A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume III, Part 2

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: 1106

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While Mrs. Burke now spends a great deal of her time at Clinton, New York, she is still enrolled among Cleveland's most estimable ladies, greatly in- terested in charitable work and in aiding institutions which Judge Burke be- friended during his lifetime. She is president of the board of trustees of the Cleveland School of Art, in which her interest is keen and constant. She is a most charming lady, whose kindness of heart none question, while her culture and refinement are an innate attribute-as much a part of her nature as her kindly spirit or her appreciation of the beautiful. She possesses a deep love of music and art, is interested in historical research and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. When in Cleveland she attends the Second Pres- byterian church, of which Dr. Sutphen is the pastor, and is very much in- terested in its work. Whatever her hand finds to do she does with all her might and with a sense of conscientious obligation. Realizing fully that the en- nobling force of life is that which finds its root in Christianity, her influence is on the side of those things which lift the individual to a higher plane.

EDWIN JAY PINNEY.

Edwin Jay Pinney is not only prominently known as a distinguished lawyer of the Cleveland bar but also as one of the most prominent temperance workers of Ohio, occupying for many years a position of leadership in connection with the prohibition party in the state. He was born May 26, 1847, in Hartsgrove, a son of Philo and Delia (Griswold) Pinney, residents of Hartsgrove, Ashtabula county, Ohio, in which locality the father engaged in farming. The son pursued his pre- liminary education in the district schools and later attended the Geneva (Ohio) Normal and the Grand River Institute at Austinburg, Ohio. Dependent upon his own resources from the age of fourteen years, his earnest labor and the wise util- ization of every hour enabled him to meet the expenses of his academic course in both board and tuition. He availed himself of every opportunity to earn an honest dollar to even working Saturdays at piling lumber in a railroad yard to pay for his school books. He also for a time acted as assistant to the jailer in Jefferson, his compensation being sufficient to enable him to pay his board. For one term he engaged in teaching in the district school at Windsor, Ohio, was for two terms a teacher at Cherry Valley, two terms at West Andover and two terms at Andover Center, Ohio. He also spent three terms as a teacher in a select school, and for one year was principal of a high grade school at Rock Creek. Later he spent two years as principal of the high school in Jefferson, Ohio, but regarded all this merely as an initial step to other professional labor.

It was his purpose to become a member of the bar and to this end Mr. Pinney studied law in the office of Northway & Ensign in Jefferson. On the 30th of Au- gust, 1869, he was there admitted to the bar and on the 29th of March, 1876, was licensed to practice in the United States court. Opening an office in Jefferson, he practiced there from the 7th of April, 1870, until the 9th of April, 1890, or for a period of twenty years. He became recognized as one of the most able members of the Jefferson bar and was accorded a large clientage. During his practice there he also took an active and prominent part in the public life of the community, serv- ing as a member and president of the board of education and was secretary of the Ashtabula County Agricultural Society for seventeen years.

The year 1890 witnessed Mr. Pinney's arrival in Cleveland, where he formed a partnership with Minor G. Norton, with whom he continued for three years. He was then alone for a short time, after which he entered into partnership with

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

C. W. Noble and T. C. Willard under the firm name of Noble, Pinney & Willard, which connection was continued for four or five years. He has since been alone and in his practice has demonstrated his worth to rank with the leading members of the legal fraternity. His professional integrity stands as an unquestioned fact in his career, and he has gained an enviable reputation as a strong advocate and safe counselor. He is a well known trial lawyer, eloquent, logical and forceful, with ability, to present so clearly and cogently his cause that he never fails to im- press court or jury and seldom fails to win the verdict desired.

At Jefferson, Ohio, on Christmas day of 1869, Mr. Pinney was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Gist, a daughter of Dr. D. D. Gist, and they have had four children: Don G., who died at the age of five years; Tunie Dot, now the wife of Frank P. Coulton, of Cleveland; Sadie G., well known in this city as an elocutionist ; and Webb G., who is engaged in the insurance business in Cleveland. He married Bertha Cooper and they have one son.

The Pinney family are members of the Baptist church and are allied with many movements for intellectual and moral progress. Mr. Pinney belongs to the Good Templars Society, serving for six years as grand chief templar of the state. He has voted the prohibition ticket for a quarter of a century and has been nominated at different times for the office of governor, lieutenant governor and supreme judge. He labors earnestly for the success of the party and rejoices in the grow- ing temperance sentiment which has recently been manifest in many sections of the country. Mrs. Pinney is also in thorough sympathy with him in this work and for five years was county president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, during which time the membership was greatly increased. The family are prominent in social circles where intelligence is regarded as a necessary attribute to congeniality.

Mr. Pinney was one of nine children and it is a notable fact that but with one exception all have engaged in teaching and many of the second generation have also been identified with educational work. He deserves great credit for what he has accomplished, for by manual labor he provided the funds that enabled him to ac- quire a collegiate and professional education. His entire life has been marked by continuous progress, and advancement and patriotism might well be termed the key note of his character, for they have guided him in all things, stimulating him to put forth his best efforts for his own good and for the good of the country at large. He belongs to that class of whom the philosopher has said they are "Such men as constitute a state-a state worthy of the name."

WASHINGTON H. LAWRENCE.

Washington H. Lawrence, deceased, is numbered among those whose labors were of the utmost benefit to Cleveland through the promotion of the industrial and commercial activities of the city. He was among the first to take up electricity when it became a factor in commercial life and in this connection he established and developed one of the most important business enterprises of Cleveland. He manifested splendid powers as an organizer and manager and, with no special advantages at the outset of his career, made a steady progress along lines demand- ing intellectual force and ability until he stood as one of the foremost manufactur- ers of the Forest city.

Mr. Lawrence was born in Olmsted. Cuyahoga county, January 17, 1840, and was a representative of an old New England family, the line being traced back to John Lawrence, one of the early members of the Massachusetts Bay colony, who, arriving in the year 1635, settled at Wolverton, Massachusetts. He was a descend- ant of that Robert Lawrence of Lancashire, England, who was knighted by Rich- ard I for bravery displayed at the siege of Acre. Joel B. Lawrence of Pepperell, Massachusetts, married Catherine Harris, whose parents were residents of Little

W. H. LAWRENCE

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

Rest, Dutchess county, New York. In 1833 Joel B. Lawrence removed with his family to Olmsted, Cuyahoga county, where he endured all the privations and hardships incident to life in the Western Reserve in the first half of the nineteenth century. He became the owner of a large tract of land and also of a flour mill, which he was operating in Olmsted at the time of his death, which occurred in 1851. His wife, surviving him two years, passed away in 1853.

Their son, Washington H. Lawrence, was thus left an orphan at the age of thirteen years and the necessity of early providing for his own support led him to secure a clerkship in Berea. While there he continued his studies, thus supple- menting the common school education that he had previously obtained at Olmsted. He also pursued a course of study in Baldwin University at Berea and thus gained a college as well as a business education by reserving a portion of his time to himself. Tlie elemental strength of his character and ability were recognized by Hon. John Baldwin, who associated his son Milton with Mr. Lawrence in the management of large milling and real-estate properties in Kansas. However, the death of Milton Baldwin before the enterprise was fully inaugurated left the entire burden of the care of the properties upon Mr. Lawrence's shoulders. He ably managed the interests of the business until the latter part of 1859, when he withdrew from partnership relations with Mr. Baldwin and engaged in business with his brother at Hannibal, Missouri. While so engaged he was compelled to travel through western Missouri and eastern Kansas and saw much of the border warfare that followed the struggle between the pro and anti slavery forces in the latter state. He was also there during the early days of the Civil war and had many narrow escapes from the assaults of the guerrillas.

Returning to Olmsted late in 1861 to manage the family property there, he continued at his old home until 1864, when he removed to Cleveland and became associated with N. S. C. Perkins and W. A. Mack in the manufacture of the Do- mestic sewing machine. This business proved very profitable, for Mr. Lawrence succeeded in triumphing over the sewing machine combination in all their patent litigations. The enterprise grew to large proportions, constituting a profitable venture, and ultimately Mr. Lawrence sold his interest to his associates. He then had charge of the sale of the Howe Sewing Machine Company, his territory in- cluding five states, and at the same time he was engaged in manufacturing bolts at Elyria, Ohio, as a member of what is now known as the Cleveland Screw & Tap Company. He disposed of all these interests in 1874 to become one of the pioneers in another field of labor which was just being developed. He was among the first to recognize the importance of electricity as a factor in commercial life and in 1874 became a large stockholder in the Telegraph Supply Company, retaining his interest through the various changes until it was finally merged into what is now the Brush Electric Company.

Mr. Lawrence was associated with Charles F. Brush at the inception of the Brush Electric Company, furnishing a large portion of the original investment, and even in the darkest hours of that company's existence he was unfaltering in his conviction concerning the ultimate success of the undertaking. 'His old zeal, unfaltering belief and unabating energy continued factors in the growth and de- velopment of the business until the company had a capital of three million dollars, with Mr. Lawrence as general manager, in charge of the largest manufacturing establishment in its line in the world. Time demonstrated his wisdom in business affairs and gave proof of his ready recognition of the value of the project which he fostered. After twenty years of most exacting business life Mr. Lawrence, in 1882, resolved to take a much needed rest. Severing his connection with the com- pany and selling or exchanging the greater part of his interests, he invested largely in real-estate properties in Cleveland and elsewhere, and for several years devoted his leisure to the management of his real estate. Although his property holdings were enough to require all the time and attention of most men, he was still unable to resist the charms of active management. He felt the enticement of what Kip- ling would term the "witchery of commerce," and in 1886, after carefully looking

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

over the field, he decided to take up the manufacture of electric light carbons, recognizing the fact that this product was being used in every part of the globe in connection with arc lighting. Early in the history of the Brush Electric Com- pany he spent much time in their carbon department and now returned to it with renewed zest, becoming associated with W. W. Masters in the manufacture of carbons, at what was then the Wilson avenue factory of the National Carbon Com- pany. Because of failing health Mr. Masters was anxious to retire and Mr. Law- rence and his associates, Myron T. Herrick, James Parmlee and Webb C. Hayes, became the owners of the entire business, which was organized and conducted un- der the name of the National Carbon Company. The growth of the enterprise was so rapid that it was soon found necessary to largely increase the capacity of the plant, and in 1891 the company purchased one hundred and fifteen acres adjoin- ing the Lake Shore Railroad Company's right of way in the hamlet of Lakewood, just west of the city limits of Cleveland. On this tract of land has since been erected the largest carbon factory in the world, with an estimated capacity of twenty million carbons per month. Mr. Lawrence not only bent his energies to organization and management but also displayed great inventive capacity and a genius for constructing machinery adapted to factory use. The present factory gives visible evidence of the improvements and inventions that were made by him within the past few years. The processes of manufacture have been radically changed and the improvements instituted make this the most complete and thor- oughly equipped establishment of the kind on the face of the globe.

Mr. Lawrence seemed to be a man of unlimited capacities and powers, remain- ing to the last years of his life the embodiment of indomitable perseverance and energy. He was not only the president of the National Carbon Company but also of the Brush Electric Company, the Sperry Electric Railway Company and of various subordinate organizations, all occupying a prominent position among Cleveland's manufactories. He was also one of the organizers of the Cleveland Trust Company-the first company of the kind in Ohio-as he early recognized the need of such an organization, and he served on its executive committee until his death.

In 1863 Mr. Lawrence was married to Miss Harriet E. Collister, of Cleveland, and unto them were born seven daughters. Mr. Lawrence, ever mindful of the interests and welfare of his family, to whom he was most devoted, established a beautiful summer home at Dover Bay, Ohio, and there Mrs. Lawrence still resides. He was called to put aside the activities of life November 17, 1900, and in his death Cleveland lost one who had contributed much to the commercial progress of the city. His was a most commendable career, not only by reason of the splendid success he achieved or owing to the fact that he instituted enterprises that afforded employment to hundreds of workmen, but also because of the straightforward, honorable business policy that he ever followed. His path was never strewn with the wreck of other men's fortunes, for, on the contrary, his work was always along constructive lines, stimulating general trade interests and thus proving of direct benefit in the city's growth. Honored and esteemed by all, no man occupied a more enviable positon in manufacturing and financial circles than Washington H. Lawrence.

FRED LUZERNE HALL.

Fred Luzerne Hall, a man of large affairs and pronounced business activity, is perhaps best known as the president of the International Security & Invest- ment Company of Cleveland. He is a son of John Y. and Florence Hall of Ash- tabula county, Ohio, where his birth occurred May 5, 1879. He comes of Revo- lutionary stock, therefore representing one of the old families of the country, and the branch to which he belongs has for an extended period been founded in

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

Ohio. As a little lad of six summers he entered the public schools and afterward enjoyed the benefit of instruction in the New Lyme Academy and in Oberlin Col- lege, which he attended for two years. He then went to Chicago, where he spent a year in the sale of a patent ink well, opening an office for that purpose and con- ducting the business with good success.

In 1899 Mr. Hall came to Cleveland and after a year devoted to other bus- iness opened a real-estate office in connection with his father under the name of Hall, Gaensslin & Hall. Two years later the father retired but the firm continued a successful business until Fred L. Hall sold out. About that time he invented a building and traffic brick, utilizing the slag of steel mills for its base together with lime and other ingredients, formulating a process which is used today throughout the entire country. Thereby is produced a brick which for cheap- ness and durability has never been surpassed. Mr. Hall went to Pittsburg, in- terested capital in the enterprise and built a large brick plant, which he operated under the name of the Hall Pressed Brick Company, becoming manager and presi- dent. Over a million bricks were sold, after which Mr. Hall disposed of his rights in Pennsylvania and returned to Cleveland. Here he promoted the Smokeless Heat & Power Company in connection with J. W. Keenan for the purpose of manu- facturing a machine to produce gas for city use. The gas is made from crude oil at much less cost than from coal. This has immense possibilities and devel- oped, will prove a most profitable enterprise. Mr. Hall well deserves his place as the foremost promoter of business undertakings. He organized the Ohio- Cuba Fruit Culture Company, owning seventeen thousand acres of the best land in the province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, ninety miles west of Havana, at the town of Consolacion. This is now being developed, the land having excellent possi- bilities for the production of tropical fruits.

In 1901 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hall and Miss Edna Lucille Morey, a daughter of L. J. Morey, of Columbus, Ohio, and they have one son, Stanley Harold. Mr. Hall in politics is an independent republican. He has no political aspirations, preferring to concentrate his energies upon business undertakings, his keen discrimination enabling him to recognize possibilities and to coordinate forces until splendid results are achieved. On all questions of finance and or- ganization he has brought to bear a clear understanding that has readily solved complex problems.

DANIEL JONES.

Daniel Jones, who during the years of his residence in Cleveland was en- gaged in the real-estate business save for the last few years of his life, when he lived retired, was born in Herefordshire, England, February 14, 1829. He lived to a ripe old age, his life's span covering almost seventy-nine years, his death oc- curring March 10, 1908. His parents, John Thomas and Catherine (Evans) Jones, were also natives of Herefordshire. The father was a man of consid- erable mechanical ingenuity who could turn his hand readily to any trade and from the age of eleven years he made his own living. His father was once drafted to serve in the Peninsular wars with the English forces against Napoleon, but was never in active duty.

Daniel Jones in his early youth spent five days a week in a little schoolhouse in England where instruction was given in the fundamental principles of learning by the Rev. William Stanley, a Baptist minister who engaged in preaching the other two days in the week. His text-books consisted of the Bible and an arith- metic. Although he attended school only until eleven years of age he was an apt student and made good use of his opportunities. He was also noted for his skill in athletics during his boyhood days. After leaving school he was employed by different farmers in England until nineteen years of age, when he carried out his

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

resolution of seeking a home in the new world. In 1848 in company with several others, he embarked on the sailing vessel William Vale, and was six weeks and four days in crossing the Atlantic, for at times they encountered contrary winds which drove them out of their course. After landing he shared his few remaining pennies with his comrades and then began to look for work. He started on foot towards Geneva, New York, working at intervals to aid him in the journey. At length he found employment with a good old Quaker farmer who taught him the American ways, ideas and principles and instilled into his mind valuable lessons which remained with him through life. He saved his money and a few years later went by way of Buffalo to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before going he was able to loan his employer the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars which he had saved from his earnings. Later he settled at Galena, Illinois, where he arrived after various exciting adventures with wild animals in a walk of ninety- six miles, which he accomplished in four days. He then worked in that locality for several months.

A party was being formed at Galena to make the overland trip to California in search of gold and Mr. Jones decided to go. The expense of the journey would be one hundred dollars and he wrote to his former employer for the money which he had loaned. He could not get it, however, in time to go with the party, and this proved very fortunate for him as later word was received that the entire party had been killed by the Indians. In 1854 he had saved six hundred dollars and with this sum he felt that he was justified in establishing a home of his own. He therefore, in central New York, married Miss Susanna Jones, with whom he had became acquainted on shipboard while crossing the Atlantic. They went west, located on a section of land near Rockford, Michi- gan, and there took an active part in the interests of the community.

A few years later they returned to Hall's Corners where Mr. Jones' wife died, where he remained until 1871. He was there engaged in the manufacturing business and in real-estate operations. Mr. Jones assisted in the building of the little church at Halls Corners and with his violin led the choir, this being the only musical instrument they had. He was also a good singer and his voice added much to the musical features of the program for Sunday worship. In 1871, however, he made his way to Cleveland, where he purchased five acres of land in East Cleveland from Levi Thomas for which he paid fifty-five hundred dollars. In 1872 he sold a portion of this to John T. A. Holah, at twenty dollars per foot, this being the first land to be sold in that locality by the foot. He afterward purchased several acres from the Doan family for sixteen thousand dollars and a short time afterward sold it for twenty thousand, thus realizing a handsome profit on his investment. By grad- ual stages he worked into the real-estate business, in which he continued until a few years prior to his death, when he retired from active life. He handled considerable valuable property and his sound judgment enabled him to make judicious investments and profitable sales.

After losing his first wife Mr. Jones wedded Miss Mary J. Watkins, of Rock- ford, Michigan, who was a near and dear friend of his first wife and a daughter of John Watkins who came from Wales. This marriage was celebrated No- vember 3, 1861. Beside his widow he left at his death two children: Emma, the wife of Alvin C. Birge, a carpenter and builder of Cleveland; and William A. Jones, who owns and conducts a ranch in California.

Mr. Jones was a self-made and self-educated man who wisely used his opportunities and by his own sterling worth and honorable purpose worked his way upward. His good judgment and capability were used in many ways. He not only successfully conducted real-estate interests but also invested his earn- ings in government bonds and the wisdom of his judgment was demonstrated in later years, for there is no safer investment to be made. He cared little for politics but gave his allegiance to the republican party. He preferred to give his time to his family who found him a generous and devoted husband and

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

father, who provided well for them. He was a great lover and admirer of Henry Ward Beecher, having heard him preach when he was ill and after losing his first wife, and his sermon gave Mr. Jones new courage. Life looked less dark to hirn and he took heart to press on. He was a good, kind-hearted, lov- ing man, whose history was a proof of the fact which Lincoln epigrammatically expressed : "There is something better than making a living-making a life."

GEORGE M. THOMAS.

This is the age of the young men for it is the younger generation who are forging to the front and infusing new blood into business life. They are now demonstrating the beneficial effect of conducting their affairs according to new methods, employing improved machinery and taking advantage of all oppor- tunities offered by twentieth century civilization. In Cleveland-the home of some of the most representative houses in the country-are to be found men who have barely passed the thirtieth milestone on life's journey who command large concerns and are handling a trade that is steadily increasing in volume. One of these industrial captains is George M. Thomas, who was born in this city in 1878 but who is now at the head of a house that handles drafting and engineering supplies and sells to the city trade and throughout northern Ohio.

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A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume III, Part 2

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: 1106

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: 1106