A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 1

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1262

USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I > Part 1

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Gc 977.102 C590 v.1 1214042

GENEALOGY COLLECTION

GEN

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02279 7812

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A HISTORY

CLEVELAND. 1

OHIO

By SAMUEL P. ORTH OF THE CLEVELAND BAR

WITH NUMEROUS CHAPTERS BY SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

ILLUSTRATED -

VOLUME I.

CHICAGO-CLEVELAND THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING CO. 1910

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1214042

DIVISION I.

THE GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL RELATIONS OF THE CITY.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Geology, by Professor W. M. Gregory 15

II. Geography, by Professor W. M. Gregory 19

III. Climate, by Professor W. M. Gregory 29

IV. The Northwest Territory, the State of Ohio, the Western Re- serve, Cuyahoga County, Land Titles. 34

V. The Plan of the City-Annexations

VI. Streets, Bridges, Viaducts 5I

DIVISION II.

POPULATION.

VII.

The Moundbuilders, Indians, Indian Trails, Indian Treaties. ... 73

VIII. Early Explorers, French, English, Early Traders, Moravians. 81

IX. The Surveying Parties, The Town Established. 93

X. Pioneer Families and Village Growth

XI. The Development of Population. Immigration. Analysis of

Census Reports

.II2

DIVISION III.

SANITATION, HEALTH AND FIRE PROTECTION.

XII. General Sanitary Conditions. The Sewer System. Street Clean- ing. Garbage Disposal. Smoke Inspection. Board of Health. 127

XIII. The Water Supply I34

XIV. City Cemeteries 147 XV. Fire Protection 15I

XVI.

The Parks

167

XVII.

The Medical Profession, by Dr. H. E. Handerson.

176 .

XVIII.

The Dental Profession, by Dr. George H. Wilson

.216

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DIVISION IV.

GOVERNMENTAL AND POLITICAL.

XIX. Territorial and State Government . 227

XX. Cleveland Men in State and National Government. 234

XXI. County and Village Government 24I

XXII. The City. Its Successive Governments 244

XXIII. The Police Department 248

XXIV. The City Finances, by Professor Charles C. Williamson 253

XXV. The Courts 258

XXVI. Public Buildings. Court Houses, City Hall. Group Plan 265

XXVII. General Political History 270

XXVIII. Presidential Campaigns and Important Political Movements .276

XXIX. The Slavery Issue in Cleveland 290

DIVISION V.

MILITARY. Contributed by Colonel J. F. Herrick.

XXX. Early Military History. War of 1812. 303

XXXI. Independent Companies. The Mexican War . 306

XXXII.

Civil War. The Call to Arms

XXXIII.

Civil War. The Cleveland Regiments. .310

XXXIV.

Civil War. Cleveland Officers in Other Regiments .327

313

XXXV.

Civil War. The Ladies Aid Society 335

XXXVI.

"After the War." 339

XXXVII. Present (1909) Military Organizations 343

XXXVIII.

Cleveland Companies and Officers that Served in the Spanish War 345

DIVISION VI. RELIGIOUS AND BENEVOLENCES.

XXXIX. Protestant Churches, by Rev. Dan. F. Bradley, D. D .... 349 XL. Catholic Churches and Benevolences, by Rt. Rev. G. F. Houck. 365 XLI. Jewish Temples and Benevolences, by Rabbi Moses Gries. . 377

XLII. Private Benevolences, by J. W. Walton 393

XLIII. Public Charities .403

XLIV. Other Benevolent Institutions. Y. M. C. A. Y. W. C. A.

Social Settlements .405

DIVISION VII.

SOCIAL LIFE.

XLV. Early Social Life and Amusements .415

XLVI. Early Taverns and Hotels 127

XLVII. The Drama, by Maurice Wiedenthal 434

TABLE OF CONTENTS

XLVIII.

Music, by Jane D. Orth

449

XLIX. Art, by Carl Lorenz . .459

L. Architecture, by F. S. Barnum 468

LI.

Visits of Distinguished Public Men

475

LII. Important Public Events 478

DIVISION VIII.

LITERARY.

LIII. Early Literary Life in Cleveland 489

LIV. Early Cleveland Publishers and Booksellers, by Charles Orr. .499

LV. Cleveland Newspapers 504

LVI. Public Schools

519

LVII. Private Schools 537

LVIII. Western Reserve University, by Professor E. J. Benton 545

LIX. Case School of Applied Science, by Eckstein Case. 556

LX. Cleveland Public Library, by John H. Clarke 577

LXI. Western Reserve Historical Society, by A. M. Dyer 588

LXII.

Cleveland Authors

.596

LXIII. Some Cleveland Scientists 604

DIVISION IX. FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL.

LXIV. Early Trade and Commercial Development .6II

LXV. Manufacture .627

LXVI. Banks .640

LXVII. The Chamber of Commerce .655

LXVIII.

The Builders Exchange and Some Early Builders, by E. A.

Roberts

.663

LXIX. Engineering Development, by Walter P. Rice. .667

DIVISION X.

TRANSPORTATION.

LXX. Roads and Turnpikes 681

. LXXI. Canals 689

LXXII. The Lake Traffic 702

LXXIII.

The Harbor

LXXIV. The Railroads 724

LXXV. Street Cars and Electric Lines 730

.744

LXXVI. Telegraph and Postal Service LXXVII. The Public Square 757 752 Appendix

767

Surveying Party of 1796 767

Second Surveying Party, 1797 767

Original Members of Connecticut Land Company 767

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Original Lot Owners of Cleveland .768

Table I-Mileage of Streets Graded and Curbed. .768

Table II-Miles of Street Pavement 769

Table III-Development Street Lighting 769 Table IV-Growth Population of Cleveland and Other Cities .770

Table V-Annual Arrival of Immigrants 771-772

Table VI-Quantity of Garbage Delivered at Reduction Plant. .773

Table VIIa-Park Areas and Improvements · 774-775

Table VIIb-Park Expenditures 776

Table VIII-Growth Fire Department 776

Table IX-Growth Police Department 777

Table X-Arrests Made by Police Department Annually. 777

Table XI-City Finances 779-780

Table XII-Building Permits 781

Table XIII-Outdoor Relief-Infirmary 781

Table XIV-Federal Appropriations Cleveland Harbor .782

Table XV-Amount Spent by City in Dredging River .782

Table XVI-Transition in Policy of River Dredging. 783

Table XVII-Cost of Dredging per cubic yard 783 Table XVIII-Banking Statement .783

Table XIX-Lake Superior Iron Ore Product 784

Table XX-Coal Traffic in Cleveland 784

Table XXI-Grain Traffic in Cleveland 785

Table XXII-Total Freight Movement 786

List of United States Officers in Cleveland 786

Judges ; Clerks of Circuit and District Courts; United States Attor-

neys; Marshals; Collectors of Internal Revenue; Collectors Cus-

toms; Postmasters; United States Engineers.

List of County Officers, Cuyahoga County 787

Judges Cuyahoga County Supreme Court; Judges Circuit Court; Judges Common Pleas Court; Clerks County Pleas Court; Sher- iffs; Prosecuting Attorneys; Recorders; Treasurers; Auditors; County Commissioners.

List of Municipal Officers 789

Village of Cleveland ; Ohio City; City of Cleveland.

Names of Streets used frequently in this Volume that have been changed. 800 Index 801

Courtesy Eckstein Case

THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE PUBLIC SQUARE B

From a pencil sketch made by William Case in the '40s. The view is from the corner of Ontario street, prob- ably from the Old Stone Church, looking southeast. The tents in the enclosure indicate that the sketch may have been made about the time of the War with Mexico. The sketch is evidently not completed. All the sections of the square were fenced in at that time.

A. Case homestead ; B, Lemon homestead, corner Superior St., where the Cuyahoga building now stands. This was a quaint stonehouse with classic portico. C, house of Richard Winslow ; D, Dr. Erastus Cush- ing's home ; E, Edmund Clark homestead ; F, property originally owned by Nathan Perry, had many sub- sequent owners. The Park building now occupies the site. Beyond the Lemon home is seen a tall house that stood on Euclid avenue, probably the Williamson homestead.

FOREWORD

The writing of a local history is always a difficult and more or less unsatis- factory task. There is the constant danger that the narrative degenerate into a collection of useless generalities, or that it expand into an overgrown city direc- tory, a catalogue of unrelated details. To this is added the delicate task of per- sonal allusion, the selection of material, the problem of what to include and what to exclude, of proportionate emphasis upon the various activities, and, lastly, the problem of sources of information. These for the earlier days of American cities are meager and often unsatisfactory. Moreover the usual municipal rou- tine of American cities is devoid of dramatic interest, its episodes are unspec- tacular, do not appeal to the imagination or fire the heart and are therefore almost colorless, alike to the historian and to the reader; there is no compelling appeal, no literary lure.

When the author was asked by the publishers to write this history, these dif- ficulties and others made him reluctant to undertake so arduous a task. When finally it was determined to prepare the work, the book was not planned to be a complete or comprehensive history of Cleveland, the limitations of time and space and the stress of professional duties at once forbade that ; nor to be a mere narrative in chronological sequence of the city's achievements. But it was de- signed to cover the greater activities in some detail, to slight others with scant notice, and to dwell particularly upon the sociological and the political city, rather than upon the commercial and industrial city. And this partly for the reason, that American cities have been too often described as purely commercial ma- chines, grinding out in inexorable routine, regardless of cost and oblivious to culture, the wealth of the land. They have been too long maligned, idealists have scoffed, reformers upbraided, and philosophers have mocked them. But they continue to grow, they are the most significant units of our national life, giving shelter. and employment to millions.

This book has been written from the viewpoint of one who does not believe merely in the commercial theory of American cities, but who regards all legitimate activities of man as a natural expression of the spirit of progress, and believes that the modern city is the highest expression of material civilization; that in it are to be found not only all the vices that have held the race to the earth, but also all the potencies that are striving for the well being of mankind.

In order to bring more completely before the mind of the reader the individual factors and activities that have made the city, the usual plan of writing in chrono- logical sequence has been abandoned. Instead, the activities of the city have been

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

treated in their proper unities rather than in epochs. Ten major groups or divi- sions have been determined upon and under these are treated the factors of the city's growth. The first naturally is the geographical group, dealing with the natural environment, the physical relations of the city. These include the river, the lake, the climate, the geology, the soil, the contour of the surface. In this group also are the purely geographical factors, the land, the territory, the Western Reserve, the state, the county, the city streets, and boundaries. Into these natural conditions came man. The second group therefore deals with population. This includes the moundbuilder, the Indian, the explorer, the surveyor, the pioneer, and latterly, the immigrant. Man's physical relation to this environment provides the third group, sanitation, health and fire protection. Herein are considered the water- works, the fire department, sewers, street cleaning, garbage collection, the parks, the medical and dental professions. The next relation of the population is govern- mental and political, embracing the government of the territory, state, county, village, and city; with the greater political movements that have accompanied our people's attempt at self-government, with the courts, and the bench and the bar. The military relations forms the next group. The scant records of Indian relations, of the war of 1812 and the war with Mexico, and the ampler activities of the Civil war and the war with Spain are here included. The social relations of the population include the development of domestic life, of music, art, the drama, architecture, the taverns and hotels, and the unusual episodes, such as the visits of distinguished men. The religious and benevolent relations are worked out largely in church life; in benevolent organizations ; in private and public charities and other activities. The literary relations embrace the more distinctly cultural activities, the early literary life, public and private schools, newspapers, the col- legs, the university and the libraries. The commercial and financial relations are placed next. They include early trade and barter, mercantile development, man- ufactures, banks and other mercantile and financial institutions. Finally comes the wider relation with other communities through transportation. Here are mentioned the roads and turnpikes, canals and railroads, lake traffic and electric lines, telegraph and the mails.

Authorities. The principal sources consulted for the preparation of this volume are the following: (I) The newspapers. All the oldest files have been carefully read. A newspaper conscientiously edited shows the state of public sentiment and impulse and political conditions and economic movements as no other source of information does. The older papers contain notices of meetings and accounts of important events that are today recorded in more substantial form. The early papers were careful in news gathering and had not learned the vicious modern art of news making. The advertisements and market reports form val- uable sources of information. The "Cleveland Herald" was particularly well edited, and its files are of the greatest value. The Jubilee number of the "Waech- ter und Anzeiger" August 9, 1902, is a most valuable résumé of the city's growth, and is wonderfully illustrated.

(2) The records of the council meetings of the village and city, the annual reports of the city departments, and of the public schools and library. These are valuable mainly as a record of official action. They do not reflect social and po- litical sentiment. The annual city reports are particularly valuable for showing the

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

development of public works, such as the extension of streets, the building of bridges, etc. Until recent years, these reports are meager and their contents poorly classified. The financial reports are particularly unsatisfactory.

(3) The city directories. These begin in 1837 and are almost unbroken in their annual series. They give a great deal of information. The advertisements of the earlier ones are instructive. Lists of the officers of the city and county are found in them in convenient form. A perusal of the names and occupations shows the ethnic and economic status of the population.

(4) The records in the county offices, notably of the surveyor, for informa- tion concerning highways and of the recorder for real-estate transfers. The reports of state officers, particularly of the secretary of state, the auditor, the state board of elections and the state board of public works. The reports in the United States engineer's office for the development of the harbor.

(5) The federal census reports. These are valuable. They are gathered with as much care as such data can be and give a great deal of information be- side the merely statistical, particularly upon manufactures and commerce.

(6) The complete files of the Ohio laws for records of the incorporations of companies to 1850 and for village and city charters; the reports of the state board of public works for development of the canals.

(7) The annual reports of the Chamber of Commerce contain valuable data. Nearly all of the more important societies, charitable, etc., now publish annual reports of their doings.

(8) The tracts of the Western Reserve Historical Society. They cover a large range of subjects and make more available some of the manuscript material in the society's collection. Those by Colonel Whittlesey and Judge Baldwin are especially valuable.

(9) The Annals of the Early Settlers' Association. These are valuable and unique. They preserve often in quaint form, the narratives of the earliest pioneers and give valuable sketches of the lives of the early settlers. Some of the later papers are prepared with great care.

(10) Of the later city, many good magazine articles are written. Poole's In- dex gives these, and Mr. Brett, of the public library, has had a complete list pre- pared for ready reference. The "Magazine of Western History," formerly pub- lished in Cleveland and edited by James Kennedy, contains some good material, especially of a biographical nature.

(II) Of books written on Cleveland's history none compares in value with Colonel Charles Whittlesey's "Early History of Cleveland." It contains virtually all there is obtainable on the subject of our first dozen years. Such supplementary manuscripts as are in the Historical Society, covering this period, are unfortu- nately not yet available to the general reader. The city owes to Colonel Whittle- sey a large debt of gratitude for this and multitudes of other services he rendered to the community, a debt that is as yet unpaid. Other histories are: A biograph- ical compilation, in 1869, unique in that it is illustrated with the actual photo- graphs, taken by James Rider; Crisfield Johnson's "History of Cuyahoga County," of value for its military records of the Civil war; the "World's History of Cleveland," 1896, a centennial compilation by the "Cleveland World;"

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

and James Kennedy's "History of Cleveland," 1896, valuable as a comprehensive and condensed narrative in chronological order.

(12) Of general works, the following have been consulted. On Indian wars and prerevolutionary days, Parkman's "Conspiracy of Pontiac," and "Jesuits in America," and Bancroft's "History," volume 3; Albach's "Annals of the West," Pittsburg, 1857, valuable as a general survey of the development of the middle west, contains a bibliography of important works. Howe's "Historical Collections of Ohio." Caleb Atwater's "History of Ohio," Cincinnati, 1838, gives a quaint account of Ohio in the '30s. "Biographical Annals of Ohio," published by the state, for biographical and statistical information. The "History of the Great Lakes" contains the best available information concerning the development of lake shipping. "St. Clair Papers," edited by William H. Smith; Maxwell's "Code Laws of Northwest Territory, 1796;" and Jacob Burnett "Notes on Northwest Territory," for the territorial period of our history.

(13) On the judiciary, the "Cleveland Bench and Bar." On public schools, besides the annual reports, Andrew Freese "Early History of the Cleveland Public Schools ;" W. J. Akers, "Cleveland Schools of the Nineteenth Century." On city finance, the comprehensive monograph, "The Finances of Cleveland," by C. C. Williamson, Ph. D., Columbia University Studies, 1907. On canals, annual reports of Ohio state board of public works and Ohio canal commissioners ; Canal Documents, Charles N. Morris, "Internal Improvements of Ohio," 1825-50, volume 9 of American Historical Association publications; John Kilbourne "History of Ohio Canals;" E. R. Johnson's "Inland Waterways, Their Relation to Transportation," American Academy of Political Science, 1893. For railroads, Poor's "Manual ;" Moody's "Manual;" early reports and "Guides." For street railways, the excellent monograph by W. R. Hopkins on "Street Railway Prob- lem in Cleveland," American Economic Association Studies, 1896.

(14) The publications of the State Archeological and Historical society con- tain some local material, as do historical collections of Mahoning Valley, Youngs- town, 1876; the History of Trumbull County, 1882, and Lane's History of Summit County.

(15) Of general interest are the following local works : "Women of Cleveland and Their Work," Mrs. W. A. Ingham. The entertaining works of Harvey Rice, "Sketches of Western Reserve Life," "Pioneers of the Western Reserve," and "Incidents of Pioneer Life;" O. J. Hodge "Memoriae," a little volume of charm- ing personal recollections; "Autobiography and Recollections of a Pioneer Printer," Eber D. Howe, Painesville, 1876.

Other. references will be found in their appropriate places in the various chapters.

For obvious reasons, the old names of the streets have been retained. In the Appendix will be found a list of these streets, with their present numbers.

It has been the plan to have the illustrations and maps supplement the text. Many persons have kindly aided in the search for illustrations that have histori- cal value.

Of acknowledgments, a multitude must be made. A number of the venerable pioneers have been interviewed. Colonel O. J. Hodge has particularly been called upon a number of times.

3 1833 02279 7812

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

Among the many who have given valuable aid and information are: Caesar A. Grasselli; Senator B. F. Wirt, of Youngstown; James F. Jackson, of the Associated Charities; Judge George S. Adams, of the Juvenile court; Judge Willis Vickery, of the Law School; Hon. F. M. Chandler ; city and county officials ; W. J. Springborn, director of public service, prepared in a painstaking manner much information concerning the earlier city streets and public works; Andrew Lea, both as county surveyor and as director of public service; R. Y. McCray, clerk of the county commissioners and of the city council.

For information concerning Italian population, to Attorney B. D. Nicola ; and concerning the distribution of the various ethnic elements, to Edward B. Janoushek, in the county clerk's office. Mr. Janoushek prepared the map show- ing the ethnic distribution of the population.

For information concerning the social settlements to the head workers.

For information concerning the private schools, to Mrs. W. R. Warner and Miss Alice Hanscom, and the principals of the various schools.

Colonel John S. Millis, United States engineer, has permitted the most gen- erous use of the records of his office, covering the development of the harbor. C. B. Galbreath, state librarian at Columbus, has kindly furnished me with copies of documents not available in Cleveland. Dr. John W. Perrin, librarian of Case library, has accorded generous use of the volumes of that valuable library.

The following have kindly reviewed chapters of the work: Thomas H. Wilson, Charles B. Gilchrist, Howard Strong, Chas. Kennedy, Miss Alice Hans- com, City Engineer Hoffman, J. W. Walton and Walter P. Rice. Paul Leland Haworth, Ph. D., has patiently read the manuscript of the volume, and made many useful suggestions.

My special acknowledgments are due to the trustees of the public library and especially to Librarian W. H. Brett and to his courteous assistants in the refer- ence room. A special place for work was prepared for me in the overcrowded quarters, where were placed at my disposal the city directories, city reports, census reports and other series, where they could be constantly consulted. References were looked up, many lists of articles, authors and other data made and every part of the library placed at my disposal. Perhaps, when another his- tory of Cleveland is ripe, there will be a new library building, with plenty of room for research and study. But there cannot be more courteous hospitality.

No history of Cleveland, indeed no history of the Western Reserve or of Ohio, can be written without constant consultation of the large collections of the Western Reserve Historical Society. All of these collections were most generously placed at my disposal. Here are the complete files of all the newspapers, of public records, of laws, of ordinances ; here are innumerable manuscripts, a large collection of maps and pictures, an extensive collection of the early Gazetteers, also large collections of local histories and many general volumes. I am under special obligations to W. H. Cathcart, the president, and A. M. Dyer, the curator, of this society.

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

And finally, to those who have generously contributed special chapters to this volume. Many of them have done a pioneer work, bringing together data for the first time that lay scattered in many places. Their contributions to local history will be the more appreciated when it is realized that they are all very busy with important affairs and gave their labors unrewarded, excepting as their work is its own recompense.

The author has had no connection with the biographical volumes, and has no interest of any kind in them.

That error should creep into a work of such magnitude, with such a multi- tude of details, is inevitable, in spite of caution. The facts and dates have been verified, the more important ones several times, and on disputed points all the authorities compared and whenever possible the original sources consulted. Whenever quotations have been made, their sources are given.

It is the hope of the author that this volume may add somewhat to that true municipal spirit in our city, which forms the active principle in all municipal progress.

Cleveland, March, 1910.

S. P. O.

DIVISION I. THE GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL RELATIONS OF THE CITY.

LAAD Er'e ..

Heights

Delta

Doan Brook

and

Lake Plain

Tinker & Crack

Cuyahoga

FARE

DIAGRAMMATIC SKETCH OF THE VALLEY OF THE CUYAHOGA RIVER

Gordon Park

Shaker Lakes

DIAGRAMMATIC SKETCH OF THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE OLD DELTA AND LAKE PLAIN, THE DOAN BROOK REGION AND THE HEIGHTS

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A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 1

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1262

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1262