A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume III, Part 90

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

USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume III > Part 90

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

904

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

In the Zion Lutheran school and in the Sterling public school Dr. Gersten- berger pursued his education and during the last years of that period was a private pupil of the Rev. C. M. Zorn. He then entered Concordia College at Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1894, and was graduated on the completion of a six years' course in the spring of 1899. The following October he began prepara- tion for a professional career by entering the medical department of the West- ern Reserve University, from which he was graduated in 1903 with the degree of M. D. He received his first appointment at Lakeside Hospital but owing to illness was prevented from accepting this and instead went abroad in April, 1903. He devoted two and a half years to post-graduate work in Dresden and Berlin, making a study of obstetrics, internal medicine and children's diseases. He thus became particularly well qualified for professional service and upon his return on the Ist of January, 1906, he entered upon the private practice of medicine, in which he continued until April 1, 1907. In that year he accepted the position of medical director of the Babies Dispensary and Hospital, in which he has since continued. In speaking of this service Dr. John H. Lowinan said of him: "Dr. Gerstenberger began his public work in the children's department of the Tuberculosis Dispensary, for which he was abundantly prepared by his training in Europe. From there he went to the Infants Clinic and when, later, that was incorporated as the Babies Dispensary and made an independent in- stitution, he naturally became its director. At the time he was a practitioner but gave up his practice to devote his time entirely to the work of the dispensary. From a few patients this rapidly increased, assistant physicians were necessi- tated, and eventually four nurses. The work was carefully organized, a com- plete system of records and reports was kept and the institution under Dr. Gerstenberger's administration developed into a thoroughly equipped affair. This is the only instance in Cleveland where one man has given his entire time exclusively to a work of this character and probably finds few parallels in 'America. This plan of conducting a local dispensary affords opportunity for perfect study of cases such as can be obtained in no other way and the results of the work in the dispensary show the great advantages of it. It was the aim of Dr. Gerstenberger to supervise not only sick infants but also the healthy infants of the poor; and to this end four branch dispensaries have been estab- lished in various widely separated sections of the city, to which infants of poor families are brought and supervised. By this means it is hoped to have some influence on the general infant mentality. When the Babies Hospital is erected Dr. Gerstenberger will probably have charge, and there he will have still greater opportunity for observation and development."

Dr. Gerstenberger has been instructor in the diseases of children at the West- ern Reserve University since 1908 and is a member of the special case com- mittee of the Anti-Tuberculosis League and of the children's committee of the Humane Society. He is a charter member of the Alpha Omega Alpha, a scholarship fraternity, and he belongs to the Cleveland Academy of Medicine, the Ohio State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the Cleveland Medical Library Association. He resides at No. 2373 Sixty-eighth street, Southeast. In his life professional duty comes before aught else and the work that he has accomplished has gained him a prestige that is well merited.

HENRY KELSEY DEVEREUX.

A Yale man, "well descended and well bred," Henry Kelsey Devereux is a man of large business interests and of extended social connections. A lifelong resident of Cleveland, he is known throughout the city as Harry K. Devereux to a circle of friends that is coextensive with that of his acquaintances. He has done more than any other one man to promote racing as a sport in Cleveland and

--- ----. ...

H. K. DEVEREUX

907

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

when commercial interests claim his attention, he is the alert, enterprising busi- ness man, ready to grapple and solve the involved and complex problems that may arise.

Mr. Devereux was born October 10, 1860, and is a son of General J. H. and Antoinette (Kelsey) Devereux, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. He attended Brooks Military Academy and then entered Yale, pur- suing his scientific course in Sheffield College, from which he was graduated in 1883. Returning to Ohio, he was employed as a civil engineer on what was then known as the "Bee Line,"-The Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and In- dianapolis Railway, with which he remained for a few years. He then located in Cleveland and has since been engaged in the railway supply business. He is also manager of the Chicago-Cleveland Car Roofing Company, is a director of the American Sportsman Company and of the Roadside Club Company.

Mr. Devereux was the prime moving spirit in organizing the Forest City Live Stock & Fair Company, which built the North Randall trotting track, one of the finest racing plants in the United States, when the old Glenville track was sold to be divided into city lots. Light harness racing seemed to be doomed in Cleveland. This was a time when enthusiasm alone was not all that was needed to save the sport, for it required enthusiasm combined with capital, as a racing plant is an expensive thing to build. Mr. Devereux was the man who took the lead and interested sufficient capital in the project to ensure success. However, it remained for him to show the push and energy, with a constant oversight of affairs, that resulted in the establishing in Cleveland of the model racing track of the country devoted to light harness racing. His entire identification with light harness racing has been as a gentleman driver. He is the most skillful gentleman reinsman in the country, as shown by actual performances. He has never raced for money and has been attracted to the sport only by his great love for horses. His interest began in his early youth. He was not a rugged lad and the physician recommended that he be given a pony and that he should ride all day long. The father heeded the physician's advice and with the pony Harry Devereux soon regained his health, for it kept him out in the air. It also aroused his interest in horses. He soon sold the pony to purchase a horse and again and again made purchases, each one being a little better than its predeces- sor. The father was also deeply interested in horses and both father and son took pride in the time their horses could make in harness.

Moreover, even in his boyhood days Harry Devereux took great pride in the appearance of his horses and after attaining manhood, when his capital permitted it, he began to purchase fine blooded stock. He has owned a number of fine animals, many of which he has bred and trained himself. One in particular, the celebrated stallion, John A. Mckerron, he bred, trained and drove to record and over him no one has held a rein to speed but Mr. Devereux. One of the Cleveland papers has said of him in this connection: "Harry K. Devereux, one of the stanchest friends the trotting horse sport ever had in this country, is. a man of many titles. Devereux's whole heart and soul are in the light harness racing game, and his spirit, knowledge of the game and great love of the sport places him foremost among the solons of harness racing. Mr. Devereux is the backbone of the trotting and pacing sport in Cleveland. His keen perseverance and determination to keep the racing game clean and prosperous are factors so pronounced that his influence is having a great bearing on the uplift of the sport all over the country, and it can be said that to a certain degree the decidedly increased strength in the grand circuit as mapped out for this season is due to his efforts. At present Mr. Devereux has a string of titles that would necessi- tate the most careful work on the part of an expert accountant to keep in mind. He is president of the Forest City Live Stock & Fair Company, which company built the North Randall track. He is president of the grand circuit, president of the Gentlemen's Driving Club of Clevelaand, president of the League of Ama- teur Driving Clubs and secretary of the American Association of Trotting Horse

908

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

Breeders. Mr. Devereux is now the head of the leading organizations that con- trol both amateur and professional racing."

Mr. Devereux married Miss Mildred Abeel French, a daughter of Julius E. French. They have two children, Julius French and Aileen Mildred. Mr. Devereux was a member of the Delta Psi fraternity at Yale and, among others, holds membership with the Country, Roadside and Tavern Clubs of Cleveland. In politics he is a republican where state and national questions are involved but is not a strict partisan and at local elections always selects the best man and endorses the issues which he thinks the most significant and vital in municipal affairs. He has a city residence on Euclid avenue and country homes at Wick- liffe and North Randall, Ohio. One of the Cleveland papers characterized him in this manner: 'He has always been a gentleman in the European as well as the Yankee sense of the word. He belongs to all the clubs. At the race track he wears the smile that won't come off and is popular because of his genial com- radeship ; and yet he could drop into the lounge of the Albemarle Club in Lon- don or an old salon of the Rue Ste. Honore and people would swear that he had been born to the purple."

ELBERT HALL BAKER.

Elbert Hall Baker, general manager of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, was born in Norwalk, Ohio, July 25, 1854. He is a descendant in the eighth generation of Edward Baker, who came from England with Governor Winthrop and later established his home at Northampton, Massachusetts. The great-grandfather, leaving Northampton, established the family home in the state of New York, whence Theodore Baker, the grandfather, removed to Norwalk, in 1819. Henry Baker, the father, was born in Norwalk and, like his father, learned and fol- lowed the tanner's trade. In 1865 he removed to Cleveland, where he was engaged in business for several years but is now living retired, making his home with his son, Elbert H. Baker, at the advanced age of eighty years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Clara Maria Hall and died in 1892, was a daughter of the Rev. Jeremiah Hall, D. D., who, leaving his New England home in Keene, New Hampshire, removed first to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he was active as a missionary and educator and thence to Norwalk, Ohio, where he became the head of what was called the Norwalk Institute, a prominent institution of learning in that day. Dr. Hall was later president of Denison University. The Halls, like the Baker family, came of Puritan ancestry.

The removal of the family to Cleveland made Elbert Hall Baker a resident of this city when eleven years of age and his education, begun in the public schools of Norwalk, was continued here as a public-school student until he reached the age of sixteen years, when he began providing for his own main- tenance as a drug clerk. After three years spent in that position he secured a situation in a hardware store, where he remained until 1877, since which time he has been identified with newspaper interests. He entered the employ of the old Cleveland Herald as bookkeeper and later became advertising manager, remain- ing with that paper until 1882, when in the same capacity he went to the Cleve- land Leader, where he thus served for fifteen years. He was for ten years a director of the Leader Company. In 1898 he became general manager of the Plain Dealer and has since given his undivided time and attention to the control of the paper in this connection. The newspaper fraternity accords him distinct- ive prominence as one of its representatives and the Plain Dealer bears evidence of his superior ability in the lines of editorial and business management, to which he gives his attention. Under his guidance the paper has developed in all of its various departments and he is now building a large addition to the present quarters, which will give room for a plant three times the present size.

--------

1 1

ELBERT H. BAKER

911

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

His business affairs have in no wise precluded active participation in movements for the public benefit and to this end he is a member of the Chamber of Com- merce and has served on its board of directors. He is also one of the trustees of the Young Men's Christian Association and president of the board of trustees of the Euclid Avenue Congregational church. No worthy work done in the name of charity or religion seeks his aid in vain, while in many private capacities unknown to the public his labors have been an effective force in promoting gen- eral improvement. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce he served as chairman of the committee which brought about the renaming and renumbering of the streets in systematic order, this commendable work being largely attribut- able to his labors. He is an enthusiastic supporter of the city, a believer in its future, and that his opinions thereof have their basis in fact is indicated in the growth and progress which he has witnessed in all business lines. Since he took charge of the Plain Dealer twelve years ago its business has increased seven-fold and equal advance has been shown in other lines, all of which constitutes a foun- dation for his opinion that Cleveland will soon reach the million mark.

On the Ist of June, 1876, in Cleveland, Mr. Baker was married to Miss Ida A. Smith, a daughter of the late Pardon B. Smith, at one time prominent in Cleveland. Their family numbers three sons and a daughter. Mr. Baker be- longs to the Colonial and the Cleveland Athletic Clubs but his interest centers in the home rather than in club life and in public welfare rather than in society circles. He might well be termed a practical optimist, for while greatly interested in and desirous of Cleveland's rapid growth, he puts forth effective effort as a cooperant factor in attaining this result and while he has refused offers of public office and public trust, he yet exerts a most strong and beneficial influence for the public good.

CARL ANDERS.

The growth of the city, with its consequent building operations, has been the means of drawing to Cleveland many men who have found ample oppor- tunity to exercise their skill and genius in carpentering and building. Widely known because of his work as a contractor, Carl Anders is a worthy repre- sentative of industrial interests in the Forest city. His father, Carl Anders, Sr., was born in Germany about 1830, and came to America in 1881, at which time he took up his abode in Cleveland, where his remaining days were passed, his death occurring in 1889. In early manhood he had wedded Marie Scheel, who was born in Germany in 1831, and died in December, 1906, surviving her husband for seventeen years.

In the fatherland Carl Anders pursued his education, being indebted to the public-school system of that country for the advantages which he enjoyed. He afterward learned the carpenter's trade before crossing the Atlantic with his father. After arriving in Cleveland he entered the employ of Charles Pfeil, a carpenter, with whom he remained for some time but, desiring that his labors might more directly benefit himself, he resolved to begin contracting and in 1883 joined a partner, with whom he was associated until the partner's death. His sons were then admitted to the firm and the business has been one of con- stant and substantial growth. There are many evidences of his skill and ability in substantial structures in Cleveland. He was awarded the contracts for the erection of the Hudson and Bailey buildings, St. Luke's Hospital and of nu- merous factories and society buildings. He has also been vice president of the Pilsener Brewing Company since 1893 but is more widely known through his building operations as a contractor.

Mr. Anders was married to Miss Caroline Reimers, a native of Chicago, and they have become parents of eight children, all of whom are living, namely:

912

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

William J., Martin, Julia, Carl, Fred, Rose, Lydia and Caroline. Mr. Anders belongs to the Masons Supply Company and to the Builders Exchange, and in more strictly fraternal relations is connected with the Masonic fraternity, ex- emplifying in his life the beneficent and helpful spirit of the craft. He was a young man of twenty-two years when the family came to the new world, so that almost the entire period of his connection with business interests has been spent in Cleveland, where his steady progress proves his ability and his trustworthi- ness.

LEWIS T. KRATZER.

Lewis T. Kratzer, who now enjoys the honor of being the oldest exclusive dealer in poultry and eggs in Cleveland, is also one of its solid business men and most reliable citizens. He is most conveniently located at 3806 West Thirty-fourth street. His birth occurred in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1867, being a son of Lewis and Verena Kratzer. The mother is still living, making Cleveland her home, but the father died in 1906 in this city.

When only six months old Mr. Kratzer was brought to Cleveland by his par- ents and has made this his home ever since, becoming thoroughly identified with its best interests. He was educated in the public schools, attending until 1882, when fifteen years of age. Following this he farmed until he was twenty-one and then embarked in a flour mill business, continuing it until 1893, when he com- menced handling poultry and eggs, and was so successful from the start that he has kept to this exclusive line, distancing all competitors.

On December 6, 1886, Mr. Kratzer married Lenore A. Naylor, of Spencer, Medina county, Ohio, a daughter of Jacob Naylor, one of the prosperous farmers of that locality. Mrs. Kratzer died five years ago, leaving a son, Clayton W., now sixteen years of age. Mr. Kratzer later married Marie M. Sternacker, by whom he has a son, Gordon L., now three years old. One daughter, Lillian G., died in 1903. The elder son is a student of the Young Men's Christian Association bus- iness classes.

As a republican, Mr. Kratzer limits his politics to casting his vote for the can- didate of his party, not caring for public life. He belongs to Halcyon Lodge, A. F. & A. M. An excellent business man, he has given the best of his energies to building up his trade and is rewarded by the confidence people place in him and his business ability. He finds his chief recreation in shooting, fishing and motor- ing.

BURGET MINOR.

Burget Minor was a native of Connecticut, but after leaving New England went to Maryland and at an early day arrived in Ohio. There were no railroads across the country and the journey was a long and arduous one over roads that were but slightly improved and which in this instance led over the mountains and through almost impenetrable forests. He traveled with an ox team and settled near Youngstown. His business ability was manifest in mechanical lines and when a young man he came to Cleveland to do some work on the Old Stone church, fixing the belfry and executing other service of a similar character on that old house of worship. He was a contractor and builder throughout his entire life and was closely associated with the early improvement of the state along such lines. He lived for many years at Van Wert, Ohio, and not only contributed to the upbuilding of the town through his work as a contractor but was also very active in public affairs there. In 1902 he returned to Cleveland to live with his granddaughter, Mrs. Clara Lawrence, and here passed away

913

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

March 31, 1909, at the very venerable age of ninety-seven years. He belonged to Tribe No. 27 of the Improved Order of Red Men and was the oldest member living in the United States at the time.

In early manhood Mr. Minor had wedded Miss Sarah Ann Hayes, who be- longed to the same family from which came President R. B. Hayes. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Minor were born two children, D. M. and Lydia Ann. The latter became the wife of Charles De Moss but he died during the early girlhood of his daughter Clara, who was reared by her mother and maternal grandfather, Mr. Minor. Having arrived at womanhood, she gave her hand in marriage to William K. Lawrence and they became the parents of five children: C. Ray, William K., Hazel Frances, George Roland and Clara De Moss. Mrs. Lawrence has lived in Cleveland for many years and enjoys a large acquaintance here. She has a beautiful home on Euclid avenue and is prominent in the leading so- cial circles of the city.

MATTHEW B. EXCELL.

Cleveland has always been distinguished for the high rank of her bench and bar, and among its members Matthew B. Excell has won substantial place. He was born in Jackson, Michigan, July 13, 1869. His great-grandfather, Benjamin Excell, came from England in 1830 and settled in Deerfield, Portage county, Ohio. He had followed merchandising in London and after coming to the new world gave his attention to farming up to the time of his death in 1872. All of his three sons were preachers of the Methodist Episcopal church. Benjamin Excell, the grandfather of M. B. Excell, became a prominent clergyman of that denomination, spending much of the time in Cleveland. Here he was pastor of what is now the Euclid Avenue Methodist Episcopal church and of the Scovill Avenue Methodist church, and was also located in pastoral work at Warren and Painesville, Ohio. The last ten years of his life were spent as a retired minister at Willoughby, Ohio. He was a strong preacher, being recognized as one of the ablest divines of the Methodist church and his appointments were always of the best. He was born October 7, 1820, and died in April, 1904. His son, John Wesley Excell, was born in Portage county, Ohio, September 20, 1842, and be- came a contractor and builder of Cleveland, removing to this city thirty-five years ago. He also took much interest in the Methodist church, laboring ear- nestly for its support and the extension of its influence. He wedded Emily Tayler, who was born in Warren, Ohio, January 22, 1842, and died April 5, 1897. Her father, Matthew B. Taylor, was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1815, and died in November, 1880. He was engaged in the coal busi- ness with Governor Tod, was one of the promoters of the Erie canal and was cashier of the Western Reserve Bank of Warren, afterward the First National Bank and now the Union National Bank, acting as cashier at the time of his death. He was brought to Ohio during his infancy and was long recognized as one of the most responsible financiers of Warren, Ohio. He was a brother of Judge Robert W. Tayler, now on the federal bench for the northern district of Ohio. Their father, James Tayler, was born in Ireland, came to the United States in childhood and settled in Pennsylvania but afterward came to Youngs- town, Ohio, where he conducted a tannery, having in his employ at one time the- father of General Grant. Matthew B. Tayler removed from that place to War- ren, Ohio, when a young man and although he was connected with the coal trade in Cleveland, he continued his residence in Warren, being undoubtedly the most prominent citizen of that locality. The great-grandfather of our subject in the maternal line was George Hapgood, who was born in Connecticut and was the founder of what is now the Warren Chronicle, originally the Western Reserve Chronicle, the oldest whig newspaper in the western world. He came

914

HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

to Ohio about 1810. His wife belonged to the Adams family, of New England, many of whose members won fame. The ancestors came from England in the early part of the seventeenth century and in succeeding generations their de- scendants have been prominently connected with the public life of various com- munities.

In the schools of Cleveland Matthew B. Excell pursued his education until he completed the work of the Central high school by graduation in the class of 1888. He afterward attended Mount Union College, where he won his Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1891. During his college days he had acted as reporter and had also written articles for the Alliance Daily Leader, of Alliance, Ohio, and after his graduation he became editor of that paper. Moreover he took an active part in the public life of the community and in the spring of 1892 was elected mayor of Alliance. Shortly afterward he resigned his position as editor and while serving as chief executive of the city for a term of two years he devoted all his leisure time to the study of law. He then came to Cleveland and was admitted to the bar in 1894. He has practiced alone most of the time since and has made steady progress in his profession. He was for two years assistant director of law for the city of Cleveland, filling the position from 1899 until 1901. He engaged in general practice and has won fame as the defendant in many damage suits for the Cleveland Electric Railway Company, in which he has been very successful. His keen power of analysis enables him to readily understand the points of a case and to apply legal principles with ac- curacy, and as the years go by he has made substantial progress in his chosen field of labor. In politics he has always been a stalwart democrat, active in the work of the party and since the organization of the board of public safety in Cleveland, in May, 1903, he has been its president. This is a mayoralty appoint- ment and Mr. Excell has twice been chosen for the position. He was a dele- gate to the last democratic national convention held in Denver, and has been chosen a delegate to all state conventions for ten years. In the fall of 1908 he was nominated for circuit judge by the democratic party, but with the others on the ticket was defeated.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume III, Part 90

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