USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I > Part 30
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Reuben Wood, elected in 1850, served one term, was reelected in 1852, but resigned in 1853 to accept the consulship to Valparaiso. He was the last gov- ernor of Ohio under the old constitution and the first under the new. Gov- ernor Wood was born in Rutland county, Vermont, in 1792. He received a common school education, studied law in the office of General Clark of Middle- ton, Connecticut, was married in 1818 and came to Cleveland the same year. In 1825 he was elected to the state senate and was twice reelected. In 1830 he was elected presiding judge of this judicial district (the third) and in 1833 was
* See Whittlesey's "Early History of Cleveland," p. 379.
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elected judge of the state Supreme court, where he served two terms, the last three years as chief justice. He was elected governor by eleven thousand majority in 1850. When the new constitution cut short his term, he was re- elected by twenty-six thousand majority. President Pierce appointed him con- sul to Valparaiso in 1853. On his return from this mission he retired to his farm in Rockport township, an estate long known for its beauty, where he died October 2, 1864. When Governor Wood came to Cleveland there were only two other lawyers here, Leonard Case, who was not actively engaged in prac- tice, and Alfred Kelley. He was ingenious and alert, and was recognized as a good jury lawyer. He was a democrat of the northern school and when in 1852 his party in national convention was in a quandary for a candidate, his name was frequently mentioned as a compromise candidate. Governor Wood was not sagacious as a politician. He possessed a bluntness of speech that often be- trayed him to his enemies. When in 1848 General Cass came to Cleveland, he was introduced by Governor Wood as willing to explain his position on slavery and internal improvements. These were the topics in the people's minds and these subjects Cass was eager to dodge.
John Brough, the last of the three "war governors," was elected in 1863, en- tered office in January, 1864, and died in office August 29, 1865. He was born in Marietta in 1811. His father was an Englishman, who came to Ohio with the ill-fated Blennerhassets in 1806, and his mother was a Pennsylvania German. He was apprenticed to a printer, earned his way through Ohio university at Athens by working in a printing office, was editor of the Marietta "Gazette" and Lancaster "Eagle," and in 1839 was elected auditor of the state. For two years he edited the Cincinnati "Enquirer" and then began the practice of law. In 1853 he was made president of the Madison & Indianapolis railway, later a part of the Big Four system, and moved to Cleveland. He was a war democrat but openly identified himself with the new republican organization. When Val- landingham was named for governor on the democratic ticket in 1863, Brough made a brilliant speech at Marietta, in which he handled Vallandingham and his adherents with his usual ferocious rhetoric and thereby made himself the Union republican candidate. He was elected by the largest majority ever given an Ohio governor up to that time, namely, one hundred and one thousand, and ninety-nine. Brough was a born fighter, blunt, honest, a splendid lawyer and gifted speaker. Indeed, during the famous Corwin-Shannon campaign for gov- ernor in 1840, the democrats withdrew Shannon from the platform and substi- tuted Brough, whose brusque and often impassioned eloquence was a better match for the incomparable Corwin.
Myron T. Herrick, republican, was elected governor in 1903 and served one term. Mr. Herrick was born in Huntington, Ohio, October 9, 1854, attended Oberlin college and Ohio Wesleyan university. He came to Cleveland in 1878 to begin the practice of law. He retired from practice in 1886 to become secre- tary and treasurer of the Society for Savings and since 1894 has been president of this noted bank. He is actively identified with many of the great business enterprises of Cleveland, is a republican in politics and was one of President McKinley's most intimate advisers and friends. In 1903 he was elected gov-
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ernor of Ohio over Tom L. Johnson, the democratic nominee, by the largest majority ever received by an Ohio governor.
In April, 1863, Governor David Tod, of Youngstown, purchased the "Hil- liard Mansion," corner Bond and St. Clair streets, which cost originally twenty- five thousand dollars .* Early in 1864 the family moved into the house, living there little more than a year. This historic house was purchased in 1868 by Cæsar Grasselli and occupied by him until his death in 1882. It has long been known as the Grasselli mansion, and is now occupied by the Associated Chari- ties. Governor Tod, the second "war governor," was elected from Youngstown, in 1861. He was a lawyer, but devoted most of his time to large business in- terests, including the extensive Briar Hill coal mines. He died in Youngstown, November 13, 1868.
Governor George Hoadly lived in Cleveland during the years of his youth and early manhood. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, July 31, 1825. His father, George Hoadly, Sr., was mayor of New Haven for a number of years. In 1830 the family moved to Cleveland and from 1832 to 1846 the father was a justice of the peace and from 1846 to 1848 mayor of the city. As a justice of the peace, the elder Hoadly remains our model. He decided over twenty thousand cases, few were appealed, and none were reversed. His love of learning, his fine temperament inherited from his grandmother, who was a daughter of Jonathan Edwards, his splendid poise of character, were transmit- ted to his distinguished son, who graduated from Western Reserve college and began the practice of law in Cincinnati, to which city the family had removed in 1849.
Governor Seabury Ford, 1849-51, is usually classed as a Cleveland governor. But he lived in Geauga county and never had a residence in Cleveland, though he practiced extensively in the Cuyahoga county courts.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS.
Alphonso Hart, 1874-76. Not a resident of Cleveland when elected, but re- moved to Cleveland subsequent to his election.
Jacob Mueller served 1872-74.
H. W. Curtis (vice Young) served 1877-78. When Rutherford B. Hayes was elected president in 1876, Lieutenant Governor Thomas L. Young became governor, and H. W. Curtis, by virtue of being president of the senate, became acting lieutenant governor.
James Williams. On the death of Governor John M. Pattison, June 18, 1906, Lieutenant Governor Andrew L. Harris became governor, and as presi- dent of the senate James Williams became acting lieutenant governor.
Francis W. Treadway. Elected in 1908.
JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT.
Samuel Huntington. Elected by the legislature and commissioned by Gov- ernor Tiffin, April 12, 1803. Resigned December 5, 1808.
* "Herald," April 23, 1863.
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Reuben Wood. Elected by the legislature, 1833, resigned 1845.
Rufus P. Ranney. The last judge elected by the legislature under the old constitution, March 17, 1851. The following October was reelected by the people. Resigned in 1856. In 1857 he removed to Cleveland from Warren and in 1862 was again elected and served until February 28, 1865, when he resigned.
Franklin J. Dickman. Appointed November 9, 1886, vice Judge W. W. Johnson resigned. Elected in 1889 and served until February 9, 1895. Mem- ber of the second Supreme court commission April 17, 1883-April 16, 1885.
OTHER STATE OFFICERS.
Clerks of the Supreme Court .- Arnold Green, 1875-78; Richard J. Fanning, 1878-81.
Member of Board of Public Works .- Peter Thatcher, 1876-79.
Secretary of State .- W. W. Armstrong, 1863-65. Not a resident of Cleve- land at the time of election. Removed here afterward.
School Commissioner .- Anson Smythe, 1857-63. Removed here after his election.
Attorney General .- James Lawrence, 1884-86.
State Oil Inspector .- Louis Smithnight, 1880-86.
State Board of Equalization .- James S. Clark, 1841; Madison Miller, 1846; Henry B. Payne, 1853; Samuel Williamson, 1859-60; James M. Hoyt, 1870-71; F. W. Pelton, 1880-81 ; A. W. Breeman, 1890-91 ; T. M. Bates, 1900-01 ; George Stuart, 1900-0I.
Members of Board of State Charities .- Joseph Perkins appointed June 10, 1867; reappointed April, 1876; Henry C. Ranney, appointed August, 1892; Virgil P. Kline, 1902-7.
State Board of Health .- D. H. Beckwith, M. D., 1886-90; William T. Miller, M. D., 1890-1911.
State Board of Dental Examiners .- Henry Barnes, M. D., president of the board, 1902-05.
State Library Commissioner .- Charles Orr, 1899 to date.
Board of Medical Registration and Examiners .- H. H. Baxter, M. D., 1896 I9II.
State Board of Pardons .- T. T. Thompson, 1888-89; E. J. Kennedy, 1889- 94; S. D. Dodge, 1904-09.
Committee to examine applicants for admission to the bar .- James B. Ruhl, now serving.
State Board of Pharmacy .- George W. Voss, 1900-05; M. G. Tielke, 1905- IO.
State Board of Veterinary Examiners .- Dr. Albert E. Cunningham, 1901 to present.
Dairy and Food Commissioners Department .- W. H. Westman, inspector, 1901-02; P. L. Hobbs, chemist, 1901-02; William B. Beebe, 1901-02.
Superintendent Free Employment Bureau .- I. M. McMullen, 1900-06.
State Examiner of Steam Engines .- G. G. Bennett, 1900-02.
HON. JOHN HAY
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State Fire Marshal .-- Hy. D. Davis, 1904-06; Colonel W. S. Rogers, 1908- 09.
Fish and Game Commissioners .- Paul North, 1900 to present.
Trustees State Hospital, Athens .--- Levi T. Schofield, 1872-76.
Trustees State Hospital, Newburg .- P. L. Ruggles, Joseph Perkins, Hiram Griswold, Isaac Brayton, John Hunter, 1856; Charles Hickox, 1857; Harvey Rice, 1858; Jabez Gallup, 1860; Fred Kluegel, 1862; W. H. Price, 1866; Allyne Maynard, 1867; Charles B. Lockwood, 1868; Jabez W. Fitch, 1874-82; James Barnett, 1874-82; J. H. Wade, 1879; A. T. Winslow, 1879; John Tod, 1881-91 ; E. D. Burton, 1884; H. W. Curtis, 1887; J. M. Waterman, 1890.
Trustees State Institution for the Blind .- S. H. Webb, 1853-54; Royal Tay- lor, 1862-64; Stillman Witt, 1865-70.
Trustees Institution for Deaf Mutes .- Jacob Rohrheimer, 1878-80.
Trustee State Hospital for Epileptics. Dr. P. Maxwell Foshay, 1901-07.
Trustees Boys Industrial School .--- J. A. Foote, 1854-74; George W. Gard- ner, 1880-84; W. J. Akers, 1902-08.
Trustees Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home, Sandusky .--- Colonel J. J. Sulli- van, 1892 to present.
Trustees Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans' Home, Xenia .- James Barnett, 1870-74.
Trustees Massillon State Hospital .- J. B. Zerbe, 1900-05.
Trustees Ohio University, Athens .- J. E. Benson, 1892-1903.
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
While none of the Ohio presidents lived in Cleveland, Hayes was often in this city, and his sons later engaged in business here. McKinley's political head- quarters were in Cleveland during his presidential campaign, for Mark Hanna and Myron T. Herrick, two of the president's most confidential advisers, lived here. Mckinley often visited Cleveland during his public career. He spoke here frequently when he was yet in congress, was the guest of the city several times when he was governor, and his tragic death at the hands of a Cleveland anarchist was felt by all Cleveland citizens as a personal loss.
Garfield may be claimed as Cleveland's president. Mentor is now a suburb. Hiram, where he was president of the college, is connected with the city by trolley; here the citizens gave him a freehold, a brick mansion on Prospect street; here were his political headquarters during the presidential campaign, and here in the stately mausoleum he lies buried.
CABINET OFFICERS.
Since 1814 Ohio has had twenty-one cabinet officers, whose total time of service aggregates over seventy-five years. Only two of these men came from Cleveland, John Hay, the great secretary of state in the Mckinley-Roosevelt
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cabinets, and James R. Garfield, secretary of the interior in the Roosevelt cabi- net.
SUPREME COURT.
Ohio has had six judges on the bench of the Supreme court. Two of these, Chase and Waite, were chief justices. Since 1829 there has been an Ohio man on this bench, excepting only the interval between the death of Justice Mat- thews in 1889, and the appointment of Justice Day in 1903. None of these ap- pointments came from Cleveland and only one, that of Justice Day, from the Reserve.
UNITED STATES SENATORS.
Stanley Griswold .- On the resignation of Senator Edward Tiffin in 1809, Governor Huntington appointed Stanley Griswold of Cleveland for the unex- pired term, which included only a part of one session.
Henry B. Payne .- Elected January 15, 1884; served 1885-1891; democrat. Marcus A. Hanna .- Elected January 12, 1898, for the short term, vice Sher- man, resigned. Was elected 1903; served until his death, 1904; republican.
Theodore Burton .- Elected January 12, 1909, for full term of six years ; republican. .
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS.
From 1803 until 1812 Ohio had only one congressional district, its sole rep- resentative in congress being Jeremiah Morrow of Warren county, afterward governor and United States senator. In the second decade, 1813-23, the state was divided into six congressional districts. Cuyahoga county was in the sixth district and represented as follows: 1813-14, John S. Edwards, of Trumbull county, Rezin Beall of Wayne county, David Clendenen of Trumbull county ; 1815-16, David Clendenen, of Trumbull county ; 1817-18, Peter Hitchcock, of Geauga county ; 1819-22, John Sloan, of Wayne county.
From 1823-1833 there were fourteen districts in the state, Cuyahoga county being in the thirteenth district. The Reserve during this decade formed the habit of keeping a good man in congress for many sessions. Elisha Whittlesey of Trumbull county represented the district the entire decade.
From 1833-1843 there were nineteen districts, Cuyahoga county being in the fifteenth, and for the first time a citizen of Cleveland was elected to congress. 1833-36, Jonathan Sloan, Portage county ; 1837-40, John W. Allen, Cuyahoga county ; 1841-42, Sherlock J. Andrews, Cuyahoga county.
Since 1843 there have been twenty-one districts in Ohio.
From 1843-1853 Cleveland was in the twentieth district and was represented the entire period by Joshua R. Giddings of Ashtabula county. From 1853-63 Cuyahoga county was in the nineteenth district, and was represented by Cleve- land citizens ; 1853-60, Edward Wade of Cleveland; 1861-62, Albert G. Riddle, of Cleveland.
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From 1863-73 the city was in the eighteenth district and represented, 1863-68, by Rufus P. Spalding, of Cleveland; 1869-72, by William H. Upson, of Akron, Summit county.
From 1873-83 the county was in the twentieth district, represented 1873-75, by Richard C. Parsons, of Cleveland; 1875-76, by Henry B. Payne, of Cleve- land; 1877-82, by Amos Townsend, of Cleveland.
From 1883-93, Cleveland was the twenty-first district, represented 1883-88, by Martin A. Foran, of Cleveland; 1889-90, by Theodore E. Burton, of Cleve- land; 1890-92, by Tom L. Johnson, of Cleveland.
From 1893 to present Cleveland, east of the river, has been the twenty-first district, sending 1893-94, Tom L. Johnson; 1895-1909, Theodore E. Burton; 1909 to present, James Cassidy.
A portion of Cuyahoga county was in the twentieth district 1883-93; repre- sented 1883-84, by David R. Paige, Summit county ; 1885-86, William McKin- ley, Stark county ; 1887-88, George W. Crouse, Summit county ; 1880-90, M. L. Smyser, Wayne county ; 1891-92, Vincent A. Taylor, Cuyahoga county.
From 1893 to present Cleveland west of the river has been in the twentieth district, sending 1893-94, William J. White, Cuyahoga county; 1895-98, Clifton B. Beach, Cuyahoga county; 1899-1900, Fremont O. Phillips, Medina county ; 1901-06, Jacob A. Beidler, Lake county ; 1906 to present, Paul Howland, Cuya- hoga county.
CHAPTER XXI.
COUNTY AND VILLAGE GOVERNMENT.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
Under the first constitution the county officers were a sheriff and a coroner, elected for two years by the people and "not more than three nor less than two" associate judges of the common pleas appointed by the legisla- ture for seven years. These judges elected a county clerk. Other officers were established by law. They were principally a board of county commissioners, to whom were transferred all the fiscal and administrative duties formerly per- formed by the court of quarter session. The commissioners were elected by the people for a term of two years.
Cuyahoga county was not organized until 1810. On the Ist of May that year the first county government was inaugurated and on June 5 the first court of common pleas held its first session in a new frame store building on Superior street near Seneca, where the Forest City block now stands. The presiding judge was Benjamin Ruggles and his associates were Nathan Perry, Augus- tus Gilbert and Timothy Doan. John Walworth was the first county clerk and recorder, Smith S. Baldwin the first sheriff. Peter Hitchcock of Geauga was appointed first prosecuting attorney and was succeeded in November by Alfred Kelley. The rest of the officers were Asa Dille, treasurer; Samuel S. Baldwin,
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surveyor; Jabez Wright and Nathaniel Doan, county commissioners. The in- auguration of the county government was a great convenience to the people on the lake shore. It made unnecessary the toilsome journey to Warren and later to Chardon for the transaction of legal business.
The constitution of 1851 made very little modification in the form of county government. It provided that all the officers be elected by the people.
TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT.
The first constitution provided that "all town and township officers shall be chosen annually by the inhabitants thereof." The township affairs were man- aged by a board of three trustees and neighborhood quarrels were settled by a justice of the peace. A clerk, a treasurer and an assessor completed the list of township officers. From 1803 to 1815 Cleveland had this township form of government.
The annual militia elections were more exciting than the simple civil elec- tions. Major General Wadsworth was in command of this militia corps and in 1804 he issued an order dividing the district into two brigade sections. Trum- bull county including the second section was in turn subdivided into two regimental districts, Cuyahoga county east of the river being included in one of these. This regiment was again divided into eight companies. The township of Cleve- land formed the fourth company. It held its first election in the house of James Kingsbury, May 7, 1804. A number of the electors were dissatisfied with the results and sent a bitter remonstrance to General Wadsworth, giving as their reasons for believing the elections "illegal and improper," that some under age, others are not liable to military duty, and some not residents of the town had been allowed to vote, and that the poll books and votes had not been compared at the close of the vote. They deemed the captain ineligible because he had given "spirituous liquors to the voters previous to the election" and had "fre- quently threatened to set the savages against the inhabitants."1 The following were elected officers: Lorenzo Carter, captain; Nathaniel Doan, lieutenant; Samuel Jones, ensign.
The remonstrance was apparently not heeded and the following year Lieu- tenant Doan was made captain and Ensign Jones lieutenant, according to the orthodox rule of rotation in office and none of the remonstrants appear on the roll of electors.
VILLAGE.
The village of Cleveland received its charter on December 23, 1814. The charter provided that the electors meet the first Monday in June, 1815, and elect by ballot a president, recorder, three trustees, a treasurer, a village marshal and two assessors. These officers all must be resident house- holders, or freeholders and have lived one year in the village. The trustees "had full power and authority to make and publish laws and ordinances in writing," provided they were not contrary to the constitution and laws of the
1 Whittlesey's "Early History of Cleveland," p. 398.
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United States and the state, "and provided also that no such law or ordinance shall subject horses, cattle, sheep or hogs, not belonging to said village, to be abused, taken up or sold, for coming into the bounds of said corporation."
The president and the recorder had the right to sit with the board of trus- tees. The trustees were empowered to care for the streets, the public buildings, remove nuisances and prevent animals from running in the streets "if in their opinion the interests and convenience of the said village shall require such prohibition." The recorder's duty was the keeping of the records, the mar- shal's the keeping of the peace, and the treasurer's the keeping of the public money.
On the first Monday in June, 1815, the first village election was held. Only twelve votes were cast, scarcely enough to fill all the offices. The following were unanimously elected : President, Alfred Kelley; recorder, Horace Perry ; treas- urer, Alonzo Carter; marshal, John Ackley; assessors, George Wallace and John Riddle; trustees, Samuel Williamson, David Long and Nathan Perry, Jr. These are all names that have become permanently identified with our municipal growth.
Alfred Kelley served until March 19, 1816, when he resigned and was suc- ceeded by his father, Daniel Kelley, who was unanimously reelected in 1817, 1818 and 1819. In 1820 Horace Perry was elected president and Reuben Wood recorder, and in 1821 Reuben Wood was made president. Leonard Case was elected president annually from 1821 to 1825, and when in the latter year he refused to qualify, E. Waterman, the recorder, became president, ex officio. The records are not quite clear who was president in 1826 and 1827, but in 1828 E. Waterman was elected both president and recorder, and it is probable that be held the dual office continuously from 1825 to 1828. He resigned on account of ill health in 1828, and the trustees appointed Oirson Cathan president and E. H. Beardsley recorder. In 1829 Dr. Long, Cleveland's first physician, was elected president. The number of electors had increased to forty-eight. In 1830 and 1831 Richard Hilliard served as president and from 1832 to 1835 John W. Allen, an able and public spirited lawyer, was elected annually. The last year one hundred and six votes were cast. The first city directory, published in 1837, estimated the population in 1835 at five thousand. If this is approximately accurate, then there was very little interest among the voters in municipal affairs.
In reviewing the history of the village during its corporate period, the first city directory naively says: "The corporate powers vested in a president and trustees * * * were administered not materially different from the man- ner such powers usually are. They had authority to lay new streets and occa- sionally exercised it. * *
* Its corporate powers were enlarged, and, as the several acts say, from time to time amended. Sundry things were done- sundry hills and streets were graded to the great satisfaction of some and dis- satisfaction of others. Some six to eight thousands of inhabitants had come to- gether from the four winds-some wished to do more things and some wished to do things better; and to effect all these objects, and a variety of others, no means seemed so proper as a City Charter in due form and style, which was petitioned for and obtained in March, 1836, with extended boundaries."
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CHAPTER XXII.
THE CITY, ITS SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS.
Under our theory of public law the municipal corporation is the creature of the state, receiving its power and its prerogatives from the state by means of its charter, which is constructed to suit the creator rather than the creature. Practically this leads to constant shifts in municipal organization dictated by party politics, by personal or sectional jealousies or other unworthy motives. In a new state dominated by a rural legislature where political feeling often runs high and where scientific administration is virtually unknown, one must expect to meet constant interference by petty persons with transitory political powers and small conceptions of the functions of the municipality.
The city of Cleveland, like all other American cities, has been compelled to grope its way through this intermeddling period. But unlike most other Ameri- can cities, it has attained a fairly stable state of governmental equilibrium and self-government, due to a highly developed local public opinion.
It will, of course, be impossible to touch here upon all the mutations made by the legislature. At nearly every session the municipal kaleidoscope was turned and a new arrangement of the multicolored political particles was made to please the fancy of the legislature. Only the leading charters can be out- lined and an attempt made to trace the partial success of the dominating instinct for municipal self-government.
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