A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume II, Part 71

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: 1150

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The only interruption to Mr. Sturtevant's continuous connection with busi- ness interests in Cleveland came at the time of the Civil war. He was a stanch advocate of the Union cause and was sent by the government to take charge of the railroad shops at Chattanooga, Tennessee, where, though only in a civil capac- ity, he did important work in behalf of Federal interests.

Mr. Sturtevant was married in New York to Miss Lois A. Knapp, a daughter of Moses Leon and Aurelia (Finns) Knapp, and they have two living children : Mrs. Thomas E. Adams; and George D., of Kansas City. The husband and father was called to his final rest in 1889, passing away at the age of sixty-nine years. He had been a very active man, possessing the spirit of thrift and enter- prise characteristic of the New England people. His success was attributable entirely to his own efforts, and in every relation in life he was regarded as a most honorable and upright man, worthy the unqualified respect which was every- where tendered him. He was especially devoted to his family and domestic in his tastes, finding his greatest happiness at his own fireside. Business and home interests, however, did not exclude his active participation in affairs relative to general improvement and progress, for his labors and influence could always be counted upon to further measures of vital moment in municipal interests. In politics he was a republican and for many years he was a member of the Congre- gational church.

MELIUS C. COLLART.

For more than a score of years Melius C. Collart has been identified with a phase of Cleveland's mercantile activity and is now a member of the well known tailoring firm of Collart & Harmecek. He was born in Norway, March 13, 1863, and is a son of Christian and Oleana Collart. The father followed farming dur- ing his active life. Melius C. Collart attended the public schools of his native

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land, but he was only ten years of age when he crossed the Atlantic, in the hope of finding larger opportunities in the United States. He landed at Brooklyn, New York, where he availed himself slightly of the educational privileges offered by the common schools and where he learned the tailor's trade.

In 1885 Mr. Collart came to Cleveland, upon his arrival here accepting a posi- tion as cutter with the Henry Koeble Company, who are engaged in the tailoring business in this city. He remained with that firm for more than twenty years, rendering them so valuable service that in 1903, in recognition of his ability he was taken into partnership. In 1908, in conjunction with Mr. Harmecek, he established the tailoring firm of Collart & Harmecek, which is rapidly winning a well deserved trade throughout Cleveland, for Mr. Collart and his partner make every effort to satisfy and to please their customers.

In Cleveland, on the 26th of June, 1889, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Collart and Miss Ora G. Ingraham, a daughter of F. S. Ingraham, of this city. In their family are three children: Norman, Harold and Katherine, who are all attending school.

Mr. Collart is a member of the First Congregational church and is loyal to its teachings, while fraternally he is connected with Halcyon Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Cleveland. Having come to this country when only a small boy with almost nothing to aid him in his career in the new world but his capacity and will to work, the generous income which is now his is the result of his own efforts. But even more gratifying than this is the knowledge that he has established a flour- ishing business, one that is worthy of the confidence of the people, for he has made an excellent record as a citizen and business man and his success is well merited. He is a worthy example of that large body of self-made men of whom the nation as a whole is proud.

PHILIP KIRSCHNER.

Owing to the constant growth of Cleveland this city has afforded many oppor- tunities for the contractors and builders, and foresighted men, realizing this, have come here and been rewarded by an immense volume of business. Among those thus prospering is Philip Kirschner, of the contracting firm of Philip Kirschner & Company, with offices in the Cuyahoga building. Mr. Kirschner was born at Cracow, Austria, in May, 1860, being a son of Joseph Kirschner, who was also a native of Austria, and a contractor there before coming to the United States in 1888. His death occurred two years later, when he was sixty-five years of age. In his day he was a very successful and prominent man.

Philip Kirschner was educated in the common schools of his native city, later studying civil engineering and architecture at Vienna. When only twenty-four years of age he went to South America as resident engineer for the Trans-Bel- gium Railroad Company, then building a road in Venezuela. In 1890 he came to the United States to accept a position as engineer for some extensive coal oper- ators at Bramville, West Virginia, where for nine years he had charge of the development of a large acreage of West Virginia coal fields. In 1899 Mr. Kirsch- ner came to Cleveland to engage in a general contracting business. His company is one of the largest in this city and has built eight schools; the Carnegie library, at Willson avenue and Broadway; St. Kinsmans church and school; and a num- ber of other imposing structures, including some elegant apartment houses.

Mr. Kirschner is a lover of music, art and books, possessing a large library, on the shelves of which are found works in English, French, German and Polish, all of which he reads fluently. He also speaks these four languages. He has never married, living with his two sisters in the beautiful home at No. 735 East Ninety-first street. During the quarter of a century of his business career Mr. Kirschner has never taken a vacation, nor does he appear to think he needs one.

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Possessed of unusual ability, he has directed his efforts towards attaining the goal his ambition has set. In all of his transactions he has been governed by the strictest integrity, and because of this people place the utmost confidence in him and his work. Like a number of other successful men, Mr. Kirschner is very charitable, giving freely and cheerfully, where aid is needed, yet many of his kind deeds never come to light, being known only to himself and the one he has assisted, for this broad-minded, true-hearted man is modest and prefers to act quietly and not "to be seen of others."

JONATHAN CLAYTON FORMAN.

The industrial interests of Cleveland find a worthy representative in Jona- than Clayton Forman, president of the Forman-Bassett-Hatch Company, print- ers, blank book manufacturers and lithographers. He claims no special credit for what he has accomplished and yet his close application and well directed labors have brought him into prominent connection with the line of business in which he is now operating. He was born in Gorham, Ontario county, New York, Sep- tember 11, 1830. His father, Samuel W. Forman, a native of New Jersey, was a descendant in the fourth generation of John Forman, who came from England in 1685 and located in Monmouth county, New Jersey. Among his descendants was George David Forman of military fame. In 1831 Samuel W. Forman removed westward, locating in the southern part of Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he se- cured a tract of woodland and engaged in farming for about nine years. In 1839 he removed to Warren, Ohio, where his death occurred in 1875, when he had reached the venerable age of eighty-one years.

Jonathan Clayton Forman pursued his education in the public schools of War- ren until thirteen years of age, when he entered upon his business career as roller boy in the office of the Western Reserve Chronicle. the oldest paper in the Western Reserve. He was afterward apprenticed to Tait & Walling, the publishers of the Liberty Herald, with whom he had worked for but a year when fire destroyed the plant and the paper was removed to Cleveland by the leaders of the antislavery movement, who felt that they could not support two papers on the Western Re- serve. The True American and the Herald were then consolidated. A short time subsequently Mr. Forman secured a position with Sanford & Hayward, the leading printers and binders of this city, and when he had completed a four years' apprenticeship he was given charge of the bookbinding department. In 1867 he was admitted to the firm and in 1876 the plant was purchased by Short & Forman, being operated under that style until November, 1890, when it was destroyed by fire. The business was then reorganized as the Forman-Bassett-Hatch Com- pany, with Mr. Forman as the president. C. O. Bassett, secretary and treasurer, and C. D. Hatch, vice president. Mr. Forman came to Cleveland when the city had only sixteen thousand inhabitants and the printing business was compara- tively primitive. He has been identified with the city's growth for a half century and understands every detail of the business which he has developed along sub- stantial lines until he is now at the head of the leading job printing, binding, blank book manufacturing and lithographing concern in the city. The company has a seven-story plant, well equipped, and the continual expansion of the trade is due in very large measure to the labors, careful direction and executive ability of him whose name introduces this review. Mr. Forman has invented many clever de- vices and machines used in printing and binding.

In June. 1853, Mr. Forman was married to Miss Elizabeth Darroch, of Cleve- land, who died in 1896. They were the parents of two sons, Samuel W. and Wil- liam H. The former attained his majority and died in 1893, while the latter died in infancy. Mr. Forman originally gave his political support to the whig party but on the organization of the republican party became one of its advocates and

J. C. FORMAN

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has long been an effective worker for party principles but has repeatedly declined nominations for office. He belongs to both the Tippecanoe and Union Clubs. He is a large, athletic man, well preserved, active and energetic and with hair and beard without a sign of gray at the age of seventy-nine years. His remarkable vigor is due to his close conformity to nature's laws and it is to be hoped that many more years of usefulness are yet before him. His has long been an honored name in the business circles of the city and his establishment has long set the standard for activity in the line in which he operates.

GEORGE W. BENEDICT.

George W. Benedict, senior member of the old-established fur house of Bene- dict & Mueller, and a man widely known in his special line of business, is a native of Cleveland, having been born here in 1863, and comes of a family long identified with the fur trade. He is a graduate of Brook's Military school and for some time was a student at Greylock private school of Massachusetts. The fur busines was founded in 1815 at Schenectady, New York, by his grandfather, Levi Benedict. He continued there until 1846, when removal was made to Cleveland and the house of L. Benedict & Son was established. Levi Benedict was a founder of several important enterprises, establishing the Society for Sav- ings Bank, in conjunction with several others; and was associated with many enterprises which have flourished.

In 1867 the firm of S. H. Benedict & Company succeeded the original firm, the concern doing a wholesale as well as retail business, with a branch house in Kansas City, to which George W. Benedict was sent as salesman in 1880. There he remained for four years but came back to Cleveland in 1885. As his health was not good, he went to Colorado Springs in 1886, engaging there in a cattle business for nine years. Once more he returned to Cleveland, in 1895, to enter into business with the firm of Benedict & Ruedy, retail furriers. This firm be- came, in 1907, the Ruedy Company, the present style of Benedict & Mueller being adopted in 1900.

In 1882 Mr. Benedict married Minette Seymour, a daughter of B. F. Sey- mour, a shoe merchant at that time in Cleveland. They have four daughters: Louise, a graduate of Miss Andrews private school, married Claude E. Hort, who is identified with the Daily Leader; Majorie is a graduate of the high school here; Gertrude also graduated from the same institution, as did Harriette. The family belong to the Second Presbyterian church.

Mr. Benedict is one of the keen, far-sighted business men of the city. Having grown up in his business he understands every detail and is able to carry it on profitably and satisfactorily. His workmanship is of the finest, his furs are the choicest to be found anywhere, and his customers come back to him year after year, knowing that he can be relied upon implicitly. The high standard of excel- lence instituted by his grandfather is still maintained by the present firm of which Mr. Benedict is senior, and moving spirit.

HERBERT C. HALE.

Herbert C. Hale, a mechanical engineer, dealing in mining equipment, is among the enterprising young business men of the city, whose excellent business qual- ifications, good management and insistent application have placed him in his present prosperous position so that he ranks among the representative commercial men here. He was born in Huntington, West Virginia, March 15, 1874, a son of Othello W. Hale, a native Ohian, born April 1, 1841, who during his younger

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years was engaged in the lumber business but spent the latter part of his life as county clerk stationed at Akron, Ohio. He was elected to that office on the republican ticket and in that city he spent his remaining days, entering into rest November 13, 1906. He was a veteran of the Civil war, having served in the Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, receiving an honorable discharge at the close of the conflict. He was well known in business circles, having been secre- tary of the Akron Building & Cabinet Company, and his name was also closely connected with the lumber interests throughout the state. Our subject's mother, Elizabeth (Hanson) Hale, who was born in England in 1839 and came to Amer- ica in girlhood, died in 1876.

The public schools of Akron, Ohio, accorded Herbert C. Hale his preliminary education and after completing a course in mechanical engineering in the Case School of Applied Science he was graduated with the class of 1896 and made his first venture in the business world as a manufacturer of refrigerating ma- chines, engaging in this enterprise for about one year in this city. Subsequently he became associated with Webster, Champ & Lane, manufacturers of engineer- ing and mining machinery in Akron, remaining with this firm for about eight years, at the expiration of which period he became affiliated with the Mineral Ridge Manufacturing Company, at Niles, Ohio, officiating as manager of this concern for three years. He then located in this city and established himself in business, making a specialty of mine equipment with particular attention to the machinery and other devices used in coal mines. From the outset his enterprise has met with splendid success and, steadily growing, it promises to become one of the leading industrial concerns of the city. Mr. Hale has received contract work from many large companies, among which are the Wolf Run Coal Company, of Jefferson county ; the Canaan Coal Company, of Athens county; and in fact he has completed contracts in the coal fields in every section of this country and also in British Columbia. In addition to this business he is also connected with a number of other commercial concerns.

In 1898 Mr. Hale wedded Corinne F. Hills, a native of this city, and to this union have been born: Clarence H., Elizabeth H. and Gordon M. Mr. Hale be- longs to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Institute of Mining Engineers and the Cleveland Coal Club, and, his knowledge of his line of work embracing every phase of the entire field, he is recognized as an authority on mining equipment and, as a business man of good character and straightforward methods, is held in high repute throughout the city.

ARTHUR W. DEAN.

Arthur W. Dean, secretary and treasurer of The Pittsburg & Ohio Mining Company, has found employment for his ability and knowledge of mining values during his association with this company, which is one of the most reliable in Cleveland. He was born in Newark, Ohio, in 1874, and is a son of John E. and Zoe (Davis) Dean, the former born in 1844 in New York state, and the latter in Ohio in 1848. The father moved to Ohio about 1867 and for a number of years was actively engaged in a hardware business, but his last years were spent in re- tirement in Newark, Ohio, where he died October 17, 1909, and was buried. His widow is still living in that city. In their family were four children, namely : Davis E., a resident of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Arthur W., of this review; John R., of New Boston, Connecticut; and Thomas E., of Cleveland. During the Civil war the father served throughout the struggle in the Ninth New York Heavy Artillery as adjutant and sergeant major. The Dean family originated in England and its representatives were connected with the Massachusetts colony

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at an early day. The Davis family was founded in this country in 1824, and its representatives were among the very early settlers of Ohio. 1 Arthur W. Dean attended the public schools of Newark and also the Denni-

son University, where he took a general course and was graduated from the lat- ter institution in 1894. Upon leaving the university he began his business career as a coal merchant, being associated with other Cleveland business men. This was merged into the present company in 1901, when the busines was incorporated and Mr. Dean was made secretary and later treasurer also. The company oper- ates in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and controls its own mines. The volume of their business is immense and Mr. Dean's capacity for work is often- times taxed to the utmost. In addition to his association with this concern, he is connected with other business houses as director or stockholder and his inter- ests are large and varied.

On the 8th of June, 1898, Mr. Dean was married in Newark, Ohio, to Miss Helen Sook, who is a native of this state and a daughter of Dr. O. P. and Lois (Abbott) Sook, of Newark, where her father is still living but her mother passed away in 1907. Dr. Sook served his country as a Union soldier in the Civil war. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dean have been born three children: Kathryn Z., now eleven years of age; Helen Gertrude, aged seven years, and Mary Constance, two years old.

Mr. Dean belongs to several college fraternities, to the Cleveland Athletic Club and the Clifton Club and is universally liked. His ability, energy and en- thusiasm have been largely responsible for the building up of a great industry, and he has always worked along modern lines of business, striving to protect his employes while he earns dividends for his stockholders.

GEORGE W. GEUDER.

George W. Geuder, president of the Hull Can Company, to which position of executive control he was chosen in 1906, was born in Dover, Ohio, July 26, 1856. His parents were Adolph and Charlotte (Ott) Geuder, both of whom were natives of Bavaria, Germany. The father crossed the Atlantic on a sailing vessel in 1848. He did not tarry on the Atlantic coast but made his way at once into the interior of the country, establishing his home at West Cleveland. He was a grad- uate of Heidelberg University and although after coming to Cleveland he was at one time in the coal business as a partner of John Huntington, he was perhaps better known in connection with his work in behalf of education in this city. He was for years the examiner in Cleveland of all the teachers in German, Latin and Greek. A remarkable feature of his life was that after his return to Europe in 1882 he attended schools and universities every winter until seventy-six years of age. He was a man of remarkably broad learning and carried on his research, in- vestigations and study until his latest years. He died in Nuremberg, Bavaria, May 16, 1906.

George W. Geuder began his education in the public schools and later the father removed with the family to Cleveland. He continued his studies as a pupil in the Mayflower Brownell high schools and later took up the study of civil engineering in Stuttgart, Wurtemberg, in Karlsruhe and in Baden, Ger- many. He thus attended some of the most eminent schools and universities of the old world and there won his degree of Civil Engineer. On his return to America he entered the government service in the improvement of the Missouri river at Jefferson City, Missouri, where he remained for a year. He was then sent to another point on the Mississippi, where he remained four years in the im- provement of the channel. On the expiration of that period he left the govern- ment employ and entered the oil business in connection with the firm of Clark Brothers & Company and in their service went to Europe, conducting a brokerage

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business at Frankfurt, Germany. He then came to America and was associated with the clerical force in the office of Clark Brothers, who eventually sold out to the Standard Oil Company. Mr. Geuder then turned his attention to the coal business in connection with E. G. Krouse, under the firm style of E. G. Krouse & Company. Mr. Geuder then removed to Massillon, Ohio, where the mines were located, there remaining for two years. At the end of that time illness caused him to put aside the work to which he was then giving his attention and return to Cleveland, where the office of the company had been maintained. He was then associated with the business in this city until they sold out to M. A. Hanna & Company. Mr. Geuder afterward made a visit to the old home of his parents in Germany, remaining abroad for seven months. After his return he became pres- ident of the Hull Can Company, to which he was elected in 1906, since which time he has been its chief executive officer, giving his time and energies to admin- istrative direction.

In 1888 Mr. Geuder was married to Miss Jennie Clark, a daughter of James H. Clark, the original oil man of Cleveland. Their children are George A., sev- enteen years of age, and Jeanette O., thirteen years of age. Mr. Geuder is a member of Tyrian Lodge, No. 37, A. F. & A. M., of which he is past master ; Cleveland Chapter, R. A. M .; also the council; Holyrood Commandery, K. T .; the consistory, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree; and the Mystic Shrine. In politics he is independent at the local elections where no issues are involved beyond those concerning the business-like administration of municipal affairs but in national elections votes the republican ticket. He is always loyal to the best interests of Cleveland and puts forth earnest and effective effort in be- half of the city and its welfare. In his business life he has made steady progress resulting from earnest purpose and unfaltering diligence, and now as president of the Hull Can Company his name is written large on the commercial history of the city.

HALBERT DENNIS SMITH.

Halbert Dennis Smith, for nineteen years a member of the Cleveland Bar, now well known as the junior partner of the law firm of Hamilton & Smith, claims Chardon, Geauga county, Ohio, as the place of his nativity, his natal day being May 22, 1866. His grandfather, Marsh Smith, a native of Vermont, became one of the early residents of Geauga county, where he followed the occupation of farming and was prominent in the public life of the district for a considerable period. He served Geauga county for several terms as county auditor.

Judge Henry K. Smith, the father of Halbert D. Smith, was born at Parkman, Geauga county, in 1832, and at the age of twenty removed to Chardon with his parents, where he has ever since resided. Subsequently he was admitted to the bar and entered the active practice of the law until he was elected to the office of county prosecutor, which office he held two terms. He was then elected probate judge of the county, which office he held for fourteen consecutive terms, making his tenure of office as such judge forty-two years. His political allegiance has ever been given to the republican party since its organization. He married Har- mony G. Stocking, who was born in Chardon, Ohio, in 1839, a daughter of Dennis W. Stocking, a native of New York, who died at the remarkable old age of one hundred years. In the family of Judge Henry K. Smith were two sons : Stuart S. Smith, who is and has been for many years the cashier of the First National Bank, of Chardon; and Halbert D., the subject of this sketch.

Halbert Dennis Smith was graduated from the Chardon public schools and then entered Buchtel College at Akron, Ohio, from which college he was gradu- ated in 1890, with the degree of Ph. B. He became a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity while in college. His review of the business and professional

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A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume II, Part 71

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: 1150

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: 1150