A history of Cleveland and its environs; the heart of new Connecticut, Part 12

Author: Avery, Elroy McKendree, 1844-1935; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, New York The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 904

USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland and its environs; the heart of new Connecticut > Part 12

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Like other active and alert members of his calling, Mr. Curtiss has taken an active inter- est and participation in politics. He was con- sidered as good judicial timber by his party in 1915 when he was named as a candidate for municipal judge. Civic affairs have attracted his attention and enlisted his abilities, and worth-while movements by public-spirited citi- zens have never lacked his support and co- operation. Mr. Curtiss is a member of the Cleveland Bar Association and of the Tom Johnson Club. Religion has its share of this

CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS

young man's life, for he is secretary of the Park Congregational Church.

Mr. Curtiss was married July 23, 1910, to Miss Katherine H. Kelly, of Cleveland, daugh- ter of Peter and Sarah Kelly, both now de- ceased, natives of Ireland. Mrs. Curtiss was born in this city, and was here educated at Saint John's Parochial School and Notre Dame Convent. She is a member of the Cath- olic Church. Mr. and Mrs. Curtiss have two children : Sarah K. and Mary H. The pleas- ant family home is situated at No. 954 Park- wood Drive.

EDWARD LODER WHITTEMORE, chairman of the Board of Directors of The National Malle- able Castings Company, the largest organiza- tion of its kind in the United States, with general headquarters and offices at Cleveland, has been connected with this general line of business for thirty-five years, ever since leav- ing college.

He was born at Rye, New York, September 12, 1861, son of Edward Payson and Caroline (Loder). Whittemore. His people were all easterners and of substantial connections and positions. Mr. Whittemore was liberally edu- cated. He attended Adelphia Academy in Brooklyn, New York, the Brooklyn Poly- technic Institute, the Park Institute at Rye, New York, from which he graduated in 1879, and completed his scientific and technical edu- cation in the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University, where he received his diploma in 1882.

From university he entered business life to do clerical and executive work in the office and works of the Bridgeport Malleable Iron Company at Bridgeport, Connecticut. At the end of five years he resigned and became sec- retary and treasurer of the Indianapolis Malleable Iron Company at Indianapolis, and in 1890 also accepted the place of manager of the Toledo Malleable Iron Company at To- ledo, Ohio. He was with these industries when in 1891 it was merged with others to form the National Malleable Castings Company, com- prising a group of malleable iron works which have since been increased by further plants and additions until The National Malleable Castings Company is the biggest organization of its kind in America. In 1891 Mr. Whitte- more became vice president and a director of the corporation and is the only original di- rector now on the board. Since 1902 his home has been in Cleveland and in 1913 upon the death of A. A. Pope, president and

one of the founders of The National Malleable Castings Company, Mr. Whittemore was elected chairman of the board of directors.

Mr. Whittemore is a member of the Union Club, University Club, Tavern Club, Country Club, Mayfield Country Club, Rowfant Club, Chagrin Valley Hunt Club, Cleveland Cham- ber of Commerce, the University and Yale clubs of New York City, and the University Club of Chicago. He is unmarried. In politics a republican and in church affiliation a Pres- byterian.

ROBERT LATIMER BECK is a native of Cleve- land, was formerly in business with his fa- ther and for the past seventeen years has had a successful career in the builders' sup- ply industry, now operating as an independ- ent dealer with offices in The Arcade.

This keen and resourceful Cleveland busi- less man was born August 20, 1875, a son of Conrad and Esther (Latimer) Beck. His fa- ther, now living retired, was born in York, Pennsylvania, and came to Cleveland about fifty years ago, when ten or twelve years of age, in company with his parents. As a youth of sixteen he enlisted from Cleveland in the Sixth United States Cavalry and was in active service for about four years, prac- tically the entire Civil war period. At an early day he engaged in pork packing in Cleveland, and that was his business for many years under the name C. Beck & Company. He finally retired and closed up his business affairs about 1912 and has since been retired. During the administrations of several mayors of Cleveland he was appointed to and filled the office of superintendent of markets. In polities he is a republican. He married at Cleveland Esther Latimer, who was born in the North of Ireland of Scotch-Irish parents, who brought her to Cleveland direct from Ire- land when she was a small girl. The Latimer family at one time lived adjoining old Clin- ton Park, on what is now Davenport Street. Esther Latimer Beck died suddenly while vis- iting in Florida on February 2, 1914, at the age of sixty-eight. Four of her children are still living. William G., the oldest, is in the real estate business at Cleveland and was for- merly an auditor in the board of review of- fice for about twenty years. The second in age is Mrs. John A. Kling, of Cleveland, the next is Robert L., and Mrs. A. N. Kellogg also lives in Cleveland. The children were all born in Cleveland.

Robert L. Beck grew up in this city, at-

CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS

tended the public schools, and after complet- ing his education went to work for his father. That was his employment until 1900, when he formed a connection with The Cleveland Builders Supply Company, and was with that firm about eleven years, laying a solid ground- work of experience and knowledge of a busi- ness in which he has operated independently. He handles all classes of builders' supplies, especially brick, crushed stone, sand, cement and sewer pipe. He is one of the leading deal- ers in that line in the city. Mr. Beck is also a director of The City Savings and Loan Company, and president of The Kinsman Builders Supply Company.

In politics he is a republican and is a mem- ber of the Cleveland Athletic Club, Cleveland Engineering Society, West Side Chamber of Industry, Cleveland Automobile Club and while not a member attends the Highland Congregational Church.

June 29, 1900, he married Miss Libbie Mc- Creary, of Cleveland, daughter of James and Emily (Hathaway) McCreary. Her mother is still living, and her father died in Cleve- land about twenty years ago. Mrs. Beck's parents were born and reared in what is now Lakewood, while Mrs. Beck was born in the City of Cleveland, where her father was a street paving contractor and under the late Mayor McKisson held the position of assist- ant commissioner of streets. Mrs. Beck was educated in Cleveland and is an active mem- ber of the Woman's Club. They have two sons : Robert Kling and James M., both born in Cleveland. The family home is at 11527 Lake Avenue.

JUDGE THEODORE L. STRIMPLE. A scholarly Cleveland lawyer whose attainments and services have gained recognition during the thirty years of his practice there, Judge Strimple has made his success by hard work and faithful application to the interests in- trusted to his charge. He has given much of his time to the public, and for twelve years was a judge of the Common Pleas Court.

Judge Strimple was born on a farm and spent his early life in a rural environment. His birth occurred near Mansfield, Ohio, April 25, 1859. His parents were John and Eliza- beth (Viers) Strimple, and they were of German and French lineage. After attend- ing the common schools of Richland County Judge Strimple entered Baldwin University at Berea, where he was graduated Ph. B. with the class of 1884. He had in the meantime

taught school, and on leaving college his mind was definitely made up as to his vocation. With a well trained mind and with a definite goal ahead of him, he entered the law office of Chandler & Wilcox at Cleveland in 1884, and for the next two years gave undivided atten- tion to his studies. Aided by a good physical constitution, he advanced so rapidly as to gain admission to the bar June 1, 1886.

For a short time he was associated with the late Frank M. Chandler in the publica- tion of a law journal called the Court Record. This lasted only a short time, and he then formed a partnership with the late Frank N. Wilcox. In that partnership he soon found abundance of work for his professional time, and also acquired influential connections. In January, 1891, lie was appointed assistant prosecuting attorney for Cuyahoga County, an office he held until October 28, 1895. At that date he was appointed prosecuting at- torney to fill out the unexpired term of Judge Neff. In 1896 he was elected to the office and continued as prosecutor until 1898. In that year he was elected judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and by re-election was on the bench until 1911. Since leaving this judi- cial office Mr. Strimple has been in the private practice of the law alone and with offices in the Society for Savings Building.

On September 1, 1889, Judge Strimple was appointed county school examiner and dis- charged the duties of that position during 1889-91. He is a republican, and except for the time he was on the bench has been very active in promoting the success of his party. Judge Strimple was married in June, 1893, to Miss Allie Wright, of Cleveland. They have two children. Pauline Marie, the daugh- ter, is a graduate of the Hathaway-Brown School of Cleveland. Theodore L., Jr., is now a student in the Western Reserve University.

JUDGE WALTER CAIN ONG. To sustain the reputation of being one of the ablest trial law- yers of Ohio is a most difficult achievement, and yet it is one thoroughly justified in the opinion of the contemporaries and associates of Judge Ong, who has liad an active career as a lawyer for over forty years and for thirty- five years has been a resident of Cleveland. For five years he was a member of the Com- mon Pleas bench, but otherwise his time and abilities have been taken up with private prac- tice.

Judge Ong was born on a farm in Smithfield Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, November

Natted Ong

CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS

24, 1848, a son of Moses Harlan and Mary (Cain) Oug. His first American ancestor was Francis Ong, of Suffolk County, England. IIe left Bristol, England, in December, 1630, land- ing in Boston in February, 1631. Later de- scendants were Jacob Ong, who lived at Gro- ton, Massachusetts, in 1695, and his son Jacob Ong, a resident of New Jersey in 1702. The latter's son Jeremiah was killed by Indians. Judge Ong's great-great-grandfather was Rev. Jacob Ong, a Quaker minister. He was born January 24, 1760. In the early part of the Revolution he was engaged in carrying mail between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, then Fort Pitt. He broke with the traditions of the Quaker Church. always opposed to warfare, enlisted in the American army and served un- til the close of hostilities. After the war his conscience and his faith reasserted themselves, and he refused all honors or emoluments that might have come from his military service. It is supposed that he burned his discharge pa- pers, since they could never be found, and he took prompt measures to prevent a son from securing his back pension. His entire life was guided by the strictest principles of right, and while his descendants inherited much of this right mindedness they also made exceptions as national emergencies called for patriotic ac- tion. Ten members of the family were soldiers in the Civil war and six of them lost their lives in the service, one of them being the brother of Judge Ong, who was killed during the second charge on Petersburg May 6, 1864.

The family was founded in Ohio by Judge Ong's grandfather, Findley Ong, who was born in Martinsburg, Virginia, February 19, 1787. In the opening years of the nineteenth century he located in Jefferson County, Ohio, and died there at the age of eighty-seven. Moses Harlan Ong, father of Judge Ong, was born in Jefferson County December 15, 1810, was a very successful farmer and stock raiser, and spent all his life in that county. His wife, Mary Cain, was a minister in the Quaker Church. She was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, and died at the age of sixty-five in De- cember, 1878. They had thirteen children, all of whom reached adult age and all married except two.

Walter C. Ong attended the district schools of his birthplace, the high school at Mount Pleasant, and from there entered Richmond College, the old Quaker institution at Rieh- mond, Ohio, from which he received the Bach- elor of Arts degree in 1870. He was gradu- ated LL. B. from the University of Michigan

in 1873 and was admitted before the Supreme Court of Ohio April 5, 1874.

Judge Ong practiced in his native county at Steubenville for eight years. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1875 and by re-elec- tion served four years. In June, 1882, he came to Cleveland and in 1886 became a mem- ber of the firm of Ong & MeMillin and later became senior member of the firm Ong & Ham- ilton, his associate being Walter J. Hamilton. He served two years as a member of the Cleve- land City Council and in 1893 was elected to the Common Pleas Bench of Cuyahoga County, and presided with impartial dignity over that court until February 9, 1899. In his com- modious office in the Guardian Building his office chair is the same onc he used while judge of the Common Pleas Court. On the back of this chair are the words: "Used on Com- mon Pleas Bench from 1894 to 1899."

Judge Ong has long enjoyed the possession of the best honors associated with the legal profession, and he has tried law suits in ten different states of the Union. He is a man of unimpeachable character and of unusual intellectual endowments. He possesses a thor- ough understanding of the law and the pa- tience, urbanity and industry which are the highest qualifications of the attorney or the jurist. He is now approaching that period in life where he may properly resign many of its heavier responsibilities and duties, and when his retirement comes it is his expectation to spend the rest of his days at his orange grove and homestead in Southern California.

Judge Ong is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Knights of Honor, the Cleveland Bar Association, the Ohio State and American Bar associations, the Halcyon, Woodland Golf and Cleveland Gun clubs. April 8, 1875, he married Miss Anna M. Mansfield, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Pumphery) Mansfield, of Jefferson County. Edna O., the oldest of their four children, is the wife of Charles C. Broadwater, a mining engineer. Eugene W., who was born in Steubenville August 12, 1878, graduated from the University School of Cleve- land in 1896, from Yale College in 1900, and from the Harvard Law School with the degree LL. B. in 1903. He was admitted to the bar and has since gained prominence as a Boston attorney. He married Bessie Woodbury Pres- ton, daughter of a distinguished citizen of Boston, Andrew W. Preston. Judge Ong's other two children, both deceased, were named Horace Pumphery and Eileen Marie.

CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS

EDWIN GRAY TILLOTSON has for many years been closely identified with the financial life and affairs of Cleveland. Getting his first experience with a banking house when be- tween fifteen and sixteen years of age, he has filled practically every clerical and official · position in a banking institution and is now an executive officer in several well known organizations and director in many others.

Mr. Tillotson was born at Painesville, Ohio, April 12, 1867, a son of Frank A. and Sarah (Gray) Tillotson. Edwin G. Tillotson had his schooling in the public institutions of Cleveland. October 1, 1882, he became mes- senger boy for the private banking house of E. B. Hale & Company. Four years later, August 2, 1886, he was made . messenger in the Euclid Avenue National Bank, and in that institution he occupied every clerical position until he was made cashier in June, 1893. After that honors and responsibilities came rapidly.

April 1, 1895, he was elected secretary and treasurer of The Cleveland Trust Company, a newly organized institution, was made vice president in June, 1903, and continued as its chief executive officer until February 22, 1909.

In February, 1909, he was elected presi- dent of The Cuyahoga Telephone Company and chairman of the board of directors of the United States Telephone Company. In order to give undivided attention to his per- sonal affairs he severed his connection with the telephone companies on February 1, 1910. In the fall of 1909 he organized the private banking house of the Tillotson & Wolcott Company, being made president. On Feb- ruary 15, 1910, he was elected vice presi- dent of The Guarantee Title & Trust Com- pany of Cleveland and since April, 1912, has been its president.

The Tillotson & Wolcott Company, which Mr. Tillotson organized October 1, 1909, and of which he is president, is unquestionably one of the foremost investment banking firms of Ohio. It is a conservative and dignified house and its reputation has been as gilt edged as the securities it has handled. The firm specializes in corporation bonds and besides handling many complete and large issues and in large blocks, it has done much to popu- larize bond buying by small investors and was among the first firms in Cleveland to inau- gurate the partial payment plan for acquir- ing such securities. Mr. Tillotson's chief as- sociate in this business was the late F. B.

Wolcott, who died January 2, 1914, though his name is still retained in the firm title.

Mr. Tillotson is a director of the Cleveland National Bank and is connected with numer- ous other corporations and financial organ- izations. He is a member of the Bankers Club of New York and in national politics is a republican, but strictly independent in lo- cal affairs. He is a member of the Union Club, Country Club, Mayfield Country Club, Roadside Club, Cleveland Athletic Club, Cleveland Automobile Club, City Club, Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, and be- longs to Western Reserve Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Since early youth he has been identified with the Protest- ant Episcopal Church. His chief recreation is the game of golf.

May 1, 1895, he married Miss Grace Felton, of Cleveland, who died October 14, 1914. Their one daughter, Helen Elizabeth, was born in Cleveland and is now a student in the Hathaway Brown School of the city.

GEORGE L. CRAIG, of the Craig-Curtiss Com- pany, general contractors, with offices in the Guardian Building, was for ten years con- nected with the general contracting firm of John Gill & Sons, and before coming to Cleve- land had the rigid training and experience of the best technical schools and some of the large contracting corporations of Scotland. To say that he is a Scotch engineer is perhaps the last word of praise as to efficiency and thoroughness.

Mr. Craig comes of a large and remarkable Scotch family. He was born in Glasgow January 29, 1882, a son of John and Janet (Lochead) Craig. His parents are still liv- ing at Glasgow, both were born at Largs, Scotland, and were married at Glasgow April 24, 1867. Just fifty years later, in the spring of 1917, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. John Craig during his active career followed cabinet making. He was an expert in that line, and was employed on many large and important contracts for lay- ing the fancy woodwork and interiors of ball- rooms and mansions in the great homes of Scotland. He is still active at his trade, though now well advanced in years. He and his wife had a large family of ten children, six boys and four girls, five of the sons and three of the daughters still living. George L. Craig is the only member of the family now living in the United States. He is a natural- ized American citizen. The other sons still

CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS

living have their home in Scotland. but only one of them could be present at the golden wedding celebration of their parents. This was due to the fact that all the other sons are in active war service. The one who was able to attend the celebration was James, who had been wounded and happened to be at home on a furlough. He is in the navy and will re- join that branch of the service as soon as his wounds permit. The daughters now living are residents of Glasgow. John, the oldest of the children, now forty-eight, and too old for active service, is a munition worker in Glas- gow. James L., the second in age, has already been mentioned. Janie A. W. is the wife of James A. Millen, who is now one of the old- est active members of the Antiquity Society of Scotland, an organization that dates back to the reign of Queen Anne. Jessie died six weeks after her marriage to Mr. Forsyth. William Walker is now serving with the army in Palestine as a motor dispatch rider, carry- ing dispatches between the lines on his motor- cycle. Emma Agnes is still at home. The next in age is George L. Robert died in in- fancy. Dr. Thomas, Lawson, who is next younger in age to William Walker, is with the army in the African campaign. Peggy is the wife of James W. Gilfillan, of Glasgow, a marble importer. The sons, James and Thomas, lived in the United States for sev- eral years prior to the war. James was lo- cated in New York and supervised the taking of supplies to the Panama Canal during its construction. He returned to Scotland in 1910. Thomas came to America at the age of sixteen, and lived on a farm with his uncle at Jessup, near Waterloo, Iowa. He went back to the old country at the age of twenty- one, took up medical studies in Glasgow and Edinburgh University, and has the title of Doctor of Public Health in the Government service of Scotland and also the degree of M. D. and M. B. Ch. B.

George Craig spent his carly life at Glas- gow, graduating from high school in 1898, and after the full course received in 1904 the degree M. I. or Institute of Measures from the Glasgow Technical College. He also for five years served a practical apprenticeship with a regular quantity surveyor, being with Mr. Robert Scott, and was then appointed assistant quantity surveyor for the G. & S. W. Railway under William Melville, chief engi- neer. He served in that capacity three years. Mr. Craig came to America to join the J. G. White Company of New York and Mon- Vol. 11-5

treal. He made this trip in response to a special cable requesting his services, and while he was on the ocean a letter was transmitted from Cleveland from John Gill & Sons making another offer for his services. Mr. Craig arrived in New York City April 15, 1906, on Easter Sunday. After a few days he proceeded to Montreal, and on January 1, 1907, came to Cleveland to accept the offer from John Gill & Sons. He became assistant estimator and later chief estimator and local manager of this large firm of general contractors and was them ten years.

On March 7, 1917, he withdrew from John Gill & Sons and organized the present firm of Craig-Curtiss Company. His associate is Mr. L. C. Curtiss, who was formerly with McKim, Mead & White, probably the foremost firm of American architects. A better com- bination of personal experience and talents for handling all classes of general contract work could hardly be desired.

During the ten years he spent with John Gill & Sons Mr. Craig acted as estimator and supervisor during the construction of the new Cleveland Postoffice, the Leader-News Build- ing, the Jersey City Courthouse in New Jer- sey, the Washington Postoffice in the District of Columbia, the Missouri State Capitol at Jefferson City, the Guardian Building of Cleveland, the main building and sub-stations of the Cleveland Illuminating Company, the main exchange and branch exchanges of the Cleveland Telephone Company, The Royal Motor Car Company Building, The Property Company's warehouses, Taylor-Boggis Fonn- dry Company Building, and a number of other large factories.

Mr. Craig is an active member of the Cleve- land Engineering Society, a member of The Builders Trades Employers Association, Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, is a char- ter member of the Heights Lodge No. 633, Free and Accepted Masons, and Heights Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. In politics he is a republican and attends worship at the Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church. His chief recreation is golf and war gardening. His home is in Cleveland Heights, 3817 May- field Road, where he has nearly an acre of ground, with ample lawns and shade trees, and plenty of room for outdoor recreation. At Cleveland, April 15, 1913, he married Miss Teresa J. Cusick. Mrs. Craig was born at Stirling, Scotland, and was two years of age when brought to the United States by her par-

CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS

ents, John and Mary (Joyce) Cusick. Her mother is still living, a resident of Cleveland. Her father, who died at Cleveland in 1907, was assistant superintendent with the Amer- ican Ship Building Company. Mrs. Craig was educated in Cleveland, being a graduate of the West High School. She is active in the Red Cross and the Daughters of the Brit- ish Empire. They have one son, George Ar- mour Craig, born in Cleveland.

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A history of Cleveland and its environs; the heart of new Connecticut, Part 12

Author: Avery, Elroy McKendree, 1844-1935; Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago, New York The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 904

Author: Avery, Elroy McKendree, 1844-1935; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, New York The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 904