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 41

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 41

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CHAPTER XV.

AKRON'S POSTAL HISTORY-ANCIENT AND MODERN MIDDLEBURY'S SUCCESSIVE POSTMASTERS-FIRST POSTMASTER OF AKRON PROPER-THE PIONEER MAIL CARRIER STILL IN A GOOD STATE OF PRESERVATION-SUCCESSIVE INCUM- BENTS FOR SIXTY YEARS-SCRAMBLE FOR THE "SPOILS" UNDER SUCCES- SIVE ADMINISTRATIONS-WONDERFUL GROWTH OF BUSINESS-THE FREE DELIVERY SYSTEM-CLOSING REMARKS, ETC.

ANCIENT MIDDLEBURY.

A S elsewhere stated, what is now the Sixth ward of Akron, was, under the name of Middlebury, the early manufacturing and commercial center for this region of the country, beginning, in 1808, by the erection of a grist mill, where the frame sewer pipe mill of the Akron Sewer Pipe Company now stands, on Case avenue, by Judge Aaron Norton, followed soon afterwards by the erection of Bagley's wool-carding and cloth dressing mill on the same stream, and a few years later (in 1817) by the erection of the Cuya- hoga Blast Furnace, by Laird & Norton, and numerous other man- ufacturing and mercantile operations. Just when the Middlebury postoffice was established is not now ascertainable, butit is believed to have been as early as 1810, though the village was not regularly laid out by William J. Hart until 1818.

MIDDLEBURY POSTMASTERS.

It is not definitely certain who was Middlebury's first post- master, but the earliest now remembered by the "oldest inhab- itant" was 'Squire Nathan Gillett, father-in-law of Akron's well known citizen, Mr. Sidney H. Bass, Mr. Gillett also officiating as justice of the peace. Mr. Gillett was succeeded by 'Squire Elijah Mason, followed in succession, by Roan Clark, Edgar T. Chapman, (still living at 84 years of age), January 1, 1841 to January 1, 1846; Phineas Stevens, Dr. Elijah Curtis, George Barber, 1852 to 1856, Roan Clark (again), George A. Peckham, and on his decease, tem- porarily by Hiram Weston, until the accession of Mr. Lincoln to the presidency, in 1861, when 'Squire Mansfield Sumner was appointed to the position serving ten consecutive years.

February 17, 1871, James M. Wills was appointed under Presi- dent Grant, holding the office until November 16, 1885, nearly 15 years, when he was superseded by Mr. Edward Donohue, the present incumbent being Mr. William W. Davidson.

AKRON'S POSTAL OPERATIONS.

As already stated, Akron, or that portion afterwards for many years known as South Akron, was laid out by Gen. Simon Perkins and Paul Williams in the Summer of 1825. The contracts for build- ing the Ohio canal, from Summit Lake to Cleveland, were let in June, and excavations for locks commenced here, before the formal breaking of ground at the Licking Summit, July 4, 1825, by Gov. DeWitt Clinton, of New York, as elsewhere stated.

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The concentration of contractors and laborers at this point, and the rapid influx of other branches of business-hotels, stores, mechanics, doctors, lawyers, etc.,-created the necessity for better postal facilities than were afforded by the Middlebury office, nearly two miles distant, and early in 1826 President John Quincy Adams' Ohio Postmaster General, John McLean, instituted the Akron postoffice, and appointed Wolsey Wells, Esq., postmaster of the new office. Mr. Wells was a lawyer by profession and was soon afterwards elected justice of the peace, and also, on the opening of the canal to navigation, July 4, 1827, was appointed collector of tolls for the port of Akron.

'Squire Wells had built for himself a large two-story house, on the southwest corner of West Exchange and Water streets, after- wards converted into a hotel, for many years known as the "Sum- mit House," and which, moved to the rear, is still standing. In the front room of this house-afterward the hotel bar-room-did 'Squire Wells run his quadrangular combination of law, justice, letters and navigation. As showing the magnitude of the mail service, under the administration of Postmaster Wells, I quote from the historical reminiscences of Gen. L. V. Bierce, written nearly forty years ago. "I have," said the General, "in my cabinet of curiosities, his desk, about two feet by eighteen inches, that con- tained in its pigeon-holes all the files and documents of his multi- farious offices."

HIRAM J. SPICER,-youngest son of Major Miner Spicer, born in Akron, October 24, 1816, within about 40 rods of his present residence, corner of Spicer and Carroll streets; educated in early district schools; at nine years of age, carried mail, on horseback, once a week, from Akron to Bolivar, 40 miles; learned carpen- ter's trade, afterwards working as a inill-wright on the early mills of Akron and vicinity, and for ten con- secutive years on the Austin Powder Mills. February 31, 1839, married Miss Marilla A. King, daughter of Joshua King, one of the pioneers of North- ampton and Portage townships. Five children were born to them, three dying young; the survivors being Avery King Spicer, of Akron; and Alice M., now Mrs. Sevillian Payne, of Davis county, Mo. Mrs. Spicer dying January 19, 1861, August 29, of the same. year, Mr. S. was again married, to Mrs. Cerenia L. Barnett, of Akron. For 20 years, from 1865 to 1885, Mr. Spicer was in the employ of Aultman, Miller & Co., the last ten or twelve years in charge of repairs of shop machinery. Politically, as a Whig, his first presidential vote was cast for Gen. William Henry Harrison, in 1840, and his last, as a Republican,

HIRAM J. SPICER.

for Gen. Benjamin Harrison, in 1888. Mr. S. has been a member of the First M. E. Church of Akron, since 1872; is now retired from business, and is believed to be the oldest native born resident of Portage township now living.

POSTMASTER LEWIS HUMISTON.

Notwithstanding the motto of President Jackson, that "to the victors belong the spoils," Mr. Wells, though a Whig, was permitted

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to hold the office until his removal from the town, probably about 1833, when he was succeeded by Mr. Lewis Humiston, a Democrat, then keeper the Clark Hotel, (still standing) on the northeast cor- ner of Main and Exchange streets. Mr. Humiston erected a small building immediately east of the hotel, about 12x15 feet in size, in which, on the arrival of the writer in Akron, in 1835, the late Arad Kent, as Mr. Humiston's deputy, was doing the mailing and delivery honors.

A YOUTHFUL MAIL CARRIER.

On the establishment of the Akron office, and other offices along the line of the then unfinished canal, in the Spring of 1826, Major Miner Spicer took the contract for carrying the mail, weekly, between Akron and Bolivar, and the service was regularly and faithfully performed by Mr. Spicer's nine-and-a-half-year-old son, our present well-known and well-preserved 75-year-old fellow-citi- zen, Mr. Hiram J. Spicer, now residing within a few rods of where he was born, corner Carroll and Spicer streets.

POSTMASTER HARVEY H. JOHNSON.

Removing from the village, in the Summer of 1837, Mr. Hum- iston tendered his resignation, whereupon several candidates for the succession put in their claims, the two most prominent being the late Judge Constant Bryan, and another young lawyer, by the name of Harvey H. Johnson, the latter being also a justice of the peace, mayor of Akron in 1842,'43, a few years later congressman from the Ashland district, and still later a Government land agent in Minnesota.

At this time, North Akron, or, as it was at first called, "Cascade," was pressing the original town hard, in a business point of view. Both of the candidates named being in the North Village, were opposed by the South-enders, while the fight between the friends. of the two gentlemen named became so bitter that Postmaster General Amos Kendall finally intimated that unless some agree- ment was arrived at between the contending parties he would abol- ish the office.

Thereupon, the South-enders threw their influence to Mr .. Johnson, as they afterward claimel on his promise that he would not remove the office to "Cascade," and in no event north of the "gore," a wedge of unplatted land between the two rival villages, between what are now known as Church and Center streets, and Mr. Johnson was accordingly appointed.

But notwithstanding his alleged pledge, Mr. Johnson, in December, 1837, did remove the office to "Cascade," into the north end of the Buckley building, corner of Howard and Mill streets, where S. E. Allen's drug store now is, in Masonic Block. This action, of course, drew down upon the offending postmaster's devoted head the direst anathemas of the irate South-enders, dis- played in newspaper correspondence and through pamphlets, as fully set forth in Chapter III.

POSTMASTER DANA D. EVANS.

Though a Democrat, appointed under President Van Buren's administration, Mr. Johnson was continued in office under "Tyler Tov," his successor, Dr. Dana D. Evans, also an ardent Democrat,

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husband of the late Mrs. Mary I. T. Evans, and step-father of the late George T. McCurdy, on Mr. Johnson's resignation, being appointed, by President Polk's Postmaster General, Cave Johnson, in April, 1845.

Dr. Evans removed the office from the Buckley building to a room in the southwest corner of the Old Stone Block, about where the counting-room window of Byrider & Co's hat store is on Howard street, two years later removing it to the north side of East Market street, about where Mr. Jacob Good's handsome stone front, "Commerce Block," now stands.

POSTMASTER FRANK ADAMS.

Our present well-known, and still active, Frank Adams, of the Sixth ward, though an ardent young Whig, was deputy under Postmaster Johnson, one year, in 1841, and again two years from 1843, running awhile into the term of Dr. Evans.

On the accession of President Zachary Taylor, the Whigs, of course being entitled to the "pluin," there was a spirited contest for the prize between Mr. Adams and Dr. Elias W. Howard, Frank coming in ahead, on the home stretch, entering upon his duties April 1, 1849, and has ever since been known, among old residents, by the cognomen of "Old Zack," then by general consent bestowed upon him.

In addition to his postal duties, Mr. Adams was also consti- tuted Akron's Electric Telegraph Agent, our late postmaster, William C. Allen, being his assistant in both departments.

FRANK ADAMS,-born in Wind- sor County, Vt., July 5, 1819; common school education; came to Ohio in 1838; in 1839, '40, printed maps for Samuel and Levi Manning in Akron ; 1841, clerk in postoffice ; 1843, printed maps ; 1843, '44, clerk in post- office ; 1845, partner in map business with Samnel Manning, the latter sell- ing out to Lorenzo Eggleston in 1846; Adams & Eggleston burned out June 9, 1848; postmaster, by appointment of President Zachary Taylor, from March, 1849 to May, 1853; in hat trade on Market street till again burned out April 30, 1855; manufacturer of sewer-pipe, and for many years pres- ident and superintendent of Akron Sewer Pipe Company, retiring in 1886; during the war was a member of the Middlebury military commit- tee, and treasurer of soldiers' relief fund ; for many years member and treasurer of Middlebury Council and School Board ; 1872, commissioner on annexation of Middlebury to Akron ; now active member of Akron Board of Trade, president of Akron Water Works Company and financially and officially connected with several other industrial enterprises of Akron and vicinity. January 21, 1846, Mr. Adamswas married toMiss SarahHyde

FRANK ADAMS.

Gale, of Akron, who died January 11, 1863, leaving two daughters (now Mrs. Julia Latham and Mrs. May Perkins); September 12, 1863, was again married, to Mrs. Janetta L. Murphy, who has borne him two children-Frank H., and Belle M. Adams.

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AKRON'S POSTAL SERVICE.

Soon after taking possession of the office, Mr. Adams bought the property now known as Bennett's Block, and removed the office to the room now occupied by Orson H. Remington, the jew- eler, Howard street at that point having been cut down, after the erection of the building, leaving the floor of the office about four feet higher above the sidewalk than it now is.

POSTMASTER EDWARD W. PERRIN.

On the accession of Franklin Pierce to the Presidency, in 1853, in those ante-civil service reform days, as a matter of course, "off went 'Old Zack's' head off," the honor this time falling upon Mr. Edward W. Perrin, for many years a salesman and book-keeper for P. D. Hall & Co., and now a 70-year-old citizen of Toledo.

Mr. Perrin's only competitor for the prize was the late Dr. Elias L. Munger, a brother-in-law of ex-Postmaster Johnson, and also of our present well-known citizen, Nahum Fay, Esq. The E. W. PERRIN. battle waxed warm and furious between the friends of the two contestants, but was finally decided in Mr. Perrin's favor through the influence of the late Judge George Bliss, then the member of Congress from this District.

Dr. Munger soon afterward removed to Shalersville, Portage County, subsequently, through softening of the brain, becoming an inmate of the Northern Ohio Hospital for the Insane, dying from that affection some ten years ago.

JUDGE ROLAND O. HAMMOND, J -born in Bath, July 8, 1826; edu- cated at Oberlin and Western Reserve Colleges; read law with Judges Carpenter and McClure and Judge Bliss in Akron ; admitted to bar, in Painesville. in 1850, opening an office in Akron the same year; married in Akrou, June 8, 1851, to Miss Amanda M. Harris, their only child, Eleanor M., married May 18, 1876, to Mr. F. A. Hilliard, of Cleveland, her mother, Mrs. Hammond, now living with her. On the death of Judge Charles G. Ladd, Summit County's first Probate Judge, in August, 1852, Mr. Hammond was appointed by Gov. Reuben Wood, to the vacancy, which he ably filled until the ensuing October ; was clerk of Portage township, 1852-56; trustee of township, 1862, '63; postmaster at Akron, by appointment of Presi- dent Buchanan, 1857-61; during the war, by appointment of Gov. David Tod, served as member of the 18th District Military Committee, and was Deputy Provost Marshal for Summit County in 1862, ' 63. Mr. Hammond was a successful lawyer, a shrewd politician and talented writer. He

JUDGE ROLAND O. HAMMOND.

died January 12, 1867, aged 40 years, 6 months and 4 days, his remains being interred in his native township of Bath.

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Mr. Perrin took possession of the office, in May, 1853, after a time removing it to the Mathews building, a few doors further north, where it remained for nearly 20 years. In May, 1857, Mr. Perrin was re-appointed by President James Buchanan, but resigned, in August of that year, to go into the stock-raising busi- ness in Texas, with Dr. Isaac Isbell, but failed of success, Mr. Perrin, in a late letter to the writer, saying: "Had it not been for the financial panic of 1857, I should now live without work."

POSTMASTER ROLAND O. HAMMOND.

On tendering his resignation, as above stated, Mr. Perrin rec- ommended, as his successor, the well-remembered Democratic politician and lawyer, Roland O. Hammond, Esq., who was accordingly appointed by Mr. Buchanan, though Hon. David Tod, then high in Democratic councils, and a few years later known as "Ohio's Democratic War Governor," strongly urged the appoint- ment of his nephew, the late George T. McCurdy, who was, twenty years later, appointed Collector of Tolls upon the Ohio Canal for the Port of Akron.

R ICHARD S. ELKINS, -born in

Rutland, Vt., January 30, 1818 ; common school education ; learned the printing business in office of Rutland Herald; in 1837, came to Akron, working in office of Akron's pioneer paper, the American Bal- ance; in 1838, worked in office of Cleveland Herald; in 1839, went to Ravenna as publisher of the Ohio Star; in 1844, removed to Akron and engaged in publishing the SUMMIT COUNTY BEACON, in 1845, selling a half interest to Mr. Laurin Dewey ; in 1848, sold office to John Teesdale, and entered into the book and drug trade with Mr. Joseph A. Beebe, a year later taking Mr. Teesdale into partnership and uniting the two branches under the firm name of Elkins, Teesdale & Co .; in 1856, Mr. Teesdale retired, the firm of Beebe & Elkins continuing the printing busi- ness until January, 1867, and the book and drug business until 1880, when Mr. Elkins retired to his farm near Ravenna, where Mrs. Elkins still resides. In 1853, Mr. Elkins was a member of the Akron Village Coun- cil; in 1854, Village Recorder ; in 1855, member and treasurer of Board of Education ; in 1861, was appointed by President Lincoln, as Akron's first Republican postmaster, which responsible position he ably filled nine years. February 9, 1842, he was married to Miss Adeline L. De Wolf, (daughter of Dr. Joseph De Wolf, a

RICHARD S. ELKINS.

pioneer of Ravenna), born August 8, 1823, their only child, Adelaide E .. now being the wife of Rev. W. K. Ingersoll, a Presbyterian minister, now located in Denver, Col. Mr. and Mrs. Elkins were . both prominent members of the First M. E. Church, in Akron, O., of which Mr. E. was treasurer 13 years, and for the last 8 years of his life was a trustee of Ravenna township. Mr. Elkins died March 5, 1891, aged 73 years, 1 month and 5 days.

POSTMASTER RICHARD S. ELKINS.

On the change of administration, from Democratic to Repub- lican, in 1861, Mr. Hammond was succeeded by Mr. Richard S.

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Elkins, one of the proprietors and Associate Editor of the SUMMIT COUNTY BEACON, his sole competitor being Mr. William C. Allen, the late highly efficient incumbent of the office. Mr. Allen had not only acted as deputy for Mr. Adams, under the Whig adminis- tration of Taylor and Fillmore, but, afterwards affiliating with the newly formed Republican party, had been continued as deputy through the Democratic administrations of Pierce and Buchanan, under Postmasters Perrin and Hammond.

Our then member of Congress, Hon. Sidney Edgerton, recom- mended Mr. Elkins for the position, but the popularity of "Bill" Allen, as he was familiarly called by everybody, brought to him strong backing in the contest, particularly among the younger portion of the Republicans of the village and vicinity.

As an offset to Congressman Edgerton's recommendation and influence, Mr. Allen's friends adopted the plan of holding an elec- tion on the question as to who should be appointed postmaster, which election was held March 2, 1861, with Houston Sisler, John R. Buchtel and Clement J. Kolb, the regular trustees of Portage township, as judges, and Henry W. Howe and Mills B. Purdy, as clerks of the election. Mr. Elkins and his friends took no part in the election, Mr. Allen's vote being 430, three ballots only being cast for Mr. Elkins. As the highest vote for any Republican can- didate on the State ticket, at the preceding general election was only 630, it will be seen that the vote cast for Mr. Allen embraced, by a liberal margin, more than one-half of the Republican vote of the village of Akron and the township of Portage.

Armed with the "returns" ex-Attorney General Christopher P. Wolcott (afterwards Assistant Secretary of War) proceeded to Washington to lay the matter before Mr. Lincoln's Postmaster General, Hon. Montgomery Blair.

Mr. Edgerton, at his home in Tallmadge, being advised of Mr. Wolcott's departure for Washington, on a given morning, himself also started for the National Capital the same evening, arriving in time to be present at Mr. Wolcott's interview with the Postmaster General. Mr. Wolcott, of course, urged the popular will, as expressed at the ballot box, while Mr. Edgerton urged the influ- ence of Mr. Elkins and his paper, in securing the Republican victory, in which, though an admitted Republican, from the fact of his officiating as deputy under the two preceding Democratic incumbents, Mr. Allen's influence was necessarily somewhat cir- cumscribed.

After listening to the arguments, pro and con, Gen. Blair turning to Mr. Wolcott, said: "What the Government needs in the present crisis, Mr. Walcott, (giving a broad pronunciation to the first syllable,) is iron men-men who are not only ardent Republicans now that offices are to be filled with Republican incumbents, but men who were outspoken and active in securing the victory which renders such appointments possible-Mr. Elkins will receive the appointment."

To say that considerable bitter feeling was engendered by this controversy would be drawing it very mild, indeed, the bitterness by no means confining itself to political circles, but infusing itself into social, civic, fraternal and possibly religious affairs as well, its influence being felt in a greater or less degree even to this day,

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though more than a quarter of a century has passed over the heads of the participators therein.

Mr. Elkins held the office nine years, his second appointment, by President Johnson, by some inadvertence, not being confirmed until nearly a year after the expiration of his first appointment, as above set forth.

Mr. Elkins was assisted in the office by his partner, Mr. Joseph A. Beebe, and their faithful book and drug clerk, the late Eli T. Curtis, the office being connected with the store of Messrs. Beebe & Elkins, by a door in the rear, Mr. William H. Bowers also officiating as mailing and delivery clerk, during a portion of Mr. Elkins' term and for about six months under his successor.

POSTMASTER JAMES B. STORER.

As the end of Mr. Elkins' second term drew near, Adjutant James B. Storer, a life cripple, from wounds received in battle; Captain George Billow, also an ex-soldier, and Mrs. Henry O. Hampson, widow of a deceased soldier, announced themselves as candidates for the office. The contest was quite spirited-Mr. Storer's claims being warmly espoused by his friends on account of his severe physicial infirmity, Capt. Billow, besides a fair gen- eral following, being particularly favored by the German elenient, while Mrs. Hampson had quite a circle of sympathizing adherents also.

AMES B. STORER,-son of Web-

ster B. Storer, born in Akron, January 22, 1839; educated in Akron public schools ; at 17 began learning jewelry trade with William H. Tall- mian, afterwards, for a short time, with Henry S. Abbey; then in iron store with father till the breaking out of the war; on the day President Lincoln issued his proclamation for 75,000 troops, in April, 1861, enlisting in Co. G., 19th O. V. I., during its three months' service, rising to the rank of sergeant; re-enlisted in Co. H., 29tli O. V. I., for three years, engaging in the battles of Winchester, Port Republic, Cedar Mountain, South Mountain, Antietam, Chancellors- ville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge, being promoted from sergeant, to sergeant - major February 3,1862; to second lieutenant April 13, 1862; to first lieutenant and adjutant January 26,1863; as adjutant and recruiting officer, in December, 1863, re-enlisting nearly the entire regiment as veterans. In May, 1864, in the Atlanta campaign, in first engagement at Dug Gap, in Rocky Face Ridge, he was wounded in spinal column by a minie-ball, paralyzing his legs, and has since been entirely unable to walk without the aid of crutches; in September, 1864, being promoted to captain. After his discharge from the army Captain Storer engaged in the jewelry

JAMES B. STORER.

business with Mr. Dwight A. Hib- bard under the firm name of J. B. Storer & Co., which arrangement still continues. In June, 1870, was appointed postmaster of Akron, hold- ing the office twelve years, as herein fully written of. January 11, 1864, Captain Storer was married to Miss Maria L. Ackley, of Akron, who has borne him one child -Helen A. Storer, still residing with her parents.

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To amicably settle the matter, at the suggestion of Congress- man William H. Upson, an election was held on Saturday, May 7, 1870, at which 1,186 Republican ballots were cast, as follows: Storer, 858; Billow, 266; Mrs. Hampson, 62. This decisive vote, in due time, brought to Mr. Storer a commission signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, under which he took possession of the office on the 1st day of July, 1870, the new incumbent on the same day removing the office from the Mathews building, where it had con- tinuously remained for seventeen years, to Masonic Block, corner of Howard and Mill streets, where it now is. ,

For the second term Mr. Storer had no competition, and was consequently reappointed by President Grant in 1874, for four years longer.

At the expiration of his second term, in 1878, Mr. Storer was con- fronted by his former Captain of Company H, 29th O. V. I., and during the war promoted to the command of the regiment, Col. Jonas Schoonover. Though the Colonel's backing and credentials were first-class, owing to the excellent service which had been rendered by Mr. Storer during his eight years' incumbency, the department deemed it advisable that he should be continued for another terni, his third commission being signed by President Rutherford B. Hayes, Mr. Storer thus holding the office twelve full years, a longer period than any other incumbent of the office since its establishment, in 1826.

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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