History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 92

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716

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JACOB PERKINS.

Jacob Perkins was born in Warren. Trumbull county, Ohio, on the Ist of September, 1822. He was next to the youngest of the children of General Simon Perkins, one of the earliest and most promi- nent business men of northern Ohio.

He developed a strong inclination for study in early years, acquiring knowledge with unusual facil- ity. After thorough preparation at the academies of Burton, Ohio, and Middletown, Connecticut, he en- tered Yale College in 1832. There he distinguished himself by his literary and oratorical abilities, deliver- ing the philosophie oration at the junior exhibition, and being chosen second editor of the Vale Literary Magazine, a position he filled with credit to himself and to the pride and satisfaction of his classmates. His close application to study and the additional labor of literary work were, however, too much for his strength, and before the close of his junior year he was obliged to relinquish his studies and go home, so that he did not graduate with his own class. In the succeeding year. his health having improved, he re- turned, and graduated with the class of 1842. On leav- ing college he entered his father's office, in Warren, and engaged closely in its business until the death of his father, when. with his brothers. he was some time engaged in settling the large estate.

After his return to Warren, he was frequently called on to address the people on public occasions, and he did so with marked success. Ile became early inter- ested in politics, taking the anti-slavery side, which was then not in popular favor, and made many effective speeches, in support of its principles and measures. An address delivered in 1848 attracted much at- tention from the boldness and distinctness with which it asserted the right of self-ownership in every person without regard to color or race.

The abilities he displayed, his strong convictions of right, and the fearlessness with which he manifested them, led the people of his district to chose him as one of the convention that framed the Ohio constitu- tion, which was adopted in 1851, and remains the fundamental law of the State. Ilis political princi- ples placed him with the minority in that body, but his influence and position were equaled by few in the dominant party. This was the only political position ever held by him, except that in 1856 he was one of the Ohio presidential electors at large, on the Fremont ticket.

As might be expected from his early devotion to study, he was in later life an earnest friend of educa- tional enterprises. It was owing to his suggestion and persistence that the authorities of Western Re- serve College were induced to adopt the conditions of a permanent fund, rather than to solicit unconditional contributions, and, in connection with his brothers, he made the first contribution to that fund. The wisdom of the course adopted was shown in after years, when dissensions and embarrassment crippled the institution, and would have destroyed it but for the permanent fund which enabled it to weather the storm, and which became the nucleus of its perma- nent endowment. lle gave another proof of his pub- lie spirit and generosity by uniting with two others of like disposition in purchasing the grounds for Wood- land cemetery, at Warren. beautifying them, and then transferring the property to the corporation.

The most important enterprise of his life, and one which has conferred vast benefits on the public, was the building and management of the Cleveland and Mahoning railroad. Soon after returning from the constitutional convention he became interested in the scheme for a railroad between Cleveland and Pitts- burg, by way of the Mahoning valley, and was very influential in procuring the charter and organizing the company. of which he was made president. It was very difficult to procure subscriptions to the stock, most of the capitalists of Cleveland and Pitts- burg being interested in other and partly conflicting lines.

In 1853 the work was commenced with a small stock subscription, and the gradual tightening of the money market operated to prevent mich increase. The bonds were disposed of with great difficulty, and when the financial crisis of 1857 occurred, with the road still unfinished, the bonds were unsaleable. Rail- roads which were to have connected with the Mahoning, and to have prolonged the line to the seaboard, were abandoned, and the prospects of that road were thus rendered still more gloomy. In this emergency but one of two courses remained open to the management; to abandon the enterprise and lose the whole invest- ment, or to push it to completion from Cleveland to the coal fields by the pledge and at the risk of the private fortunes of the managers. The latter course was cho- sen, at the earnest entreaty of Mr. Perkins: he agreeing, in case of disaster, to pay the first $100,000 of loss, and to share equally with the others in any other sac rifice. In 1854 he went to England, with the hope of raising money, but returned unsuccessful. In 1856 the road was completed to Youngstown and the development of the coal and iron business com- menced.

In the month of June, 185 :. his wife, to whom he was devotedly attached, died of consumption. Ilis close attention at her sick bed broke down his constitu- tion. The latter part of the winter of 1857-8 was spent in the Southern States, as was also the following sum- mer. But the disease was beyond cure, and on the 12th

H.H. Pappleton

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

of January, 1859, he died at Havana, Cuba. ITis re- mains were embalmed and brought to Warren, where they were interred in Woodland cemetery. His char- acter is clearly shown in the acts of his life. Richly endowed with natural gifts, he used those gifts in the interest of humanity and freedom, though thus saeri- ficing all hope of a political career he was so well fitted to adorn. Fond of study, and with wealth to indulge his tastes, he sacrificed ease, wealth and health for the public benefit. One of his last remarks was that on his tombstone might be engraved, "died of the Mahoning railroad."

He was married October 24, 1850, to Miss Elizabeth O. Tod, daughter of Dr. J. I. Tod, of Metson, Trumbull county, Ohio. His wife and two of his three children died before him. His son, Jacob B. Perkins, alone survived him.

NATHAN PERRY.+

Nathan Perry, one of Cleveland's pioneer merchants and millionaires, was born in Connecticut in 1786. and died in Cleveland June 24, 1865. His father. JJudge Nathan Perry, first came from Connecticut to Ohio in 1796, and continued during that season with the surveyors who were running township lines of that portion of the Western Reserve east of the Cuyahoga river. The judge removed with his family to Cleve- land in 1806 or 1807, and on the organization of Cuy- ahoga county in 1809 he was appointed one of its judges. lle died in 1813, leaving four children, viz: a daughter who became the wife of Peter M. Weddell: and three sons-Horatio, who settled in Loram county: Horace, who was for many years clerk and recorder of Cuyahoga county, and who died in 1835, highly re- spected by the community; and Nathan, the subject of this sketch.

The last named settled at Black River. now in Lo- rain county, in 1804, and engaged in trade. By great efforts he mastered several Indian dialects, and thus built up an extensive trade with the tribes which then occupied all the territory west of the Cuyahoga river. The incident related on page fifty-five of the general history of the county, when he and Quintus F. Atkins resened a Mr. Plumb from the fate which had slain his companions, shows some of the hardships of that period.

In 1808 the subject of this memoir removed from Black River to Cleveland and began trading at that place, where for more than twenty years he was a lead- ing merchant. His store and dwelling, both under one roof, were located at the corner of Superior and Water streets, on the present site of the Second Na- tional Bank building. After a few years a brick store and dwelling were erected in the same place; it being the third brick building in Cleveland.

It is related of Mr. Perry that at one time he took twelve thousand dollars worth of furs to New York,

following the wagon containing them from Buffalo to the former city. On arriving there he encountered John Jacob Astor, who endeavored to get from him the "asking price" of his furs, which he declined to give. Mr. Astor becoming importunate, he was told that he could not have the furs at any price. Mr. Perry had made up his mind that he could do better with any one else than he could with Astor, (who was not only the great fur merchant of those days but was also one of the closest men in New York), and therefore he would not even show his furs.

Mr. Perry was really the pioneer merchant of this part of Ohio; that is, he was the first who carried on the mercantile business on a large scale-his prede- cessors having merely supplied a few local wants. Endowed with a vigorous constitution, exhaustless energy and restless enterprise, he was well qualified to encounter and subdue the hardships, exposures, and perils incident to frontier life. The men of to-day can hardly realize the fatigue, self-denial and anxie- ties of the merchant of sixty years ago, when goods had to be transported from Philadelphia to Pittsburg on "Pennsylvania wagons" and thence by pack-horse or ox-team to Cleveland, and bartered to Indians and rugged settlers in exchange for all sorts of commodi- ties, under the constant personal care and inspection of the trader.

A distinguishing trait in Mr. Perry's character, de- veloped in his youth and predominating through his life, was the celerity with which he formed an opinion, and the extraordinary tenacity with which he adhered to it when formed. Ile was never known to relent, or change his decision. But he was a man of warm affections, generous and steadfast in his friendships, of the strictest integrity and honor, and ever active and influential as a citizen. When the village of Cleveland was organized, he was one of the first trus- tees, but he had no predilection for public life. lle invested largely in real estate which increased enor- mously in valne, and made him, at his death, very wealthy.

Mr. Perry's last illness was of about five weeks du- ration. Paralysis set in, first attacking the lower extremities and gradually working up until it reached the heart.

lle was married in 1816 to a daughter of Captain Abram Skinner, of Painesville. His son, Oliver Hazard Perry, named after Commodore Perry, a dis- tant relative of the family, met with an accidental death upon a railway in December, 1864. Ilis only daughter was married to Hon. 11. B. Payne, of Cleve- land and still survives. llis eldest grandson, Hon. Nathan P. Payne, was elected mayor of Cleveland in April, 1875.

HOUSTON HI. POPPLETON.

Houston II. Poppleton was born near Bellville, Richland county, Ohio, March 19, 1836, and is the youngest son of Rev. Samuel and Julia A. Poppleton.

"From C'leave's Biographical Cyclopedia of Ohio,

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THE CITY OF CLEVELAND.

Rev. Samuel Poppleton was born in the State of Vermont, July 2. 1793, but while quite young moved with his father to Genesee county, New York, where he lived nntil 1820. when he moved to Ohio. He lived in Richland county, Ohio, from 1822 until March, 1853, when he moved to Delaware, Ohio, where he continued to reside most of the time until his death, which occurred at Delaware, September 14, 1864. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and served with honor and distinction. Shortly after its close he entered the ministry of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and continued to preach, as his health would permit, for nearly fifty years. Ile was twice married. This first wife was Miss Parthenia Stein- back, of Genesee county, New York, and his second, Miss Julia A. Smith, of Richland county, Ohio. By the first marriage, four children were born, to wit: Rowena L., intermarried with F. W. Strong, of Mans- field, Ohio; Samuel D., killed in 1864, at the battle of Atlanta, Georgia; Mary Ellen, intermarried with Daniel Fisher, of Bellville, and Andrew J., who died at West Unity, Ohio, September 25, 1850.

By the second marriage, six children were born, to wit: Emory E., Parthenia P., Damaris A., Early F., Houston II., and Zada C.

Emory E. has been engaged in business in Detroit and Chicago, and is now the secretary of the Cleve- land and Mahoning Valley railroad, residing at Cleveland.

Parthenia P. married Hon. Stevenson Burke, long prominently identified with the Lorain county bar, and after residing in Elyria for over twenty-two years, moved to Cleveland. She died at Salt Lake City, Utah, January 2, 1878, and is buried in Lake View cemetery, near Cleveland.

Damaris A. was married to HIon. George B. Lake, formerly a member of the Lorain county bar, and now chief justice of the State of Nebraska. She died in April, 1854, and is buried in the cemetery at Elyria.

Early F. read law, and was admitted to the bar at Elyria, and, after practicing there several years, moved to Delaware, Ohio, where he has ever since been an active and successful lawyer and politician. He was elected State senator from the counties of Licking and Delaware, and after serving one term was elected on the Democratic ticket to the forty-fourth Congress, from the ninth Ohio Congressional district. Although one of the youngest members of that body, he was ac- tive and industrious; serving with marked ability, and with credit to himself and to his party.

Zada C. was married to Thomas II. Linnell, of Elyria, and resided there during the whole of her married life. She died March 29, 1875, and is buried in the cemetery at Elyria.

Houston II. Poppleton received his early education in the common schools at Bellville, but entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, in the spring of 1853, and, although his attendance was not continuous, he graduated from that institution in

June, 1858. He taught school several winters in the counties of Delaware and Richland, while pursuing his studies at the university, and also had general charge of his father's mercantile house at Richwood, from April, 1855, to February, 1857. In September, 1858, he entered the law office of Stevenson Burke, at Elyria, and prosecuted his studies there until October, 1859, when he entered the Cincinnati Law College. Completing the prescribed course there, he graduated from it on the 16th of April, 1860, and was admitted to the bar at Cincinnati the same day. Returning to Elyria, he formed a law partnership with his brother- in-law, Mr. Burke, and commenced practice May 2, 1860. After Mr. Burke's election to the bench, Mr. Poppleton formed a law partnership with Hon. II. D. Clark, which continued about two years. On the 10th of February, 1864, he was married, at Cincinnati, to Miss Lucinda II. Cross, of that city. He resided in Elyria until September 24, 1875, when he moved with his family to Cleveland.

From the latter part of 1864 he continued in active general practice at Elyria, without a partner, until November, 1843, when he was appointed general attorney of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis railway company, with headquarters at Cleveland, which position he still holds. He was prominent, active and successful in his practice, as the records of the courts of Lorain and adjoining counties abundantly show, and in his removal the bar of Lorain county sustained a serious loss. By accept- ing the position of general attorney of the company mentioned he became the head of the legal depart- ment of that corporation, and has had entire charge of its legal business along its whole line, as well as elsewhere. Giving his personal attention to the de- tails of all the litigation of the company-trying only those causes that should be tried, and settling those that should be settled-he has, by his fair, honorable and judicious course, made many friends for himself, and seenred for his company a reputation and good will that any railroad company in the country might well envy.

CHAPTER . LXVIII.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES CONTINUED.

Thomas Quayle D. P. Rhodes-Ansel Roberts-J. P. Robisou-W. G. Rose-J. H. Salisbury-J. C. Sanders-W. J. Scott-Elias Sims-A. D. Slaght-Amasa Stone-A. B. Stone-W. S. Streator-Peter Thatcher- Amos Townsend-Oscar Townsend-J. H. Wade Samuel Williamson -H. V. Willson-R. K. Winslow-Reubeu Wood T. D. Crocker.

THOMAS QUAYLE.

Thomas Quayle has been, for more than thirty years, closely and prominently identitied with the ship-building interests of Cleveland, and has been largely accessary to its growth and development. He was born on the Isle of Man on the 9th day of May, 1811. His parents, who were both natives of that island, emigrated to America in 1827, coming directly

Quale r1 Thomas

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHIES.

to Cleveland. His father soon afterward purchased a farm in Newburg, where he resided until his death.

Until twenty-five years of age Mr. Quayle worked as a journeyman at his trade of ship-carpenter, to which he had been apprenticed before leaving the Isle of Man. In 1847 he formed a co-partnership with John Codey, and at once started in the ship- building business. This firm lasted three years, dur- ing which time it built the brigs "Caroline" and " Shakespeare " for Charles Richmond, of Chicago. In 1849 Mr. Codey withdrew from the business and went to California.

Soon afterward Mr. Quayle went into company with Luther Moses, and for two years the firm carried on an extensive business, having from six to seven vessels on the stocks at once, and turning out two sets a year. The year after Mr. Moses left the firm, a partnership was formed with John Martin, and the business was enlarged and extended. In one year this firm built thirteen vessels, among others, the bar- gne "W. T. Graves," which carried the largest cargo of any fresh-water vessel afloat. The propeller "Dean Richmond" is another important production of Quayle & Martin's yard. Besides these, four first-class ves- sels, built for Mr. Frank Perew, deserve mention as giving character to Cleveland ship-building. They were named the " Mary E. Perew," " D. P. Dobbin," "Chandler J. Wells" and "J. G. Masten." Messrs. Quayle & Martin also built the tug "JJ. Il. Martin," intended for their use in the port of Erie.

In 18:4 the partnership with Mr. Martin was dis- solved and a new one was formed with George L. and Thomas E. Quayle, under the name of Thomas Quayle & Sons, which is still in existence. The first vessels built by this firm were the " E. B. Hale" and the "Sparta." The following year it built the " Commo- dore," the largest vessel on the lakes. During the summer of 1878, Quayle & Sons built two propellers for the Anchor Line, and one for the Western Trans- portation Company, of Buffalo; the latter being called the "Buffalo." They have just launched (August, 1829,) the "Chicago," a magnificent boat of one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five tons bur- den, which they have built for the latter named com- pany. The vessels built by the firms of which Mr. Quayle has been the head are known all over the great lakes, and far exceed in number those of any other firm in the West.

Mr. Quayle stands high among the citizens of Cleveland for integrity of character, and as a man who always fulfills his obligations to employer and em- ployed. He is a member of the Second Presbyterian church and active in all the duties pertaining to that relation. For a number of years he has been associ- ated with the Masonic order, being a member of Big- elow lodge, on the West Side, and of Webb chapter, on the East Side. ITe is also a member of the Monas Relief Society, composed of people from the Isle of Man.

Mr. Quayle was married in 1835 to Eleanor Can-

non, of the Isle of Man, by whom he had eleven chil- dren, of whom six are living. She died in Septem- ber, 1860. In February, 1867, he was married to Mary Proudfoot, daughter of John Proudfoot, Esq., of Cleveland. Ilis children have been Thomas E., born July 26, 1836; William IT., born April 22, 1838; John James, born October 12, 1839, who died Feb- ruary 13, 1843; Eleanor M., born March 2. 1841, who died February 16, 1843; George L., born June 15, 1842; Charles E., born January 23, 1845, who died September 16, 1871; Matilda, born July 20, 1846; Caroline J., born March 31, 1848; John F., born Au- gust 31, 1850, who died February 4, 1853; Mary II., born November 19, 1853; and Frederick M., born May 11, 1858, who died September 14, 1859.

DANIEL P. RHODES.

The subject of this memoir was born in Sudbury, Rutland county, Vermont, in the year 1814. When but five years of age he lost his father, and from that time onward was compelled to help earn his own live- lihood. Thus, almost at the threshold of life, he had to struggle with adverse circumstances, and was com- pelled to overcome by his own energy the discourage- ments and difficulties everywhere met with. When he was fifteen years of age his mother remarried, and he then found a home with his stepfather for six years.

At the age of twenty-one young Rhodes determined to leave Vermont, and make for himself a home and fortune in the distant West. His stepfather was strongly attached to him, and, being a man of means, offered him a farm if he would remain in Vermont. But the young man was firm in his determination, and declining the tempting offer departed for the West. On his subsequently returning to the home of his youth, his stepfather offered him half of his property if he would remain and occupy it. The inducement was very strong, but the young man had made an engagement of marriage with a lady in the West, and before giving a final answer to the propo- sition, he decided to revisit his pioneer home and con- sult her to whom he had plighted his faith.

He came back West by canal, and on the long, slow journey had ample time to consider the subject of his future home. The beauty and grandeur of the west- ern scenery, the freedom from all the conventionalities which prevail in more densely settled sections, the stern, rugged virtues of the men whom he found in the wilderness, together with the independent career opened to him strongly impressed his manly, demo- cratic mind, and he resolved to cast his lot in the West. Saying nothing of the matter to his athanced, he wrote to his parents, making known his resolution to decline their kind offer, and future circumstances proved the wisdom of his decision.

For thirty years Mr. Rhodes was a resident of Cleveland, and the same restless and indomitable energy which prompted him to prefer the untrodden paths of the wilderness to the pleasures of an eastern

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THE CITY OF CLEVELAND.

home, accompanied him throughout that time and impressed his name upon many of the most important enterprises of the Forest City. He was one of the pioneers in the coal trade of Cleveland, which has since grown to such magnificent proportions.

His first enterprise in that line was at what are known as the old Brier Ilill mines, in 1845, in com- pany with Gov. Tod and Mr. Ford. Their produc- tion of coal was about fifty tons per week, and this was then deemed a large business. The diffi- culties in the way of the introduction of even this, the very best of coal, were very great. Wood was the universal fuel for domestic use. The only chance to sell coal was to the lake steamers, and even there the old prejudice against any departure from the beaten track had to be overcome. Mr. Rhodes, who had charge of the Cleveland end of the business, was, however, well fitted to make a fight against obstacles, and by his steady perseverence he succeeded in introducing coal largely for use on the lake boats. Ile was an untiring worker, ever on the watch for his customers from early morn to the close of day, devoting his evenings to posting up his books and attending to his other office work. The coal business of the firm grew rapidly, and the members turned their attention to other sections of the State, opening mines in both Tuscarawas and Wayne coun- ties. In Tuscarawas county Mr. Rhodes, in company with Gov. Tod, began the development of the black band iron ore, the nses of which had not previously been appreciated, although its existence had been known.

In 1855 the firm of Tod & Rhodes was dissolved, and in 1857 Mr. Rhodes formed a copartnership with Mr. I. F. Card. They went to work with great ear- nestness developing the black band ore and other min- eral resources of Tuscarawas county. At first they mined large quantities for sale to the Massillon fur- naces, but subsequently they made up their minds that the proper place to smelt the ore was where it was mined, and in 1864 they purchased the old blast furnace at Canal Dover, in Tuscarawas county, where they have since carried on large manufactures of pig metal.

In 1860 Mr. Rhodes' attention was attracted to the mineral resources of Stark county, and in that year he opened the famous Willow Bank mine, which has proved to be one of the most extensive and profitable coal mines ever opened in Ohio. This was only the beginning of his enterprises in this county and valley, for he was the principal prompter of other efforts of a similar character. Under his auspices were opened the Rhodes, the Willow Bank number Three, the Buckeye, and the Warmington mines. He was like- wise largely interested in the Fulton Coal company and the Silver Creek Company, and a zealous pro- moter of their interests. So that from his original prodnetion of fifty tons of coal weekly, he increased the amount until, at the time of his death, he had the controlling interest or was a large owner in mines

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History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 92

Author: Johnson, Crisfield Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co. Number of Pages: 716

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716