USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, pt 2 > Part 20
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Mr. Dunham affiliates with the Republican party, takes an active part in local affairs, and for two years has filled the office of Township Trustee. Ile is a believer in the doctrines of Christianity and is a church goer and sup- porter.
OUIS HARMS, deceased, an eminent viticulturist of Euclid township, was born November 11, 1823, in Holstein, Ger- many, and came to America in 1848, first set- tling on Kelly's Island, in Lake Erie, where he was instrumental in introducing grape eulture and the wine industry. Moving to Put-in-Bay, he introduced grape culture there also. In this business he prospered at both places. In 1864 he bought land in Euclid township, where also he surprised the people by his introduction of his favorite industries, which proved far more protitable than the crops the settlers had been raising, and since then they have arisen from poverty to conditions of comfort. At first Mr. Harms purchased only forty acres in this town- ship, and afterward continued to add to it from time to time until he had 200 acres. As to kinds of grape, he at first commenced with abont 200 varieties, for trial, and at length found the following to be the most profitable: For white wine-Catawba, Delaware, Brighton and Poeklington; and for red wine-Norton, Montefiore and Concord.
For his wife, Mr. Harms married, on Kelly Island, Miss Judith Smith, who died in 1870;
Stephen Buhner
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and May 21, 1872, be married Hulda Steuk, of Sandusky, and of German descent. Her father, William Steuk, died in 1876, and her mother is still living, at Sandusky. Her parents were old settlers there. Iler brother, E. L., is now en- gaged in the wine business. She has one brother and two sisters. Mr. Harins' children were: Carl, born on Kelly Island; Louis, Julia and Richard, born at Put-in-Bay; and Hulda and Irma, born in Euelid. The whole family reside in and around the old homestead.
Mr. Harms was an industrious worker, and his sons now carry on the wine business. He died Angust 21, 1888, after a short illness. He was an enterprising man, exhibiting great interest in railroad extension and public educa- tion, but refused public office. He was the first to sink a well for natural gas in his vicinity, boring to the depth of 855 feet, just before his death. His children were educated at home, by private tutors, until prepared for college.
H ON. STEPHEN BUHRER .- Emigra- tion from the place of one's nativity is a subject of interest hardly less than the migration of aneient nations. Individual life is a perpetual struggle in the dark. One may know his birthplace, but no step in the pathway of life is the subject of foreknowledge, nor is the place of his grave propheticaliy re- vealed.
In 1817 there landed in Philadelphia as im- migrants Johann Casper Buhrer from the prov- ince of Baden, and Anna Maria Miller from Stuttgart, Germany. They immediately re- paired to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where he had relatives, and were there married. They lived there something over a year, in which time they had a daughter, whom they named Catherine. In their passage across the ocean Mrs. Buhrer had made the acquaintance of some of her German sisters, for whom she entertained an affectionate attachment, who were afterwards
residents of Zoar, Ohio, and near whom she de- sired to live. Zoar was then and ever has been famed for its Society of Friends, called Separ- atists. To this place went Bubrer with his wife and child, and settled npon a farm near by, and here their third child, Stephen Buhrer, the subject of this sketch, was born, December 26, 1825.
Seventy years and more ago, Zoar with the region round about was wild, rough and cheer- less, but the industrions and thrifty German population by which it was mainly settled have changed its once gloomy aspects, and now it is among the fairest and wealthiest agricultural towns of the State. But the father of Stephen Buhrer did not live to see this triumph of Ger- man industry, he having died in the late fall of 1829, leaving his widow and two young chil- dren to make their way alone in the world. Two years before his death he had removed from his farm and lived in the village of Zoar.
After his death his two children were bound to the Society until their majority. They were subjected to very severe discipline, as this ven- erable religions community exemplified their faith in the ancient adage of not spoiling the ehild by sparing the rod, and enforced the maxim with the utmost patriarchal severity upon the unhappy and helpless children. At this early age the child Stephen was put to work on the farm and in factories, and made to do such other work as he was scarcely able to perform, and so continued until his ninth year, when he was made to attend sheep in the vast pasture ranges of Zoar. For three years, in summer's heat and winter's cold, the youthful shepherd of Zoar watched the flock by day and night also, when the stars twinkled, but no angelic glory shone around to cheer the lonely boy.
At the age of twelve years he was placed in the Society's ecoper shop, ostensibly to learn the art and mystery of coopering; at the same time, however, and at different periods and times, he did almost every other kind of work incident to the company's various industries, such as helping in the brewing and slaughtering de-
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partment, doing a man's work therein, and often supplementing the same by serving in the ca- pacity of hostler at the Zoar tavern and driving horses on the Ohio canal. This exaeting and unrewarded service was endured and performed for six years, and consequently to the neglect of the schooling that was due him from such guardian religious institution. He does not remember that he was privileged to attend any school except Sunday-schools and evening schools after his tenth year, and after his hard day's work was done. Notwithstanding hard work, failing health, loneliness, discouragement and mental depression, the noble inheritance of the German blood and brain enabled him at last to assert the rights of nature, and in 1844, at the age of eighteen, he left the Society and came to Cleveland. Here for something over a year he worked at eoopering, but was so physi- cally enfeebled that he could hardly earn enough to pay his board.
Finally, in 1846, he engaged himself to a business firm as a traveling man, and as such he traveled through western Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, whereby he was impressed with the reality that the Zoar of his infancy and youth was not all of the earth, not all of Christian humanity, and but a dim semblance of heaven for fatherless children. His travels in the West, however, were ent short by the prevailing ma- larial fever of that early day. Ile retraced his steps by rail as far as Detroit, which exhausted his last dollar, and he was necessitated to sell some article of wearing apparel to pay deck pas- sage on a steamboat for Cleveland, which he re- garded as his home. For two months he was sick and wholly incapacitated for labor, and, being withont money, was about to be sent to the poor-house, when the only friend he had in the city came forward and spoke words of encour- agement and hope, and, moreover, guaranteeing the payment of his board bill till his death or recovery. The inspiration of such friendship was medicine alike to body and mind, and he was soon enabled to work at his trade, which he did for a year, blessed with health and pros-
perity. In the winter of 1847 he worked in the shipyard for a time, but soon returned to his occupation as a cooper.
In 1848 he was united in marriage with Miss Eva Maria Schneider. They had three children, one son and two daughters, John, Mary and Lois, all now (1894) living. Early in 1850, he engaged, with a partner, in the coopering busi- ness, which they conducted three years, when he sold his interest to his partner. In 1853 he engaged in the business of rectifying and puri- fying of spirits, which from that time has been the business of his life.
Something may be justly inferred regarding the public estimation of the personal character and business capacity of Mr. Buhrer when con- templating the eighteen years of his unblessed childhood and youth in the fields of Zoar, that at the age of twenty-nine years, and after only eleven years' citizenship in his adopted city, he was, in 1855, elected to the Council from one of the most populous wards for the full term of two years, and twice thereafter, in 1863 and 1865, elected to the same office,-the last time without political opposition.
During his second Councilmanie term the gloomy cloud of the civil war was on. In this Mr. Buhrer was an earnest advocate of the one and inseparable Union, and an active participant in every movement to advance the cause, and but for a physical infirmity which precluded would have served in the ranks of the Union army on Southern battle-fields. Moreover, his duties as Councilman required his constant at- tention, and especially was his presence needed in his own ward, where a multitude of women and children whose husbands and fathers had early volunteered, or later been drafted, some of whom had already fallen in battle, required his friendly care and helpful hand. Twice was his ward subjected to draft, and would have had to submit to a third but for the energetic action of Councilman Buhrer to prevent it, by largely contributing to the payment of bounties to vol- unteers, His disbursement of money for the domestic relief of soldiers' families, and the
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thousand and one other necessities incident to the civil war, were alike judicious and generous. In all this he served the cause infinitely more effectually than he could by his single musket on the battle-field,-like the blast upon the Ifigliland bugle, " worth a thousand men." It was doubtless in recognition of his important services in his ward and in the city during the most gloomy days of the war, in his capacity as Trustee, that he was again returned for the third term, with unprecedented unanimity. The war had ceased, peace was restored, and his ward expressed its grateful sense of benefits received at his hand during the four years' struggle.
Hardly had his third Councilmanie term ex- pired, when, in April, 1867, he was nominated and elected Mayor of Cleveland by a very large majority, notwithstanding he did not belong to the then usually dominant political organiza- tion. Ilis administration was eminently satis- factory, as conceded by all. He was devoted to and zealous in his public duties, of which there have been no superior examples. Unlike the present system of municipal management, with directors in charge of the several departments of the public business, the Mayoralty was then no sinecure, nor was the official chair a seat for elegant lounging. The only official colleagues of the mayor then were the city elerk-who was also anditor-and a treasurer, and a board .of city improvments, of which the mayor was chair- man, having in charge public works of great magnitude, and ineluding large expenditures of money. He was intrusted with the sole control and management of the large police force, and therefore made responsible for its fidelity and efficiency, besides exercising a careful and con- stant supervision over fire and water, and every other department of the city government, with a view to the promotion of financial economy. The rigid discharge of duty which he had re- quired of the police, and the avoidance at the same time of everything oppressive, or of the exercise of a seemingly undue official severity, won alike their regard and the publie approba- tion.
It was during this term that the Cleveland House of Correction and Work House was com- pleted and put in successful operation, which was humanely intended to reform and reclaim, as well as to punish the vicious and the erimi- mal. In this Mayor Buhrer took an active and leading part, as likewise he did in all good en- terprises of a public nature. Among the most honorable and distinguishing traits of his official character and conduct was his impartiality, freedom from favoritism and bigoted partisan- ship in the discharge of a public trust. Es- pecially was this characteristic manifested in his well-remembered hostility to those geniuses who pool their issues in " eliques " and " rings " to develop the rich " placers " within the limits of the corporation, and seek to have their drafts honored at the municipal treasury.
At the expiration of his official term it was his earnest desire to be relieved from public eare, that he might resume his private business, already too long neglected, and which he confi- dently expected to do, as no one of his prede- eessors had ever been re-elected, but being renominated he felt it would seem ungrateful to decline; so in April, 1869, he again was elected Mayor, and this time by the unprece- dented majority of nearly 3,000. This publie endorsement, especially at a time when his party was generally in the minority throughout the State, was to him alike gratifying and surpris- ing as it was to his neighbors and friends. This election made his name familiar throughout the State, and the Democratic party sought to avail itself of his local popularity. Therefore, in the autumn of the same year, Mr. Buhrer's name was placed on the ticket for State Treas- urer, which bore at the head the name of George HI. Pendleton for Governor. History records, however, that neither of these gentlemen re- ceived a majority.
Again, in April, 1871, weary and enfeebled by official service, and feeling that he had had more than the usnal share of the public consid- eration and political favors awarded to any citi- zen, he longed for retirement; but, solicited to
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enter the Mayoralty race for a third term, he most respectfully and emphatically declined. Notwithstanding his protest he was nominated; and now the Republican party determined to resume its ancient prerogatives and power. Twice, they said, they had let the Democrats defeat the " grand old party," by reason of the personal popularity of their candidate. Besides, it was Presidential year and they must this time have a Republican mayor, cost what it would. So they buckled on their armor, and with the aid of a few mercenary troops, deserters, and disap- pointed contractors, ever incident to municipal politics, Mr. Buhrer lost in his third campaigu by a small majority.
Still his party would not let him rest. Twice they nominated him for County Treasurer with- out his knowledge, and kept his name upon the ticket notwithstanding his protest. The ticket of course was but a mere formality in the county, where the majority of the dominant party was ordinarily from four to seven thousand.
In 1874 he was again returned to the City Council, though his ward was largely Republi- can, for the reason mainly that some very important measures were pending which his presence there would promote. The Finance Committee and the Board of Improvements ab- sorbed almost his entire time during the two years' service. Some time thereafter he re- ceived the appointment and served with public satisfaction on the Board of Work-House Di- rectors. IIo was ever in advance in the advo- cacy of beneficial measures. Among such was a Home for Wayward Children, who needed the care and protection of the public. He was the first who officially recommended the high level bridge, the mighty structure that spans the valley of the Cuyahoga river, known as the Superior street viaduct.
During both terms of his mayoralty, Mr. Buhrer strove to make a model police forco. There was then no police board, and the force was left on his hands and under his undisputed control. Ile labored to secure the public con- fidence in the working force, and succeeded.
To promote social intercourse and cheer their manly spirits, Mayor Buhrer annually gave, at his own expense, to the entire force, on New Year's Day, a public dinner. Between the Mayor and his men mutual good will ever pro- vailed, and many of his best officers and veterans are still (1894) on the force.
It is a subject worthy of remark, as being quite unusual in modern political life, that Mr. Buhrer never in his life solicited a nomination to an office, while many offices have sought him and some with success. He is a gentleman mod- est and unassuming while efficient and forceful, in affairs of business or public duties. Ilis wife, who had long been an invalid and a subject of his tenderest care, died in the early spring- time of 1889. One year later he married Mar- guerite Paterson, a lady of Cleveland, whose birth place was New York.
R EV. E. M. O'CALLAGIIAN, who is pastor of St. Colman's Catholic Church, on Gordon avenne, Cleveland, was born in county Cork, Ireland, May 4, 1831. His parents were Timothy and Julia (Foley) O'Callaghan, both natives of Ireland. The father, a farmer by occupation, in 1854 re- moved to America and located in Detroit, Mich- igan, where he soon afterward died, at the age of about seventy years. The mother died in 1839, in Ireland, at the age of about fifty years.
The subject of this sketch, the youngest of six children, of whom three are living, was edn- cated in Ireland, and at the age of twenty years, in 1851, he came to America, stopping in De- troit. He continued his studies at tho Uni- versity of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, and was ordained priest in Cleveland, in 1859, by Bishop Rappe. His labors continnod in Cleveland until 1862, when he went to Youngs- town, Ohio, where he built St. Columba's Church on Wood street, and began the school- house there, but did not complete it, before he
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left Youngstown, in 1870, to go to Fremont, Ohio, where he remained until 1877, when he became pastor of St. Patrick's Church at Cleve- land, remaining pastor of this ehureh until 1880. IIe then became pastor of St. Colman's Church, remaining as sneh until this date, 1893. This congregation, St. Colman's, was a part of the St. Patrick's and was established in 1880. In his charge he has about 500 families, and his work necessitates an assistant, who is now Rev. I. Hannan, an efficient laborer in the Mas- ter's vineyard. The school belonging to this church is one of importance, being attended by about 400 pupils, who are taught by six teachers.
While in Youngstown, Rev. O'Callaghan es- tablished a church and erected a church build- ing at Hubbard, Ohio, also in Niles, Ohio; and in Warren, Ohio, he purchased an Episcopal Church building and organized a congregation. In Fremont he not only sneceeded in the up- building of a congregation from a small nucleus but also in erecting for them a good brick schoolhouse.
In all of his charges Rev. O'Callaghan has been active in the upbuilding of his churches and the providing of buildings for them. lle is an energetic, enthusiastic worker and with much zeal and earnestness accomplishes great good.
H ARRY L. VAIL, Clerk of the Common Pleas Court of Cuyahoga county, and for some years a practicing attorney at the Cleveland bar, was born at what is now No. 331 Central avenue, this city, in 1858. His ancestors are of good old Revolutionary stoek, he being a descendant of one of Washington's most able generals. IIarry's father was Judge Isaac Carpenter Vail, deceased, born at White Plains, New York, in 1830. Judge Vail se- enred a liberal education in the State of his birth, and when a youth of eighteen found his way into Cuyahoga county, and for a time was
employed in teaching school at Royalton, this county. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1852. He was a good lawyer and gained popularity rapidly.
In 1858 was elected Police Judge of the city, and was re-elected in 1860, and had not yet completed his second term when his patriotism prompted him to resign his office and offer his services to the Federal Government. IIe was commissioned Captain of Company A, One Hundred and Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, his command being afterward a part of the Army of the Cumberland. He died at Dan- ville, Kentucky, August 10, 1863.
Judge Vail was a gentleman of much native ability. In his training for the bar he developed a splendid judicial mind. IIe sympathized with the unfortunate, but not to the extent of met- ing out to them anything short of exact justice.
Judge Vail's father was Isaac Vail, a mer- chant of White Plains, New York, who married Ann Green Graham, born at Somerstown, West- chester county, New York, June 10, 1802. Her father, Robert Graham, married Mary, a daughter of Benjamin Greene, a son of General Nathaniel Greene, the hero of inany Revolu- tionary battles. Isaac Vail had an only child at his death, Judge I. C. Vail, father of our subject. Judge Vail married, in this county, Barbara, a daughter of John Van ITusen from the Mohawk Valley, of New York. The Van Husens descended from the Holland Duteh who settled in New York when it was called New Netherlands. Two children were born in the family of Judge and Mrs. Vail: Iza, now Mrs. Dr. S. W. Fowler of Delaware, Ohio; and Harry L.
Harry attended Brownell street school in Cleveland, and the high school, preparing him- self for entrance into the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity at Delaware. His first appearance in the University was in 1875. On account of his limited means he was compelled to work liis way through college, which he did, graduating in 1879 as valedictorian of his class. About six months later he came to Cleveland and bo-
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eame a reporter on The Herald, where he re- mained two years and a half, and deciding to study law he made the necessary arrangement with Judges Stevenson Burke and W. B. Sanders to study in their office. He continued to do newspaper work, being city editor of the Sun and Voice. In June, 1885, Mr. Vail was admitted to the bar, and after a year's rest opened an office, and has sinee been a practicing attorney.
Mr. Vail has always been an ardent Republi- ean and quite active in behalf of his party candidates. In 1893 he beeame a candidate for the office of Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, was nominated and elected. He is a Mason, Knight of Pythias and member of the Loyal Legion.
R EV. PATRICK JOSEPH SHEA, as- sistant to the Rev. A. R. Sidley, pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Con- eeption of Cleveland, was born March 19, 1844. His parents were John and Marga- ret (Dalton) Shea, both natives of Ireland. The father died November 1, 1860, aged sixty-two years, and the mother died July 13, 1892, aged sixty-two years. They were life-long members of the Catholic Church.
In 1852 these parents, with their entire fam- ily of eight children, eame to the United States and settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where occurred the death of the parents and that of three of their sons and three daughters. Of the ehil- dren there are now (1893) two sons living, of whom the subject of this sketch is the elder. The younger is Edward Shea, a resident of Cleveland.
At St. Mary's Seminary Rev. Shea received both his literary and theological education, under the instruction of Rev. Sanln. IIe was ordained priest at London, Ontario, Canada, in 1868, by Bishop Walsh, now Archbishop of Ontario, Canada. In London, Rev. Shea re- mained twenty-three years as priest, serving
only two different churches, namely, Sts. Peter and Paul in Goderich and St. James in Seafort, the latter church being about twenty miles from Goderich; and here was spent the last ten years of his church work, prior to his coming to Cleveland in 1891 to accept the position of assistant pastor to Rev. A. R. Sidley,-a posi- tion he has since filled with a marked degree of acceptability.
Of the Church of the Immaculate Coneep- tion there are 700 families. It has ono school of six rooms, with 600 pupils, taught by six ladies, four Ursulines and two lay lady teachers. The church is located at 1030 Superior street, and the building is 70 x 110 feet, with a seat- ing capacity for about 1,500 people. It is an English congregation, and here are attended three masses each Sunday, at 6, 8:20 and 10:20 A. M .; vespers and benediction are at 3:30 r. M., and Sunday school at 2:30 r. M.
Rev. Shea is an industrious and successful worker. Among his people he is extremely popular, and in him is reposed the utmost con- fidenee, and for his multifarious duties he is thoroughly qualified, being a man of a high order of education and thoroughly devoted to his work.
P TIILIP MORRIS was born in Girard, Trumbull county, Ohio, June 15, 1855, a son of David Morris, who was born July 9, 1819, in Wales, arrived with his father's family in the United States, October 4, 1839, and died February 15, 1862. In 1843 he married Miss Dorothy Philpot, also a native of Wales and a daughter of William Philpot. They had six children, as follows:
Mary, who married, June 8, 1863, A. V. Cannon, a native of Portage county, Ohio, born in 1834 and died July 10, 1867, leaving one child, Clara. Mrs. Cannon afterward married Captain Thomas Wilson, of the Wilson Transit Company, named for him; he is now a resident of this city. By this marriage there were three
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