USA > Ohio > Lorain County > History of Lorain County, Ohio > Part 36
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At the age of twenty-one, Mr. Aldrich hired to his father for the term of one year, at eleven dollars per month; losing but a half day's time once in four weeks-this to attend covenant meetings.
February 5, 1840, Mr. Aldrich was married to Miss Martha Bassett, daughter of Nathan Bassett, of Dover. Renting his father's farm, he worked it for one year, receiving one-third of its products for his share. At this time, with twenty-five dollars as first payment, he commenced on a farm of his own. Five years, only, passed, when he was the owner of seventy-five acres of land. From this time, while he remained in Dover, he was ever active in business. His good wife, in every sense of the word a helpmate, by her wisdom and prudence, contributed largely to the success which followed.
Soon after the death of Mrs. Aldrich's father, who was killed by lightning, April 6. 1842, Mr. Aldrich took possession of the "oll homestead," buying up the other heirs. To this valuable farm of one hun- dred and sixty-eight acres, he added many other acres.
Commencing, in 1844, in a small way, the slaughter- ing business, increasing trade led him to build a slaughter house, from which, for twenty-five years, he supplied Cleveland markets. At the same time, he was engaged on Lake Erie in a general coastwise trade. Wood and ship plank from Black River to Cleveland, limestone from Kelly's Island, and coal to Detroit, kept busy three scows-the " Mayflower," purchased of Livingstone & Phelps, of Black River; the scow " Consuello," of the same place; and finally, the scow " Wave," of Fairport, Ohio. All these ven- tures added to his capital, which he employed in gen- eral speenlations; dealing largely in horses, cattle, sheep-in fact, in any thing that could be traded or sold.
MRS. M. W. POND.
121
INGER
RESIDENCE OF MARTIN W. POND, WEST AVE ELYRIA , O.
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
In the spring of 1870, Mr. Aldrich removed to Elyria, where he purchased of Thomas Ashton the well known Charles Abbe farm, paying for the same nine thousand dollars. Of Mr. Ashton he also bought a few thorough bred Hereford cattle, since which time he has made the breeding of that class a snecess- ful specialty, until the present day. Mr. Aldrich, when he first commenced the handling of Herefords, found it to be an "np hill " business. At town, county, or State fair, publie opimon was against him; but his energy, skill, and business courtesy, soon set men everywhere to thinking. And now, (as the old Grecians marked a happy day with a white stone.) Mr. Aldrich, in his travels through many States, finds very many white-faced Herefords that say to him, " Your toil and patience have made me worthy of notice." The issue of the first cow, " Florena," alone brought. Mr. Aldrich two thousand, five hun- dred dollars. Competing at many of the State fairs, his success has been unequalled, and to-day, Mr. W. W. Aldrich is recognized as the leading Hereford breeder of the United States, with only one exception, viz: Mr. T. L. Miller, of Illinois, who purchased his first stock of Mr. Aldrich.
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Martha, the first wife of Mr. Aldrich, died Novem- ber 29, 1875, leaving eight children to mourn the loss of one, who, as wife, mother, and member of the Congregational church, filled well every function of the true woman.
On January 21. 1878, Mr. Aldrich took for his second wife Mrs. Lorinda Hilliard, of La Crosse, Wis- consin, with whom he is happily living. In her younger days, she was a resident of Avon, Lorain county, Ohio. For a time after her marriage with Mr. Hilliard, they resided in Avon and Dover, where they formed many strong friendships. After an ab- sence of twenty years in Wisconsin, ten years as a widow, surrounded by a happy home, kind friends, and a large circle of acquaintances, all of whom were reluctant to part with her, yet wishing her every joy and all happiness. they bade her farewell, as with her husband she returned to the friends of her youth. Mrs. Aldrich, in her fourteenth year, professed her faith in Christ. and united with the Methodist Epis- copal church, and has ever since lived a consistent christian life.
Mr. W. W. Aklrich, on profession of his faith, was baptized by Elder Moses Ware, and united with the First Baptist church, at Avon, Ohio, A. D. 1835, which membership he retained until January 22, 1836. At that time four brethren, viz: A. A. Aldrich, Wm. W. Aldrich, Jesse Atwill, Wm. Nesbit, and Sister Alexander met in conference, and resolved, with the advice of sister churches, to form a church in Dover. Said conference met February 24, 1836, and formed said church, Elder Ware giving the " right hand of fellowship."
On the 5th of March following, this little band met for church and covenant meeting, and voted Mr. W. W. Aldrich clerk of their body, which office he held for
nine years. To this church did Mr. Aldrich belong until 1856, when, on the death of his father and the removal of many of the members, the church was disbanded. Mr. Aldrich has never since united with a church, but has ever lived and maintained his first profession, by a well ordered life, and godly conver- sation.
Mr. Aldrich is yet hale and hearty, with a pleasant home, dear wife, kind children, and stands out as an example of what integrity, temperance, and economy may do for a man.
MARTIN WEBSTER POND
Was born in Harwinton, Connecticut, on the 12th of March, A. D. 1814. llis father, Roswell Pond, was born July 15, 1722. llis mother's maiden name was Hannah Webster. Mr. Pond descended from revolu- tionary stock, his grandfather (who was born at Bradford, Connecticut, in 1746) was a soldier of the Revolution, under Washington, and died on Long Island, July 8, 1976.
In April, 1825, his sister, Lydia Pond, was married to Ezra S. Adams, a son of General Adams, of Canton, Connecticut; and as they were about to emigrate to New Connecticut, which was then considered the far west, she prevailed upon his father and mother to permit them to take Martin (then but eleven years old) with them. They traveled the entire distance from Canton to Elyria with a single horse and wagon. Mr. Adams arrived at Elyria, the terminus of his journey, on the 1st of July, and established the first saddle and harness mannfactory in Lorain county. Their goods were shipped by the Erie Canal and Lake Eric, and were landed at Cleveland the last of June.
Martin had attended the common schools of his native State, and the first winter after his arrival in Elyria attended the district school, tanght by Norris O. Stow. Ile afterwards, until sixteen years of age, attended the district school in the old yellow school honse, and for a single term, the select school taught by the late Schuyler Putnam.
He then entered the shop of his brother-in-law, the late E. S. Adams, as an apprentice, and worked faith- fully until he had completed his twenty-first year. Soon after attaining his majority, he left Elyria for the purpose of perfecting himself in the art of saddle- making, in which he took great pride. During his absence, he worked at Cleveland, Detroit, Wheeling, Va., and other places. He returned to Elyria at the end of two years, with impaired health, but with a consciousness that he was capable of making a good saddle. After his health was in a measure restored. he again engaged in the business of his trade, which he followed until the year 1852. During these years. he formed various partnerships, at first with B. F. Robinson, secondly with Waterman Morse, and after- ward with the late William Doolittle.
By the advice of physicians, in June, 1852, Mr.
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
Pond left Elyria for California, by the Nicaragua route. Being delayed twenty-one days on the isth- mus, where he was attacked with Panama fever, he finally, after a tedious voyage of sixty-six days from the time of leaving home, arrived at San Francisco in a very feeble condition. Hle gradually recovered his health, and engaged in mining, his head-quarters being at Nevada City. He returned to Elyria, via the Panama route in June, 1853, and again entered into partnership with Waterman Morse, in carrying on the saddlery and harness business. This connec- tion terminated at the end of a year, and Mr. Morse conducted the business alone. In March, 1858, the fire that swept away the oldl Mansion House, destroyed also the adjoining building belonging to Mr. Pond, which he immediately rebuilt, and in January, 1859, he engaged in his old business, which he continued until 1870, when he engaged in the manufacture of a harness pad, for which he had obtained a patent. In 1862, he invented the first successful tug buckle, to the sale and introduction of which he gave much attention until 1870.
On the tenth of December, 1835, the subject of our sketch married Miss Eliza J. Sayles, who was born at Mayville, Chatauqua county, N. Y. They have been blessed with a family of tive sons and one daughter. One of the sons died in childhood, another, Horace, from disease caused by exposure and arduous duties in the Union army during the late rebellion. Three sons are living and tilling responsible positions in business. The daughter is married and is a good wife and mother.
Mr. Pond has filled many positions of honor and trust conferred on him by his fellow citizens. An ardent Mason, he has filled many offices in the differ- ent branches of that order. He has been treasurer of Marshall Chapter, No. 47, for fifteen consecutive years. In 1841, he assisted in forming at Elyria a lodge of the " Mechanie's Mutual Protection," an order founded for the benefit of practical mechanics. It held weekly meetings, at most of which lectures were delivered, and the association was supplied with books and other means of improvement. Perhaps no insti- tution has exerted so permanent an influence for good upon the citizens of Elyria as the lodge above referred to. The organization of our present excellent system of union schools, was to a great extent effected through its influence. On the passage of a bill by the general assembly for the founding of union schools, this institution, through a committee, corresponded with the friends of education in other cities in regard to the merits of such schools in their midst. The Protection then appointed a committee consisting of Mr. Pond and Thomas Quark to obtain the signa- tures of six freeholders to a call for a public meeting none of them to be members of the Protection. After three days of hard labor they obtained the following signatures: Robbins Burrell, Roswell Snow, N. 11. Manter, Herrick Parker, Tabor Wood, and William Olcott, none of them members of the Protection but
Herrick Parker, and he was accepted because the committee could not obtain the requisite -number ont- side the order. The meeting was held at the court house in Elyria, on the 24th of May, 1850; a favora- ble vote was secured, and thus, by the untiring and persistent work of the protection our union schools were established.
To this protection is Elyria also indebted in a great degree for her present fine side-walks, and the intro- duction of fire cisterns.
Such is a brief record of the life of Mr. Pond. With a competency won by honest labor, and enjoy- ing the respect of his fellow citizens, he may be classed among the representative men of Elyria.
HION. STEVENSON BURKE.
The subject of this sketch was born in St. Law- rence county, N. Y., November 26, 1826. In March, 1834, his father removed from New York to Ohio, and settled in North Ridgeville, Lorain county, where he resided up to the time of his decease, in August, 1875. The subject of this sketch had in early life such facilities as the common schools of the time afforded, which consisted of about ninety days of very indifferent instruction in the winter, and none during the rest of the year. At about the age of sixteen, he had the benefit of instruction in a very good select school at Ridgeville Center; and afterwards he studied several terms in a private school, conducted by T. M. Oviatt, at Elyria. Later still, he studied a year or so at Delaware University, where, in 1846, he commenced the study of law with Messrs. Powell & Buek. In the spring of 1848, he returned to Elyria and completed his studies, preparatory to admission to the bar, under the instruction of Hon. H. D. Clark, and was admitted to practice by the supreme court August 11, 1848, and at once commeneed the practice at Elyria. In April, 1849, Mr. Clark, who was then one of the most prominent and successful lawyers at the bar in Lorain county, admitted him into a copartnership, which continued up to May, 1852.
We have thus in a few lines sketched the career, up to the time he commenced the practice of the law alone, of one who, for more than twenty-five years, has occupied a very prominent position at the bar in Northern Ohio. From 1852 to February, 1862, Mr. Burke devoted himself to the practice of his profession with such zeal and devotion to the interests of his clients, as to merit and command success. There were few cases tried in the court of common pleas, or district court of Lorain county, or in the supreme court taken from Lorain county, in which he was not engaged. llis industry and attention to business were rare and almost exceptional. He spent no time in idleness, and his patrons were always sure to find him in his office in business hours, unless engaged in business elsewhere. His close attention to business
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Stenson Benke,
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
and sedentary habits affected seriously his health, and in 1861 he found his health so seriously impaired as to render a change of business necessary; and his friends having secured his election as one of the judges of the court of common pleas of the fourth judicial district of Ohio, he gave up his practice and entered npon the discharge of his duties as judge. After serving a term of five years to the satisfaction of the bar and the people, he was re-elected in 1866 for a second term. He served, however, but two years of his second term, when, having regained his health, he resigned his position as judge, January 1, 1869, and at once commenced the practice of law in Cleve- land, in partnership with Hon. F. T. Backus and E. J. Estep, Esq. The copartnership was dissolved by the death of Mr. Backns, in May, 1820, but was continued with Mr. Estep until the winter or spring of 1875, since which time he has practiced alone. His practice in Cleveland has been a very successful one. lle has been constantly engaged in the courts and in his office, and during the last ten years has probably tried as many cases of importance, involving large amounts of money or property, as any lawyer in Northern Ohio. He has during that period argued many cases in the supreme court of the State of Ohio, several in the United States supreme court, and in the supreme courts of adjoining States. The history of the profession in Northern Ohio furnishes few examples of a more successful practice.
In addition to his professional business, Judge Burke has devoted much attention to other business; he is now, and has been for several years past, a director and chairman of the finance and executive committee of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway Company, and its general counsel. He has held for several years and still holds the position of director, general counsel and chairman of the finance and executive committee of the Cleve- land and Mahoning Valley Railway Company, and he is also the representative in this country of all the stock of the last-named company, it being owned in Europe. He is also the representative of the owners of the stock of the Shenango and Allegheny Railroad Company, and also of the Mercer Mining and Manu- facturing Company, and a director in both of the last- named companies. IIc has been for some time a director of the Cincinnati, Springfield and Indian- apolis and St. Louis railroad companies. He has also for several years been a director of the Lake Shore Foundry and director and president of the Cleveland and Snow Fork Coal Company, both large private corporations.
The foregoing is a very brief outline of a very active professional and business life. It is too carly yet to compare the subject of this brief sketch with others, or go into detail in regard to his professional, judicial and business career; he is still in the prime of life; time has dealt gently with him, and his ap- pearanee indicates that he has many years of active life still before him.
ELWOOD P. HAINES.
A mother dying at Bordentown, N. J., left an only child, Elwood P. Haines, three months of age, who was born March 4, 1834. Soon after her death, Mr. Ilaines, with his mother and little son, came to Ohio, where they settled, in Deerfield, Portage county. Engaging in farming, this young life had every ad- vantage of nature's kindly teachings; and the aspira- tions which grew with his years, had their beginning here. He carty turned his attention toward a pro- fessional life; and to this end he availed himself of the excellent advantages afforded by an academy in a neighboring town, where he studied for years pre- paring for Western Reserve College. These prepara- tions were finished under the instructions of Rev. Elias C. Sharp, a man of blessed memory in Atwater. Ile went through his college course and received his diploma at its close with honor to himself-ever a joy and delight to his friends. Having concluded to study medicine, he went into the office of Dr. Dudicy Allen, now of Oberlin, where he remained some time, after which he took a course at Michigan University, where he graduated, receiving also the degree of M. D. from the Cleveland Medical College.
Then came the war of the rebellion. He waited not. for high position, but at once enlisted as hospital steward. The duties of this office were so well per- formed, that on March 2, 1863, he was appointed assistant surgeon of the Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. A letter from the surgeon-general of Ohio, dated August 29, 1864, says as follows:
"Enclosed, please find your commission as major surgeon of the Twenty ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a promotion conferred for long and meritorious services."
His merit was recognized by Order No. 4, June 1865:
"Surgeon E. P. Haines, Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteers, is hereby an- nounced as surgeon-in-chief of brigade. General Wm. Hawley, com- manding."
With such record did Dr. Haines leave the service of his country, June 26, 1865. His life in the army was characterized, as in all other circumstances, by purity and integrity in every partienlar.
At the close of the war he settled with his wife, whom he had married while on furlongh, at Orwell, Ashtabula county. Here he entered at once into the hard work of the practice of medieine in the country. He was soon called to the bitter trial of losing his wife, who left him a little danghter. still living, although those who loved her so fondly then, have gone the way of all the earth.
Broken up in his domestic matters, he bethought him of an old schoolmate who had long been a teacher in Kentucky; finding her, he soon realized "a sweet dream of his boyhood," for she became his wife in March, 1870. Soon after they came to Elyria, where Dr. Haines was the successor of Dr. Jamin Strong, whose residence and office he purchased. By this . marriage there were two children, both daughters. One led the way and waited for "papa" in the better land, and one still cheers her mother's widowed heart.
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
Dr. Haines died October 24, 1877, at the age of forty-three and a half years. ITis work was done, and he rests from his labors. One who trusted his life with Dr. Haines may not be an impartial judge, yet it is his duty, aye, pleasure, to say that, as a man. he performed every duty with true manhood; as a member of the Presbyterian church, bigotry was no element in his religious thought; as a citizen, he was true to the best interests of his country and to all the relations of life: as a pension surgeon and surgeon of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad, he was faithful and efficient; as a physician, he was ever welcome, with genial face and kind attention.
Let the kind relations ever existing between him and his brothers in the practice of medicine-let the many to whose ills he ministered, who, with weeping eyes, paid their respect to a good and true man, when all joined in the sad rites that gave him rest-testify to the goodness and beauty of his character. Beloved by all, Elyria mourns the loss of Dr. Ilaines.
EDWIN DORR HOLBROOK.
It is but a labor of love to trace from the earliest boyhood days the development of those principles which made prominent the brief but eventful life of Edwin Dorr Holbrook. Ile was born in Elyria, Lo- rain county, Ohio, October 10, 1835, is a son of Dex- ter and JJerusha Holbrook, grandson of Captain Hol- brook and Tyler, who entered Fort Ticonderoga with Ethan Allen; also great-grandson of General Seth Pomeroy, of Bunker Hill fame.
Before scarcely attaining to the dignity of boys' apparel, while surrounded by his pets upon his father's farm, the proceeds of his first sale was, "to by a new dress for my mother." This was the key- note of an unselfish life-" not for myself, but for my mother, to whom I owe so much."
Here he received his rudimentary education, and became familiar with nature in its various forms; studying the habits of birds, bees and animals; loving flowers; training the woodbine and wild rose around the farm-house; skilled in hunting, skating, boating and swimming, a knowledge which enabled him to resene many from watery graves,-once returning hatless and coatless, after saving King Barton and a companion. Again, hearing that. Mr. Snow's son was drowning in the presence of a crowd of anxious friends, he leaped into the swollen tide. For a time. they believed him lost. Soon his voice was heard: "Is this the right direction ?" Again he disappeared; again they believed him drowned, being caught by the death struggles of the boy, and drawn under; but by almost superhuman exertions, he bore the lifeless form to the shore.
This unflinching bravery, daring to face any danger for the accomplishment of good, characterized the boy as well as the man. Fun and frolic entered
largely into his composition, and he was the acknowl- edged leader in boyish tricks. He was one of a class of boys who seemed moulded for future action by that ripe scholar, C. D. B. Mills. He ever cherished his memory, and, in after years, expressed the wish that he might travel with him as his companion. Studied law with his brother-in-law, Judge T. S. Johnson, and with Judge Rex, of Wooster; was admitted May 2, 1857; opened an office in Elyria, and continued his studies, including German. In early life he was a constant reader; history, poetry and the writings of our early statesmen were carefully studied, as his well worn books evince. His room at his father's house was filled with books, papers and speeches, which were very familiar to him. Born and bred in the democratic faith, he struggled, even during his minority, for the success of that party.
June 3, 1861, he bade adieu to home and friends, and sailed for California, where he remained one year with his brother, practicing law, when, with thous- ands, who in consequence of the overflow of the Sacramento river and the almost fabulous tales of the richness of the Salmon river mines, he emigrated northward a distance of eight hundred miles. May 16th, 1862, he wrote :
"I start to-morrow astride a mule which carries myself, bed and provender, off into a wilderness, over mountains and dangerous moun tain streams, through a country where the red man lies in ambush to bear my scalp to the maid he loves But I am young, have a life be- fore me, and desire making my fortune as quickly as possible, and to seo something of this country. I only care for life that I may make you all happy and independent. If I succeed all is yours-if I fail 1 want no mourners."
During the next three years, before the perfeet system of mail communication was established, occasional letters and rumors reached his home-friends, of peril- ons adventure ; his narrow escape from a snow-slide by leaping from his horse, which was buried under a pitiless sheet of snow and ice ; his traveling over nar- row, precipitous mountain trails to fulfil professional engagements. In December, 1865, he took his seat as the youngest member of the thirty-ninth congress. As a member of congress he labored zealously for the development of his beloved mountain home-Idaho ; for appropriations for the perfection of mail rontes and roads, for the building of the assay office and penitentiary ; also was ever laboring for the construc- tion of the Northern Pacific Railroad, in the inter- est of which he addressed the capitalists of Boston. After having faithfully labored for the development of his territory for two successive terms in congress, bidding adieu for the last time to his home friends, May 26th, 1869, he crossed for the eighth time the plains to his mountain home where a demonstration awaited him. He at once opened a law office at Boise and Idaho City, and engaged actively in his practice. Laboring as before for everything pertaining to the advancement of Idaho, which he hoped would soon attain to the dignity of a State, in the midst of a successful professional career, with light hopes of the future, at the close of the summer day. June 18th, 1870, while resting with his feet upon the railing in
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