A history of Cleveland and its environs; the heart of new Connecticut, Part 40

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 40

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It was hardly a business which attracted much attention in those early days. They were equipped with facilities and experience to manufacture automobile lamps and do a gen- eral repair work, but the partners themselves constituted the working force, and there was no pay roll and for a year or so very little need for bookkeeping. In fact it was the hard- est task of Mr. Monson's business experience to succeed in interesting people in his product. The first important order received, and the start of their business prosperity, came from the Rauch & Lang Electric Motor Car Com- pany, and the Baker Electric Company. These companies assigned them contracts for making a few dozen motor lamps, and after that the way of prosperity was considerably smoothed out. In May, 1913, the business was incor- porated, and since then Mr. Monson has been president and general manager, with J. D. Kauffman as secretary and treasurer. Cleve- land has been recognizing and taking some ac- count of this growing industry during the past five years. At the time of incorporation the firm erected a two-story building on Madison Avenue between 114th and 115th streets, fur- nishing 12,000 square feet of floor space. In 1915 a one-story addition adjoining on 115th Street was made necessary, in 1916 they dou- bled this by making it two stories. This fur- nished 5,600 more square feet, but in 1917 another one-story addition was placed on 114th Street, giving 3,900 square feet. These building additions serve as an index to the growth and development of the business itself. The company manufactures a general line of automobile lamps, and now furnishes these accessories to a large number of Cleveland automobile factories, and to many companies in other cities. One interesting contract re- cently handled as an initial order, was to fur- nish lamps for 2,500 of the Liberty trucks for war purposes. The volume of business done by the company in 1917 aggregated fully $300,000 and 115 men are now on the payroll.

While Mr. Monson has given the best en- ergies of his years to creating and building up this business, he is also a director in the Blue Serge Stores Company, and a member of the auxiliary board of the Security Savings & Loan Company. He is active in the Cleve- land Chamber of Commerce, the National Chamber of Commerce and in 1915-16 was a director of the Cleveland Association of Credit Men. He is a member of the Cleveland and National Society of Auto Motive Engineers,

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of the Ohio State Board of Commerce, the Automobile Club, is an honorary member of the Pen and Pencil Club, of the Wolverine Automobile Club of Detroit, the old Colonial Club, and is affiliated with Brooklyn Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Cleveland Chap- ter, Royal Arch Masons; Knights of Pythias and the Royal League. In politics he is inde- pendent. On January 23, 1901, at Columbus, Ohio, he married Mary Werner. They have four children, Helen M., Margery E., Gene- vieve F. and Hugh Talbot.

MILTON LEE LOCHER. Although compara- tively a late comer into the legal world of Cleveland, Milton Lee Locher, who possesses the highest qualifications for his profession in a quick grasp of salient points, an impressive manner and strong influence over a jury, as well as considerable oratorical gifts, has al- ready achieved prominence and popularity. He was born at Bluffton, Ohio, June 3, 1888, being a son of Christian and Fanny (Lugibill) Locher, the former a native of Switzerland and the latter of Ohio, and both of whom died at Bluffton.

Christian Locher was eight years of age when he was brought to the United States, the family locating at Bnffton, Ohio, a small agri- cultural community, in 1849. There he was educated, reared and married, and throughout his life was engaged in farming, clearing and cultivating a property of 180 acres, which is now owned by two of his sons, who purchased it in 1915. Mr. Locher was an industrious and energetic man, a skilled farmer and good citi- zen, and rounded out a well-filled life of sixty- seven years, dying March 11, 1909. Mrs. Locher had passed away April 30, 1890, when forty-five years old. All of the nine children, eight sons and one daughter, were born on the old home place, and all are still living, as follows: Gideon, who is now postmaster at Bluffton ; Hiram, who is a clothier at Bluff- ton, Ohio; Ephriam, who in May, 1906, went to Roumania as representative of the Stand- ard Oil Company and returned to the United States in May, 1917, after numerous interest- ing and sometimes perilons experiences in that war ridden country; Mary, who is the widow of Samuel Diller, of Bluffton; Eli, a farmer of that community; Cyrus, who was prosecut- ing attorney of Cuyahoga County from 1913 to 1917 and is now a practitioner with offices in the New Guardian Building, Cleveland ;

Samuel and Christian, who bought the home farm in 1915 and have since been engaged in its cultivation ; and Milton Lee.

Milton Lee Locher was educated in the Pan- dora Township graded and high schools and was graduated from the latter in 1906. He 'next entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, where he remained for three years, subsequently entering and graduating from the Ohio State University, from the law department of which he secured his degree in June, 1912, with high honors. He had been admitted to the bar of Ohio in the preceding December, but did not commence practice at Cleveland until January, 1913, since which time he has been identified with much im- portant litigation and has built up a large and remunerative practice. For three years he had offices in the Sweatland Building, but in 1916 changed his headquarters to the Ameri- can Trust Building, where he occupies suite No. 310. Equally at home in any branch of his profession, he has carried on a general business, not confining himself to any special- ties. In politics Mr. Locher is a democrat. He belongs to the Tuxedo and Sycamore clubs and to the Civic League, and is a great lover of baseball and football. Mr. Locher is un- married.

ARTHUR J. HUDSON, a patent attorney, mem- ber of the well known firm of Thurston & Kris, with offices in the Citizens Building, has lived in Cleveland since boyhood and secured his thorough education in patent law at Wash- ington, District of Columbia.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, June 21, 1880, son of J. Emmons and Elizabeth J. (Hawkes) Hudson. His parents are now liv- ing with Mr. Hudson in Cleveland. His father was born at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and his mother at North Adams, Massachusetts. J. E. Hudson has engaged in different lines of business and is now retired. The family re- moved to Cleveland in 1890. There are two sons, both natives of Boston, and the younger is Walter E., now connected with a manufac- turing firm in Cleveland.

Arthur J. Hudson was ten years of age when brought to Cleveland. He had pre- viously attended the schools in Boston and continued his education in the Cleveland pub- lic schools, graduating from the Central High with the class of 1899. He then entered the Case School of Applied Science, from which

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he received his bachelor of science degree in 1903.

To secure the best possible advantages in training for his career as a patent lawyer, Mr. Hudson removed to Washington, District of Columbia, and pursued his formal law course in Georgetown University, from which he re- ceived the degree bachelor of laws in 1907. He was admitted to the District of Columbia bar and in 1908 to the Ohio bar. After grad- uating from Georgetown University he did work in the patent law firm of Bates, Fouts & Hull for about two years, and for three years had a practical experience in the patent office as assistant examiner of patents. Since 1908 Mr. Hudson has been in active practice at Cleveland and all his work is in handling cases and litigation involving patent law.

In politics he is a republican. He is a mem- ber of Lakewood Lodge Free and Accepted Masons, Euclid Avenue Baptist Church, and his recreations are tennis and music. He is one of the prominent members of the Singers Club and the Lakewood Tennis Club. His home is at 1531 Grace Avenue in Lakewood. At Washington, District of Columbia, August 19, 1909, he married Miss Grace Stailey, daughter of C. B. P. and Lucy M. (Yantis) Stailey. Her father was for many years con- nected with the United States Postoffice De- partment at Washington, ' nt in 1914 removed to Cleveland where he is employed in the local postoffice service. Mrs. Hudson was born at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and was educated in the public schools of Washington. They are the parents of three children: Jay S., Irma G., and Mildred A., all born in Cleve- land.

CLARE CARLTON NORTH has gained some unique distinctions in insurance circles in Northern Ohio, not only as a high power sales- man and efficient business getter, but as a lec- turer in the general field of insurance sales- manship and also as writer and publisher of some very valuable literature known to insur- ance men as "The North Method."

Mr. North was born at Andover, Ohio, De- cember 30, 1880. His father was Charles A. North, his grandfather Sedgwick North, the latter a native of Madison, Lake County, Ohio. Sedgwick North was a nephew of that famous Lord North who was first lord of the treasury of England under King George III from 1770 until the close of the American Revolution. The mother of Mr. C. C. North was Hattie

E. (Ware) North, a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Ware of Orwell, Ashtabula County. Her mother was of the Savage family, among the first settlers of Ashtabula.

Clare Carlton North acquired a liberal edu- cation and in 1903 graduated from that old and noted school of Western Reserve, Grand River Institute at Austinburg, Ohio. For two years he was a high school superintendent in Ashtabula, but in 1905 entered the field of life insurance as a salesman, and was successively special agent, general agent and then super- visor of agents for the Midland and Mutual Life Insurance Company of Columbus. Life insurance has represented to Mr. North not only a business but a profession, and out of his close and enthusiastic study has come the work of his later years as an author and originator of the North system of salesman- ship, which is a profound analysis of every situation and condition bearing upon the re- lations between the salesman and the prospect. It has seemed that Mr. North has analyzed and put into plain reasoning every fact and con- dition knowledge of which opens a way for successful insurance salesmanship. In fact Mr. North has supplied practically everything to the life insurance salesman except those funda- mental prerequisites of character, personality and industry which no system however elab- orate can give. This "North Method of Life Insurance Salesmanship" was copyrighted by Mr. North in 1917 and is published by "The House of North" at Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. North prior to putting his knowledge into published form has lectured on the subject throughout the United States.

At his home Town of Madison in Lake County he has served as a member of the vil- lage school board. Mr. North's Cleveland of- fices are in the Guardian Building. He is a republican, is a past master of Lake Shore Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is a member of the county committee of the Lake County Y. M. C. A., and has filled that office since its organization. He has done much active work in the National Association of Life Underwriters. He was superintendent of a Sunday school at the age of nineteen and has long been prominent in Sunday school and church of the Congregational denomination.

August 30. 1904. at Trumbull in Ashtabula County Mr. North married Edith B. Reigert, daughter of John M. and Annie Reigert. Mrs. North is a graduate of the Geneva High

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School with the class of 1901. They have one son, John Carlton North, born June 2, 1911.

FRANK LINCOLN CROBAUGH. To the indi- vidual who has attained only average success, the varied and substantial achievements of Frank Lincoln Crobaugh seem to make evident his possession of talents far beyond the ordi- mary and abilities marked and versatile. Richly endowed with the qualities of initia- tive and resource, concentration and enthusi- asm, and with his native City of Cleveland as the setting for the consummation of his ambitions, his varied accomplishments have included the making of a name and reputation in chemistry and metallurgy, in the business world generally, and more particularly, of re- cent years, in the field of real estate and mort- gages, to which latter lines he now devotes himself exclusively.

Mr. Crobaugh was born at old No. 91 Gar- den Street, Cleveland, Ohio, August 7, 1866, and is a son of Samuel and Lucy Jane (Hawes) Crobangh. His father, who was of German ancestry, was a veteran photographer of Cleveland, of the year 1851, and was the first to produce daguerreotypes in the city, where he first had offices at Ontario Street and Public Square and later a studio in Hoff- man's Block, opposite the postoffice. Mrs. Crobaugh, who was of Puritan stock, directly traceable to the Mayflower, was prominent for a number of years in literary circles of Cleve- land.

Frank Lincoln Crobaugh was graduated from the Central High School of Cleveland in 1885, and from Case School of Applied Science in the chemical course in 1889, with the degree of bachelor of sciences. About ten years later the same institution conferred upon him the degree of master of science for a thesis entitled "Hints for Beginners in Iron Analysis." Mr. Crobaugh has also written many articles on chemical and metallurgical subjects. He is author of "Methods of Chem- ical Analysis and Foundry Chemistry." Be- fore leaving college, and for a short time after- ward, he was assistant in the chemical labora- tory of J. H. Cremer of Cleveland, and then became chemist to the Stewart Iron Company of Sharon, Pennsylvania, where his experience and studies were with the analysis and pro- duction of several special grades of pig iron, much bar and coke, all of which were pro- duced by that company. In addition to this, he had an excellent experience in the cliem- istry and manufacture of steel castings at

what was then known as the Sharon Steel Casting Company, with whose management he was friendly. After more than four years of diligent application at Sharon, he returned to Cleveland and established himself in the old Bratenahl Building as an expert chemist and metallurgist, along with which he for the first ten years held the chair of chemistry in the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical Col- lege, where his knowledge of sanitary and pathological chemistry was elaborated. About 1913 he organized the Frank L. Crobaugh Company, chemists and metallurgists, and be- came its president, a company which is still one of the foremost of its kind in the country. In 1913 he retired from the chemical field to open an office at No. 1426 Illuminating Build- ing, where he is engaged in real estate and mortgage work, in which he has always been interested. Mr. Crobaugh is a republican, and belongs to the Colonial Club and the Cleveland Business Men's Club. With his family, he holds membership in the Universalist Church.

Mr. Crobaugh was married May 8, 1890, at Cleveland, to Ida Florence Stoddard, daughter of Chester M. and Jane (Wright) Stoddard, and granddaughter of Dr. Martin L. and Maria (Remington) Wright. Doctor Wright, who was one of the first graduates in medicine and dentistry of Western Reserve Medical College, attained prominence during his many years' practice of dentistry at Cleveland, hav- ing made several important dental inventions. Mr. and Mrs. Crobaugh have one son : Samuel Chester, who was married April 20, 1916, to Margaret E. Malone, daughter of Rev. J. Walter and Emma B. Malone.

S. CHESTER CROBAUGH, a lawyer by profes- sion, is one of Cleveland's active younger business men. Several well known business organizations have required most of his time since he began practice, and it is in business circles that he is best known.

He has spent nearly all his life in Cleveland, but was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, March 5, 1891, only son and child of Frank L. and Ida F. (Stoddard) Crobaugh. His parents are still living in Cleveland and more complete reference to them will be found on other pages. Chester Crobaugh was educated in the Bolton grammar school, graduated from the Central High School with the class of 1909, and then took two years work as a special stu- dent in French, German and history at Adel- bert College. He prepared for the law in the Western Reserve University, graduating

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LL. B. with the class of June, 1914. In the same month he was admitted to the bar after examination at Columbus. It is said that no one ever passed a more creditable examination at Columbus than Mr. Crobaugh. His stand- ing in all the subjects averaged 94 3/10 per cent. It was a most creditable performance, and the more so because lie was one of 285 applicants for admission at the time.

In the summer of 1914 Mr. Crobaugh began practice at Cleveland with Karl Germain as partner under the name Crobaugh & Germain, with offices in the Illuminating Building. This partnership continued until the summer of 1916, when Mr. Germain retired on account of ill health.

In 1915 Mr. Crobaugh organized The In- vestors Mortgage Company, of which he is president and treasurer. To this business he gives most of his time and attention. The In- vestors Mortgage Company has authorized capital stock of $250,000, and $150,000 of stock have been paid in. The company spe- cializes in the buying of second mortgages, and its financial condition is highly satisfactory. As shown by the official statement of January, 1918, the total resources aggregate approxi- mately $234,000. Its real estate loans have been judiciously distributed and the assets are adequate for all possible contingencies.

Mr. Crobaugh is also president of the Frank L. Crobaugh Company, Metallurgists, and is secretary and treasurer of the Cuyahoga Gal- vanizing and Manufacturing Company, suc- cessors to the Electro Galvanizing Company. These business organizations and several others together with his general practice as a lawyer make Mr. Crobaugh one of the busiest men in the city.

Politically he is independent. He is a mem- ber of the City Club, Civic League, Cleveland Heights Tennis Club, Cleveland Athletic Club and the First Friends Church of Cleve- land. April 20, 1916, he married Miss Mar- garet Malone of Cleveland, daughter of Rev. J. Walter Malone, pastor of the First Friends Church of Cleveland and one of the leading ministers of the Quaker Church in this country. Her mother is Emma (Brown) Ma- lone. Mrs. Crobaugh was born in Cleveland, is a graduate of Oakwood Seminary at Union Springs, New York, and also spent a year in Oberlin College and a year in the Woman's College of Western Reserve University.

HERBERT C. CUMMINGS, attorney and coun- selor at law, and secretary, treasurer and

manager of the Credit Adjustment Company, is one of Cleveland's successful young men. The story of how he gained success is a les- son and incentive. There were many stub- born difficulties to overcome in the way. He was about sixteen when thrown upon his own resources. He was active, alert, was willing to accept the humblest employment, but was steadily persistent in looking for something better.

Opportunity came to him in the guise of a position as elevator boy in the Lake Shore Railway offices. He operated the elevator there just one week. In those six days he asked the head of every department in the building for a job. The manager of the ad- vertising department took him out of the cage and put him to work with the office force. He remained in that department nearly two years and the experience and training meant more to him than any other one factor in his life.

Herbert C. Cummings was born at Cleve- land, April 28, 1887, a son of John F. and Carrie (Chatterton) Cummings. His mother is still living in Cleveland. His father, who died in November, 1913, was a traveling sales- man, also followed the trade of barber, and for several years operated as a holder of con- cessions in the parks around Cleveland. He had brilliant qualities as a business man but placed too much confidence in others and when he died at the age of forty-one he was still far short of a successful position. Both parents were born in Cleveland. Mr. Cum- mings' mother was the daughter of Joseph Chatterton who was a city councilman at the time of his death.

The only child of his parents, Herbert C. Cummings attended the public schools of Cleveland and from the age of sixteen until he was twenty-six struggled for a better edu- cation by attending night school. During that time he held every sort of job from elevator boy to an office auditor. As a student of night school he attended the West High and the Central High, finishing the high school work while a student of law. He was in the Berkey & Dykes Business College and the Metropolitan Business College, and a student of higher accounting in the Young Men's Christian Association School. He was already an expert accountant when he took up the study of law at the age of twenty-three. From the railway office he had gone as a bookkeeper for a local firm, and continued his work as an accountant with different companies until he

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was ready to establish himself in business. Mr. Cummings attended the law school of the Baldwin-Wallace College, and in 1913 was given the degree Bachelor of Laws Magna Cum Laude, and he also took the faculty prize at the time of his graduation. He was ad- mitted to the Ohio bar in June, 1913, and on the first of August of that year began prac- tice alone, with offices in the Engineers Build- ing. A year and a half later he moved his quarters to the Illuminating Building, where he is still located.

Mr. Cummings handles a general law prac- tice but has specialized in mercantile law and is counsel for several local firms, including the Ohio Provision Company, with whom he was formerly connected in the capacity of book- keeper. In October, 1913, he organized The Credit Adjustment Company, for handling mercantile collections. The service of this company is exclusively for manufacturers and jobbers, and handles no retail accounts. Mr. Cummings is practically the head of this or- ganization, being its manager, secretary and treasurer.

In politics he is a republican and is affiliated with Halcyon Lodge No. 498, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, Thatcher Chapter No. 1, Royal Arch Masons, and the Sigma Kappa Phi col- lege fraternity. His recreations are fishing, swimming and automobiling. As a fisherman he has the distinction of being the only per- son who ever caught a sturgeon around Cleve- land with only a hook and line. This feat oc- curred on Rocky River at its juncture with Lake Erie.

In May, 1913, Mr. Cummings was ad- mitted to practice in the United States Courts. On May 30, 1907, he married Miss Florence E. Heeney of Cleveland, daughter of Thomas and Pauline (Brooking) Heeney. Her par- ents are still living in Cleveland. Her father was born in Ireland and her mother in Can- ada. Mrs. Cummings was born and educated in Cleveland, and studied vocal music under Prof. E. H. Douglas and also in Our Lady of Lourdes Convent of Cleveland. She is a well known musician and is a member of the Cleveland Chapter of the Eastern Star. Mr. and Mrs. Cummings' daughter Ruth La Verne was born in this city.

ALVAH R. CORLETT has practiced law at Cleveland for the past four years, now alone and formerly a member of the firm Corlett & Stewart. Mr. Corlett has his offices in the Illuminating Building. In earlier years he

was an aggressive young leader in local poli- tics, especially during the Tom Johnson regime in the city.

Mr. Corlett is a native of Cuyahoga County, born on a farm at Warrensville March 6, 1882. He is a son of John A. and Catherine (Radcliffe) Corlett. His father was born on the Isle of Man and was seven years of age when brought to this country by his parents. Catherine Radcliffe was born in Warrensville shortly after her parents came to this city from Lowell, Massachusetts. Her parents were both natives of England. John A. Cor- lett followed farming most of his life. He died at Cleveland February 7, 1913, at the age of seventy-six. He had a home in War- rensville and shortly before his death had com- pleted a residence in Cleveland, which he designed as a home for the winter. This house was finished in November and he died in the following February. His widow still spends her summers at Warrensville and lives in Cleveland during the winter. John A. Cor- lett was one of the organizers of the old First Methodist Episcopal Church on Erie Street. He was a member of the church at Warrens- ville for over half a century. His wife has always attended that church though not a member. Alvah R. Corlett is the youngest of a family of six children, four sons and two daughters, all living and all residents of Cuya- hoga County.

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A history of Cleveland and its environs; the heart of new Connecticut, Part 40

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