USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland and its environs; the heart of new Connecticut > Part 74
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107
384
CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS
the war. Captain Shupe has a son, Sergeant Benson P. Shupe, who enlisted at the age of nineteen and trained for the war at Camp Sheridan in Montgomery, Alabama. Five of his nephews wear the uniform of the fight- ing soldier, and his other son, Davis P., aged eighteen, will probably be in the ranks if the war continues another year.
Captain Shupe was born in New York City, a son of Walter H. and Geneveve (Pierce) Shupe. His father was born in Richland County, Ohio, was a lawyer by profession, served at one time as prosecuting attorney of Richland County, and finally removed to New York City, where he practiced law for many years. When Captain Shupe was six years old his parents moved to a country home in Rockland County, New York, and the father went back and forth from this farm to his law offices in the city. In 1900 the parents came to Cleveland, and both died in this city and were laid to rest in Lake View Ceme- tery. Captain Shupe's mother was born in Massachusetts, and she and her husband were married there. They had nine children, five sons and four daughters, three of the sons and three of the daughters still living.
Captain Shupe, who was fourth in age in the family, lived to the age of fifteen on his father's farm in Rockland County, New York, and attended public school there. For a num- ber of years he has been active in business affairs at Cleveland, but since the beginning of the war has sacrificed business in order to do army welfare work. He joined the Cleve- land Grays in 1892, and held all the offices in that company and was its captain for seven years after the Spanish-American war. Dur- ing the war with Spain he was first lieutenant of Company A, Tenth Ohio Infantry. He re- tired from active military duty in 1907, on account of disability. He is a member of the various veteran organizations.
Captain Shupe is chairman of the Cham- ber of Commerce Military Committee, is also chairman of the Military Committee of the Mayor's Advisory War Board, and an in- defatigable worker in the cause of the Lib- erty loans. He has been very active in the Red Cross, and is chairman of the Canteen Committee of that organization and is also active in Army Y. M. C. A., camp athletic and band funds movements. Captain Shupe has mingled directly with the rank and file of the soldiers, has done much to encourage them and also to learn their point of view and their par- tienlar needs. It is said that during a visit to
Camp Sheridan he spent most of his time among the private soldiers. While there he made out a list of improvements which he thought ought to be installed and the recom- mendations made were adopted and carried out to the general benefit of the camp.
Captain Shupe is a prominent worker for the practical application of the president's principle of "Universal Liability for Service" and in a recent interview the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported him as saying: "I have sounded the opinion of typical citizens of many American cities and of men who have gone from civilian life into our army both as privates and officers. I find that practically all are intensely in favor of universal mili- tary training. Aside from the benefit of pre- paring us as a nation for defense against at- tack, such training would bring incalculable benefit to our young men. This is strikingly manifest to any person who visits our great camps and cantonments. You can see men who slouched out of Cleveland some months ago-young fellows not any too promising- who are now splendid specimens of the best type of American manhood."
Captain Shupe in ordinary times is fond of the recreation of golf, but gave that game up entirely when the war came on so as to give all . his surplus efforts to war activities. He is a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Com- merce, Cleveland Athletic Club, Rotary Club, City Club, Cleveland Automobile Club, Shaker Heights Country Club, Colonial Club, High- land Park Club and Civic League.
March 4, 1896, he married Jeanette Benson. Mrs. Shupe was born and educated in Cleve- land, and is prominent socially and in Red Cross affairs. Their children are: Benson P., Davis P., Marcella, and Marion.
GEORGE ROBERT MCKAY has made success through his own strivings. He inherited noth- ing except the sterling honesty and intelligence of a Scotch father and the optimism of an Irish mother. He began to mingle with men and affairs when a boy, and work put him through school and has put him through the successive stages of a very satisfying career as a lawyer and business man.
He was born at Cleveland December 12, 1862, son of Robert George and Jane (Green- lese) Mckay. His father was born in Scotland and when only nine years of age began follow- ing the sea as a sailor. He sailed over all the oceans and closed his career as a sailor on the Great Lakes. About the time his son, George
Formaday
385
CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS
Robert, was born he left the lakes and began work as a machinist and master mechanic. About 1870 he was sent to South Chicago by the late Henry Chisholm, who then owned the South Chicago Rolling Mills, as general super- intendent of that plant. He had been there only six months when he lost his life by being caught in a roll. He was killed July 2, 1870, at the age of thirty-seven. George R. McKay, though only eight years of age at the time, has a distinct remembrance of the day when the tragical news reached the family in Cleveland. Mrs. Jane (Greenlese) Mckay was born at St. Catherines, Canada, and her father and mother were natives of Ireland. She and her husband were married at Cleveland and she died in this city November 21, 1884. There were two sons and two daughters in the family, one son dying in infancy. One daughter, Nellie Deane, died in May, 1893, leaving two chil- dren, Grace and Mabel, the former now de- ceased, and the latter making her home with Mr. George R. McKay. The only living sister is Mary J., widow of I. J. Worton, of Cleve- land.
George R. McKay acquired his early educa- tion in the Cleveland public schools and at the age of twelve years went to work, and thereafter his education was due to earnest diligence in night schools and private study. In 1883 he entered the Western Reserve Acad- emy at Hudson, completing the course in 1885. In the fall of that year he entered Adelbert College of Western Reserve University, a few months later went to Oberlin College, and from there to the Ohio Northern University at Ada. In these three institutions he was a student until June, 1886. The necessity of earning his own way was always present during these years. He worked as shipping clerk for the Otis Steel Company until 1887 and then gave up that position to take up the study of law. Mr. McKay was admitted to the Ohio bar June 6, 1889. From 1887 to 1889, while a student of law, he was bailiff of the Common Pleas Court under Judge Sanders. He studied law with the firm of Sherwood & Dennison. His work as bailiff required his time in the day, but he managed to put in several hours every night in the law offices. Another experience while a student of law was as deputy United States Marshal under Benjamin F. Wade of Toledo, then United States marshal for the Northern Ohio District.
In November, 1889, Mr. McKay was elected a justice of the peace in Cleveland and filled that office 51/2 years, having been re-elected in
1892. His resignation from that office in May, 1895, is the first recorded instance of a justice resigning before the end of his term. Mr. McKay next accepted the office of assistant United States attorney for the Northern Dis- trict of Ohio under Samuel E. Dodge. Ilis appointment was conferred by President Grover Cleveland. One of Mr. Mckay's best friends was the late Virgil P. Kline, who was very insistent that Mr. Mckay should accept the appointment as district attorney. He filled this office 41/2 years, until January, 1900, and then resumed private practice, in which he has been engaged ever since.
While in the United States attorney's of- fice in 1898 Mr. MeKay was a candidate for mayor of Cleveland, being defeated by John H. Farley. During the Spanish-American war period he was lientenant commander of the United States Naval Reserves, which was a part of the Tenth Ohio Regiment, but he was never in active service outside the state, being in camp at Columbus for a brief time. He was major of one batallion of this organ- ization. He also gained the rank of major in the Ohio National Guard.
For years Mr. Mckay has been one of the foremost democrats in point of influence and value to the party in Cleveland. From Jan- nary 1, 1912, to June 1, 1913, he was assistant director of law in Cleveland under Mr. Wil- cox.
Much of his time at present is taken up with large business affairs. In 1914 he organized the Associated Investment Company of Cleve- land, a $1,000,000 corporation, formed for the purpose of engaging in the creative field of real estate development and building. It has had a most prosperous career since the begin- ning of operations in June, 1915, has carried ont some important development work in sev- eral real estate allotments, and has furnished a safe and conservative medium for investors and home builders. Mr. Mckay is secretary and manager of this company. In February, 1916, he also organized the Investment Se- curities Company, also capitalized at $1,000,- 000. The purposes of this company are the buying and dealing in approved stocks, bonds, and the handling of leaseholds and mortgage loans, and also the organizing and financing of new companies and the securing of additional capital for enterprises of proved earning ca- pacity. Mr. MeKay is secretary and treasurer of this company.
He is now head of the law firm Mckay & Poulson, attorneys, with offices in the Guardian
386
CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS
Building. His partnership with Mr. F. W. Poulson was formed January 1, 1916.
November 8, 1893, Mr. Mckay married Miss May Kimberley, daughter of David H. and Elsie A. Kimberley. Her father, now de- ceased, was formerly county treasurer of Cuyahoga County. Mr. and Mrs. McKay have two daughters, Jane G. and Martha K. The former was educated in the Laurel School at Cleveland, and in 1916 graduated from the National School of Domestic Science and Arts at Washington, D. C. The daughter Martha attended the Laurel School, the Oberlin High School, and is now a student of dramatic art at the American School of Dramatic Art, New York. Mrs. McKay died at her home in Cleve- land December 23, 1914.
Mr. MeKay has long been actively identified with the social and civic life of Cleveland. He is a member of the Beta Theta Phi college fraternity, Forest City Lodge No. 388, Free and Accepted Masons; Cleveland Chapter No. 148, Royal Arch Masons; Oriental Comman- dery No. 12, Knights Templar; the thirty-sec- ond degree of Scottish Rite Masonry. He is a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Com- merce, Cleveland Yacht Club, one of the char- ter members of the Cleveland Athletic Club, and served as a director 41/2 years, during which time the new club building was erected on Euclid Avenue. He is a member of the Shaker Heights Country Club, the Willowick Country Club, and the Cleveland Bar As- sociation. Mr. Mckay is the personification of energy and hard work, and for that reason he finds business a real recreation. When away from his office and home he also enjoys golf and yachting. His home is at 2052 East Ninetieth Street.
SAMUEL ROCKER. If the Jewish community of Cleveland should seek the one man most broadly representative of all the ideals of the race, the varying interests and aspirations due to differing nationalities, and the man who has done most to consolidate and to bring into harmony not only the various inter-racial inter- ests but those that in some degree differentiate the people from sturdy Americanism, there is no question that the choice would fall upon Samuel Rocker, editor and active head of The Jewish World, the only Jewish daily pub- lished between. New York and Chicago.
In view of his position and the power he has exerted it is extremely difficult to give anything like an adequate account of Mr. Rocker's career. He was born in New San-
detz, Galicia, in February, 1864. His early life was devoted to the study of Talmudic lore in the famous Yeshibas (Hebrew universities) in Ilungary. 1
On coming to America in 1891 he settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and later came to Cleveland, and established the first Yiddish printing shop. Here, especially in earlier years, he did considerable formal literary work. He is widely known as author of "Divre Chachomim" (The Sayings of the Sages). His work was not finished with the author- ship' of the manuscript. He also set it in type and printed the book. He also con- tributed to a number of Hebrew periodicals, weeklies and monthlies, and for a number of years was correspondent of the Jewish Daily News of New York.
Practically ever since he came to Cleveland Mr. Rocker has been a molder of public opinion among the Jewish people of this city. He helped publish and edit the Jewish Star, the first Yiddish weekly in Cleveland or in the state. In 1908 he succeeded in organizing The Jewish Daily Press, the only Jewish daily in the Middle West. He became its editor, and under his management the Press became a vehicle not only for news but for the power of stimulating ideas in Cleveland and Ameri- can Judaism in general. Finer examples of editorial language it would be difficult to find anywhere than in the columns of the old Jewish Press. Mr. Rocker has always been noticed as master of a forceful and convinc- ing style.
March 12, 1913, is an occasion for which he will always have a grateful memory and one which was significant among the Jewish people of Cleveland generally. On that date Mr. Rocker was guest of honor at a banquet given him by representative Jews of Cleve- land, the hundred diners representing every element in Cleveland Jewry. Rabbis, attor- neys, physicians, labor leaders, judges, writers and business men were all there to pay their respects to the man who helped make Cleve- land Jewry known throughout the land. Pri- marily the banquet found its occasion in the rounding out of twenty-five years of literary activity on the part of Mr. Rocker. During the evening Mr. Rocker was presented with a loving eup as a token of esteem.
A brief quotation from the address of one of the speakers of the banquet will perhaps serve to convey in some measure the value of Mr. Rocker's citizenship in Cleveland. "When Mr. Rocker came to Cleveland he found a very
Jorgetak
387
CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS
small Jewish community. He watched the city grow and was an eye witness of the con- tinnous stream of newcomers that poured into the forest city. He contributed his service to make the Jewish community an ideal one. He never advocated division of classes. The Jewish Press attempted to create a better un- derstanding between the reform and orthodox elements; to arouse the self reliance of the struggling masses; to bring closer the em- ployer to the employee. The Press advocated the ideal of Zionism and nationalism among the Jews. It fostered the spirit of Amer- icanism."
In 1913 Mr. Rocker became associated with The Jewish World and effected a consolida- tion of The World and The Jewish Daily Press, continuing the joint publication under the title The Jewish World. The publication of- fices are at Woodland and East Fiftieth Street.
Mr. Rocker is a director of the Council Educational Alliance and is a member of more than fifteen charitable, religious and fraternal organizations.
JOHN SUPPLE LYNCH spent his most active years in Canada, but lived in Cleveland for upwards of thirty years, and in this city most of his children have their home.
John Supple Lynch was born in Dublin, Ireland, in May, 1814, and died at Cleveland February 8, 1898, aged eighty-four. He was of the old school English, his mother an Eng- lish woman, though his father was pure Irish back to the time of the Irish kings. His par- ents in Ireland were wealthy ship owners and many times in early life John S. Lynch sat down to a table around which were gathered as guests of his father fifteen or more captains of vessels owned by the Lynch family.
John S. Lynch went to Canada in the early '30s and came to Cleveland in 1868. In Can- ada he was a wholesale grocer and a brewer and after coming to Cleveland he went in the coal business on Ontario Street, near Broad- way, continuing until about 1876. He had business capacity, but was not altogether for- tunate, and in fact he lost two fortunes while in Canada and one in Cleveland. America did not seem to be a favorable soil for liis activi- ties. He was to the last a thorough English- man, a lover of English sports and a great reader of the classic poetry of Great Britain. While living in Canada he served for a time as captain of the Canadian Rifles.
He had sailed around the world and around Cape Horn on a sailing vessel three times. At
one time while sailing in the Artic Circle his crew discovered some of the remains of the old Franklin Polar Expedition, one of the most famous of the expeditions which were lost in the frigid regions of the North. Mr. Lynch was a member of Grace Episcopal Church of Cleveland.
He married at Kempville, Canada, in 1856, Eliza A. Noonan. She was born in Ireland, was brought to Canada by her parents when four years of age, and she died at Cleveland March 1, 1901, having survived her husband three years. She was always a home woman, a good mother and wife, and her life was ex- pressed in devotion to her children.
Concerning these children, seven in num- ber, the following brief record is made. Albert E., the oldest, is a successful patent attorney, member of the law firm Lynch & Dorer, at- torneys at law and patent solicitors with of- fices in the Society for Savings Building. William R. Lynch, the second child, is city passenger agent at Cleveland for the Big Four Railway Company. Warren J. Lynch is vice president of the American Steel Foundries and lives in New York City. Clara E. is supervisor of public schools at Cleveland. Bertha is Mrs. Herbert C. Wood, Mr. Wood being a Cleveland lawyer with offices in the Society for Savings Building. Victoria C. and Victor C. are twins, the former a teacher in the Cleveland public schools and the latter a patent attorney and member of the firm Lynch & Dorer, also president of the Inter- national Machine Tool Company. The three older sons were born in Canada, and the others are natives of Cleveland.
JOSEPH J. PTAK occupies an enviable posi- tion in Cleveland affairs, due to many years of active association with business, finance and publie positions. Mr. Ptak has spent nearly all his life in Cleveland, but was born at a place called Velky Vir in Bohemia, April 4, 1852. The year following his birth his parents Michael and Mary (Zacek) Ptak brought their family to Cleveland. Here Joseph J. Ptak acquired his education in St. Patricks paro- chial schools but left school when only eleven years of age.
His first work was on a farm for two years, then for two years he was in Slaght's planing mill, and for four years was in charge of the paint department of the Ohio Wooden Ware Company. He spent a year learning the cooper trade with Phillip Boeplle, following which he had a long association for thirteen
388
CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS
years with the Lamson & Sessions Company, cutting wire and later making carriage bolts. For six months he was clerk in the law offices of Jackson & Athey, and then became head bailiff under Sheriff E. D. Sawyer for a year.
For the past twenty years Mr. Ptak has been chiefly identified with the abstract business. He gained his first experience in that line as clerk with the firm of J. Odell & Sons, who finally made him a searcher. In 1898 Odell & Sons were absorbed by the Guarantee Title & Trust Company, and Mr. Ptak was continued in the service of the new organization as super- intendent and assistant secretary until 1900. In that year he resigned to become vice presi- dent and director of The Cuyahoga Abstract Company, and with this large and well known Cleveland house he is still identified, in the offices which he has filled for over fifteen years.
Mr. Ptak represented the Twelfth Ward in the city conneil in 1883 and 1884, and repre- sented the third district on the board of alder- men in 1887 and 1888, and was again in the council from District No. 10 in 1891 and 1892. He is a director of the Clark Avenue Savings Bank, member of the Bohemian Old Settlers' Association and The Old Settlers' Society of Cuyahoga County, is a democrat and a mem- ber of the Catholic Church.
On November 19, 1872, at Cleveland Mr. Ptak married Mary Ptacek. They have three children : Joseph S., assistant secretary and treasurer of the Cuyahoga Abstract Company : Adelaide M., wife of Anthony T. Horak of Cleveland; Helen A., wife of John S. Maza- nee of Cleveland.
PETER D. QUIGLEY is well known in Cleve- land professional circles, has offices as an at- torney and counselor at law in the Rockefeller Building, but more and more in recent years his time and attention have been absorbed by the direction and management of various important business matters, encroaching more and more upon his professional work.
Mr. Quigley was born at the summer home of his parents in Akron, Ohio, July 23. 1879. His father, II. C. Quigley, was at one time a manufacturer of stoneware in Akron. but the last twenty years of his life was in the real estate business at Cleveland. The mother, whose maiden name was Ellen Daly, still lives in Cleveland. She was the mother of five sons and one daughter, all living, Peter D. being the second in age.
The latter grew up and was educated in Cleveland, graduated from the old Central
High School with the class of 1895, and took his law course in the law department of West- ern Reserve University. He was awarded his degree LL. B. with the class of 1899 before he had attained his majority. He was ad- mitted to the Ohio bar in October of that vear and has now rounded out nearly twenty years of membership in the Cleveland bar. He began practice associated with the late Jay P. Dawley, under the firm name of Dawley & Quigley. When Judge F. J. Wing retired from the bench he entered the firm and be- came senior partner of Wing, Dawley & Quig- ley. After two years he withdrew and Daw- ley & Quigley again practiced together until 1907. For the past ten years Mr. Quigley has been alone and now gives much of his time to his business duties, represented by his posi- tion as director of several industrial com- panies.
Mr. Quigley is independent in matters of polities, is a member of the Cleveland Bar Association and of St. Philomene's Parish of the Catholic Church.
May 8, 1915, at Cleveland he married Char- lotte (Bucklen) Brady, daughter of the late H. E. Bueklen of Chicago and Bertha (Red- field) Bucklen, who is still living in Chicago. Mrs. Quigley is a native of Chicago, was edu- cated in private schools, and before her mar- riage to Mr. Quigley was the widow of the late P. J. Brady, a well known Cleveland law- yer. By her former marriage she has four children : Herbert B., Bertha, Joseph and Har- ley, all born in Cleveland, the oldest thirteen years old.
DARWIN D. CODY began his life in Cleve- land and to his native city he returned for his declining years. His record as a soldier, family associations, and his highly successful business career, are all features which make him one of the most interesting personalities of the city.
Cleveland has been the home of some mem- bers of the Cody family for more than eighty years. Darwin D. Cody was born at Cleve- land December 25, 1838. He is a brother of Lindus Cody, an early Cleveland man, and is a first cousin of the late Col. William F. Cody, known and loved by two generations of Americans as Buffalo Bill. The family re- lationship, especially of its Cleveland mem- bers, is treated more fully on other pages of this publication.
Cleveland was the home of Darwin D. Cody during the years of his childhood and youth
.
389
CLEVELAND AND ITS ENVIRONS
and here he attended publie schools in East Cleveland, one of his teachers being Horaee Ford, one of the famous schoolmasters of that time. He also attended Oberlin College. He was associated with two of his brothers in managing a part of the ancestral farm near Cleveland, and these brothers well earned the title by which they were widely known as the water melon kings of East Cleveland. They had a large aereage of their own and in course of time leased many other traets of land which they devoted to the raising of melons, and they developed a wholesale business, shipping their erops to outside centers by all the avenues of transportation, railroad trains, lake boats and canal boats.
The eareer of business which had thus pros- perously started for Darwin D. Cody was in- terrupted by the outbreak of the Civil war. On April 24, 1861, he enlisted in the Cleve- land Rifle Grenadiers as a private. How- ever, he never went into service with that organization, though he was nominally on duty for three months. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Battery I of an artillery regiment commanded by General Barnett. He and twenty-six other young men of East Cleve- land were the local quota for that regiment. As an artillery man Mr. Cody continued in active service to the end of the war in 1865. He was in both battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and at Gettysburg was in the very center of action during those three days of eritieal fighting. After that battle his battery was sent south, joining the forces under Sherman in the Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps. He participated in the siege of Chattanooga and was then sent to relieve Knoxville and helped fire some of the guns across the river opposite that place, a pieee of strategy which alarmed the Confederates and caused them to raise the siege. Returning to Chattanooga, Mr. Cody was in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge with the artillery forces, and subsequently for a time had charge of fifty-nine pieces of ar- tillery captured at Missionary Ridge. From Chattanooga he was part of Sherman's army during the 105 days of continuons fighting and advance upon the City of Atlanta. After the fall of Atlanta he remained behind, under the command of Thomas, and much of the time was stationed at Dalton, Georgia, where the news of Lee's surrender reached him. After the surrender of Lee the Confederate soldiers came south and practically fought their way back home, so that the lines of the Union forces
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.