USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, pt 2 > Part 28
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Henry H. Lyon, the oldest in the above named family, was reared in his native town- ship and has resided here all his life, with the exception of the three years ho was employed in a ship chandler store in Cleveland, and with this exception has been engaged in farming all his
life. He owns one hundred aeres of fine farm- ing land, located two miles of south of the cen- ter of the township.
Mr. Lyon was married in Strongsville town- ship, November 25, 1860, to Miss Ellen M. Meacham, who was born in Greenfield, New York, February 24, 1841, danghter of Almon and Polly (Kelly) Meacham. Her father was a native of Chesterfield, Massachusetts, and soon after this marriage settled here, where he was for man years well known as an extensive farmer and cattle dealer. Both he and his good wife continued to live here up to the time of their deaths. Mr. and Mrs. Lyon have had six chil- dren, viz .: Clara M .; Carlos II., who married Miss Mary Thorburn, resides in Strongsville; Herbert N .; Nettie E., who died at Lakeside, Ohio, at the age of fifteen years; and Clande C. and Ruby E., who died of diphtheria, at the ages of eleven and five years respectively.
Mr. Lyon is prominent in political circles. He has been Deputy Sheriff of Cuyahoga county since 1887, and for eleven years served as Con- stable. In the fall of 1893 he was the candi- date of his party for the Legislature.
Mrs. Lyon is a member of the Congregational Church.
W B. NEFF, who came to Cleveland in 1876, and entered upon a professional career as a lawyer, was born at Win- chester, Preble county, Ohio, April 30, 1851.
His parents are Cornelius and Eliza (Rein- hart) Neff. His father is a native of Ohio, and his mother a native of the Old Dominion State. Their marriage was consummated in German- town, Ohio, and they had but one child other than the subject of this sketch, namely, O. L. Neff, a successful practitioner of law in Cleve- land.
W. B. Neff was reared at Winchester and ed- weated at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Del- aware, which institution he left when he was in his senior year. His taste leading him into the
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profession of law, he entered the office of Alex- ander & Satzgaber at Van Wert, Ohio, where he read law for two years, and then he entered the law school at Cincinnati, graduating there in the spring of 1876, when he was also admit- ted to the bar, in that city. In May, 1876, he came to Cleveland and entered into a partner- ship with his brother, O. L. Nell', in the prac- tice of law. This partnership continued until Mr. Neff was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Cuyahoga county in the fall of 1890.
As a lawyer Mr. Neff bears an enviable rep- utation, and as Proseenting Attorney for the county he has displayed marked ability and met the most sanguine hopes of his friends,
June 22, 1876, Mr. Neff and Miss Lizzie Hyer were united in marriage. Mrs. Neff is a graduate of Delaware College, Ohio, and is an accomplished lady. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Neff has been blessed by the birth of two chil- dren, namely: Horace, now fifteen; and Amy, now twelve years of age.
Mr. and Mrs. Neff are members of the Meth . odist Episcopal Church, and he is a Master Ma- son, while in politics he is a staneh Republican.
M ISS F. JENNIE DUTY, a prominent philanthropist of Cleveland, is a native of this city, the daughter of Daniel W. and Mary (Mason) Duty, natives re- spectively of New Hampshire and New York. Iler father was brought to Ohio in 1808, when but four years of age, reared in Ashtabula county, and in 1828, two years after his mar. riage, came to Cleveland. Here he engaged in the furniture business for a number of years, in company with a Mr. Vincent, and later with D. A. Gardner. For years also he had, in ad- dition to the furniture trade, the undertaking business. Probably no man in the city had more warm friends than he, and this fact alone demonstrates all the peculiar traits of his char- aeter and the fact that he was a good citizen. lle was one of the original members of St. Paul's Church ( Episcopal), of which he was
Senior Warden at one time; had much to do with public enterprises, and was a gentleman of broad mind and liberal spirit. He died April 13, 1887, and his wife died in October, 1883. They had six children: William, now a resident oľ Dayton, Ohio; John, deceased; Andrew, of Allegheny City, Pennsylvania; Mary, deceased in 1884, wife of P. R. Spencer of Cleveland; Charlotte M., a teacher in New York city; and the subject of this sketch.
Miss Duty, whose name heads this sketel, completed her school days at the Episcopal Fe- male Seminary in this city, then taught for three years in the Ohio Female College at Cin- cinnati, and two years at De Pauw College in Indiana, being the preceptress there, and one year was principal of the Wheeling College for women. She then returned home to take care of her parents during their declining years.
Up to this time she had taken some interest in missionary work, but not publicly until the great crusade on the saloons began, in which she became one of the leaders. Naturally she has drifted with her co-adjutors into the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, in 1874 becom- ing one of its members. She helped establish the Central Friendly Inn, of which she was made chairman, and missionary leader, a posi- tion she has held for nineteen years. During this time she did a large amount of charitable work which the public know not of, besides much that was conspicuous in its effects npon public opinion and publie welfare.
First connecting herself with the local Woman's Christian Temperance Union, non- partisan, she was elected Secretary of that society, in which position much hard work necessarily devolved upon her; and every one knows that the secretary of any association is obliged to do a great amount of work for which there is no pecuniary compensation. She is at present a vice-president of this Union. She was also Recording Secretary, and Secretary of the old State Union for eight years. When the non partisan Woman's Christian Temperance Union was formed in 1890, she was made General
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Secretary, and held that position for two years. Sho was also officially connected with the old National Woman's Christian Temperance Union for several years. She is thus a veteran in this greatest of philanthropie canses, and is still as active, zealous and efficient as ever. She has made her influence felt in the various fields of work, often speaking in public; was instrumen- tal in securing the enactment of some laws which were for the special benefit of her sex, although she is not technically a " woman's- rights" partisan. She has been an angel of merey among fallen humanity.
When a little girl she was confirmed by Bishop Mellvaine, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but later she connected herself with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she is still a faithful member. Realizing, in 1893, the need of something to assist mankind in putting down alcoholism, she secured an interest in " Eucrasy," a cure for inebriety, in which field she is doing a good work. Her residence is on Arlington street, where she has a cosy and very attractive home of her own.
A G. HOPKINSON, a graduate of Dart- mouth College in the class of 1851, and a gentleman eminent in educational cir- cles in Cleveland, has been a resident of of this city, with but a little interruption, ever since 1852. Ile is a native of Limington, Maine, and his father was a farmer. On arriv- ing here he took charge of the grammar school in Ohio City. In 1854 he was elected superin- tendent of the Ohio City schools, and on the annexation of that suburb to the main city the same year he was superseded by Andrew Freese, who was already superintendent of the Cleveland schools. In 1856, his school having attained the high-school grade, the branch high school was organized, afterward changed to the West high school. Of this he continued as principal until 1865, when protracted ill health compelled his resignation, and he returned to his native State.
After recruiting his health for more than a year, his friends proposed him for the position of superintendent of the Cleveland schools, and he came "dangerously" near being elected, lacking but one vote! He has always been gind that he did not get that voto. He was then ro- elected to his old position as principal of the West high school. In 1870, his health begin- ning again to suffer, he resigned to go into more active business,- into work that would lead him more into out-door life. Accordingly, he formed a partnership with Mr. T. C. Parsons in the insurance business, which continued for twenty years. Under their joint energies they had at one time the largest fire-insurance busi- ness in this eity. In connection with his school and insurance work, Mr. Hopkinson has occu- pied many positions of trust, having been mem- ber of the City Council for several years, of the Board of Education two years, declining re- election, and a member of the Board of School Examiners for many years, closing his labors with this body, of which, for several years he was president, in 1893. For a time he was also a member of the Public School Library Board. He is a director in the Wiek Banking & Trust Company. Ile has been president, vice presi- dent and treasurer of the Cleveland Board of Underwriters. For many years he has been a member of the First Congregational Church, in which also he has filled various offices. Was Sabbath-school superintendent for years, and he has ever been a zealous worker in the canse of practical Christianity. IIe was one of the lead- ing factors in the erection of the new church building, and everything for the public good has always had his hearty support. As to gen- eral politics he has ever been a true Republican. Ile has represented his ward in various rela- tions, but has never aspired to political honors. All the offices he has had have been thrust upon him.
Ile was married in Massachusetts, in 1853, to Miss Elizabeth Cook, of Blackstone, that State, who died in 1855, leaving no children. In December, 1856 Mr. Hopkinson married
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Miss Harriet Farrand, a granddaughter of the old Revolutionary hero, Jared Farrand, who died only a few years ago, at the advanced age of nearly 107 years! (See a reference to him in the sketch of A. A. Farrand, in this volume.) Mr. and Mrs Hopkinson have two sons, namely: Harry G., superintendent of surveys for the Board of Fire Underwriters of this city; and Charles W., an architect, at No. 50 Euclid ave- ne. Financially, Mr. Hopkinson is comfort- ably situated, having a handsome summer resi- dence in a beautiful grove on the lake shore, besides his pleasant home on Franklin avenue.
M RS. MARTIIA A. CANFIELD, A. M., M. D .. a physician and surgeon at No. 24 Streator avenne, Cleveland, was born in Freedom, Portage county, Ohio, September 10, 1845, a daughter of Henry and Eliza (Brown) Robinson, natives of Berkshire connty, Massachusetts. They were among the early pioneers of Portage county, Ohio, where they remained until 1888, and since that time have resided with their daughter in Cleveland.
Our snbjeet prepared at Hiram College, but graduated at Oberlin College, in the class of 1868. She then read medicine under the pre- ceptorship of Dr. Charles Morrill, of Cleveland, and graduated at the Homeopathie Hospital College in the class of 1875, winning the high- est honor. Dr. Canfield immediately began the practice of medicine at 149 Prospect street, remained there three years, and during that time was physician to the Open Door, an insti- tution for friendless women. She has since re- sided at her present location, where she has erected a private hospital for the medical and surgical treatment of women, making a spe- cialty of diseases of women in addition to her general practice.
The Doctor is a member of the National Sci- entific Association, the Woman's Intercollegiate Club, the Woman's Press Club, the Cleveland Sorosis, Professor of Medical Diseases of
Women in the University of Medicine and Sur- gery, Professor of the Diseases of Women in the Western Reserve School of Oratory and Physical Culture, President of the Woman's International Provers' Union, a member of the staff of the Woman's Dispensary, the Maternity Home, the Training School for Nurses in the Huron Street Hospital, a member of the Execu- tive Board of the Maternity Home, Vice-presi- dent of the Women and Children's Dispensary, a member of the American Institute of Home- opathy, and the Ohio State Medical Society. Dr. Canfield writes for numerous medical journals.
In 1869 she was united in marriage with II. W. Canfield, an attorney of Cleveland, and they have four children: Elina C., Mary Alice, ITiram and Charles Morrill: the latter died at the age of two years. The family are all mem- bers of the Enelid Avenne Congregational Church. Our subject was one of the twelve (and the only lady) Homeopathic physicians and surgeons appointed to deliver addresses at the World's Congress of Homeopathie Physician, and Surgeons at Chicago, June 13, 1893 Among the twelve were noted inen from Ger- many, France and England. Dr. Canfield's subject was the " Progress of Medical Science Through Homeopathy."
R EV. JOHN W. MALECHIA is the pas- tor of St. Adalbert's (Bohemian) Catlı- olie Church of Cleveland. Ile was born in Bohemia, June 23, 1861, a son of Thomas and Theresa Malecha, both natives and still residents of Bohemia. The father is a Bohemian farmer and lives in the village of Dinin. He was born about 1837, and his wife in 1839, and are respectable citizens and faith- ful members of the Catholic Church. The old- est child, Mary, is the wife of Joseph P'ribyl, a resident of Chicago. The other members of the family are residents of Bohemia.
Our subject, the second of seven children, was educated in Bohemia, in Budweiss College,
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which in Bohemia is called "gymnasium." His theological education was obtained in St. Mary's Seminary of Cleveland, under the efficient Rev. Nicholas A. Moes. July 3, 1886, he was or- dained priest by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Gilmour, then of this diocese. At Elmore, Ohio, Rev. Malecha did his first work as a priest. There he remained for two years, at the close of which he was transferred to his present work. In his church work and in the work of upbuilding the school of his parish, he has been very successful. llis parish and church was established by Father A. Hynek. When Rev. Maleeha took charge of this parish he had about 100 families; now there are over 200 families. His schools are taught by four Notre Dame Sisters. There are ten societies connected with the church. The church building is a nice, well-equipped place of worship.
Rev. Malecha is a man of excellent scholarship, of pleasing personal appearance and is one of the most popular priests of Cleveland.
C. ALEXANDER, a member of the Board of Commissioners for Cuyahoga county, has been for many years a promi-
nent figure in Bedford township. He was elected to the office he now holds in the fall of 1891, and took his seat January 1, 1892. The year of 1893 was one of marked activity for the board, $85,000 being expended upon maeadam roads and $170,000 in building Brook- lyn Bridge, $225,000 for the Central Armory, besides sums for other public improvements.
Mr. Alexander was born fifty-one years ago in Bedford township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, a son of Andrew Alexander who emigrated to the county in 1833; the father was born in Co- lubiana county, Ohio, in 1813, a son of James Alexander, a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish descent. James Alexander was one of the first settlers of Co- lumbiana county, Ohio, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a blacksmith by trade,
and owned one of the best sawmills in the connty; he was a man of excellent business qualifications and was very prosperous. An- drew Alexander was reared and educated in his nativo county, and there married Hannah Hope, who was born in Lawrence county, Pennsyl- vania, and died in 1882. In 1855 he built " Alexander's Mills" (flouring) in Independence township, this county, and now has operated them for thirty-five years, for years under the firm name of A. Alexander & Son.
Our subject was a mere lad when he went into his father's flouring mill, where he received a thorough training in all the details of the business; for thirty years he was his father's trusted partner, conducting the business with marked ability. Ile owns a fine farm two and one half miles South from Cleveland, all of which is under cultivation; the improvements are most substantial and the entire place has an air of thrift and prosperity. In 1876 he was elected superintendent of the Clewell Stone Company, and built and operated their large flagging mill at Independence station.
Mr. Alexander was married in 1874 to Net- tie Logue, now deceased. Mrs. Alexander was a sister to Judge Logue of Cleveland. The second marriage occurred at Allegheny, Penn- sylvania, when he was united to Rachel Gib- son, daughter of Charles Gibson. Two chil- dren have been born to them, Grace Elizabeth and Charles Andrew. Mr. Alexander is a Re- publican and is one of the most ardent workers in his party. Hle and his wife are consistent members of the United Presbyterian Church and are held in high regard by all who know them.
H ON. CHIARLES L. SELZER was born in Cleveland, Ohio, October 6, 1859. At the age of five years his father, Jacob D. Selzer, removed to the village of Brooklyn, at which place he received a good school education, and later he attended the
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West High School of Cleveland, where he pur- sned his studies for a period of two years.
He then took up the drug business for six years, during which time his attention was called to a certain law case that greatly inter- ested him and which virtually created within him a taste for the profession of law. This led him to that study and to enter the law office of John W. Heisley in Cleveland in the year 1882. During the time he studied law he was engaged in various forms of work in order to gain a support and to enable him to further proseente the study of law and his preparation for the profession.
In 1883 Mr. Selzer, in company with II. M. Farnsworth, established a newspaper at Brook- lyn village known as The Cuyahogan, which they published as a weekly issue with success for a period of four years. At the close of that time they sold their publication for a good con- sideration. The building up of this paper and the work of publishing the same, necessitated loss of time in his study of the law, and thus he was prompted to end his newspaper carcer.
In 1886 Mr. Selzer was admitted to the bar and without a partner he immediately began the practice of his profession in Cleveland. Ile has since engaged in general practice, and has gained the reputation of an able lawyer and forcible advocate.
Mr. Selzer was scarcely twenty-one years of age when he entered the political arena by be- ing elected City Clerk of Brooklyn, in which capacity he served two years. Ile was elected Township Clerk of Brooklyn township, in which position he served two years. In 1890 he was unanimously elected Mayor of Brooklyn, and in 1892 was re-elected to the same office in which he is the present incumbent. The several posi- tions and circumstances under which Mr. Sel- zer has held them are pointed ont as evidence of that great estimation and confidence on the part of his fellow citizens which he enjoys.
On January 1, 1884, Mr. Selzer was com- missioned by Governor Foster as First Lieuten- ant and Adjutant of the Fifth Regiment, Ohio
National Guard, with headquarters at Cleve- land, and with his regiment participated in suppressing the famous Cincinnati riots of that year.
Mr. Selzer was nominated by the Demo- cratie party as a candidate for State Senator in 1893, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket by the political landslide in the autumn election of that year.
January 1, 1894, he formed a partnership with Echo M. Heisley, son of his former pre- ceptor, LIon. John W. Ileisley, for the general practice of law under the firm name of Ileisley & Selzer, with spacious offices at No. 219 Supe- rior street, Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Selzer is prominent and active in the Masonic and K. of P. orders of Cleveland.
It was in November, 1886, that he was mar- ried to Miss Ida M. While, of Brooklyn, daugh- ter of Joseph While, Esquire. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Selzer has been blessed by the birth of two children, sons, aged six and four years respectively.
N ORMAN E. WRIGHIT, M. D., Berea, was born in Copley, Summit county, Ohio, March 18, 1834. His father, the late Orris C. Wright, was a farmer and also a miller by occupation, and died at John- son's Corners, that county, when sixty-seven years of age, from the effects of an injury which he had received some time previously.
Norman E. remained on his father's farm till he was seventeen years of age, afterward assist- ing his father in a flouring mill at different periods for some ten years, and then engaged in wood turning and other occupations till he be- gan the study of medicine at Olmsted Falls. In 1874 he graduated at the Cleveland Homeo- pathie Hospital College, where he received his diploma. Previous to his graduation, however, in 1871, he located in Berea, where he has since followed his chosen calling.
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Dr. Wright is one who takes a fairly active part in local affairs, and especially in religions work, and for many years he has been a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Berea, Ohio, although for eighteen years, pre- vious he was connected with the Congregational Church at Olmsted Falls, in which body he was for nine years the Sunday-school Superintend- ent, and filled various other offices. He has been a member of the Board of Education of Berea, is an active worker in the eanse of tem- perance, and is universally respected and esteemed by his fellow-townsmen.
Ile was married to Miss Julia Bradford, of Olmsted Falls, who died May 17, 1873. For his present wife he married Mrs. Lizzie A. Smith, at Bere, April 9, 1876. Dr. Wright's children are as follows: Willis N., who is a resi- dent of Indianapolis, Indiana; Myron T., Cora E., Orris C. and Minnie I.
F FRANK LYNCHI, passenger engineer on the C. C. C. & St. L. Railroad, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, March 22, 1848, son of William Lynch. The latter was born in Boston, and came to this eity in 1844, where he died in 1852. He was a contractor by oe- enpation .. He and his wife, nce Elizabeth Har- rison, had the following children: Helen; William; Mary, wife of E. E. Hudson, a mas- ter mechanic on the Big Four Railroad; Frank, our subject; Harrison, an engineer on the C. L. & W. Railroad; and Elizabeth, wife of Ed Spatts.
Frank Lynch attended school until he was fourteen years of age. Ile then secured the position of brakeman on the C. C. C. & St. L. Railroad, and Four years afterward was pro- moted to condutor, but at that time received an injury which caused him to suspend work for awhile. He returned to the road as loco- motivo fireman, under engineer William Kir- win. March 27, 1872, Mr. Lynch was pro- moted to the position of locomotive engineer.
lle remained in the yard about eighteen months, was then in the freight service until 1886, and since that time has been engaged as passenger engineer. Ilis work has been most satisfactory to the company, he has been at his post whenever ealled, and he has never injured a passenger or employe or. in any way by negli- genee caused the company a pecuniary loss. ITis record is indeed one of which he may be justly proud. Ilis faithful service has at dif- ferent times won for him commendation from the press.
On one occasion Mr. Lyneh ran a special train, consisting of six coaches, from Cleveland to Columbus, a distance of 138 miles, in three hours and eight minutes, his train dashing along up grade and down, while the operators along the line almost held their breath as the rapid progress of the train was noted on the wire. At another time as he was speeding along toward Cleveland at a rate of fifty miles per hour, with his regular train, an incident oc- curred, which, as showing the material of which Mr. Lynch is made, should be noted here.
" The coaches were crowded, and the train was a few minutes behind time. Old reliable eight-wheeled engine 398 was pulling the train, and Engineer Lynch, one of the best men on the road, grasped the throttle. The train ap- proached Iberia enrve, a short distance below Galion, at the same great speed. Suddenly there was a crash on Lynch's side of the eab, the windows were wrecked, the seat on which the engineer was sitting was torn to pieces and Lynch was thrown with terrific force through the cab door and back into the tender. Ile was partially stunned and bruised considerably, but in a moment he recovered himself. The engine was plunging and rocking forward, and at once Lynch learned that one of the side-rods con- meeting the drive-wheels was broken. He knew that uuless the train was stopped at once a wreck and perhaps great loss of life would oc- eur. le sprang to his feet but was again thrown down by the fearful plunges of the en- gine. Again ho rose up and again was thrown
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