Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 10

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1094

USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 10
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 10
USA > Ohio > Lake County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 10

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).

But the day of civil service reform had come in so far, and the corresponding re- action against "third-termism" had en- croached so far even upon "second-term" service, that the Republican party saw fit in 1884 to nominate another man for Presi- dent. Only by this means was General Arthur's tenure of office closed at Wash- ington. On his retirement from the Presi- dency, March, 1885, he engaged in the practice of law at New York City, where he died November 18, 1886.

Es un Clanbund

GROVER CLEVELAND.

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GROVER CLEVELAND.

ROVER CLEVE- LAND, the twenty- second President of the United States, 1885-, was born in Cald well, Essex County, New Jersey, March 18, 1837. The house in which he was born, a small two-story wooden building, is still stand- ing. It was the parsonage of the Presbyterian church, of which his father, Richard Cleveland, at the time was pastor. The family is of New England origin, and for two centuries has contributed to the professions and to busi- ness, men who have-reflected honor on the name. Aaron Cleveland, Grover Cleve- land's great-great-grandfather, was born in Massachusetts, but subsequently moved to Philadelphia, where he became an intimate friend of Benjamin Franklin, at whose house he died. He left a large family of children, who in time married and settled in different parts of New England. A grandson was one of the small American force that fought the British at Bunker Hill. He served with gallantry through- out the Revolution and was honorably discharged at its close as a Lieutenant in the Continental army. Another grandson, William Cleveland (a son of a second Aaron

Cleveland, who was distinguished as a writer and member of the Connecticut Legislature) was Grover Cleveland's grand- father. William Cleveland became a silver- smith in Norwich, Connecticut. He ac- quired by industry some property and sent his son, Richard Cleveland, the father of Grover Cleveland, to Yale College, where he graduated in 1824. During a year spent in teaching at Baltimore, Maryland, after graduation, he met and fell in love with a Miss Annie Neale, daughter of a wealthy Baltimore book publisher, of Irish birth. He was earning his own way in the world at the time and was unable to marry; but in three years he completed a course of preparation for the ministry, secured a church in Windham, Connecticut, and married Annie Neale. Subsequently he moved to Portsmouth, Virginia, where he preached for nearly two years, when he was summoned to Caldwell, New Jersey. where was born Grover Cleveland.

When he was three years old the family moved to Fayetteville, Onondaga County, New York. Here Grover Cleveland lived until he was fourteen years old, the rugged, healthful life of a country boy. His frank, generous manner made him a favorite among his companions, and their respect was won by the good qualities in the germ which his manhood developed. He at- tended the district school of the village and

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PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

was for a short time at the academy. His father, however, believed that boys should be taught to labor at an early age, and be- fore he had completed the course of study at the academy he began to work in the village store at $50 for the first year, and the promise of $100 for the second year. His work was well done and the promised in- crease of pay was granted the second year.

Meanwhile his father and family had moved to Clinton, the seat of Hamilton College, where his father acted as agent to the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions, preaching in the churches of the vicinity. Hither Grover came at his father's request shortly after the beginning of his second year at the Fayetteville store, and resumed his studies at the Clinton Academy. After three years spent in this town, the Rev. Richard Cleveland was called to the vil- lage church of Holland Patent. He had preached here only a month when he was suddenly stricken down and died without an hour's warning. The death of the father left the family in straitened circumstances, as Richard Cleveland had spent all his salary of $1,000 per year, which was not required for the necessary expenses of liv- ing, upon the education of his children, of whom there were nine, Grover being the fifth. Grover was hoping to enter Hamil- ton College, but the death of his father made it necessary for him to earn his own livelihood. For the first year (1853-'4) he acted as assistant teacher and bookkeeper in the Institution for the Blind in New York City, of which the late Augustus Schell was for many years the patron. In the winter of 1854 he returned to Holland Patent where the generous people of that place, Fayetteville and Clinton, had purchased a home for his mother, and in the following spring, borrowing $25, he set out for the West to earn his living.

Reaching Buffalo he paid a hasty visit to an uncle, Lewis F. Allen, a well-known

stock farmer, living at Black Rock, a few miles distant. He communicated his plans to Mr. Allen, who discouraged the idea of the West, and finally induced the enthusi- astic boy of seventeen to remain with him and help him prepare a catalogue of blooded short-horn cattle, known as " Allen's Amer- ican Herd Book," a publication familiar to all breeders of cattle. In August, 1855, he entered the law office of Rogers, Bowen & Rogers, at Buffalo, and after serving a few months without pay, was paid $4 a week-an amount barely sufficient to meet the necessary expenses of his board in the family of a fellow-student in Buffalo, with whom he took lodgings. Life at this time . with Grover Cleveland was a stern battle with the world. He took his breakfast by candle-light with the drovers, and went at once to the office where the whole day was spent in work and study. Usually he re- turned again at night to resume reading which had been interrupted by the duties of the day. Gradually his employers came to recognize the ability, trustworthiness and capacity for hard work in their young employe, and by the time he was admitted to the bar (1859) he stood high in their con- fidence. A year later he was made confi- dential and managing clerk, and in the course of three years more his salary had been raised to $1,000. In 1863 he was ap- pointed assistant district attorney of Erie County by the district attorney, the Hon. C. C. Torrance.

Since his first vote had been cast in 1858 he had been a staunch Democrat, and until he was chosen Governor he always made it his duty, rain or shine, to stand at the polls and give out ballots to Democratic voters. During the first year of his term as assistant district attorney, the Democrats desired especially to carry the Board of Su- pervisors. The old Second Ward in which he lived was Republican ordinarily by 250 majority, but at the urgent request of the

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GROVER CLEVELAND.

party Grover Cleveland consented to be the Democratic candidate for Supervisor, and came within thirteen votes of an elec- tion. The three years spent in the district attorney's office were devoted to assiduous labor and the extension of his professional attainments. He then formed a law part- nership with the late Isaac V. Vanderpoel, ex-State Treasurer, under the firm name of Vanderpoel & Cleveland. Here the bulk of the work devolved on Cleveland's shoul- ders, and he soon won a good standing at the bar of Erie County. In 1869 Mr. Cleveland formed a partnership with ex- Senator A. P. Laning and ex-Assistant United States District Attorney Oscar Fol- som, under the firm name of Laning, Cleve- land & Folsom. During these years he began to earn a moderate professional in- come; but the larger portion of it was sent to his mother and sisters at Holland Patent to whose support he had contributed ever since 1860. He served as sheriff of Erie County, 1870-'4, and then resumed the practice of law, associating himself with the Hon. Lyman K. Bass and Wilson S. Bissell.

The firm was strong and popular, and soon commanded a large and lucrative practice. Ill health forced the retirement of Mr. Bass in 1879, and the firm became Cleveland & Bissell. In 1881 Mr. George J. Sicard was added to the firm.

In the autumn election of 1881 he was elected mayor of Buffalo by a majority of over 3,500-the largest majority ever given a candidate for mayor-and the Democratic city ticket was successful, although the Republicans carried Buffalo by over 1,000 majority for their State ticket. Grover Cleveland's administration as mayor fully justified the confidence reposed in him by the people of Buffalo, evidenced by the great vote he received.

The Democratic State Convention met at Syracuse, September 22, 1882, and nomi- nated Grover Cleveland for Governor on the third ballot and Cleveland was elected by 192,000 majority. In the fall of 1884 he was elected President of the United States by about 1,000 popular majority, in New York State, and he was accordingly inaugurated the 4th of March following.

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PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

BENJAMIN HARRISON.

ENJAMIN HARRISON, the twenty-third Presi- dent of the United States, 1889, was born at North Bend, Hamilton County, Ohio, in the house of his grandfather, William Hen- ry Harrison (who was the ninth President of this country), August 20th, 1833. He is a descendant of one of the historical families of this country, as also of England. The head of the family was a Major-General Harrison who was devoted to the cause of Oliver Cromwell. It became the duty of this Har- rison to participate in the trial of Charles I. and afterward to sign the death warrant of the king, which subsequently cost him his life. His enemies succeeding to power, he was condemned and executed October 13th, 1660. His descendants came to America, and the first mention made in history of the Harrison family as representative in public affairs, is that of Benjamin Harrison, great- grandfather of our present President, who was a member of the Continental Congress, 1774-5-6, and one of the original signers of

the Declaration of Independence, and three times Governor of Virginia. His son, Will- iam Henry Harrison, made a brilliant mili- tary record, was Governor of the Northwest Territory, and the ninth President of the United States.

The subject of this sketch at an early age became a student at Farmers College, where he remained two years, at the end of which time he entered Miami University, at Ox- ford, Ohio. Upon graduation from said seat of learning he entered, as a student, the of- fice of Stover & Gwyne, a notable law firm at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he applied himself closely to the study of his chosen profession, and here laid the foundation for the honora- ble and famous career before him. He spent two years with the firm in Cincinnati, at the expiration of which time he received the only inheritance of his life, which was a lot left him by an aunt, which he sold for $800. This sum he deemed sufficient to justify him in marrying the lady of his choice, and to whom he was then engaged, a daughter of Dr. Scott, then Principal of a female school at Oxford, Ohio.

After marriage he located at Indianapolis, Indiana, where he began the practice of law. Meeting with slight encouragement he made but little the first year, but applied himself

Benj. Hannisou

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BENJAMIN HARRISON.

closely to his business, and by perseverance, honorable dealing and an upright life, suc- ceeded in building up an extensive practice and took a leading position in the legal profession.

In 1860 he was nominated for the position of Supreme Court Reporter for the State of Indiana, and then began his experience as a stump speaker. He canvassed the State thoroughly and was elected.

In 1862 his patriotism caused him to abandon a civil office and to offer his country his services in a military capacity. He or- ganized the Seventieth Indiana Infantry and was chosen its Colonel. Although his regi- ment was composed of raw material, and he practically void of military schooling, he at once mastered military tactics and drilled his men, so that when he with his regiment was assigned to Gen. Sherman's command it was known as one of the best drilled organ- izations of the army. He was especially distinguished for bravery at the battles of Resacca and Peach Tree Creek. For his bravery and efficiency at the last named bat- tle he was made a Brigadier-General, Gen- eral Hooker speaking of him in the most complimentary terms.

While General Harrison was actively en- gaged in the field the Supreme Court declared the office of Supreme Court Reporter vacant, and another person was elected to fill the position. From the time of leaving Indiana with his regiment for the front, until the fall of 1864, General Harrison had taken no leave of absence. But having been nominated that year for the same office that he vacated in order to serve his country where he could do the greatest good, he got a thirty-day leave of absence, and during that time canvassed the State and was elected for another term as Supreme Court Reporter. He then started to rejoin his command, then with General Sherman in the South, but was stricken down

with fever and after a very trying siege, made his way to the front, and participated in the closing scenes and incidents of the war.

In 1868 General Harrison declined a re- election as Reporter, and applied himself to the practice of his profession. He was a candidate for Governor of Indiana on the Republican ticket in 1876. Although de- feated, the brilliant campaign brought him to public notice and gave him a National reputation as an able and formidable debater and he was much sought in the Eastern States as a public speaker. He took an act- ive part in the Presidential campaign of 1880, and was elected to the United States Senate, where he served six years, and was known as one of the strongest debaters, as well as one of the ablest men and best law- yers. When his term expired in the Senate he resumed his law practice at Indianapolis, becoming the head of one of the strongest law firms in the State of Indiana.

Sometime prior to the opening of the Presidential campaign of 1888, the two great political parties (Republican and Democratic) drew the line of political battle on the ques- tion of tariff, which became the leading issue and the rallying watchword during the mem- orable campaign. The Republicans appealed to the people for their voice as to a tariff to protect home industries, while the Democrats wanted a tariff for revenue only. The Re- publican convention assembled in Chicago in June and selected Mr. Harrison as their standard bearer on a platform of principles, among other important clauses being that of protection, which he cordially indorsed in accepting the nomination. November 6, 1888, after a heated canvass, General IIarri- son was elected, defeating Grover Cleveland, who was again the nominee of the Demo- cratic party. He was inaugurated and as- sumed the duties of his office March 4, 1889.

Joshua R. Giddings

ASHTABULA, GEAUGA AND LAKE COUNTIES, OHIO.

J OSHUA REED GIDDINGS, one of the eminent statesmen of America and prominent in the ante-bellum anti-sla- very movement, was an honored resident of Jefferson, Ashtabula county. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born at Tioga Point, Bradford county, of Connecticut parents and of remote English ancestry. When he was six weeks old the family moved to Canandai- gua, New York, and when he was ten years of age they settled in the heart of the Con- necticut Western Reserve, in Wayne town- ship, Ashtabula county, where their life and experiences were those common to western pioneers; but the members of this family were of broader intellect and more liberal and cosmopolitan views than most of their neigh- bors.

Joshua grew up there, as a personal friend described him, " a tall, raw, shapeless boy, with pleasant face, frolicsome gray eyes and an abundance of light, curly hair that grew dark-fairish till the sun tanned him." Hav- ing great ambition and a studious and capa- cious mind, he attained that extraordinary manhood of which we so often read in the life of great men. He became great in spite of un- toward circumstances,-yea, on account of them. He read everything he could get hold

of, and thoroughly digested everything he read, no matter how abstruse.

When, during the war of 1812, Detroit and all Michigan were surrendered by Gen- eral Hull to the British, Giddings, though only sixteen years of age, joined Colonel Hayes' regiment and marched to the Huron and on to the stockade, later famous under the name of Fort Stephenson. Very soon he volunteered to engage in two attacks upon hostile Indians near Sandusky Bay, in which he behaved gallantly. The Indians left the peninsula never to trouble it again. These two skirmishes were the first engagements fought in Ohio during the war of 1812, and were overlooked by all historians of the war until, in 1843, Mr. Giddings himself contrib- uted an account of them to the public. Five months after enlistment Mr. Giddings was mustered out of the service with his regi- ment and returned to his home life.

At the age of nineteen years he taught school in his neighborhood. At the age of twenty-three he made choice of his life work, entering the law office of Elisha Whittlesey, of Canfield, Ohio, as a student. Whittlesey was a good preceptor, and Giddings made the most of this advantage. Admitted to the bar in 1821, he began practice at Jefferson,

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his home and the county seat, and thus con- tinued until he entered Congress in 1838, never to resume it. To all intents and pur- poses he abandoned its practice forever. No lawyer could have made better arguments in court than he did in Congress when discuss- ing the legal and constitutional bearings of the slavery question, nor more moving ap- peals at nisi prius than were his in behalf of the same cause from stump and rostrum; but all those efforts contributed to his reputation as a statesman more than as a lawyer. In those days the court-room was a place for the display of ready wit and eloquence far more than at the present day, and the practice he had, and the customs he observed at the bar, constituted a school to train and discipline the young man for his day in the American parliament. According to the old maxim, both himself and the times fitted each other, and to a great extent made each other. In the language of one of his biographers: " With the first collection of Ohio Statutes, known as the old "Sheepskin Code," and such other books as he could command, and such clients and cases as came, the young lawyer procured a horse and portmanteau, joined his few professional brethren and started with the presiding judge on the common-pleas circuit, through mud and forest, legal lance in rest, stopping at log cabins and settling grave cases in log temples of justice. Those were the days of free manners, free lives and prac- tical jokes, though the Grand River presby- tery expressed their disapproval of gathering sap on Sunday." Locally the young lawyer gained a wide fame in having won two re- markable lawsuits with all the odds appar- ently against him. Within ten years after beginning practice he seemed to be at the head of the local bar.

In 1831 he formed a law partnership with

the afterward celebrated Benjamin F. Wade whose sketch is next given; Wade was rather too modest for the rough work of the bar, but he was excellent in the office preparation of cases, while Giddings would present them at the bar, in which work he excelled. Within the short space of five years these gentlemen made money sufficient to enable them to re- tire from practice, at least temporarily, for money was plentiful and largely invested in the thousand wild-cat enterprises of that day, which all collapsed at once, wrecking many public-spirited men. Giddings was caught in the downward whirl, and had to resort to work again, to earn a livelihood. Forming a partnership with Flavel Sutliffe, a brilliant young man, who two years afterward became insane, Mr. Giddings again prospered and made money. In 1838 he was elected to Congress. Prior to this he had had some legislative experience, as in 1826 he had served in the Ohio House of Representatives. After the close of that legislative term he ran for State Senator, but was defeated,-the only defeat he ever met at the polls.

Of necessity, in order to appreciate the services of Mr. Giddings upon his entrance into Congress, the reader must call to mind the history of the slavery question up to that time, and its status. The Missouri Compro- mise had been adopted in 1820, with the hope that that finally and forever settled the vexed slavery controversy; but the so called " Ab- olitionists," with their leaders mostly in New England and New York, began to exert themselves. African slavery in America, like a nauseating mass in the stomach, would not remain down by any dosing. The stomach will continue its efforts at emesis until the work is complete, and thus Mr. Giddings was continually drawn into the vortex of abolition effort.

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On his way to and arrival at Washington, Mr. Giddings made close observation of every politician and of every event that might have a bearing upon his career at the capital. " It is a fact," said he, " which every man of ob- servation must see, by spending a few days in the Representatives' hall, that there is a vast difference in the character of the mem- bers from the North and South. During this week every person present must have wit- nessed the high and important bearing of the Southern men; their self-important airs, their overbearing manners, while the Northern men, even on the subject of slavery, are diffident and forbearing. I have myself come to the honest conclusion that our North- ern friends are, in fact, afraid of these South- ern bullies. I have bestowed much thought upon the subject; I have made inquiry, and think we have no Northern man who dares boldly and fearlessly declare his abhorrence of slavery and the slave trade. This kind of fear I never experienced; nor shall I submit to it now. When I came here I had no thought of participating in debate at all, but particularly I intended to keep silence this winter; but since I have seen our Northern friends so backward and delicate, I have de- termined to express my own views and de- clare my own sentiments, and risk the effects. For that purpose I have drawn up a resolu- tion calling for information as to the slave trade in the District of Columbia, which, among other things, calls for a statement of the number of slaves who have murdered themselves within that district during the last five years, after being sold for foreign ınarkets, and the number of children who have been murdered by their parents during said time, under the apprehension of immediate separation for sale at a foreign market, and the amount of revenue collected on sale of

licenses to deal in human flesh and blood." "I showed the resolutions to several friends, who advised me not to present them, on two accounts; first, that it will enrage the South- ern members; secondly, that it will injure me at home. But I have determined to risk both; for I would rather lose my election at home rather than suffer the insolence of these Southerners here."

In his speeches before Congress on the subject of slavery he was frequently called to. order by the Southern members and their Northern sympathizers, but generally his right to the floor, to continue his argument, was recognized by the Speaker. In 1839 he won a signal victory over the opposition in the advocacy of the duty of Congress to re- spectfully consider the anti-slavery petitions sent in, which made the Southern members mad and their sympathizers from the North disgusted.

The prominent defections from the Free Soil party in 1848 and the persuasions to enter a course that would elevate him to the United States senatorship, etc., were no temptation to Mr. Giddings to abandon his anti-slavery aggression, and he joined the " Free-Soilers." He had a conscience, not only with reference to the slavery question, but also in regard to the public treasury. Hence it pained him to see the servants of the people at Washington wasting their time with frivolous adjournments, ete., while press- ing and important claims received no atten- tion.

The following anecdote is taken from Mr. Giddings' journal :

" An incident occurred in my view that illustrates the difficulty of obtaining justice from the Government. A man named Nye has claimed about $6,000 from the Govern- ment for several years, and has himself per-

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sonally pressed the matter for some sessions past. During the last session Mr. Whittle- sey, chairman of the committee on claims, reported against it, although the Senate had reported in favor of it. Mr. Whittlesey was looked upon as an infallible authority on the subject of claims. Nye was put in jail for want of money and suffered much. Nye himself wrote an able review of Whittlesey's report and pointed out its errors, but many things intervened to prevent the committee from passing on it until to-day. I agreed with two or three others that we would get together and pass upon this claim, provided that it. were possible to get a quorum to the committee room. This we effected, and agreed to report the bill giving him his whole claim. This was done as late as two o'clock P. M. When we left the room I was in front, and Nye was at the door. I told him we had agreed to report his bill for the amount claimed. He attempted to thank me, but tears choked his utterance, and I felt deeply myself,-so much so that I found tears were running down my own cheeks, and, unwill- ing that my weakness should be discovered, I averted my face to disguise my feelings from those passing by me in front. As I turned my face my eye rested upon Mr. Chambers, our chairman, who, though a man of rough exterior, and has been through many a bloody battle, was so wrought upon by Mr. Nye's feelings that he wept profusely."

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Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 10

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1094