for some time a migration to the district further south, in which movement Newburg derived considerable benefits. During the initial year of the


472 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE




FIRST COURT HOUSE.


survey, three members of the party died of malarial fever, but the season's work was done and a boatload of fourteen weak, sick and dis-couraged men left Cleveland for their Connecticut homes. Yet the geographical and commercial advantages of Cleveland's location overcame all such minor drawbacks, and eventually Newburg and Brooklyn, or the :"City of Ohio," were absorbed into the body-politic of the more vigorous municipality.


FOUNDING OF INDUSTRIES.


Prior to the establishment of Cleveland as a port of entry, little progress had been made toward the establishment of industries in Cuyahoga county. The original plant was the grist and saw mill erected by Wheeler W. Williams on Mill creek in the town of Newburg. The latter passed into the hands of Judge (afterward governor) Samuel Huntington. Cleveland, however, was not far behind its rival, for in 1801 David. Bryant erected a log building near the foot of Lakeside avenue, and there set up a small copper still for the manufacture of spirits. This father of Cleveland's tremendous industrial life had a daily capacity of but two quarts.


In 1808 Cleveland's great shipbuilding industries originated in the person of Lorenzo Carter, who built the schooner, "Zephyr," of thirty tons, and somewhat later Joel Thorpe launched the "Sally," of about equal tonnage. A more pretentious schooner of sixty tons was built in 1814 by Levi Johnston, and christened the "Pilot." It is related that twelve yoke of oxen were required to drag the craft from the boat-yard to the river, half a mile away. Afterward, for half a century, building held, perhaps, the leading among the industries of Cleveland.


Chagrin had the first mill stones for grinding corn in Cuyahoga county. They made in 1815.


FIRST COURT HOUSE.


As stated, Cuyahoga county was created in 1810 with Cleveland as the county seat, its first court house being a temporary build-


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ing on the north side of Superior street. It was built by Levi Johnston in 1813, was two stories high and stood where the old fountain in the Public Square was. "At the west end, lower story, Was the jail, with debtors' and criminals' cells grated windows in front ; east end, upper story, the court room. At the landing .of the inside staircase a fireplace, sizzling with green oak wood, feebly struggled to warm the institution. This was the assembly room for every description of meetings, until the Academy was built."


On June 15 of that year the first court. of record of .Cuyahoga county was held. with judge Ruggles president, John Walworth being clerk of court, and S. S. Baldwin sheriff. Peter Hitchcock, who was appointed prosecuting attorney, received fifteen dollars for that term's work.


It was on the Public Square, on which stood the old log court house, that the Indian Ornic was hung for the murder of two white men near Sandusky. Major Carter had charge of the execution, the dusky victim of the law begging to be shot rather than hung, but, as the trial had been according to the civil law, its sentence had to be executed in the usual way. Omic was somewhat comforted by being furnished with a pint of whisky just before his execution.


CLEVELAND HEARS PERRY'S GUNS.


It was while the log court house was still in a somewhat unfinished condition that the people of Cleveland became aware of the historical engagement on Lake Erie, under Commodore Perry. It is related that the morning of September 10, 1813, was sunny and clear. Contractor Johnston was at work on his building, but suddenly hearing distant noises like thunder threw down his tools to consider the matter. Suddenly the thought came to him like a flash ; he shouted to those around him : "It's Perry fighting the British." With one accord the news spread through the little settlement. Cleveland discontinued its work, both industrial and domestic, and its populace in a mass hurried to the banks of the lake. As it afterwards transpired, the great battle was seventy miles away, northwest of Sandusky, in Put-in-Bay, but the clear air bore the thunders of the cannonade even down to Erie, over 150 miles distant. Perry's guns were known by their deep notes, and the anxious people assembled on the lake shore waited for them to tell the tale of the distant fight. The noise of the British guns soon filled up the harmony of the battle, but at length they died out one. by one and only the bass notes of Perry's cannonade could be heard. It is said that at this point, when the Americans were confident that victory was with the national arms, the joy of the waiting Clevelanders was almost transformed into hysteria.


CLEVELAND A VILLAGE.


On. the 15th of October, 1814, the township of Newburg was organized, and embraced within its limits the residences of such important citizens as Thomas Kingsbury, Erastus Miller and Rudolphus Edwards. It has been already stated that at Newburg were established the first mills in the county, and, in fact. for a considerable period its superior water power enabled the locality to lead Cleveland both in actual importance and in future prospects. Indeed, for not a few years Cleveland was described as "the town on the lake, six miles from Newburg" ; but Cleveland's advantages as a port of entry and the county seat soon had its effect, and on the 23rd of December, 1814, an act was passed by the general assembly to take effect on the first Monday of June following, by which the village of Cleveland was incorporated. The boundaries of the new village were described as "so much of the city plat of Cleveland as lies northwardly of Huron street and westwardly of Erie street, as originally laid out by the Connecticut Land Company." In pursuance of this act, on the first Monday of June, 1815, twelve of the inhabitants of that village (its entire voting strength) met and




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unanimously elected Alfred Kelley as president: Horace Perry, recorder ; Alonzo Carter, treasurer ; John A. Kelley, marshal ; George Wallace and John Riddle, assessors, and Samuel Williamson, David Long and Nathan Perry, trustees.


SOME OF THE REAL PIONEERS.


When the surveying party returned to their homes in the east, it is said, there were only three white persons left on the Western Re-serve—Joseph Langdon and Mr. and Mrs. Job Stiles. Mr. Langdon himself left soon afterward, but his place was taken by Edward Paine, who boarded in the Stiles family and afterward became widely known as General Paine, the founder of Painesville.


The year 1797 brought an accession of at least four Cleveland pioneers who helped to make the early history of the place. Perhaps the most important of the arrivals of this year was major Lorenzo Carter, a native of Rutland, Vermont, and a thorough and warm-hearted pioneer. Early in this year also came Elijah Gunn and Judge Kingsbury, from Conneaut, and later in the yeat, Nathaniel Doane and Rudolphus Edwards. In January, 1799, Mr. Doane moved to the "Corners," which bears his name, and from that time until April, 1800, Major Carter's was the only white family in Cleveland.


ln 1801 Samuel Huntington, a nephew of Governor Huntington, of Connecticut, then a lawyer of about thirty-five, settled in Cleveland. He was a member of the first constitutional convention of Ohio ; the first state senator of the county ; judge of the Supreme Court in 1803 and governor in 1808. He afterward made Painesville . his permanent home, when he died in 1817. When he located at Cleveland he resided in a block house on Superior street, which then stood on the site of the "American House." Judge Huntington''s house was made of hewn logs, with Ked flooring and doors and was then considered the height of domestic architecture. [There are many interesting facts to be found in regard to him in the early chapters of the general history and in the sketch of Lake county.]


Lorenzo Carter, not to be outdone in the building line, soon after erected the first frame house in town. In 1802 the first school house was opened at Mr. Carter's residence, that gentleman also being licensed by the court as a hotel keeper.


Several years afterward, Judge Huntington and a number of other citizens of. Cleveland removed to the. vicinity of Newburg on Mill creek, as that locality was not only busy as an industrial section, but was considered more healthful than the little settlement at the mouth of the Cuyahoga river ; but Major Carter continued faithful to his first love, remained at Cleveland, and in 1810 built a warehouse at the mouth of the river and otherwise added to the improvements of the place. During the war period from 1812 to 1815, however, little progress was made in the city, the number of buildings in the latter year being only thirty-four.


BEGINNING OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


The year 1817 was an important one in the early history of the village of Cleveland, as it marked the commencement of its public school system. In that year the village council passed an ordinance to reimburse twenty-five citizens who had subscribed $198 toward the building of a public school.


In 1817, also, the era of log warehouses ceased. Leonard Case and Captain William Gaylord built a large frame edifice for the purpose, on the river north of St. Clair street. During the previous year the Commercial Bank of Lake Erie, had been opened, which, although it closed in 1819, was afterwards placed upon its feet and greatly flourished.


On the 23rd of April of this year "Walk-in-the-Water," the first steamboat to navigate the waters of the Great Lakes, entered the harbor of Cleveland.




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PRESS AND CHURCHES ARRIVE.



The Cleveland Gazette and Commercial Register, the pioneer of the local press, made its first appearance July 31, 1818, and in 1820 the city commenced to take its place as a transportation center by establishing a stage line to Columbus, with a branch to Norwalk. Afterward connections were established with Pittsburg and Buffalo, and for thirty years this system of passenger travel flourished, the transportation of freight, of course, being conducted through the Ohio Canal and the lake marine.


About the year 1820 the first church organizations of Cleveland commenced to take shape, the first meetings of the early societies being generally held in the old log court house.. The upper, or second story, of that building was the court room, and here the Episcopalians held their first meetings, before Trinity church was built on the corner of Seneca and St. Clair streets. About the same time the Presbyterians and Baptists commenced to hold meetings in the old academy building, which stood upon the site of engine house No. 1. In 1826 the enterprising men of Cleveland concluded that a better court house was a public necessity. Under the general supervision of H. L. Noble and George C. Hills, work upon the building was commenced in the spring of 1827, but its completion was considerably delayed by the very sickly season of 1827 and 1828.


OPENING OF OHIO CANAL


It was on the 7th of July, 1827, that the Ohio Canal was formally opened—that enterprise of the Ohio river. It was chiefly through the efforts of Alfred Kelley that the northern ter-minus of the canal was located at Cleveland which did so much to establish the city commercially. Upon the occasion of the commencement of the canal undertaking the citizens of Cleveland had the honor and pleasure of greeting Governor Clinton, the great father of the New Yoik canal system. It was the building of the Erie Canal through New York state which had stimulated the people of Ohio to undertake the building of the canal which connected the waters of the lakes with those


The first work was done on the Licking Summit, about three miles west of Newark, on the Fourth of July, 1825, and Governor Clinton dug the first shovelful of earth which marked the practical commencement of the canal. The New York executive arrived at Cleveland on the 3rd of July, sailing into the harbor on the steamer "Superior." As the steamer could not make the harbor with safety, it was anchored in the outer waters, where the commander ordered a yawl to take the distinguished governor and his aides ashore. There were also present in the New York party Messrs. Rathborn and Lord, who had loaned the people of Ohio the money with which to commence the canal, as well as Judge Conkling of the United States district court. The boat was rowed up the river, with the stars and stripes waving over it. It landed at the foot of Superior street, where the recep-tion committee and many citizens were gathered, who, with Governor Clinton and his distinguished friends, were escorted to the Mansion house, where they were addressed by Judge Sarnuel Cowles, who had been selected for that purpose. In his eloquent reply Governor Clinton said that "when our canals were made, even if they had cost five million dollars, they would be worth three times that sum ; that the increased price of our produc-tions, in twenty years would be Worth five millions of dollars ; that the money saved on the transportation of goods to our people dur-ing the same period would be five millions of dollars, and that the canals would finally pay their tolls and refund their entire cost, prin-cipal and interest."


CLINTON'S DEPARTURE FROM CLEVELAND.


De Witt Clinton is described by an eye witness to his reception as a man of most majestic person : "In his person, large and robust ; his forehead high and broad ; his hair black and curly ; his eyes large, black and brilliant—


478 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


and, take him all in all, he looked as though he was born to command." The eye witness referred to, George B. Merwin, further describes the departure of Governor Clinton and his party from Cleveland in the following graphic style : "As the weather was very warm and the distance to Licking county about one hundred and fifty miles, it was thought best to get an early start in the morning and take breakfast at Mother Parker's, who kept a tavern at the foot of Tinker's creek liill, about one and a half miles down the creek west of Bedford. She was a black-eyed, steel-trap style of a Vermont woman, and a good cook. Half an hour after daylight an extra stage came and the party left."


"A small swivel, used for celebrations, had been left at some former occasion on the brow of the hill on the west side of Vineyard lane, now called South Water street. My father woke up the late Orlando Cutter—his store was where the Atwater block stands—and got some powder, and when the stage got a few rods up Superior street, gave the party a parting salute then, mounting his horse, he soon passed the stage and rode on to give Mrs. Parker information who was coming, and that she must prepare a good breakfast. He also inquired where her husband, Cordee, was, and if he had taken his bitters, of which the jolly old fellow was very fond. She said he was out at the barn, where my father found him with as heavy a load as his buckskin breeches could waddle under. My father quietly picked the old fellow up and took him in the granary-, returned to the house . and assisted in getting the breakfast, by grinding and making the coffee, while Mother Parker fried the ham and eggs and made some biscuits. The party sat down and did justice to the fare set before them, as my father said. Such was the manner and style of the reception and departure of Governor Clinton and his distinguished friends in Cleveland."


The completion of the canal was enthusiastically celebrated both in Cleveland and Akron, but this general rejoicing was followed by a long season of depression and gloom, caused by the epidemics of typhoid fever and malaria the following summer and autumn. This public calamity was supposed to be occasioned by the digging of the canal basin and the result was not only a widespread depression of spirits, but an absolute stagnation of business for several months. It was many years before the horrors of this season were even partially forgotten by the early settlers' of Cuyahoga county.


CLEVELAND CONTINUES TO GROW


The population of Cleveland at the time of the completion of the Ohio canal was about 500, and two years afterward, on the 31st of December, 1829, the legislature passed an act extending the village boundaries and adding to the original town the land lying on the river from the southerly line of Huron street, down stream to a point just west of the junction of Vineyard lane with the road leading to Brooklyn, thence west to the river and down the river to the old village line. In 1834 those boundaries were further extended by adding small tracts east of Erie street and south of Ohio.


CHOLERA EPIDEMICS.


Chicago and Cleveland were most seriously affected by the epidemics of cholera which visited several of the lake ports in 1832. The famous Blackhawk war was then raging in the territory which is now called Wisconsin and in Northern Iliinois to the Mississippi river the garrison at Chicago had been massacred and, about June of that year, General Winfield Scott was ordered to gather all the troops available in the eastern forts and start in all haste to the relief of Chicago, or Fort Dearborn. He embarked with a full load of soldiers on the steamer "Henry Clay," with Captain Norton in command. By the time the boat arrived at Gratiot at the port of Lake Huron, it became apparent that it would he


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impossible to reach Chicago by water. Gen-eral Scott therefore landed his men, who were m good physical condition, and sent the "Clay" back to Buffalo.


RECEPTION OF TWO CITIES.


Captain Norton started down the river with his sick soldiers, but when he attempted to obtain food and medicine at Detroit, he found the dock covered with armed men and cannon,




CLEVELAND IN 1833, FROM THE COURTHOUSE LOOKING WEST.


and was obliged to proceed on his way to Buffalo. Before the steamer arrived off the port at Cleveland half a dozen men had died of cholera and had been thrown overboard, while others were seriously ill. As it was evident to the captain that he would not have enough men left to navigate the vessel to Buffalo, he steamed for Cleveland, and early in the morning of June 10, tied fast to a pier on the west bank of the river with a flag of distress flying from his masthead.


The citizens of Cleveland had already been informed of the Detroit incident and knew that their day of trial and danger had come, but, instead of repelling the unwelcome visitors at the mouth of the cannon, the trustees of the village met immediately and determined that everything should be done, not only to aid the cholera sufferers, but to protect their own citizens. A quarantine was established and a hospital provided for strangers who came into the village, victims of the disease. 1In spite of all these precautions the scourge came, and for some time was quite destructive. In three or four days after the "Henry Clay" had been thoroughly fumigated, she left for Buffalo. In the meantime the disease had appeared in several scattered localities of the


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city, its victims not having been exposed to those suffering from the epidemic on shipboard. Just how many persons of the village were attacked is not known, but within a fortnight, when the disease was most virulent, some fifty or sixty fatal cases were reported. About the middle of October a cold rain storm occurred, and soon afterward a second cholera epidemic broke out most unexpectedly. Fourteen men were seized and all died within three days. No explanation could be given as to the origin of this second out-break, and there were only surmises as to the cause of the first epidemic. In 1834 Cleveland suffered another visitation of cholera and some deaths occurred in consequence. Although there was no concerted action on the part of Cleveland's citizens to repel the "Henry Clay," it is known that not a few excited people during the first epidemic of 1832 guarded the shores of the lake both east and west, armed with muskets, and with cannon planted at various points, to prevent the landing of any suspected vessels.


INCORPORATED AS CITY.


In March, 1836, an act was passed which incorporated the city of Cleveland. This 6th day of March, 1836, notwithstanding it brought this honor to Cleveland, was not without its feature of humiliation ; for its old-time rival, Brooklyn, under the high sounding name of the "City of Ohio," succeeded in attaining municipal incorporation three days previous to the realization of this ambition by Cleveland. Thus the City of Ohio became a full-fledged municipality March 3, 1836, while Cleveland yet remained a village.


As provided in the latter's act of incorporation, the village council of Cleveland ordered an election of officers for the new city, to be held on the i5th of April, 1836, and after a spirited canvass and the casting of 580 votes, the following ticket was declared elected : John W. Willey, mayor ; Richard Hilliard, Nicholas Dockstader and Joshua Mills, aldermen ; Morris Hepburn, John R. St. John, William V. Craw, Sherlock J. Andrews, Henry L. Noble, Edward Baldwin, Aaron T. Strickland, Horace Canfield and Archibald M. T. Smith, councilmen.


The city had been divided into three wards, the voting place for the first being in the court house ; " that of the second, in the lower part of the "Old Stone" church, at the corner of the public square and Ontario street, and that of the third ward in the old academy on St. Clair street. Thus, as has been rather guaintly observed, the law, gospel and education figured prominently in the first election of the City of Cleveland. At the first meeting of




JOHN W. WILLEY.


the city council, which was held in the court house, April 15, 1836, Sherlock J. Andrews was elected president of the council and Henry B. Paine, city clerk and city solicitor.


FIRST MAYOR OF CLEVELAND.


John W. Willey, Cleveland's first mayor, at the time he thus assumed honors as the head of the municipality, was thirty-nine vears of age. He is described as a man of fine appearance, of slender build, with a keen mind and much eloquence, both natural and trained. In view cf his ability and his profession, he was largely instrumental in framing constitution and by-laws of the future


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metropolis. His duties were, in fact, both strenuous and varied. He was obliged to sign all commissions, leases and permits, and also to try all criminal cases. In the latter line he assumed the usual duties of a justice of the peace, his remuneration being the fees which attached to his office. Mayor Willey was reelected as mayor in 187 by a very large majority, and he died June, 1841 while he Was holding the position of presiding judge of the Fourteenth District.




HARBOR (from West Side of River) IN 1849.

Shows gbvernment pier, side-wheel steamer "Empire State," light-house and the Point; winding roadway leading to top of light-house hill, Light House street.


FIRST HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS.


Cleveland had already made decided advances in its shipping interests and had also commenced the permanent improvement of its river channel and harbor. The former had been inaugurated on a small scale by the general government as early as 1827, and the first legislation introduced into the city council, designed to protect the harbor, occurred in January, 1837, when an ordinance was introduced providing for its log breakwater. An act was passed incorporating the Lake Shore Company and authorizing them to protect the lake bank from caving and sliding, and as a means of remuneration allowing them to build wharves and piers along the shore. It is not known that anything definite was done under this act, but afterward the city employed Col. Charles Whittlesey, at a large expense, to pile certain portions of the lake front. Afterward when the railroads were built they continued this system of piling.


SHIPPING INTERESTS (1837) .


It is a matter of record that at this time (1837) Cleveland's arrivals of lake marine, including

sloops, schooners and brigs, numbered about 907, and the steamboats carrying both freight and passengers, 99o. In 1837 commenced a short era of hard times, and from that year until 184o there was really no increase in its population.


In November, 1839, Cleveland also, received a set-back in its first destructive fire—which consumed Outhwaite's soap factory and other important plants of that day. It was, in fact, the first fire which destroyed any considerable section of its manufacturing districts.


Vol. I-31


482 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL REVIVAL.


By 1840, when the population of the city was over 6,000, Cleveland began to revive from the effects of the panic, fire and all other untoward influences. New iron institutions were established, shipbuilding showed a marked improvement, and in 1845 a decided impetus was given to her commerce by the opening up of the famous Brier Hill coal mines in Mahoning county. In the previous year also the Lake Superior region of iron ore was first discovered, from a commercial standpoint. Thus two of Cleveland's main sources of commercial importance and prog-ress were first tapped, and to this day the receipts of iron ore from the regions of the northwest, and the shipment of coal from the fields of the central west, constitute perhaps her main claims to commercial greatness.


FIRST TELEGRAPH OFFICE.


On September 15, 1847, the Lake Erie Telegraph Company was permitted to run its wires through the city of Cleveland, and on September 15, of, that year, its first telegraph office was opened.


PIONEER RAILWAYS.


It was not until 1850, when the city's population was something over 17,000, that the first successful railroad was placed in operation. On March 16, of that year, its city officials enjoyed a ride over the first completed section of the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad. Fifteen miles were covered in twenty-seven minutes, and, very appropriately, the locomotive which drew the car containing the distinguished guests was named the "Cleveland." A banquet at the city's leading hotel followed this historic trip, and during the festivities it was pleasantly remarked that the locomotive referred to, was the only "motive" that could induce a man to leave Cleveland.


It must not be inferred that efforts had not previously been made to establish railways in Cuyahoga county. As early as 1834 the matter had been so earnestly agitated that the Cleveland & Newburg railroad was finally built. This "iron way" consisted of but to but four miles of strap-rails, connecting the Cleveland public square with a stone quarry in Newburg township, and, after being used nearly four years, was abandoned. About the same time the legislature incorporated six other railway companies, only one of which, the Ohio Railroad, succeeded in accomplishing any building This line was built on piles and was therefore known as the "stilt road," but after being partially constructed westward from Ohio City, the constructing and operating company completely collapsed, leaving behind only heavy liabilities and an opposing array of roten piles.


With the completion of the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati railroad, in 1850, and the opening to traffic and travel of the Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula railroad, in 1852, the modern transportation facilities of the city were firmly established, and from that time may be said to date the municipality of today.


ABSORBS OHIO CITY.


In the formation of the city of Cleveland, as we know. it today, the first great accession of territory was caused by its absorption of its old rival,: Ohio City. This event occurred in 1854, the terms of annexation being signed on June 5th of that year. H. V. Wilson and Franklin F. Bacchus were the representatives of Cleveland and William B. Castle and Charles L. Rhodes, of the City of Ohio. The latter municipality passed the required ordinance on the 5th, and the city of Cleveland carried a similar ordinance through its council on the following day. The public debt of the City of Ohio was assumed by Cleve!and, with the exception of its liability for bonds issued to pay its subscription to the Junction Railroad Company. The city of Cleveland had previously subscribed to the stock of a number .of railroads and, according to the provisions of the agreement between it and the


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City of Ohio, the new corporation was authorized to expend the money it might realize from this source in the improvement of public parks or for other public purposes., Cleveland raised a large surplus from the sale of its land north of Bath street, on the lake shore, to furnish the right-of-way,, for the early railroads which entered the city. The income from these sources created a fund of about $1,700,000, and in 1862 the legislature passed an act calling into existence a board of commissioners to take charge of this fund. This is one of the extremely rare instances in the civic history of the United States where a city has derived permanent financial advantages from its railroad investments.


TERRITORIAL EXPANSION OF CITY.


The new city increased quite rapidly from 1854 to 1860, the census of the latter year showing a population of 43,838. The territorial annexation of Cleveland, after its absorption of Ohio City, commenced in February, 1864, when a portion of Brooklyn lying north of Walworth run was brought into the corporation, and three years thereafter another portion of Brooklyn, as well as a part of Newburg township, was annexed. This addition of corporate territory extended the line of the city westwardly to the old limits of the City of Ohio on the lake shore, and embraced a large tract of land south of the latter.


In December, 1869, another large section of Newburg township .was annexed, but the population of Cleveland was not materially increased thereby, the chief stimulus to the city being to its industries. The general census of 1870 indicated a population of 92,829, and in 1872 a portion of the village of East Cleveland, and further additions from the townships of Brooklyn and Newburg were made to the growing population. In the following year a large part of the remaining portion of Newburg township was annexed, thereby extending the city limits beyond the crossing of the old Newburg railroad and the Cleveland and Pittsburg line.


By December, 1873, the entire village of Newburg had been absorbed by Cleveland. On June 27, 1892, the remaining territory of East Cleveland was annexed to the city. and on March 5, 1895, West Cleveland also lost its identity as a village. In the same year, April 3o, Brooklyn village was absorbed. In December, 1903, the village of Linndale became a part of the city of Cleveland, and in 1905 the remaining territory from Newburg township and the village of South Brooklyn were absorbed, thus completing the present municipal boundaries toward. the south. In the same year the village of, Glenville, located on the shores of the lake toward the northeast, voted to become a portion of the great corporation, and in two the last addition to Cleveland's territory was made, when the beautiful suburb of Collinwood was absorbed.


By this last annexation, four square miles were added to the area of Cleveland, and her educational strength was increased by the addition of one fine high school and four grammar schools. It is probable that the next addition of territory will be the remainder of East Cleveland toward the northeast and the suburb of Lakewood toward the northwest.


Although there is considerable local opposition on the part of these suburbs toward annexation,

it is likely that the rapid growth of the greater city and the logic of events will bring about their absorption.


INCREASE IN POPULATION.


The census of 1880 showed that Cleveland had a population of 160,146. Its population, in 1890, was 261,353, and 381,768 in 1900. In 1909 the estimate made by the census bureau was 506,938. As the population of Cleveland has increased on an average of 10,000 annually, during the last four years, it is safe to say that at present there are nearly 520,000 people within its forty-two square miles of territory.


484 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


U. S. SENATORS FROM THE COUNTY.


Men who have served Ohio as United States senators from Cuyahoga county are Stanley Griswold, Henry B. Payne, Marcus A. Hanna and Theodore E. Burton.


CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES.


Those who have represented this district in Congress are as below :


1803-1812, Jeremiah Morrow, Warren county.

1813-] 814, John S. Edwards; died before taking seat ; Trumbull county.

1813-1814, Rezin Beall, Wayne county.

1813-1814, David Clendenen, Trumbull county.

1815-1816, David Clendenen, Trumbull county.

1817-1818, Peter Hitchcock, Geauga county.

1819-1822, John Sloan, Wayne county.

1823-1833, Elisha Whittlesey, Trumbull county.

1833-1836, Jonathan Sloan, Portage county.

1837-1840, John W. Allen, Cuyahoga county.

1841-1842, Sherlock J. Andrews, Cuyahoga county.

1843-1853, Joshua R. Giddings, Ashtabula county.

1853-1860, Edward Wade, Cuyahoga county.

1861-186z, Albert G. Riddle, Cuyahoga county.

1863-1868, Rufus P. Spaulding, Cuyahoga county.

1869-1872, Wm. H. Upson, Summit county.

1873-1875, Richard C. Parsons, Cuyahoga county.

1875-1876, Henry B. Payne, Cuyahoga county.

1877-1882, Amos Townsend, Cuyahoga county.

1883-1888, Martin Foran, Cuyahoga county.

1889-1890, Theodore E. Burton, Cuyahoga county.

1890-1892, Tom L. Johnson, Cuyahoga county.

1893-1894, Tom L. Johnson, Cuyhoga county.

1895-1909, Theodore E. Burton, Cuyahoga county.

1909-  James Cassidy, Cuyahoga county


PUBLIC SCHOOLS SYSTEMATIZED.


The commencement of popular education in the city of Cleveland has already been briefly mentioned, but her schools. like those of other cities in Ohio, were not really systematized until the adoption of the constitution of 1851. The grand work of the system was, however, laid in the early thirties, chiefly through the exertion and abilities of John W. Willey, afterward mayor of Cleveland, and Harvey Rice, the latter of whom lived to see the public schools of his city and state placed on a broad and enduring basis.


In 1830-31 Mr. Willey was a member of the Senate and Mr. Rice of the House of Representatives, and they were the acknowledged leaders in the promotion of the measure which became a law, authorizing the sale of Iands in the Western Reserve for the support of its public schools. Mr. Willey drew up the bill and Mr. Rice was appointed agent to sell the lands. The amount thus realized was about $150,000, which was loaned to the state and the interest paid to the counties of the Western Reserve, according to the enumeration of children of school age in each county.


The state constitution of 1851 made it the duty of the general assembly to "make such provision by taxation, or otherwise, as with the income arising from the school trust fund will secure a thorough and sufficient system of common schools throughout the state.


HARVEY RICE AND THE SCHOOL FUND.


Mr. Rice thus describes his participation in the formation of this fund, which really laid the foundation of the public school system of the entire state of Ohio. "In 1830 I drifted into politics, and was elected representative to the legislature. Near the close of the session I was appointed agent by that honorable body


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to sell the Western Reserve school lands, some fifty thousand acres, located in Holmes and Tuscarawas counties. I opened a land office at Millersburg, in Holmes county. The law allowed me 3 per cent on cash receipts for my services. In the .first five days I received from sales at public auction fifty thousand dollars, and my percentage amounted to fifteen hundred dollars. This sudden windfall made me, I then thought, almost a millionaire. It was my first pecuniary success in life, and the first time, after a lapse of eight years, that I became able to pay my college tuition, for which I had giver my promissory note." In 1852 Mr. Rice was appointed chairman of the committee of schools of the state senate, and on March 29 of that year introduced the bill provide for the reorganization and maintenance of common schools, as provided by the constitution. Among other members of the convention were Peter Hitchcock, Jacob Perkins and R. P. Ranney, representatives from Trumbull and Geauga, and Sherlock J. Andrews and Reuben Hitchcock, from Cuyahoga county.


BIOGRAPHY OF HARVEY RICE.


At this point, it is appropriate to make hearty mention of the splendid services of Harvey Rice in the cause of popular education and to briefly state the facts of his life. As collated from his own auto-biography, he was born at Conway, Massachusetts, June 11, 1800. He was of New England and Puritanic ancestry and had the misfortune, when he was but four years of age, to lose his mother. Soon afterward, his father discontinued house-keeping and placed the little boy in the care of strangers, and, as Mr. Rice says, "Instead of being. brought up with parental care, I brought myself up, and educated myself at Williams College, where I graduated in 1824, and then went west." He traveled from Williamstown to Buffalo by stage coach and canal boat. His trip to Cleveland was made by way of Lake Erie in a schooner, and after a rough voyage of three days the boat cast anchor off the bank of the Cuyahoga river. on September 24, 1824. At that time the entire population of Cleveland did not exceed four hundred.


Mr. Rice states that he came to this new town with no other weapons than a letter of introduction to a leading citizen, and a college diploma printed in Latin, which authorized him to claim the collegiate title of A. B. Thus armed, the second day of his arrival he secured the position of teacher and principal of the old Cleveland academy, which was afterward used as headquarters for "the fire department of the city. In the spring of 1826 the young man resigned his position in the academy and went to Cincinnati, where he continued the study of the law with Bellamy Storer. Disappointed in his expectations of being able to sustain himself during his studies by teaching a classical school, he determined to take passage on the "Gallipolis," a steamboat whose ultimate destination was Pittsburg. Instead of going to that city, he remained at Gallipolis for some time, teaching English grammar and delivering lectures on that subject, and then returned to Cleveland where he was admitted to the bar. He com-menced the practice of his profession in partnership with his friend, Reuben Wood, who afterward became chief justice and governor of the state. In the course of a few months he married, and paid the poor clergyman, for his services, the last penny which he possessed in the world.


As he philosophically remarked many years afterward, "This left me penniless, but I thought a wife at that price cheap enough. She proved to be a jewel above price. Soon after my marriage I was employed by a gentleman, who had tired of the 'silken tie' that bound him, to obtain for him a divorce. If I succeeded, he agreed to pay me a hundred dollars. I did succeed, and in the evening of the same day the divorce was granted, he married another woman. The fee I received enabled me to commence housekeeping."


Mr. Rice served as clerk of county courts


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from 1833 to 1840. As stated, he accomplished his great work in the cause of common school education during the early fifties. During the succeeding forty years his accomplishments for the general public good were beyond measure. In 1871 Williams College conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. During many of the later years of his long and eventful life, Mr. Rice was the president and moving spirit of the Early Settlers' Association of Cuyahoga County. His death occurred on the 7th of November, 1891, in the ninety-second year of his age.


The public schools of Cleveland, whose progress and present excellence so largely rest on the efforts of Mr. Rice, now consist of seven high schools and more than ninety grammar schools ; about 1,900 teachers and 55,000 pupils. Over $2,000,000 annually is the amount expended on the cause of public education in this great city. The public school property is valued at about $8,500,000.


EDUCATIONAL ITEMS.


Cleveland was incorporated as a village in 1814. This corporation owned a school house of its own in the winter of 1816. It stood on St. Clair street, next the present Kanard. It was built of logs, and was 24 by 30 feet, inside dimensions. One of its extremes was occupied by fireplace and chimney ; the other, enlivened by two windows of twelve lights each, placed high; its front side, neatly set in a frame of railfence, was similarly glazed and had a door in addition.


Sarah Doane taught the first Cleveland. school in 1800.


Irene Hickox, whose ability as a teacher was noted in the Trumbull county chapter, after having studied in the east and finishing her teaching in Warren, opened a girl's school on Superior street, between the American House and the Public Square. Miss Sara Fitch and women of her condition and family attended Miss Hickox's school. She married Joel Scranton and kept house. on Bank street for a time afterwards, moving onto a farm not far from the village. This part of town was later known as Scranton's flats.


Lucretia Rudolph was one "of the memorable 102 students attending the eclectic institute at Hiram, Ohio, during its first term." She attended this institution for five years, was a splendid student ; taught in the Cleveland schools, Bronell street, primary department.


CLEVELAND'S HIGH SCHOOLS.


Governor McKinley once said that "Cleveland established the first high school ever established beneath our flag." He referred to its Central High School, founded in 1846 and opened in the basement of the Universalist church. It was established to accommodate the more populous and enterprising East Side, and, in 1855, a few months after the annexation of Ohio City, a free high school was organized for that section, the West Side.


The interesting history of these two pioneer high schools of Cleveland is given in the following

extract from a paper prepared by David P. Simpson, West Side High School (class of '87), a few days previous to the alumni reunion of June 17, 1910:


"It is said that the first school of any kind in Cleveland was founded when there were three families, with five children all told, in the city. This school was, of course, before the days of school taxation, and so not, properly speaking, a public school. Public sentiment in 1821, however, demanded a building for school purposes, and the Cleveland Academy was the result. This again was not a public school. Not until 1836 did such a school appear, the same year in which CIeveland was incorporated as a city. Children confirmed to come to Cleveland and a school board was organized and a school tax levied to care for their educational upbringing.


HIGH SCHOOL NEEDED.


"As time passed the need of higher education became apparent, and in 1844, Charles Bradburn, a member of the board of educa-


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tion, urged the construction of a school building where 'algebra, geometry, mechanical

philosophy, political economy and the many other branches of useful knowledge might be taught. This initial effort of Mr. Bradburn failed, and though he was insistent in season and out of season, it was not until 1846 that Mr. Bradburn's proposal, now enjoying the active approval and support of Mayor Hoadly, was carried into effect. This gave Cleveland the first public high school in the state of Ohio, and that school was called Central High school, and was first located in the basement of the Universalist church that was later converted into the Homeopathic Medical College. This project for free high school education met with determined opposition on the part of many well-to-do people who could afford to educate their children out of their own private means. The masses of the people and their leaders were just as determined on their side, and after mass meetings and lobbying trips to Columbus the friends of the free high school .were successful. Later the lot now occupied by the Citizens Savings and Trust Company, for which that company paid $310,000 a dozen years ago, was purchased for $5,000, and here the Central High school was housed after temporary sojourns in a wooden building and in the Prospect street school building until the erection of its present building on East Fifty-fifth street became a necessity, and the school family moved out, leaving its 'building to be used for many years as Cleveland's public library.


"All the above is necessary to a proper understanding of the conditions out of which the West High school grew. It will be well to remember, also, that the East Side in those early days, as is the case at present, had a larger population than what we now call the West Side. (Ohio City was the name applied to the West Side down until June, 1854, in which year the sunset side of the city was annexed to Cleveland.) The greater and more rapid growth of the East Side,, or Cleveland, had a very- simple reason.


OLD SCHOOL USED AS DWELLING.


"The Indian titles to land were earlier and tnore easily quieted on the east bank of the Cuyahoga than on the western side, and so settlement got a good start east of the river, and has maintained its lead ever since. But though Ohio City did not have so many people nor so many children as Cleveland, she nevertheless had between two and three thousand children of school age, of whom about a thousand were attending school. At the time of annexation, i. e., in 1854, there were grammar schools on Penn, Vermont and Church streets, one in a church building and one in the socalled Seminary building, the last building being still standing. It is in West Forty-fifth street, near Detroit avenue, and is used for dwelling purposes by several families. Ohio City in 1854 was also engaged in constructing brick school buildings on Pearl, Kentucky and Hicks streets, and so conditions were being created which would soon call for a high school on the West Side, for grammar schools graduate their pupils and the what next question at once suggests a high school.


"It should be recalled at this point, too, that since 1849, there had been what we should now call, with our perfect classification, a non-descript school in the old Seminary building. It was 'betwixt and between, for it was doing work in advance of the average grammar school, but not on a level with that of a high school. It was known as a senior school, and since 1852 had been in charge of Mr. A. G. Hopkinson. Mr. Hopkinson was a wide. awake Yankee scholar, and one of the few among the early West Siders characterized by a community parental instinct always so marked on the other side of the river.


HOPKINSON GAINS POINT.


"Mr. A. G. Hopkinson watched the plans for the erection of the Central High school with prudently jealous eye. His senior school, now occupying. part of the Kentucky school, had among its members some pretty good students, thought Mr. Hopkinson, and if the East


488 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


Side was to have a high school, he said the West Side should have one, too, and that he knew the reason why. When the statement was made that the state law authorizing the Central High school authorized only a school and not schools in the plural number, the path now so profitable to corporation lawyers was followed and the proposal made that Cleveland should abide by, and at the same time dodge, the law of the state, and have only one high school, but that a 'branch' of said one high school should be erected on the West Side. Mr. Hopkinson gained his point and had his pupils take the examinations necessary to prove their qualifications, and, if my memory serves me right, only one out of the two or three dozen applicants failed to pass the test. The 'Branch' High school in name, but the really independent West High school in fact, thus came into being in 1855, was housed in the Kentucky street school building and had as its first principal A. G. Hopkinson, to whose indefatigable endeavor it owes its existence.


"Prior to that time no free school of high school grade existed on the west side of the city, and the history of West High school properly begins with 1855.


"Great conscientiousness characterized Mr. Hopkinson's long term of service as principal. Many memoranda written in the school register in Mr. Hopkinson's handwriting and followed

by his signature tend to show this, and they also reveal other interesting things connected with the life of the school. Under date of January 4, 1858, I find the following : Neither absent nor tardy, except on one occasion, when, if our clock was right (Mr. Hopkinson was of sterling Yankee stock), I was one minute late.'


"Barring slight absences because of illness, Mr. Hopkinson continued at the head of the school, if I am Correctly informed, until 1872, when health conditions required a change of occupation. From ihat date he devoted himself to the insurance business, in which son and grandson have followed him, and continued to interest himself in the welfare of the West Side and Cleveland until his death in 1896. Many high school principals have served Cleveland, but none more faithfully.


"In 1861 the West High school and its principal moved to their new home, at the corner of State and Ann streets, and facing on Clinton street. In 188o the average daily attendance at the West High school was 168, and as Hicks, Tremont, Walton and Kentucky school continued to pour in pupils, President J. D. Jones, of the school board, reported as follows : file West High school very much needs better accommodation. It has been proposed to purchase additional land adjoining the high school property and there construct additional buildings. Another proposition is to remove the location of the school further from the business portion of the city Whatever is done, there is need of some urgent action in the matter.'


SCHOOL LOCATION MOVED.


"The board, however, had already exceeded the legal tax limit and nothing was done immediately, but such a condition cannot long fail of attention, and consequently those of us who had attended the 'Old' West High school at State and Clinton streets moved in the fall of 1885 to what we then called the 'New' West High, at the corner of Bridge and Randall streets, which did service as such until 1902, when it was given over to the teachers and students of the Normal Training school. It underwent another transfer again a year or so ago when it was remodeled and fitted up as the home of the High School of Commerce.


ONE LARGE ASSEMBLY ROOM.


"This building, at the corner of what we now call Bridge avenue and Randall road, was constructed at a cost of from $65,000 to $75,000 and contained fourteen session rooms and one large assembly room. The assembly room, however, was used in a manner very different from the way in which the assembly



HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 489


room had been used in the 'Old' West High school. At the latter place, as previously intimated, the pupils spent their time in the assembly room unless called away to smaller rooms by recitations. When Central High school went into its new building on Wilson avenue, in 1878, this plan was no longer followed, for the pupils were put in various session rooms, from forty to fifty in each, each room being in charge of a so-called session room teacher, who kept track of his room pupils and also taught his classes as they came to him, made up of pupils from other rooms as well as his own. Similarly his own pupils would go from his room to the rooms of other teachers for purposes of recitation. This plan did away with the confusion of the large assemblage of pupils in the big assembly room and reduced disciplinary difficulties in many ways.


"This same plan of many session rooms and one large assembly room, or auditorium, was followed in the building at Bridge and Randall, and pupils went to the assembly room only on special occasions or for the more or less regular weekly rhetorical exercises.


“In the meantime, the school had been outgrowing its quarters in the 'new' school. New feeders were flooding it with students. Clark, Waverly, Gordon, Willard and other city schools, t1ogether with West Cleveland's schools, becoming a part of the city school system, made so by annexation of West Cleveland, were now demanding admission for their graduates. Double sessions helped for a time. So a building on Vestry street gave temporary relief, but pressure was not really removed until the building of Lincoln High school in 1899-1901. Lincoln prevented West High from becoming a school of central proportions and also took a number of its faculty members.


PRESENT BUILDING..


"The erection of the Lincoln High school could not remove the crying need of West High for larger and more commodious quarters. A site was chosen on the edge of the great Gordon pasture,' on Franklin avenue, west of Gordon avenue, now called West Sixty-fifth street. The present writer recalls going with other grammar school boys to the very spot on which the building stands and removing the virgin turf in the laying out of a base ball diamond for the 'Quicksteps' or some other equally celebrated team of those days. To the present building on that site, Mr. Johnston, the principal with the longest term of service, removed with his pupils and teachers in 1902, and it is in this structure at Franklin avenue and West Sixty-ninth street, that the coming reunion, or so-called diamond jubilee—but let us recall that as a properly organized high school, West High is really only fifty-five years old—in this building the coming reunion will take place."


MRS. AVERY-SCHOOL BOARD WOMEN.


Mrs. Catherine H. T. Avery is the wife of Elroy McKenvree Avery. They were both born in Michigan, and were married in 1870. She was a teacher of good standing, and early in the history of the Daughters of the American Revolution became interested in it. When. Ohio passed its school law, she was nominated by the Republicans for the position of member of the board of education ; elected and served acceptably two years. From that time to this Cleveland has always had at least one woman on the school board. Mrs. Benj. F. Taylor, widow of the poet, was elected in 1896 and served six years. Mrs. May C. Whitaker was elected in 1902 and served two years. Mrs. A. E. Hyre was elected in 1904 and is still serving.


Mrs. Avery has always taken an active part in these school elections, and is a splendid campaigner. She is at present serving as president of the board of school examiners. That women could occupy this place was due to the women who came on to the school board. The appointment was first made by the director, but now it is made by the school


490 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


board. Ohio passed a law for the appointment of women on the board of public libraries, and Mrs. Avery was appointed to fill that place. Some interpretation has been put on the law which does not make it mandatory, and there is no one serving in that capacity.


POPULAR EDUCATION IN THE COUNTY.


The total number of school districts in Cuyahoga county is 147, divided as follows : townships, 16; sub-districts, 12 ; and separate districts, 19. Throughout the county are twenty high schools and 247 elementary schools, taught by 2,24o teachers, 192 of whom are men. The total valuation of school property is nearly $10,000,000.


WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY.


Among the institutions of higher learning most widely known are the Western Reserve University, Case School of Applied Science and St. Ignatius College. Altogether, there are in Cleveland thirty colleges and professional schools.


The Western Reserve University had its origin in the Erie Literary Society, which was incorporated in 1803. Later it was established as the Burton academy, in Geauga, county, and during 1822-24 was conducted by the Presbyteries of Grand River and Portage, in partial union with the Erie Literary Society. Until June 24 of the latter year it was under the jurisdiction of these two presbyteries, when a new union was formed with the presbytery of Huron. In February, 1826, the school was incorporated and in the following year opened at Hudson, Summit county. In the year 1880 Amasa Stone, of Cleveland, offered $500,000 to bring the Western Reserve University to that city, provided its name should be changed to Adelbert College of Western Reserve University, the name being given in memory of his deceased son, Adelbert Stone. Mr. Stone's proposition was accepted in September, 1881, and a site for the college chosen between Euclid and Cedar avenues, the grounds facing Wade park. Mr. Stone's endowment of $5oo,000 comprised $150,000 for a building and $350,000 for a permanent fund. Two buildings had already been erected on the new location, and in 1882 Adelbert college was formally thrown open to the public. Since that year there have been added a physical laboratory, erected by Samuel Mather, a library building by Henry R. Hatch, and a Young Men's Christian Association building by Henry B. Eldred. The distinct departments of the Western Reserve University comprise Adelbert college, College for Women, Graduate department, Medical college, Law school and Dental school. The Medical college, established for the education of the so-called Regulars of the profession in 1884, is situated at the corner of Erie and St. Clair streets and includes property valued at some $300,000. The College for Women was founded in 1888 and has its special faculty, the courses being equal in every respect to the curriculum of Adelbert college. The Graduate department is also strongly maintained, its courses leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. The Franklin T. Bacchus law school of Western Reserve University was founded in its large stone building being situated acros Adelbert street from the college campus.


In moving the Burton Academy, excuse was given that Burton was not healthy and the men appointed to consider a new place were recommended to look up Burton, Cleveland, Hudson, Euclid and Aurora. Burton was a high town, probably the most healthful of all and it seems strange that the end of this college should have been Cleveland, which point was the least healthful at that time. Of course, like all colleges at Hudson, it needed money, and up to 1880 had little more than $2,000, with College buildings worth $40.000. The preparatory school was left at Hudson until 1903. From 1872 until 1888 women were admitted to this college. At Hudson, girls were few.


The writer remembers the ungentlemanly


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way in which Hudson College men spoke of girl students. In one class particularly the statement

was made, "we have seventeen graduates and two girls." Despite this fact, girls continued to apply for admission, and after the college was established in Cleveland twenty per cent of the students were women. At this time the college was not very prosperous. Undergraduates objected to the presence of women and the inactivity of the college was laid somewhat to women's doors. The truth was that new professors were needed, and at the time the institution ceased to be co-educational a new president was elected with good results. The Woman's College was opened in 1888. John Hay and Mrs. Amasa Stone made a liberal donation. In 1899 Mrs. James F. Clark gave $100,000, and a Woman's College was a reality.


The main library of the university contains about 50,000 volumes, but its thousand students have also the free use of the Cleveland public library and the Case library, numbering respectively about 150,000 and 60,000 volumes. Since 1890 this great educational institution has been served as president by Dr. Charles F. Thwing, he being at the head of a splendid faculty of over two hundred instructors.


CASE SCHOOL OF APPLIED SCIENCE.


The Case School of Applied Science was founded by Leonard Case, of Cleveland, whose name is also closely associated with all educational and philanthropic enterprises of the Forest City. In 1877 this public benefactor set apart the lands which formed the first permanent endowment in the establishment of this scientific school of national, repute. Ten years later the preliminary work of instruction was begun in Mr. Case's own home, but in 1885 the school was removed to a site on Euclid avenue, opposite Wade park. The degree of Bachelor of Science is conferred, upon the completion of any of the regular courses of study ; an additional year earns the student the.degree of Master of Science, and special degrees are also served in civil, mechanical and mining engineering. The school has a remarkably high reputation for thoroughness, its faculty consisting of Dr. Charles S. Howe, as president, and nine full professors and twenty-five assistants. The number of students is about 45o. Closely identified with the good work of the school is the Case library, which is installed in, the Caxton building and contains, as stated, about 6o,000 volumes. This well-selected collection of books originated in 1846, the library being named after Leonard Case, the founder of the school. In 1859 the original collection was consolidated with the libraries of the Young Men's Library Association and the Cleveland Library Asso-ciation, and since 1876 has been known under its present name. It is estimated that the property valuation of the Case school is over $2,000,000.


The Case Scientific School was the result of the desire of Leonard Case, Sr., and his two sons, William and Leonard, to establish such a school. William and his father died before this was carried out and the duty was left to Leonard. Although a great student himself, he believed that literature culture ought to be supplanted by schools where practical things were taught, because, as the country advanced, mechanics would have to be educated. In 1877 the preliminary steps for the foundation of this school were carried out. He died in 188o and Henry G. Abbey carried out his designs. In 188i the school really began in the Case homestead, and in 1885 it occupied its new building near Adelbert College, since which time it has gradually increased. Laura Kerr Axtell and her brother, Eli Kerr, had inherited a goodly sum of money from Leonard Case, and the former deeded back one-half of her interest on her death to the Case school. She also gave $50,000 outright. This school has grown in importance and there is now hardly a hamlet on the Western Reserve from which some boy has not found his way to the Case school and thence to a good position in the world.


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ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE.


Like all similar institutions under the control of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius College, of Cleveland, has always maintained a high reputation for good discipline and superior instruction. It was opened in 1886 and incorporated in 1890. Its curriculum provides for a classical course of study covering six years, after which the student receives a diploma of graduation, and an additional year in mental philosophy secures him the degree of A. B. A distinguishing feature of this college is its meteorological and sesmic, observatory, under the direction of Rev. Frederick Odenbach, S. J., who has a wide and enviable scientific reputation, and is establishing a remarkably thorough and almost unique collegiate department in connection with earthquakes and other sesmic disturbances. The entire number of students in the college is now about 350.


CLEVELAND MEDICAL COLLEGE.


Besides the medical college mentioned, as a department of the Western Reserve Uni-versity, the Cleveiand Medical College (Homeopathic) has existed for years. This is a consolidation of the Cleveland Medical College and the Cleveland University of Medicine and Surgery. Of special prominence in the cause of higher education should also be mentioned the Hathaway Brown school, and Ursuline academy and the Cleveland Normal Training School.


THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.


Established in 1867, it was named the Cleveland Public School Library in 1883. In 1873 it was first housed in a block on the south side of Superior street ; was two years in the Clark building on Superior street ; and in 1885 removed to the City Hall, where it remained four years, when it went into the Old High School building on Euclid avenue, now occupied by the Citizens Savings and Trust Company. In the spring of 1901, when the building was sold, the books were stored until the fall, when a temporary place was made for them on Rockwell and East Third street. In 1898 bonds to the amount of $250,000 were sold for the erection of the permanent library building, but the plans were not carried cause the library wished to be in the group plan. In the meantime the building was inefficient the departments being in different places. There has been some relief in the establishment of the branch libraries, but still it is hoped that some way may be found before long to build an adequate handsome building.


The Woodland avenue branch came into existence in 1904 ; St. Claire branch in 1905, Broadway branch in 1906 ; Miles park branch in 1906; Hough avenue branch in 1907: West side branch in 1892 ; South side branch in 1897, and South Brooklyn branch in 1909. There are now fifteen in all. Andrew Carnegie has given $466,000 for the building of various branches and has offered $83,000 more ; Rockefeller has given $40,000 for the building adjoining Alta House, on East One Hundred and Twenty-fifth street. Cleveland is the eighth city in the United States. but fifth as library center.


The history of the library work in Cleveland would fill a volume by itself, and William H. Brett deserves untold credit for his splendid management of the system. He is not only thoughtful of the wants of the people of the city, but is suggestive and helpful to the libraries in the surrounding towns.


WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY


Mr. Albion Morris Dyer, curator of the Western Reserve Historical Society. in "Orth's History of Cleveland," gives many interesting facts in regard to this society. He says that it had its origin in the Cleveland Library Society and was incorporated about the middle of the last century. It owes its origin legally to Case library.


Charles C. Baldwin is responsible largely for athe organization of the Historical Society "While an officer and trustee of the Cleveland Library Association he formed a plan


HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 493


of having departments devoted to these studles, with especial charge of searching out, collecting and preserving relics, documents, and other materials associated. with these great changes in the nature and order of things about him." Judge Baldwin was supported by Colonel Whittlesey. These plans were unfolded at a meeting in April, 1867. The historical part of the library was thus established and ordered to be placed in the Society of the Savings building. By-laws were adopted, the first rule fixing the name, the Western Reserve Historical Society, and defining the object of the society : "To discover, to procure and preserve whatever relates to the history, biography, genealogy, antiquities and statistics connected with the city of Cleveland and the Western Reserve, and generally what relates to the history of Ohio and the great west." Donations immediately began to come in. Colonel Whittlesey was chosen president and served until his death in 1886.


COLONEL CHARLES WHITTLESEY.


No one person has ever been connected longer, or more prominently, with historical and archxological research in the Western Reserve than the late Colonel Charles Whittlesey, whose investigations and publications have covered a remarkable range of subjects with unusual thoroughness. He was a graduate of West Point; fought in the Black Hawk war in 1839 was connected with the first Ohio geological survey ; later made a thorough examination of the ancient earthworks of the state, and in the late forties made a geological survey of what becathe the famous Lake Superior copper region. In the Civil war he was colonel of the Twentieth Ohio regiment and chief engineer of the department Ohio, on the second day of the battle of Shiloh being in command of a brigade and especially commended for bravery. After retiring from the army, Colonel Whittlesey again timed his attention to the exploration of the Lake Superior region and the upper Mississippi basin. In 1867 he organized the Western Reserve Historical Society and remained its president until his aeath in 1886.


Leonard Case was greatly interested in the organization and contributed some rare treasures to the museum and library. Judge Baldwin was the second president ; Henry C. Ranney, the third ; L. E. Holden, the fourth, and William H. Cathcart, the fifth.


The present handsome building was erected in 1897-8. Constant effort is made by the president and the curator to gather from people on the Reserve original documents, letters and curios. It is surprising how descendants of the pioneers seem to disregard the value of such things to history. Within the last few years important diaries and documents have been burned or thrown on dump piles, which would 'have been of great value to science, literature and history.


COUNTY EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.


The "Early Settlers' Association of Cuyahoga County," to whose "Annals" the writer is largely indebted for much of the most interesting- information bearing on the pioneer history of Cleveland, has also proved a real educational force to the people of the Western Reserve. The first steps which led to its organization were taken by H. M. Addison, who, in the fall of 1879, published several articles on the project in the Cleveland newspapers. His suggestion met with such enthusiastic response that he circulated a call for a public meeting of the early settlers of the city and county, with the result that on November 19th the association adopted a constitution, and on the succeeding January 12 the following were chosen its first permanent officers : Hon. Harvey Rice, president ; Hon. John W. Allen and Hon. Jesse P. Bishop, vice-presidents ; Thomas Jones, Jr., secretary, and George C. Dodge, treasurer.


THE OLD VOLUNTEER FIREMEN.


When Cleveland was incorporated in 1836 there were only three hand engines and one hook and ladder company in its entire depart-


494 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


ment. In 1840 a separate hose company was organized and equipped, and with this addition the citizens of Cleveland felt as if their property and lives were comparatively safe. The sources of water supply for the department were at first limited to four or five cisterns located at convenient street corners, the Ohio canal and the Cuyahoga river. The waters of the lake were not utilized until the city water works were completed. Fire Engine No. 1 had her home on Superior street, just west of Water ; No. 2 was located on Seneca street and No. 3, a small rotary engine, had no especial abiding place ; while No. 4 and the hook and ladder apparatus were housed on St. Clair street, on the grounds afterward occupied by steam fire engine No. and the headquarters of the department. Old-timers of Cleveland recall that there was always one exception to the somewhat bitter rivalry that existed between Cleveland and Ohio City. This exception was the friendly feeling which was aroused when either locality was endangered by fire.


"SMELLING" COMMITTEE'S GOOD WORK.


The veterans of old Phoenix No. 4 especially recall the time when they volunteered to cross the city line and the river to help in the work of extinguishing a fire on Whiskey island, at the old Petrie distillery. It seems that the rule prevailed in all the Cleveland companies of those days that the roll call, upon return from fires, must determine who were present, the absentees being fined if they had no sufficient excuse. Engine No. 4, at the distillery fire, took water from the Cuyahoga river, and was obliged to station itself in a hog pen, which was obviously not the most cleanly spot in Ohio City. When roll call was enforced, upon the return of the men to their Cleveland quarters, several members were seen to fall into the ranks who were really not in service during the fire ; but their attempted deception was put to shame by the appointment of a special committee (called the smelling committee), which soon discovered from the odor attaching to any particular mem whether his story was entitled to belief.


TRAITS OF EARLY COMPANIES.


Those who served for years in the ranks of the pioneer companies, organized in Cleveland prior to the coming. of its first steam fire engine, give special characteristics to each of the companies. No. 1, for instance, they say, was well drilled and efficient and composed of quite orderly men ; No. 2, comprising largely mechanics and laboring men, had more vim and push than most of the others, while No. 4 had the reputation of containing more blue blood than all the rest of the department combined. The hook and ladder company were men of real nerve, a goodly share of its membership being of Scotch blood. Nos. 4 and 5 had especially high reputations for speed and many were the keen foot races between these two, encumbered, as they were, with long drag ropes. It required no little practice to become an expert in managing the old hand engines, and determining the proper method in which to attack a vigorous fire. Under the management of Chief Engineer Weatherly, the boys were thoroughly drilled in every detail which could possibly have a bearing upon their efficiency. First, he directed competitive drills for trying the speed of the firemen. All the available places for obtaining water were numbered, and upon drill days it was arranged that the Baptist church bell should strike a given number, when the boys would run pell mell, and the first engine obtaining and throwing a stream was to get a nominal prize for efficiency. Some limbs were actually broken in these fierce contests. but it is probable that the efficiency of the department of those days was materially increased.


FIRST STEAM FIRE ENGINE.


The commencement of Cleveland's mode department was marked by the coming of first steam fire engine on November 11, The next important steps taken in the prog-


HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 495


ress of its fire department were the installation of the fire alarm and telegraph system in October, 1864, and the launching of its first fire boat in August, 1886. From that time this department of the city government has steadily advanced. in efficiency, until now the property and lives of Clevelanders are guarded by about thirty up-to-date fire engines and about a dozen hook and ladder and hose companies. The headquarters of the department are in the City Hall


CITY WATER WORKS SYSTEM.


In September, 1856, Cleveland completed what was then called its new water works system, although at the present time it would be considered quite antiquated. It was not until 1870 that the first water works crib was launched in the harbor, but the great tunnel from the Kirtland street pumping station was not completed until 1903. This last work was considered the culmination of Cleveland's modern system of water works, and through this. gigantic intake the city is now supplied with from 80,000,000 to 90,000,000 gallons of water daily. The system of today further comprises two storage reservoirs, one a low service reservoir at Fairmont street, and the other a high-water 'service, at Kinsman street. The Fairmont reservoir is 605,265 square feet in area, 20 feet depth and has a capacity of 80,000,000 gallons, while the Kinsman street reservoir is 256,224. square feet in area, 23 feet deep and has a capacity of 47,000,000 gallons. The total cost of the water works system, from its inception in 1856 to the present time is over $10,000,000, the water supply being distributed through more than 550 miles of mains, coming from the lake at an average distance of one and one-half miles from the shore. These, in general terms, are the leading features of, Cleveland's present water works system, which both supplies its citizens with pure water and is of such invaluable assistance to the operations of its fire department.


CLEVELAND'S CIVIC CENTER.



Much of the civic pride and architectural grandeur of Cleveland are centered in and clustered around its public square, better known as Monument park, at the junction of Euclid avenue and Superior and Ontario streets. Its most superb feature is the great monument dedicated to the memory of the soldiers and sailors of Cuyahoga county, who participated in the Civil war. Opposite is the statute of General Moses Cleaveland, the foun-




SOLDIERS ' AND SAILORS ' MONUMENT,

CLEVELAND.


der of the city ; across another of its bounding thoroughfares is a rugged naval cannon captured by the intrepid Perry at the battle of Lake Erie, and almost flanking the memorial monument itself is a Confederate gun which was captured by one of the brave batteries which went from Cuyahoga county. Within


496 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


the adjacent municipal territory are the grand new federal and county buildings and the Chamber of Commerce.


Cleveland is the pioneer in the movement which has spread throughout the country for the establishment of such civic centers as is being formed around Monument park. With her magnificent City Hall, Public Library and Union railway station of the future, this downtown district will hardly be surpassed in impressiveness or beauty by any in the country. The plan ultimately involves the grouping of magnificent public buildings about the park, which will extend from the principal business thoroughfares directly to the lake, where the grand Union station is to be erected. The realization of this plan invokes an outlay of about $20,000,000.


SOLDIERS AND SAILORS' MONUMENT,


As stated, the civic pride and patriotism of Cleveland is now symbolized by the Soldiers and Sailors' Monument. Its erection was first proposed by William J. Gleason at a meeting of Camp Barnett of the soldiers and sailors' society, held in Cleveland, October 22, 1879, and at a grand reunion of ex-soldiers and sailors of Cuyahoga county, held in Case hall, October 30, 1879, a special committee reported in favor of the erection of this memorial in the center of Monument park. Not to go into unnecessary details, it is sufficient to state that the monument was unveiled and dedicated July 4, 1894, and that its completion involved an expenditure of $280,000, raised by public taxation.


The shaft of this magnificent architectural structure is 125 feet in height. The principal features of the exterior of the monument are described by the Monument commissioners thus : "There are four realistic groups of bronze statuary, representing in heroic size the four principal branches of the service : Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry and the Navy ; not in the stiff and inartistic attitudes of dress parade, but in fierce conflict, with worn garments to accord, and the supple action of men whose muscles are trained by rushing through brush and swamps to capture breastworks. With this in view it was deemed in appropriate to have for a background to such scenes a building in classical Gothic, Romanesque or other popular style of architecture, but instead to substitute a style made up entirely of military and naval emblems. The foundation of the column, or shaft proper, is twelve feet square, around which is the tablet room, the four walls of which are lined with beautifully colored marble tablets on which are engraved the names of 10,000 of Cuyahoga's brave sons, who were willing to risk their all for their country. To have an ample space from which to view these tablets necessitated the planning of a room forty feet square, and to be properly proportioned, twenty feet high, The walls are three feet thick. Surrounding the building is an esplanade five feet above the grade line and approached by circular steps at the four corners. Upon the same are built four massive pedestals, each nine by twenty-one feet and ten feet high. To secure a proper walking and standing space around these pedestals and the necessary railings, required the building of an esplanade 100 feet square. To the top of the surmounting figure above the carefully proportioned column and building is, as stated, 125 feet.


"The steps and massive platforms composing the esplanade are of red Medina stone, polished to a smooth surface. The building is of black Quincy granite, with Amherst stone trimmings. The roof of this structure is made of slabs of stone twelve inches thick, ingeniously fitted together so as to be absolutely watertight. Above the roof is connecting pedestal to the die of the column the form of a bastioned fort with guns barbette, the projecting- bastions forming outline that blends with the sloping gables of the building, making harmonious connections between the column and the broad base of the monument.


"The die of the column is of Amherst stone, representing a section of a fortified tower


HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 497


and is nine feet in diameter with projecting moldings twelve feet. The shaft of the column is of polished black Quincy granite in ten blocks. At the alternate joints of the shaft are six bronze bands, seventeen inches in width, containing the names of thirty of the most prominent battles of the war, commencing alphabetically at the top in the following order : Antietam, Atlanta, Bentonville, Cedar Mountain, Chickamauga, Corinth, Donelson, Five Forks, Fort Fisher, Franklin, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Kenesaw, Knoxville, Missionary Ridge, Mobile, Monitor-Merrimac, Nashville, New Orleans, Pea Ridge, Perryville, Petersburg, Resaca, Richmond, Shiloh, Spotsylvania, Stone River, Vicksburg, Fort Wagner, Wilderness and Winchester. The above list was compiled after corresponding with some of the Most prominent historians and generals of the army.


"The bell of the capital is divided by eight bent fasces, between which are the emblems of the eight principal branches of the services —infantry, cavalry, artillery, navy, engineers, ordnance, signal and quartermaster. The infantry group, representing `The Color Guard,' was from an actual incident of the war and depicts with vivid truthfulness, as the sculptor saw it, the gallant defense of the flag of the 103d Ohio Infantry, at the battle of Resaca, where the lion-hearted sergeant, Martin Striebler, and his gallant guard of eight corporals, stood before the enemy's fire until they were all killed or wounded. The artillery group, 'At Short Range,' represents a piece in action, fully manned, with an officer in command. The officer, who has been looking with his field glass, has not noticed his wounded men, and pointing with his finger, says A little more to the right, Corporal.' The cavalry group, "The Advance Guard,' represents a detachment that has struck the line of the enemy. The confederate soldiers were introduced in this historical group to show to posterity what they and their flag were like.


"The navy group, 'Mortar Practice,' represents a scene near Island No. To on the Mis-


Vol. I-32


sissippi river, where an officer and five men are loading a mortar, preparatory to shelling the intrenchments. '


"Over the doors at each of the north and south entrances are panels with the dates 1861- 1865. Over the north entrance is the Ohio state seal, and over the south entrance the United States seal, flanked by battle axes and draped flags. The gables at the east and west sides have, respectively, the badges of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Loyal Legion, bordered with draped flags. In the north and south gables in gold letters are engraved : 'Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.'


"Upon entering the building from Superior street, the visitor is struck with an effective group of life size figures in a cast bronze panel, seven by , ten feet, representing the ‘Emancipation of the Slave.' The central figure, in full relief, is Abraham Lincoln. On the right hand of the president stand Salmon P. Chase and John Sherman, the financial men of the war period, and on the left are Ben Wade and Joshua R. Giddings, who were Lincoln's mainstays in the anti-slavery movements. In the background, in bas-relief, are represented the army and navy. The panel on the west side of the shaft is called 'The Beginning' of the War in Ohio.' The three central figures are the war governors, Dennison, Tod and Brough, flanked on the right by Generals McClellan, Cox and Garfield, and on the left by Generals Rosecrans, Hayes and Gillmore.. The panel on the south side represents the sanitary commission, the Soldiers' Aid Society and the hospital service. The figures shown are Mrs. Benjamin Rouse, president ; Miss Mary Clarke Brayton, secretary ; Miss Ellen F. Terry, treasurer ; Miss Sarah Mahan, clerk, and vice-presidents, Mrs. John Shelley, Mrs. William Melhinch and Mrs. J. A. Harris. The fourth panel is entitled The End of the War ; or, The Peacemakers at City Point. The scene is where Lincoln left his steamer 'River Queen' and went ashore to visit Grant's headquarters. These bronze historical panels are framed with molded col-


498 - HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE


ored marble bases, with massive fasces at the four corners, and heavy molded. caps. Above the panels and extending to the ceiling, the shaft is encased in colored marble.


"In each of the four fasces are three large-sized bronze medallions of prominent Ohio commanders, the officers chosen being Hon. E. M. Stanton, secretary of war ; Generals J. B. McPherson, James B. Hazen, A. McDowell McCook, Manning F. Force; James B. Steadman, J. S. Casement, A. C. Voris, J. J. Elwell, George W. Morgan, Emerson Opdycke and Dr. C. A. Hartman. Between the arches of the windows on the east and west walls are six niches in which rest bronze busts of officers who were killed in action : Colonel W. R. Creighton, Lieutenant-Colonel Mervin Clark, Major J. B.. Hampson, Captain Wm. W. Hutchinson, Captain William Smith and Captain W. J. Woodward. By a vote of the commission, the bronze busts of General James Barnett and Captain Levi T. Scofield were ordered placed over the north and south doors, the former in honor of his distinguished patriotism during the war, he having held the highest rank of any soldier of our county ; the latter in recognition of his brilliant services as architect and sculptor, to the people of the county and to the commissioners."


Some of the details of the official description are necessarily omitted, but the quotations given cannot but give a fair idea of the magnificence and significance of this splendid tribute to the fidelity, even unto death, of the soldiers and sailors of Cuyahoga county.


THE CAPTURED BRITISH GUN.


In the "Annals of the Early Settlers' Association" have been preserved historic facts both of the gun taken by Commodore Perry from the British at the battle of .Lake Erie. and the Confederate gun, which was captured by the Cleveland light artillery, not far from: Laurel Hill, West Virginia, during the campaign of July, 1861, under the command of General Rosecrans. As ascertained from these sources, the British gun known as a "Long 32," was made at Woolwich Arsenal, England, about 1808, and was considered in those lays a powerful siege gun. It was first used at Fort Malden in a battery planted to comnand the mouth of the Detroit river and when Commodore Barclay's fleet was fitted out to give battle to that of Perry, it was among the guns furnished him from this flag the gun, which is now planted opposite the the Soldiers' and Sailors' monument, was a bowchaser on the "Detroit," which was the flagship of the British admiral. After the battle of Lake Erie the guns of the "Detroit" were taken to the city by that name. Fort Malden afterward gave place to docks and warehouses and three of the guns which had been used for various purposes were given to the city of Detroit and placed in her public park. One of these was finally presented to the Western Reserve Historical Society and originally stood near the monument which had been erected to the memory of Commodore Perry When the monument itself was removed to Wade park the gun remained upon its present site.


THE CAPTURED CONFEDERATE GUN.


The Confederate gun was captured by the Cleveland Light Artillery during the retreat of the Confederates, after their left flank had been turned by the Union troops at Laurel Hill, West Virginia. Not many miles away at the ford of Cheat river, the enemy made a stand to protect their supply train. After a brief engagement, the artillery fire of the Confederates was silenced and, as the Union forces pushed forward, the special gun which had given more trouble than all the rest of the rebel artillery was taken possession of by the Cleveland Light Artillery. The gunner who was serving this rebel piece was killed by a cannon shot while putting down a charge, which was as far down as the trunnions when he was shot to his death, his body falling over the axle of his gun. In recognition of the bravery of the Cleveland Light Artillery, whet that command was ordered back to Ohio for


HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE - 499


muster out, the commanding officer allowed them to take with them this captured gun; not only the gun, but the mules to whom had been assigned the duty of bringing it into action.

For severil years this old gun was used to announce the news of a Federal victory ; in 1870 it was turned over to the city of Cleveland and since that time has found a resting place in its public square.


FIRST MILITARY ORGANIZATION.


The military history of Cuyahoga county commences with the first militia musier, which was held at Doane's corners, June 16, 1806, Nathaniel Doane being captain ; Sylvanus Burke, lieutenant, and Samuel Jones, ensign, with about fifty privates. As the surveying party was at Cleveland upon this date, and many strangers were also attracted by this first muster, never had so many whites been collected together in Cuyahoga county as on this occasion.


"CLEVELAND GRAYS" AND CIVIL WAR.


It was not, however, until 1838, that a distinctive military organization was formed in the city. The "Cleveland Grays" came into exIstence in that year. This was one of the first companies to volunteer in the Civil war, entering the service as Company E of the first volunteer infantry. This command also took a leading part in the dedication.of the "Cleaveland" statue in 1888 and is still in existence as a live military organization, occupying one of the finest armories in the west. The "Cleveland Grays" were soon followed to the front by the famous Seventh Ohio regiment, which was mustered into the set-vice about two weeks after the firing upon Sumter, and during the entire progress of the Civil war, the city and countv furnished the Union cause eleven field and staff officers. Three complete companies of men were among other privates who were drafted into the ranks. Many Cuyahoga county men served in the Eighth Ohio infantry, and especially distingished themselves at Gettysburg. Two hundred and fifty men of the Twenty-third regiment were drawn from Cleveland and had the honor of serving under Sheridan at Cedar Creek, where he made his famous ride to save the day at Winchester. This regiment had the historic distinction of being commanded by two colonels who afterward became presidents of the United States. After the battle of Bull Run, Cleveland raised the Forty-first regiment, commanded by Captain William B. Hazen, of the United States army, and Company G of the Forty-second regiment, commanded by Garfield, was chiefly composed of citizens of Cleveland and Cuyahoga county. Nearly 600 men composing the One Hundred and Third regiment and a large portion of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth, which guarded Johnson's island, and. of the One Hundred and Fiftieth and One Hundred and Sixty-ninth, which garrisoned Washington in 1864, was largely composed of Clevelanders. Many sharpshooters were also drawn from her citizenship, and the Second cavalry, whose campaigns were chiefly conducted in the southwest against Indians, and Morgan's men, consisted of citizens of Cleveland, many of whom were of considerable social prominence. The First Ohio Light Artillery, which went to the front on two days' notice, in command of Colonel James Barnett, and fired the first shot of the Civil war at Phillippi, West Virginia, consisted almost entirely of Cleveland soldiers. The Sixth and Tenth Ohio cavalry and Nineteenth and Twentieth batteries were also largely recruited in this county, and in the famous Fifth United States Infantry, composed entirely of colored men, were fifteen enlisted men from Cleveland. This regiment had the remarkable and significant distinction, during its service in the Civil war, of losing 342 men, killed and wounded, out of a total strength of 559. These scattering and incomplete statements will give only a fair idea of the achievements of Cuyahoga county in the war of the Rebellion ; but no statements, however full and eulogistic, could hope to do the subject justice.