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 34

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 34

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Ex-Governor Edward F. Noyes, the orator of the day, delivered one of the most eloquently impressive addresses ever listened to in Akron, but its length precludes its repetition here. A few brief excerpts must suffice :

"The occasion which calls us together to-day," said the Governor, "obliterates all distinctions of creed and platform, all inequalities of fortune and of social life. We come, indulging in a common sorrow for our beloved dead, to dedicate to the memory of departed heroes this Memorial Chapel- the work of willing hands, the offering of grateful and patriotic hearts. * * * There is something in the death of a patriot soldier which makes it more touching and honorable than any other. * * * We realize that they have died for us and for that which is dear to us ; that their immeasurable sacri- fice has made life, happiness and prosperity possible for us and for our chil- dren. * *

* As a token of our appreciation and grateful remembrance, this beautiful edifice has been erected-an honor alike to the living and the dead. * *

* A hundred years have passed since the Declaration of American Independence. What the coming century may have in store for us will depend upon our own deserts. A glorious future can only be secured to the people whose intelligence, virtue and patriotism makes them worthy to enjoy it. * *

* Looking forward, then, over the hundred years before us, to the time when our nation shall number 300,000,000 souls-when the prairies shall be changed into gardens, and the hills shall be fragrant with orchards and vineyards-when the waste places shall give way to 10,000 cities, throbbing with active life-when our commerce shall whiten every sea, and bear to distant lands the varied products of our ingenuity and skill, of labor and of thought, shall we not be incited to nobler aims and efforts than we have yet attained? So best shall we honor those whose virtues we commemorate to-day."

"THIS IS YOUR TEMPLE TO-DAY."

At the conclusion of Gov. Noyes' address, after a song by the Akron Liedertafel, Will M. Carleton recited an appropriate original poem, under the above title, the exercises closing with a song by

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the Apollo Club, the benediction by Rev. G. S. Weaver, and music by Akron Junior Band; and Memorial Chapel has for the past decade and a half been, as it must long continue to be, an honor to Akron's soldiery, living as well as dead, an inestimable public con- venience, an ornament to our beautiful Rural Cemetery, and a source of perpetual pride to all our people.

Benedat

Lewis Miller's Duck Pond, looking East from Akron Rural Cemetery, previous to the Extension of Park Place to Glendale Avenue.

On finally closing up his accounts, it was found that in conse- quence of the panic of 1873, and the financial reverses resulting therefrom, a portion of the subscriptions were non-collectable, and that in settling with the contractors, and the liquidation of other claims, Treasurer Crouse, in addition to his own liberal contribu- tion, was out of pocket just $3,500, for which sum, by special act of the Legislature, the Council was authorized to issue the city's bonds on which to raise the money for his reimbursement, which was accordingly done; the entire cost of the structure, outside of individual contributions of memorial windows, being $25,294.64.

Aside from its preciousness, as the hallowed resting place of Akron's departed loved ones of the past half century, in a money point of view, besides the nearly $20,000 paid for the land; the $20,- 000 raised and expended by the ladies for the lodge and other improvements made by them; the $25,000 and over expended by our patriotic soldiers and liberal-handed citizens in the erection of Memorial Chapel, there has been expended by the association, at a low estimate, in improvements and care of grounds, $125,000, while private expenditures, for lots and ornamentation, head-stones, monuments, etc., will undoubtedly aggregate fully $300,000 more, making a grand total of money expended to the present time of nearly, if not fully, half a million of dollars, one of the most notable family monuments on the grounds, being the life-like statue of Hon. John R. Buchtel, erected under his own supervision, after becoming an invalid, as elsewhere stated.

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AKRON'S PUBLIC PARKS.

Lots are now held at fifty cents per square foot, in sizes to suit purchasers, in the newer portion of the grounds, in which portion an additional payment of twenty- five cents per foot is required, as a contribution to the Perpetual Care Fund, for the purpose of for- ever, by accruing interest, keep- ing said lots in order. As the object of this fund becomes better known, it grows in favor, many owners of lots in the older portion of the grounds, either contribu- ting outright thereto, or provid- Bell Tower, Akron Rural Cemetery. ing by will for that purpose, the fund at the present time (Sep- tember, 1891), amounting to nearly $10,000.

This fund should be rapidly augmented, so that, in the not very distant future, when the income from the sale of lots shall comparatively cease, and other and more distant grounds have to. be resorted to, the care and beauty of our present attractive City of the Dead, by common consent called "Glendale Cemetery," may be forever assured, without a contingency or peradventure.

AKRON'S PUBLIC PARKS.

In addition to Akron's beautiful Rural Cemetery, of fifty-seven acres, artistically laid out into romantic drives and walks, and always open to the public, court house square, donated by Gen. Simon Perkins to Summit county, for public purposes, in 1840, and now covered with umbrageous trees, and traversed by substantial walks, and Fountain Park, of some 50 acres, the present attractive fair grounds of the Summit County Agricultural Society, also constantly available to the public as a pleasure resort, the city itself is the owner of quite a number of not very extensive but extremely pleasant, "breathing places" in the way of public parks, as follows:

SOUTH AKRON OR PERKINS PARK.

The original proprietor of the land, Gen. Simon Perkins, of Warren, in platting his new village of Akron, in 1825, laid out a "public square," on the western part of his plat, embracing what is now known as Perkins Park, bounded by West Exchange street on the south, Middlebury street on the north, Bowery street on the east and Locust street on the west, and also including the capacious grounds on which the Perkins school building now stands, on the south side of Exchange street, the whole containing about.five acres of ground. The larger portion, north of Exchange street, is surrounded by a substantial fence, thoroughly sodded, planted to thrifty shade trees, evergreens, etc., and tastefully laid out into walks, with seats, etc., and is greatly enjoyed by the inhabitants of that portion of the city.

GRACE AND UNION PARKS.

June 20, 1846, in Council proceedings, it is recorded that a motion was unanimously adopted authorizing the Mayor "to

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receive any donation that Mr. Simon Perkins might make to the Town of Akron, and give the necessary assurance that his views and directions would be appreciated and carried out," and, on August 25, 1847, the Committee on Public Grounds were "author- ized to take charge of that part of the same lying northeast of Doctor Evans's, being a lot of about eight acres given to the town by Mr. Simon Perkins, as he will deed the same soon."

March 11, 1848, a deed was executed by Simon Perkins, his wife, Grace T. Perkins, Joseph Perkins, his wife, Martha E. Perkins, Jacob Perkins and Henry B. Perkins, "in consideration of our- desire to provide for the health and convenience of the inhabitants. of the Town of Akron," conveying to the Town Council of said town, "the whole of Block number thirty, (30), containing seven and seven one-hundredths of an acre of land, and the whole of Block number six (6) in Perkins' Addition, containing one and eighty-five one-hundredths of an acre of land, "for the purpose of public squares, or grounds, and for no other purpose whatsoever,. and subject to these further limitations; that good and sufficient fences around the same shall be erected within nine months from this date, and forever maintained at the proper cost of the Town of Akron; and that no buildings or structures of any kind shall be erected on the same, and on failure of said Council to erect said fences, or, after their erection, to keep them in repair, or on the erection of any building or structure theron, by said Council or their successors in office, or by any other person or persons, then,. and in either of these cases, or contingences, all of said lands, shall revert and revest in the said grantors, their heirs or assigns, as fully as if this deed had not been made, and the said grantors,. their heirs or assigns may re-enter and take possession of the same, and enjoy it in as full and ample a manner as if this con- veyance had never been made."

The larger of the two parcels of ground thus conveyed .. bounded by Prospect street on the west, Park street on the south, Perkins street on the north and Elm street on the east, was, by common consent, named "Grace Park," in honor of Mrs. Grace T. Perkins, the amiable wife of the donor of the land in question, for- though his three brothers, Joseph, Jacob and Henry B., joined in making the conveyance, it was understood that Col. Simon Perkins was alone the giver.

Grace Park was fenced within the time specified, in December: 1848, with lumber at $8.00 per thousand feet and labor at thirty-one cents per rod, or a grand total cost of $189.02. Subsequently in 1875, the city purchased from Joseph Perkins for $2,000 the strip of land lying between Elm (now North College) street and the rail- roads, east and west, and Perkins and Park streets, north and south, a portion of which, including that portion of College street lying between the two parcels, has recently been added to the main park, and the whole, nearly ten acres, surrounded by a hand- some and substantial iron fence, leaving a narrow driveway between the park and the railway embankment, on the east side. This park, with a large number of the original forest trees-grand old oaks-still standing thereon, interspersed with evergreens and ornamental shrubs, surrounded by rows of thrifty young maples, with its well-kept walks and comfortable lawn settees, is a con- stant reminder to our people of the generosity and foresight of the:

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donor, and of his expressed desire, as above quoted, "to promote the health and convenience of the inhabitants of the Town of Akron."

That region of the town east of the railroads, and between East Market and Middlebury streets, was for many years an open common, or public cow-pasture, and the triangular block now known as "Union Park," included in the above named donation, remained unfenced and unimproved until a comparatively recent period. Indeed, both parcels were many times forfeited by the carelessness and neglect of the town officials, had the generous- hearted donor seen fit to enforce the stipulations of the deed as above given, Edward Oviatt, Esq., attorney for the town, in a report submitted by him February 21, 1858, admonishing the Council that "a failure to keep up the fences, or to permit any permanent structure to be erected on Grace or Flat-iron Parks would work a forfeiture of title and a reversion of the same to the original grantors, or their heirs."

This triangular ground, designated as "Union Park," is now flanked on the west and north by handsome private residences, and on the southeasterly side by like structures, with Akron's magnificent high school building about midway. Like Grace Park, it is inclosed by a handsome iron post and rail fence, nicely graded and sodded and planted to shade trees, both inside and out, and most highly appreciated by both teachers, scholars and people.

"Pleasant Park" is in the extreme south end of the city, east of the railroads, bounded north by Thornton street, east by Grant street, south by Eagle street, and west by Washington street, and contains about five acres of land. It was dedicated to the public use by the late Samuel Thornton, as a part of Thornton's addition to the City of Akron, and with the care that is being bestowed upon it by the park commissioners, being fenced, graded and liberally provided with trees, walks, etc., is in reality a very great boon to the rapidly increasing population of that portion of the city.

At the junction of West Market and North streets, and bounded on the east by Valley street, is a triangular park contain- ing about three-fourths of at acre, the eastern portion of which, lots five and six, or Wolf's sub-division, being purchased by the city, July 19, 1880, from the Lock Slate Company, of Philadelphia, for the consideration of $475, and the apex, 30-100 of an acre, from George Flower, executor of George Treen, January 6, 1881, for the consideration of $800. The lot has been properly graded and improved, and in the center-a donation from Hon. J. Park Alexander-is a commodious fountain, whose sparkling waters gladden and refresh not only the inhabitants of the neighborhood, but the hundreds of daily passers-by.

By an arrangement with the Cemetery Association, in the laying out of Glendale avenue, the triangle formed by the junction of the avenue with West Market and Cherry streets, containing about one-eighth of an acre was dedicated to the public, and a fountain erected thereon by the city, run at first by the waters of a large spring, or well, at the corner of West Market and Bates street, but in more recent years by those of the Akron City Water Works. By a subsequent adjustment of street and lot lines,

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between the city and Col. D. W. Thomas, this little park will finally become nearly, if not quite obliterated, though for the present it is being cared for by the commissioners, as are the other parks of the city. It is called the "Oasis."

The handsome and conveniently located lot, on northeast corner of East Market and High streets, is the original lot upon which the late Gen. Lucius V. Bierce erected, in 1835, '36, what was then the finest family residence in the new village of North Akron. On the 13th day of September, 1875, the Gen. and Mrs. Bierce con- veyed their property to the city, on the consideration that, commencing on the 15th day of March, 1876, the city should pay to them the sum of $1,500 per annum during their joint lives, and on the death of either, the sum of $1000 per year to the survivor during his or her life, with the stipulation that the city should allow them to occupy said house or provide them with rooms in the new building that might be erected thereon, and provided further, "that the lot conveyed shall be forever known as 'Bierce Park.'"

Not being ready to erect a city hall, or other public building on said lot, the grantors were permitted to occupy the premises until their respective deaths-the General, November 11, 1876, and Mrs. Bierce, April 24, 1882.

The cost to the city for the property in question was about $6,000. For a time after the death of Mrs. Bierce, the house was rented to various parties, for domestic purposes, but as that usage was both annoying and profitless, besides jeopardizing the title, the building was sold to Mr. Leroy Munson, and by him removed to Furnace street, where it is now doing duty as a tenement house, and the most substantial house on that street.

" Bierce Park" has been graded, sodded and fenced, and will thus be kept as a public park until such time as the city may desire to use the lot for the erection of such a public building- city hall, or otherwise-as its convenient and commanding loca- tion is worthy of.

From its earliest history Middlebury has had quite an exten- sive public square, contributed by Roswell Kent, and other public-spirited citizens, on the southerly side of what is now East Market street, and on which the original school house of the village was located, and in later years the high school building of Middlebury township. Since the annexation of that township to the city, and the erection of the splendid new Sixth Ward school building, on South Arlington street, the old school building has been converted into Fire Station Number Two, and the old Middlebury public square, with its nicely graveled walks, its well- kept lawn, its sparkling fountain, its thrifty shade trees, shrubbery, etc., is now, under the management of the fire laddies, one of the very pleasantest parks in the city.

In addition, and nearly opposite, in the acute angle formed by the junction of East Market and Broad streets, also a contribution from early residents, isa shady lawn, or park, of perhaps one-fourth of an acre, which is both a great convenience and a source of pleasure to the inhabitants of that portion of our goodly city.

The parks of the city are under the care and control of a board of three park commissioners, at present consisting of Christian Vogt, John Kreuder and David Rittersbach, all of whom, without compensation, yearly devote much time and attention to their

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AKRON'S PUBLIC PARKS.

improvement, the annual expenses for fencing, grading and plant- ing, trimming, mowing, seating, etc., averaging about $2,700, for the past five or six years, the expenditures for the past five years, as shown by city clerk's annual report to City Council being, respectively, $1,963.08; $2,369.40; $2,491.19; $2,655.39; $3,153.03; the cost of fencing Grace and Union Parks alone being respectively about $3,000 and $1,350; the fences, however, being of such a per- manent nature that no further expense than an occasional coat of paint will be required for many years to come.

View on Ohio Canal, below Stone Mill, looking South.

CHAPTER XIII.

AKRON AND PORTAGE TOWNSHIP CIVIL SERVICE-TOWN, VILLAGE, CITY AND TOWNSHIP LOCAL AND GENERAL PUBLIC OFFICERS FOR FIFTY-FIVE YEARS -A HIGHLY HONORABLE RECORD-HUNDREDS OF FAITHFUL OFFICIALS -- NOT A SINGLE CASE OF MALFEASANCE KNOWN-A VALUABLE LIST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

AKRON'S CIVIL SERVICE RECORD.

A S in subsequent chapters, under their respective heads, the civil service status of the several townships, in the county, state and nation, will be given, it is here in order to show how- far the citizens of the shire town have been honored with positions of public trust, by the people of the town, village, county,. and state, and the fidelity with which each and all have discharged the arduous and responsible duties thus devolved upon them, and it may here be parenthetically observed, that, in the long list of names which follows, not a single instance of malfeasance in office has been reported or suspected.

As elsewhere stated Akron was incoporated as a "Town," by act of the Legislature, passed March 13, 1836, the municipal officers provided by the act, to be elected on the second Tuesday of the ensuing June, by the "white male inhabitants who have resided within the aforesaid limits of said town for the space of six months next preceding said election," being "one Mayor, one Recorder and five Trustees who together shall constitute a Town Council," etc .; subsequent elections to be held on the first Tuesday of June in each year, thus involving the necessity of holding three elections each year-township, municipal and state, with an additional elec- tion for President every four years.

On the adoption of the new State Constitution of 1851, the legal title of Akron, by virtue of its provisions, became "The Incorpo- rated Village of Akron," which title was retained until its advance- ment to a city of the second-class in January, 1865, as heretofore stated.

The initial election of town officers was fully described in the second chapter of this work and need not be repeated here, the entire roster of town, village, city and township officers, during the intervening 55 years, being as follows:

TOWN AND VILLAGE TRUSTEES .- For 1836, Erastus Torrey, Jedediah D. Commins, William B. Mitchell, William E. Wright, Noah M. Green; Mr. Mitchell declining to serve, Col. Justus Gale was appointed by Council to fill the vacancy. In 1837, William K. May, William T. Mather, Dana D. Evans, Jesse Allen, Eber Blodgett; Mr. May removing from town in September 1837, Wil- liam Patterson was appointed in his place. In 1838, Jesse Allen, Ebenezer Martin, Justus Gale, James W. Phillips, Ansel Miller; 1839, Samuel Manning, Seth Iredell, James W. Phillips, Lewis P. Buckley, Ebenezer Martin; Mr. Martin declining to serve, Ansel Miller was appointed in his place and Mr. Phillips resigning in July, Mr. Ithiel Mills was appointed to fill the vacancy. 1840, Seth Ire- dell, Samuel Manning, Ithiel Mills, Samuel A. Wheeler, William E.

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WILLIAM L. CLARKE,-son of Judge George Clarke, was born in Lewisburg, Pa., March 19, 1796; came with parents to Stark County, in 1810, and to Springfield in 1814; common school education, receiving additional instruction from father in mathematics and surveying; raised a farmer, early manhood divided between farming and teach- ing, in 1833 removing to Middlebury ; in 1848, was elected Sheriff of Summit county, and re-elected in 1850, ably filling that responsible position four years, meantime moving to Akron ; was elected justice of the peace for Portage township, in 1857, and re- elected in 1861, '64 and '67, faithfully seving twelve years. April 9, 1818, he was married to Miss Sarah De Haven, of Springfield, who bore him five daughters and one son-Martha, born January 28, 1819, married to Mr. James Irvin, November 2, 1842, who died September 4, 1863, Mrs. Irvin still surviving; Nancy Cynthia, born March 25, 1821, married to Perry C. Caruthers, of Tallmadge, October 22, 1840, both now living ; Sarah Lois, born July 2, 1823, married to Dudley Seward, whose portrait and bio- graphy appear elsewhere; Maria Jane, born January 7, 1826, married to N. D. Furry, November 12, 1845,

NELSON B. STONE.

N ELSON B. STONE,-son of Milo

and Sarah (Beardsley) Stone, was born September 18, 1816, in Ma- honing County, Ohio, the family a year later settling in Tallmadge; educated in district schools and at Tallmadge Academy; after several years spent in West Bloomfield, N. Y., Ravenna and Chardon, O., and Wheeling, W. Va., as clerk and book- keeper, in December, 1840, Mr. Stone

WILLIAM L. CLARKE.

died December, 1865; Mary H., born August 13, 1830, married to Nelson B. Stone, May 19, 1852, died April 6, 1853 ; William Milton, born March 7, 1834, died January 22, 1878. Mr. Clarke died August 9, 1876, and Mrs. Clarke April 12, 1881.

came to Akron, clerking in store for a few months, when he accepted the position of deputy, under county clerk, Lucian Swift, serving under Clerk Swift and Clerk Lucius S. Peck, until October, 1851, when he was elected Clerk (the first under the new constitution, clerks theretofore hav- ing been appointed by the court), which position he held three years. Then, though still residing in Akron, he was for a time deputy clerk of Cuyahoga County ; then after a short engagement with Aultman, Miller & Co., in 1865, became the secretary and treasurer of the Weary, Snyder & Wilcox Manufacturing Co., which position he held 18 years, having sinceretired from active business. Mr. S. has been an efficient and official member of the First M. E. church, and a zealous worker, teacher, secretary, etc., in the Sunday school, since its organization. May 19, 1852, Mr. Stone was married to Miss Mary H. Clarke, of Akron, who died April 6, 1853, leaving one son - Nelson C., now cashier in City National Bank of Akron. August 23, 1854, Mr. Stone was again married, to Miss Elizabeth H. Beardsley, of Akron, who has borne him two children-Philip C., who died March 24, 1872, and Dwight M., living at home.

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PHILIP P. BOCK,-born in Mich- enbaclı, Hessian Hamburg,Prus- sia, February 10, 1830; at ten years of age came with parents to America, settling in Akron; educated at Akron High School; clerked for various firms in Akron several years; was employed by County Commissioners to compile complete index of county records; in 1858, was elected County Recorder, and re-elected in 1861, ably filling that important position six years, and, being a firm advocate of the doctrine of "rotation in office," declining an assured nomination for a third term. On retiring from office, for a short time was in the lum- ber trade, after which he embarked in the insurance business, later estab- lishing a real estate and loan agency, which has been phenomenally suc- cessful, being the pioneer in that line of business in the city. Mr. Bock is emphatically self-made, an earnest Republican, a stanch tem- perance man and a good citizen. He was married July 31, 1860, to Miss Ellen Shultes, of Buffalo, N. Y. Five children have been born to them-

CHA

PHILIP P. BOCK.

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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