USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, Pt.1 > Part 36
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Ilis entire life was full of efforts to develop the State, to advance the education and morals of its people, and to secure the "rights of life, liberty and property." Ile died at Columbus, Ohio, December 2, 1859.
Irad Kelley became a citizen of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1810, in which year he began his long and successful business career in this city. For inany years he was identified with the progress of Cleveland, where he was nniversally known as a shrewd and honorable, if somewhat eccen- tric, character. He was associated with his brother, Datus Kelley, in the purchase of Kelley's island, but figured less conspicuously because of his residence at a distance. Angust 5, 1819, he married Harriet Pease. lle died in New York on his way to South America, January 21, 1875, being at that time the last survivor but one of this family of pioneer brothers. The following were the children of Irad and Harriet Kelley: Gustavns, George, Mary, Edwin, Charles, Franklin, Martha Louisa, Norman, Laura Harriet and William Henry Ilarrison Kelley.
Joseph Reynolds Kelley also came to Cleve- land in 1810, coming with his brothers, Alfred and Trad. lle was also a successful business man for several years in Cleveland, where he
died August 23, 1823. In 1814 he married Betsey Gould, who had by him but one child, Ilorace Kelley, who died not many years ago in Cleveland, and who bequeathed nearly the whole of his large fortune to the founding of an art gallery and art school in Cleveland.
Thomas Moore Kelley came to Cleveland in the fall of 1814, along with his parents, Daniel and Jemima Kelley. Ile became a prominent business man of Cleveland, where at one time he ocenpied the bench, where he gained the title of Judge Kelley, as his father was also known. Ile was at one time president of the Merchants' (now Mercantile) National Bank, and also served as a representative in the Ohio Legislature. He married Miss Lucy Latham, of Vermont.
Alfred Stow Kelley, a son of Datus and Sara (Dean) Kelley, was born in Rockport, Ohio, December 23, 1826. May 21, 1857, he married Hannah Farr, who was born at Rockport, Ohio, August 9, 1837. She died at Detroit, Michi- gan, February 4, 1889. Alfred Stow Kelley resided at Kelley's island till the death of his wife, since when he has resided in the city of Cleveland. The only child of Alfred Stow Kelley and Hannah Farr Kelley is Hermon Alfred Kelley, an attorney at law at Cleveland.
Herman A. Kelley, one of the representative lawyers of Cleveland, is a son of Alfred S. Kelley, already mentioned, and a descendant of Daniel Kelley, sketched at the beginning of this record. He was born on Kelley's island, May 15, 1859. Nearly the whole of his life has been spent in Ohio, his native State. Ile grad- uated at Buchtel College, at Akron, Ohio, in 1879, taking the degree of B. S., and in 1880 the degree of A. B. was conferred upon him by the same institution. Predilection led him to the profession of law, and his legal education has been more thorough than that of the aver- age young man entering that profession. Hle attended Harvard Law School in this country, and Göttingen University in Germany. Having completed his course in the law, and being ad- mitted to the bar in Ohio, March 7, 1853, and also to the bar of Michigan, he located at De-
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troit, where he practiced for about eight months. In December, 1883, he located in Cleveland, and has since continued in the active practice of his profession in this city. In September, 1885, Mr. Kelley formed a partnership with Arthur A. Stearns, mider the firm name of Stearns & Kelley, which firm existed nntil 1891, after which date till 1893 Mr. Kelley was first assistant Corporation Counsel for Cleve- land. In 1893 he formed a partnership with Messrs. Hoyt & Dustin, under the present firm name of Hoyt, Dustin & Kelley.
OHN C. SHIMMION, one of the oldest men in the employ of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad Company, and for more than thirty-four years a most faithful and painstaking servant, was born in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, March 4, 1840. His father, John Shimmion, a Manxman, settled in this county, in the woods, in 1836. He set about chopping ont a farm, the identical farm on which ho now resides, where he has spent nearly sixty years. His first wife, nee Aun Teare, was only sixteen years of age when they left their native isle, and, according to the laws of Ohio at the time, Mr. Shimmion paid school tax on her nutil she be- came of age, a fact which seems to us now rather as a joke, or old-fashioned, to say the least. Mrs. Shimmion died in 1853, leaving the fol- lowing children: William, for thirty years employed by the " Big Four " Railroad Company ; Jolm C .; Hngh T .; Henry, deceased; Belle, wife of Henry Scott, of this city; and George, deceased. By a second marriage, to Hannah Joyce, Mr. Shimmion was the father of George P., deceased; Kate, who married Henry Morse; and Sarah.
Mr. Shimmion has been an active, useful and reasonably prosperons man, taught his sons the lessons of industry and the principles of good citizenship, and is now retired in the enjoyment of the fruits of honest labor and with the con- seiousness of having performed his work well.
John C. Shimmion, at fifteen years of age, was placed with an nnele to learn earpentering, and abont the time he should have had it well learned he decided to try railroading, and in 1859 began firing on the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad. This he continued, together with learning how to repair engines,-an acquire- ment which was needed then, as overy engineer was expected to put his own engino in order after oach trip,- until 1861, when he was given a freight rnn. The next year he was put on a passenger engine and the first twenty years pulled a train between Pittsburg and Wheeling, and Bellaire, covering during the last year, 1872, a distance of 52,000 miles. At this rate he would travel more than a million and a half miles in thirty years,-a sixtieth part of the distance from here to the sun, and six times the distance to the moon! A plan was once in vogue with the Cleveland & Pittsburg Company to pay premiums to engineers who show tho most economical mileage figure for a year's run, being based on the cost of each mile covered. A letter dated February 26, 1867, from Superin- tendent Devereaux, and inclosing the $100 premium awarded to Mr. Shimmion, stated that he covered that year, 32,879 miles, at a cost per mile of 6.12 cents, and specially commend- ing him for his care of his engine and for avoid- ing the killing of stock. In April, 1872, Superintendent Jolm Thomas inclosed a check for $100 as premium, and expressed the appre- ciation of the officers of the company for Mr. Shimmion's care and fidelity in attaining his excellent results. The next year Superintend- ent Thomas had occasion to inclose another check for the annual premium, result of running his miles at 14.16 cents each. And many other lotters came to Mr. Shimmion from the com- pany of a commendatory character, and inelos- ing substantial tokens, as expressions of their pleasure in his services. During all these years Mr. Shimmion has not cansed the injury of a passenger or an employee, and no property of the company has been destroyed while in his charge.
IMorn's
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September 28, 1870, Mr. Shimmion married, in Bellaire, Ohio, Elizabeth MeLanghlin, a daughter of John Mclaughlin, a carpenter of Holland- Dutch ancestry, born in New Lisbon, Ohio, in 1805. He married Mary Richey, who bore him seven children, Andrew, Sarah, Helen, Mary, William, James and Elizabeth, and he died in 1861.
Mr. and Mrs. Shimmion have seven children: Charles J., salesman for Benton, Myers & Com- pany; Anna M., Blanche, Cland W., Helen, John G. and Raymond.
Mr. Shimmion is a Knight Templar of Steubenville Commandery and a member of the Royal Arcamm.
MORRIS, contracting agent for the King Bridge Company, was born in Me- dina county, Ohio, Jannary 8, 1856, and is the youngest child of George and Rebecca Morris. Ile has two sisters living, -Mrs. James Newton, of Medina, Ohio, and Mrs. A. M. Jewett, of Halstead, Kansas. Mr. George Morris, a native of New Jersey, was brought to Ohio as early as 1830, when he was but fon years of age, by his father, also named George, who settled in Morrow county, where he re- mained a resident until his death. George Morris, the junior, was married in Medina county, this State, to Rebecca Waltman, and they had four children, of whom the three above mentioned survive. Ilere he farmed snc- cessfully until his death, which occurred in 1873; here, also, upon his father's farm, young Morris spent the early years of his life. It is a conspicuons fact that most of the reliable talent of the world qualified for duties of heavy re- sponsibility is the product of rural life, and Mr. Morris graduated at this school at the age of eighteen. Destiny had marked a broader sphere for him,-one in which he could better serve his fellow men, and at the same time afford him opportunity to bring into play the talent which
lay slumbering while he tilled his father's soil. When opportunity came for him to engage in some other business, he left the farm and en- tered the employ of the company already men- tioned. Those who knew young Morris said this of him: " Whatever he did he did well, putting his whole heart and mind into his work, whatever it might be." Every one knows that this is the road to snecess.
Mr. Morris is one of the prominent bridge men of the country, and sustains a reputation in the bridge business which older men might envy. - His works over the country stand as monuments of his success. The graceful struc- ture which spans the Ohio river between Cin- cinnati, Ohio, and Newport, Kentucky, is the product of his busy brain, as are also other im- portant structures, too numerons to mention. lle is a director in the Central Railway and Bridge Company, owning the bridge over the Ohio at Cincinnati, and is also a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Morris is too busy to devote much time to social life, but is a genial, pleasant young man, and a member of the Union Club. He is also the promoter and organizer of a corpo ration owning Chippewa lake and adjacent property for club purposes and a summer resort.
In 1879 he was married to Miss Mattie Sharkey, of Lexington, Mississippi, and a niece of ex-Governor Sharkey, of reconstruction fame. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have three children: Henry Clay, born in 1880; Vallie, born in 1885; and Valentine, born February 14, 1894. Valentine has been a family name in Mr. Morris' family for hundreds of years, and there is quite an interesting tradition connected with it. On St. Valentine's Day, some time in the seventeenth century, the Duke of Waltman was hunting in his woods in Germany, and found a little child. Having no children of his own, he adopted it, and named it Valentine. This Val- entine Waltman is one of the ancestors of the present Valentine Morris, and when his own little son was born on St. Valentine's Day he
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felt that his boy was entitled to the name which has been in overy branch of the family for so many years.
Mr. Morris' mother is still living with her daughter in Halstead, Kansas, and is a halo and hearty old lady, having passed her three-score years and ton.
H ON. HARRY SORTER, a prominent farmer and early settler of Mayfield township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and an ex-member of the Ohio Legislature, dates his birth in New York, April 4, 1820.
Mr. Sorter's father, Elijah Sorter, a native of New Jersey, went to New York when he was abont sixteen years old, and in 1831 removed with his family to Ohio and located in Mayfield township, Cuyahoga eounty. Here he pur- chased a tract of land from the Mormons, and on this place he spent the rest of his life and died, being eighty-eight years old at the time of his death. His father, Henry Sorter, a native of Germany, had died in New York. Elijah Sorter married Margaret Middangh, a native of New Jersey, and they were the parents of eleven children, the subject of our sketeh being the fifth ehild and third son.
Ilarry Sorter was eleven years old at the time his parents removed to this connty. Ile had attended school some in New York, and after they settled here his edueation was com- pleted in one of the distriet schools which was kept in a log schoolhouse. He remained on the farm with his father until he reached his majority, most of his youthful days being spent in the "elearing." In speaking of his early life, Mr. Sorter says that in 1832, when he was only twelve years old, he drove an ox team, taking a load of Mormons to Cleveland, it being the first time he had ever been in that city. Mr. Sorter has been engaged in general farming all his life, being now the owner of 185 acres of land.
Ile was first married in 1844 to Miss Amanda M. Diekey, a native of Allegany county, New York, who died a short time afterward, leaving him and a little danghter, Mary A. This dangh- ter grew up to be a useful and influential woman. Before her marriage she was for some time employed as teacher in the Cleveland schools, and while there was instrumental in organizing a mission school. She and her husband, A. D. McHenry, went as missionaries to heathen lands in India, and spent eight years in that noble work. Mrs. MeHenry is deceased. For his second wife Mr. Sorter married Alvira Elsworth, a native of Ohio, who bore himn one danghter, Melissa, who is now the wife of O. A. Dean, of East Cleveland. His second wife having died, Mr. Sorter was married in 1859 to Betsey Avery, a native of Ohio, and a resident of Cuyahoga eonnty sinee her seventh year. They have two daughters: Hattie A., wife of Seth Parker, of Mayfield township, this eounty; and Sallie J., wife of Frank W. Lockamer, also of Mayfield township.
Mr. Sorter is a stanch Republican, and has served in various official positions. For six years he was Township Treasurer. He has served as Trustee a number of times. In 1875 he was elected a Representative to the Sixty- second Assembly, and served one term. Since 1854 he has been a member of the F. & A. M. at Chagrin Falls. Ile is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which for about twenty years he has served as Steward.
Such is a brief sketch of one of the venerable citizens of Cnyhoga county.
W A. THORP, a well-known farmer of Mayfield township, Cuyhoga county, Ohio, was born in Warrenville, this State, Jannary 15, 1832, a descendant of one of the earliest pioneer families of northern Ohio. Before giving a sketch of his life, we turn back for a glimpse of his ancestry.
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Warren A. Thorp, his father, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, April 12, 1802, son of Joel Thorp, and grandson of Yale Thorp. Yale Thorp built Yale College in Connectient, and left arrangements whereby his posterity could be educated there free of charge. The Thorps are of English descent. Joel Thorp was born in North Haven, Councetient, and it was dur- ing the latter part of the eighteenth century that he came out of the Western Reserve and located at Cleveland, Cleveland at that time being composed of six log cabins. IIe was a millwright by trade, and built several mills in this county. IIe took claim to a tract of Government land, was engaged in clearing it when the War of 1812 came on and he enlisted his service in that cause. He was a member of a company of sharpshooters, of which he was appointed commander shortly before his death. Ile was killed while ou duty between Buffalo and Black Rock. Warren A. Thorp cleared np a tract of wild land and developed a farin, and for three years before his marriage he kept bachelor's hall on this place. He was married in 1825, in Orange township, this connty, to IIannah Burnside, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1809, she being of German descent. He lived to be eighty-six years of age, and she was past seventy-five when she died. They were the parents of seven children, three daughters and four sons, all of whom married and reared families, and all except one daughter are still living.
W. A. Thorp was the fourth born and second son in this family. He grew up on his father's farm, where he remained until 1852. That year, at the age of twenty, he made the journey to California, going from New York city by way of Panama, and in due time landing at San Francisco. For three years he remained in the Golden State, engaged in mining, at the end of which time he returned to Ohio, again making the journey by water. He then re- mained at the old homestead until 1859. That year he was married to Laura Warner, who died a short time afterward, leaving an infant dangh-
ter. This daughter, Nettie, is now the wife of E. Brunk, of Nevada. April 16, 1863, Mr. Thorp married Syntha A. Barber, a native of Enelid township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and a danghter of Jefferson and Syntha (Sherman) Barber. Her parents had seven children, two sons and five daughters, she being the second born. Mr. Thorp and his present wife have five children: Warren A., Lewis J., Hattie J .. Frank W. and Effie M. Hattie J. is the wife of A. Bennett.
After his marriage Mr. Thorp located on a farm in Warrensville township, this county; but his experience in California had given him a taste for Western life, and, not being satified with his success in Ohio, he in 1860 crossed the plains to the Pacific coast, making the journey with horses and wagons. However, after two more years spent in California, we again find him back in Ohio settled on the same ların he had left. In 1863 he came to Mayfield township, where he has since lived. Hle owns 245 acres of fine land, all well im- proved and devoted to general farming.
In religions, political and educational matters Mr. Thorp has ever taken an active interest. Ile is a member of the Board of Education, served a number of years as Township Trustee, and has also filled varions other local offices. In 1893 he was the candidate of the Democratie party for Representative from his district, but was defeated by his Republican opponent. IIe has long been an active member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church.
M YRON HI. WILLSON, a resident of Wilson's Mills, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, was born at the place where he now lives, Angust 30, 1837. OF Mr. Will- son's life and ancestry we make record as follows:
General Frederick Willson, the father of Myron II., was born in Ontario county, New York, in the town of Phelps, January 4, 1807, and was there reared to farm life. In 1830 he
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came to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and located in Mayfield township, where he took claim to a tract of Government land and where he built a mill. This place has since been known as Wilson's Mills. After he erected the mill he entered into a partnership with David MeDow- ell, and together they ran the mill for seven years. In 1837 the partnership was dissolved, General Willson taking the mill and a part of the land. lle continned to run the mill up to the time of his death. In 1840 it was de- stroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt and on January 7th of the following year was again in operation. General Willson was a man of considerable prominence, being especi- ally distinguished as a military man. Ile was for some time officially connected with a regi- inent of light artillery in the New York Militia. After coming to Ohio he was elected Major of the Second Brigade, Ninth Division, Ohio Militia. This was in 1834. Afterward he was promoted From time to time until in 1838 he rose to the rank of Brigadier-General, and re- signed after a service of four years. In his po- litical affiliations he was a stanch Democrat, and for six years served as a Justice of the Peace. For sixty years he was a member of the Masonie fraternity. He had taken the va- rions degrees of the order and had risen to the rank of Sir Knight.
General Willson was married September 6, 1836, to Miss Eliza Henderson, a native of Orange township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio. As the years rolled by sons and daughters were born to them, nine in all, a record of whom is as follows: Myron II., whose name heads this article; Ellen, who died at the age of three years; George A., a member of the Cleveland Grays, First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was killed at the battle of Resaca, at the age of twenty-two years; James P., who served during the war in the First Ohio Battery, died three months after his return home from the army; Mary C., wife of David Gilmore, of Mayfield township, this county; Hattie E., deceased wife of James Law; Nellie, who died in infancy;
Ella, wife of A. Keesler, of Mayfield township; and Charlie, who died at the age of twenty-one years. General Willson's father, George Will- son, was a native of New York and a son of Henry Willson. Henry Willson was born in Ireland and was a soldier in the Revolution- ary war.
Of the Henderson family, we further state that Ira Ilenderson, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was born in Massachusetts, July 10, 1782; and that early in life he settled in New York, from whonce, in 1833, he came to Cnya- hoga conty, Ohio, first locating in Orange township and the following year removing to Cleveland. He remained in Cleveland, how- ever, only a short time, when he returned to Orange township, and there spent the rest of his life and died, his death occurring May 12, 1850. Ile was engaged in farming. Ilis wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Hopp, and who was a native of New York, died in Orange township, April 24, 1844. They were the par- ents of five children, of whom Mrs. Willson was the youngest. Mrs. Willson's birth occurred in Colmbia county, New York, November 25, 1816. Grandmother Willson's maiden name was Ester Collins. She was a native of Ver- mont, lived to an advanced age and possessed a remarkable memory which she retained to the last.
Passing on to the life of Myron HI. Willson, we record that he is the oldest child in his father's family, and that in his youth he received an academic and business education, completing his business course in 1858. Ile had been reared in his father's mill, and in 1862 we find him in Oakland, Michigan, where for two years he was in the milling business. Then he settled near Lowell, Kent county, Michigan, and for two years carried on farming. At the end of that time he returned to Onyahoga county, Ohio, bought the old mill at Willson's Mills, and here he has been engaged in milling for the past twenty-four years. He is also engaged in farming to some extent, owning ninety acres of land.
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Mr. Willson was married in Michigan, Feb- rnary 29, , 1864, to Agnes Losec, a native of New York, who had gone to Michigan in her childhood. Previous to her marriage she was for several years engaged in teaching. Mr. and Mrs. Willson are the parents of seven children, namely: Lida II., born June 16, 1865, is the wife of Elmer Brott; Florence, born October 30, 1866, died Angust 28, 1876; Allie W., born August 15, 1868, is the wife of Sidney Robins; Mary E., born June 11, 1870, is an artist; Nellie E., born August 19, 1872, is at home; Frankie A. and Frederick J., twins, born December 18, 1876, the former having died February 26, 1877.
Mr. Willson affiliates with the Republican party, is a member of the Masonie fraternity, and for twenty-six years has been identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been a Truetee in the Church for several years. He is a man of many sterling qualities and has the respect of all who know him.
H T. SANDFORD, treasurer of the Cleve- land, Lorain & Wheeling Railroad Com- pany, began his railroad service as a clerk in the freight anditor's department of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Chicago in 1884. In 1887 he went to St. Paul and joined the force of the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City Railroad, in the auditor's office. HIe concluded his service with this company in 1888 and became connected with the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, in their general freight office. In 1892 he received a call from the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad to become assistant paymaster, with headquarters at Cineinnati, Ohio, where he remained nntil May, 1893, at which time he was elected treasurer of the Cleveland, Lorain and Wheeling Railroad Company.
Mr. Sandford was born in New York city, May 28, 1863. He was reared in that city and was educated in private schools. In 1881 he
began business in Wall street with the firm of Shoemaker & Dillon, bankers and brokers, and when the firm went ont of business in 1884 Mr. Sandford came west and engaged in rail- road work at Chicago. A glance at his paternal ancestry reveals the following facts:
His father, James Sandford, was a New York attorney. During the war he enlisted and was commissioned Captain in a regiment of New York troops, and died of typhoid fever at New Orleans, Louisiana, while in service, in 1864. James Sandford's father, was Judge Lewis II. Sandford, Vice Chancellor of New York, and the author of Sandford's Chancery Reports. The Judge's father, and the great-grandfather of our subject, was a physician. He was born in Shropshire, England, and came to the United States about 1790, settling in Skaneateles, New York. Judge Sandford's only son was James Sandford before mentioned. One of his two daughters married John J. Cisco, of New York eity. Mr. Sandford's mother, whose maiden name was Laura Taylor, was a daughter of Henry J. Taylor, a New York merchant. After Mr. Sandford's death she became the wife of Robert L. Livingston, who died in 1892, leav- ing one child, Laura, now Mrs. A. P. Cumming of New York city. The Taylors were from Connecticut, and for many generations were principally farmers.
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