Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc., Part 32

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Ohio > Summit County > Akron > Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc. > Part 32

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).

DR. JEDEDIAH D. COMMINS,- born in Charlotte, Vt., July 9, 1790; academic education ; married to Miss Sophia Field, of Wethersfield, Vt., soon removing to western New York, and from thence to Akron, in 1832 opening the first drug store in the village, his original store and dwelling both still standing on South Main street. Dr. Commins was not only a careful and succesful merchant, but was largely instru- mental in securing the erection of the new county of Summit and the location of the seat of justice at Akron, and in many other ways advancing the interests of the town and county, and to him is especially due the credit of inaugurating Akron's beautiful Rural Cemetery, as elsewhere fully described in these pages. Dr. Commins was well versed in literature and the sciences, in which, as well as on political topics, he was a fluent debater and a ready writer. In politics he was a stanch Democrat and highly influential in the councils of his party, both county, state and national. He was the father of two sons-the youngest, Augustus J. dying October 27, 1837, at the age of 20; the eldest,

DR. JEDEDIAH D. COMMINS.

Alexander Hamilton, surviving his father some 13 years, as elsewhere stated. Mrs. Commins died Febru- ary 11, 1865, aged 78 years, 9 months, the doctor himself dying, universally respected, November 4, 1867, aged 77 years, 3 months and 25 days.

AKRON RURAL CEMETERY.

At an early day, however, there were those among our citizens who had a fine sense of appreciation of what was due from the living to the dead, as well as to the better nature of the survivors themselves.

In the archives of the present Cemetery Association, is the following pencil memorandum, in the hand writing of the late Dr. Jedediah D. Commins, written over forty years ago, which not only explains itself, but much that follows:

"PRELIMINARY REMARKS."

"If the Akron Rural Cemetery should succeed and become what its founders hope, trifling incidents relating to its origin and establishment may be sought for with avidity, in after ages, by those whose ancestors have long been entombed in this cemetery, and it is with a view to gratify this desire that the following remarks are made:

"During the year 1837, Akron, although at the time an incor- porated town, had no public burying ground, and the one thereto- fore occupied was unsuited to the purpose, on account of its being wet land, the water frequently standing in the graves to the depth of six inches before the body was deposited, and, besides, the ground was private property.

€

236

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

"In this state of things one of our citizens, Mr. C. [Mr. Commins, himself], had the misfortune to lose a son of much promise, justentering the threshold of manhood. Mr. C. could not endure the thought of making this a last resting place for the remains of one who had been so dear to him, and as there was no other, he caused the remains of his deceased son to be inclosed in spirit, and kept them in his own dwelling for more than a year.

"In the course of the Summer of 1838, he visited the cemetery of Mount Auburn, near Boston, originally with the view of fixing on the form of a tomb; but while viewing the beauties of that rural cemetery, it occurred to him that a similar establishment might be founded at Akron, and with that view possessed himself with such information as was within his reach, and on his return-having visited a similar establishment at Rochester, on the way-laid the matter before such of the citizens of Akron as he supposed would take an interestin the subject, and was gratified to find their feel- ings harmonizing with his own. Afterwards it became a subject . of frequent conversation. It was at once perceived that we had localities every way suited to this interesting object, and it was considered most proper to ask the Legislature for an act of incor- poration and therefore,

"At an informal meeting of a few citizens of Akron, in the Autumn of 1838, J. D. Commins was appointed to draw up a charter for the purpose of incorporating a company for the pur- pose of establishing a rural cemetery at Akron, and also a me- morial to accompany it to the Legislature. Whereupon the following petition and charter were drawn up, and being approved, were forwarded to the General Assembly, by Gregory Powers, Esq., member of the Senate, and the charter being sanctioned by both Houses, became the law of the State." .

The petition, as drawn by Mr. Commins, and duly presented to the Legislature by Senator Powers, January 10, 1839, was signed by Jedediah D. Commins, Erastus Torrey, Ithiel Mills, Joseph Cole, George Babcock, Ebenezer Martin. David K. Cartter, Richard Howe, Dana D. Evans, Philo Chamberlin and Miner Spicer, the petition containing, among others equal cogent, these paragraphs:

" The interment of the dead is a subject of great and growing import- ance, and one deeply interesting to every well regulated community, and can not too early engage their serious consideration.

"In our eastern cities corporations have been authorized to establish rural cemeteries on a scale commensurate with the wants of many genera- tions, combining the objects of beauty and health, which, instead of being shunned in consequence of their melancholy associations, have become the most desirable promenades, where, retiring froni the busy scenes of life, they can at the same time enjoy the beauties of the garden and rural scenery, inhaling the pure air of the country, and, as it were, commune with those who had once been dear to them, in these cities of the dead.

"The situation of our village and neighborhood now adınits of a selection of ground sufficiently extensive and beautifully romantic. which a few years will render it difficult, and perhaps impossible, to obtain.

"We do therefore pray, etc."

THE CHARTER GRANTED.

On March 18, 1839, an Act was passed, containing thirteen sections, which we condense as follows:

SECTION I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That Simon Perkins, Jr., Samuel A. Wheeler, Erastus Torrey, Ithiel Mills, Joseph Cole, Richard Howe and Jedediah D Commins, and such other

237

AKRON RURAL CEMETERY.

persons as may hereafter be associated with them, their successors and assigns, be and they hereby are created a body politic and corporate, by the name of "The Proprietors of the Akron Rural Cemetery," etc.

SEC. II. The capital stock of this company shall be twenty thousand . dollars, which shall be divided into shares of twenty dollars each, ten per cent. of which shall be paid at the time of subscribing, and the residue thereof in such installments as the directors of said corporation shall judge necessary, etc.

SEC. III. Provided for the election, annually, of seven directors, all stockholders, four of whom shall be residents of the town of Akron, each stockholder to have one vote for each share of stock owned, and every lot owner to have one vote, in the choice of said directors, the directors, until the first election, to be Samuel A. Wheeler, Erastus Torrey, Ithiel Mills, Richard Howe, Simon Perkins, Jr., Joseph Cole, and Jedediah D. Commins ; also giv- ing the directors power "to purchase and hold such quantity of land as they may deem proper for the purpose of a rural cemetery, not exceeding fifty acres, and to dispose of the same in such inanner as they shall judge proper, having regard to the full objects of said charter," a subsequent section empowering the directors to purchase lands on a credit not to exceed ten years, and to mortgage the same to secure the purchase money, with inter- est, but for no other purpose; said lands being declared exempt from all public taxes so long as they shall remain dedicated to cemetery purposes.

SEC. VI. Provides that the money arising from the sale of lots, after reimbursing the stockholders, both principal and interest for money expended in the purchase of land and improvements, "shall be laid out in, and forever devoted to, the preservation, improvement, planting and embel- lishing said cemetery, in such a manner as may be deemed most expedi- ent by the directors, and for the incidental expenses of said cemetery, but for no other purpose whatever," and that "after the stockholders shall have been reimbursed as aforesaid, their stock shall be canceled, and none of said stockholders shall be members of said corporation except such as own lots in said cemetery and have paid for the sanie."

SEC. IX. Authorizes the corporation to receive and hold "any grant, donation or bequest of propery upon trust, and to apply the income thereof for the improvement of said cemetery, or of any buildings, fences or struct- ures erected or to be erected upon the lands of said corporation, or of any individual proprietor of a lot in said cemetery, or for the repair, preservation, or renewal of any tomb, monument, gravestone, fence or railing, or other erection in or around any cemetery lot, or for the planting and cultivation of trees, shrubs, flowers or plants in or around any cemetery lot, according to the terms of such grant, donation or bequest."

ORGANIZATION OF ASSOCIATION.

The original stockholders were: Simon Perkins, Jr., Joseph Cole, Jedediah D. Commins, Erastus Torrey, Philo Chamberlin, Ithiel Mills, Richard Howe, Miner Spicer, James R. Ford, Samuel A. Wheeler, William T. Mather, Lucian Swift, five shares each; Frank Adams, four shares; Alvah Hand, Warren Clark, David L. King, Henry W. King, three shares each; David K. Cartter, George Howe, Dana D. Evans, Warren H, Smith, Lucius V.'Bierce, Arad Kent, Nathaniel Finch, Rufus P. Spalding, Philander D. Hall, Henry S. Abbey, two shares each; William M. Dodge, Henry Howe, Heman A. Bradley, Ansel Miller, Gibbons J. Ackley, Milton W. Henry, James M. Hale, Hiram Viele, Ezra Leonard, James Sawyer, Harvey B. Spelman, James M. Edson, John H. Chamberlin, Myers, Coburn & Co., Beebe & Elkins, Henry H. Wheeler, Edwin Angel, Lucius S. Peck, one share each. Of the forty-seven subscribers to the stock of the association only five are believed to be now liv- ing, (September 1, 1891).

238

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

COL. SIMON PERKINS,-born at Warren, February 6, 1815; September, 1832, married Miss Grace I. Tod, daughter of Judge George · Tod, and sister of the late Governor David Tod; removed to Akron in 1835, engaging in farming and grow- ing fine stock; State Senator for Portage County, 1839,"'40, and largely instrumental in securing the erec- tion of the new county of Summit ; Representative from Summit 1841, '42, securing passage of bill submitting question of location of county seat to popular vote; trustee of Portage township ten years between 1839 and 1877; charter member of Akron Rural Cemetery Association, and its president and most active promoter from April, 1839, until his voluntary resignation, April, 1880-41 years; president of Akron's pioneer railroad -the Cleveland, Zanesville & Cin- cinnati (now Cleveland, Akron & Columbus) from March 11, 1851, t. November 3, 1864, and general super- intendent till November 4, 1869, sacrificing nearly his entire private fortune in its promotion ; a liberal contributor of lands for parks and public purposes, and of money for all industrial, educational and benevo- lent enterprises, his death, at the age of 82 years, 5 months and 15 days,

JENEONE

Ca. CHI.

COL. SIMON PERKINS.

July 21, 1887, was universally lamented, Mrs. Perkins having died April 6, 1867, aged 56 years and 6 days, seven of their eleven children surviving them.

. At a meeting of the directors named in the charter, April 9, 1839, Simon Perkins, Jr., was eleced president; Jedediah D. Com- mins, secretay, and Samuel A. Wheeler, treasurer. October 17, 1839, a code of by-laws to regulate elections was adopted, and Messrs. Perkins and Commins were empowered to purchase twenty acres of land from Gen. Perkins and Judge King, and to negotiate with the Council for a portion of the grounds belonging to the town of Akron.

November 13, 1830, council committee on burying ground reported adversely tó the application of the association for part of its grounds, which was adopted. Thus matters stood-the council continuing to manage its grounds as named, with perhaps some slight additions, and the association, besides purchasing lands, doing little more than to keep its organization intact, until the beginning of 1850, when the negotiations were renewed, resulting in a proposition to transfer the grounds to the association on con- sideration that the association assume the liabilities of the town for lands and improvements, make good its obligations to lot hold- ers, pay $60 for its hearse, and transfer to the town stock of the association to the amount of $200, reimbursable as other stock in said company, the transfer being made by Mayor Lucius V. Bierce, February 16, 1850.

SUBSEQUENT HISTORY, GROWTH, ETC.

We cannot minutely trace, step by by step, the progress which, in the intervening forty-two years, nearly, has been made by the asso- ciation, now pleasurablesible to all. From its first organization

239

AKRON RURAL CEMETERY.

in April, 1839, until his greatly regretted final resignation in April, 1880,-41 years-Col. Simon Perkins was the president of the association, the secretary from the beginning, until his death, in 1867-26 years-being the late Dr. Jedediah D. Commins, both of the gentlemen named being unwearied in their efforts to make the Akron Rural Cemetery truly "a thing of beauty and a joy forever."

Lands have been added from time to time, until now, (1891) at the total original cost of $18,940.16, the grounds cover an area of 57 25-100 acres, beautifully laid out into romantic drives and walks, with nicely graded lots of diversified shapes and sizes, the whole centrally bi-sected by meandering and sparkling Willow Brook, with its cascades, ponds, bridges, etc. Tastefully arranged shrub- bery ornaments nearly every portion of the grounds, while upon

private lots are attractive monuments and tablets erected by lov- ing hands in memory of the dear ones there reposing. Approach- ing the grounds from the city, through Glendale Avenue, following the tortuous course of Willow Brook, with high bluffs and over- hanging trees on either side, with the superintendent's handsome stone lodge upon the right, the high stone bell-tower on the left and Akron's splendid Memorial Chapel, in honor of her deceased soldiers, in front, nothing can be more sublimely beautiful than the entrance to this truly magnificent city of the dead, with fresh surprises at almost every turn while driving or walking through the grounds.

THOMAS WILLS,-born at North- ampton, England, April 23, 1822; learned the trade of florist; at 21 was married to Miss Eliza Martin, and in 1851 they came to America, settling at Cuyahoga Falls, where he worked 12 years as florist and landscape gardener for the late Hon. Elisha N. Sill. During the war Mr. Wills held an appointment under the Government as sanitary gardener at Chattanooga, remaining there until May 19, 1868, when he was appointed superinten- dent of the Akron Rural Cemetery, which position he ably filled until October 27, 1879, when he resigned to devote his whole attention to his Park Place green house, which he had meantime established, the Board of Trustees unanimously passing a highly laudatory resolu- tion on his retirement from the posi- tion. He did an extensive and suc- cessful business, until his death, from cancer of the stomach, August 14, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Wills were the parents of seven children, four of whom survived him-Alice Amelia, wife of Mr. Hugo Schumacher, treas- nrer of the Schumacher Milling . Company; Bert T., successor to father in Park Place greenhouse;

THOMAS WILLS.

Hannah May, stenographer with Schumacher Milling Co., and Arthur J., clerk in office of The B. F. Good- rich Company. Mrs. Wills is still living.

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

On first assuming control, Mr. John M. Martin (father of our present citizen, Henry O. Martin, of 415 West Center street),

240

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

Akron's pioneer tombstone manufacturer, was appointed superin- tendent, being succeeded, in 1857, by Akron's pioneer cabinet- maker, the late Mr. David G. Sanford. These early superin- tendents gave but little, if any, attention to improving the grounds, which matters were looked after chiefly by President Perkins and Secretary Commins, the superintendents aiding pur- chasers in the selection of lots, overlooking burials, etc.

The first regularly salaried superintendent, to devote his whole time to the interests of the association, and the beautifying of its grounds, was Mr. Thomas Wills, theretofore for several years a resident of Cuyahoga Falls, and a thoroughly trained gardener and florist, appointed May 19, 1868, at a salary of $1,000 per year.

The value of Mr. Wills' services to the association and the community, is evinced by the action of the board in accepting his- resignation, October 27, 1879, after an incumbency of over eleven years, in the unanimous adoption of the following resolution:

"Resolved, That in thus terminating the connection of Mr. Wills with our cemetery, we desire to express our high regard for him and our warm appreciation of the uniform courtesy and zeal with which he has, during the long period of his superintendency, discharged the duties of his position."

At the same meeting, October 27, 1879, the superintendency was tendered to Mr. Albert H. Sargent, of Rochester, N. Y., at the same salary which had been paid to Mr. Wills, $1,000 per year, and the use of the lodge as a family residence, free of rent. v Mr. Sargent accepted, and on February 1, 1870, entered upon the duties of the position, which have been so faithfully and efficiently discharged, that at the annual meeting, July 7, 1884, his salary was voluntarily and unanimously increased, by the directors, to $1,250 per annum.

TESTIMONIAL TO COL. SIMON PERKINS.

After the peremptory resignation of Col. Perkins, as president, as above stated, the Board, on reluctantly accepting the resigna- tion, April 17, 1880, unanimously adopted the following testimonial:

"Sincerely regretting the action of our late President, Col. Simon Perkins, in severing his connection with the association, as an expression of the views of the board, be it

" Resolved, That to the devoted attention and unwearied care of Col. Simon Perkins, Akron is greatly indebted for our beautiful cemetery, the source of so much pride and pleasure to all our citizens."

A cordial invitation was also extended to Col. Perkins to still aid the superintendent in carrying out the plans and designs he had originated, and also to attend the meetings of the board and favor the members with his advice, at a later meeting July 6, 1880, the Colonel being elected an honorary member of the board, with an urgent request to attend its meetings.

David L. King, Esq., was elected as Col. Perkins' successor to the presidency, April 17, 1880, which position he continuously . filled, with eminent zeal and fidelity, till July, 1891, when he was succeeded by Mr. Ferd. Schumacher.

Board of Directors, elected July 6, 1891: Ferd. Schumacher, John R. Buchtel, Jeremiah A. Long, Alvin C. Voris, Edwin P. Green, John Wolf.

After the death of the original secretary, Dr. Jerediah D. Com- mins, November 4, 1867, Charles R. Howe was elected as his-

241

AKRON RURAL CEMETERY.

successor in July, 1868, not only giving to the position the most faithful attention during his life-time, but also on his. deatlı, December 7, 1875, bequeathing to the association the sum of $5,000 to be held in trust, on interest, the income from which was to be devoted to the perpetual care of his own lot and other portions of the cemetery grounds.

DAVID L. KING, -- son of Judge Leicester King, born at Warren, December 24, 1825 ; graduated at Har- vard 1846; read law with King & Tayler in Akron; 1849 with his brother, Henry W., formed law firm of King & King; May 1, 1849, married to Miss Bettie Washington Steele, (grand - niece of President George Washington), who has borne him five children, three of whom survive ; 1851 located in Cleveland, but returned to Akron in 1855, in addition to his law practice, as executor managing his deceased father's large landed estate; abandoning the law in 1867, took an interest in, and the secretary- ship of, the Akron Sewer Pipe Con- pany, retaining his connection there- with ten or twelve years; 1882-88 president King Varnish Company, an enterprise resulting in pecuniary disaster ; active in all public enter- prises, his energy and liberality have largely inured to the benefit of the city of Akron, the Valley Railway especially being a substantial monu- ment of his indomitable persever- ance, while our public schools, our free library, our benevolent associa-

DAVID L. KING.

tions and our beautiful Glendale Cemetery have all received his foster- ing care, Mr. King having served as president of the last named organiza- tion after the resignation of Presi- dent Perkins, in 1880, until July, 1891.

Albert J. McNeil followed Mr. Howe, as secretary, July 3, 1876, being superseded by Albert B. Tinker in July, 1879, followed, in 1880, by Edwin P. Green, with A. H. Sargent as assistant. Mr. Sargent succeeded to the secretaryship in July, 1884, which posi- tion, in addition to the superintendency, he has ably filled to the present time.

The treasurers of the association, from the beginning, have been Samuel A. Wheeler, 1839-50; Arad Kent, 1850-55; George D. Bates, 1855-76; William B. Raymond, 1876-88; Erhard Steinbacher, 1888 to present time.

THE LADIES' CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.

Soon after the close of the war, in which the ladies, every- where, had borne so conspicuous a part, by their incessant and self-sacrificing labors for the care and comfort of our sick and wounded soldiers, as detailed in another chapter of this work, ladies of Akron, feeling that the home resting place of their loved ones needed better care and protection, devised the scheme of aiding the cemetery authorities in the employment of a competent person to devote his whole time to the care and improvement of the grounds, and the erection of a suitable home upon the grounds for the use of the person so employed.

242

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

MRS. MARY INGERSOLL TOD EVANS, -daughter of Judge George Tod, of Youngstown, was born December 8, 1802; was married to John L. McCurdy, of Warren, Decem- ber 25, 1822, who died at Nashville, Tenn., in 1830, leaving three children -William, still living in Youngstown, George Tod, late of Akron, deceased, and Sarah, afterwards Mrs. Parks; also deceased. In 1836, Mrs. McCurdy was married to Dr. Dana D. Evans, of Akron, bearing him three children -all deceased, Dr. Evans dying from blood poisoning in December 1849, in the 39th year of his age. Mrs. Evans was active in all public and private benevolent enterprises, a leading member of the Soldiers' Aid Society during the war, and after several years of highly acceptable service as matron of the Northern Ohio Hospital for the Insane, at Newburg, she organized the Akron Ladies' Cemetery Association, and bent all her energies towards the erection of the Superintendent's Lodge, at the entrance to Glendale Cemetery, which . was nearing com-

EDICT = COCHI

MRS. MARY INGERSOLL TOD EVANS.

pletion at the time of her deatlı, Feb- ruary 2, 1869, at the age of 66 years, 2 months and 6 days. Mrs. Evans was a sister of the late Mrs. Judge James R. Ford, Mrs. Col. Simon Perkins and ex-Governor David Tod.

To the late Mrs. Mary I. T. Evans, is undoubtedly due the credit of originating the plan whose munificent and beneficent results we are about to trace. In the BEACON of July 12, 1866, is a note from Mrs. Evans, invoking the aid of the writer, as editor of the paper, in favor of the project. Mrs. Evans said:

'"Some of us, whose friends sleep their last sleep in those beautifully situated grounds, cannot afford costly monuments to mark the spot; but none are too poor to plant flowers and shrubs, and we must have these trifling proofs of undying love guarded and protected from the rude hand of the careless passer-by, or the determined one of some who delight in wanton destruction of everything offering pleasure to the eye.

"The Akron Rural Cemetery Company are expending all their present means in constructing bridges, improving avenues, etc., and it will probably require all the revenue they may have from the sale of lots for some time to come. Shall we not give them a little help?

"It is proposed to offer to the public a series of weekly enter- tainments, such as promise pleasure to those who are willing to patronize us. The first will be a musical entertainment on Tuesday evening next. Mr. Cutter, Mr. Ingersoll and Miss Ashmun have kindly consented to use their best efforts in getting up a musical treat on said evening, and some of our best singers have promised their valuable aid.

"We have musical talent of a high order in our city, and I have no doubt that a succession of concerts, varied in character, and interspersed with other pleasing performances, will call out a little money from the plethoric pockets of our favored citizens, and also awake in all a sense of the worthiness of the object sought.

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.

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228