USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, pt 2 > Part 58
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In accordance with this decision, all his ar- rangements were made for departure, and with his family and household goods in two large double wagons, he turned his face toward the unknown and traekless west. Albany and intermediate places were at last left behind on the slow and heavy march, and Buffalo, then on the outer limit of civilization, was safely reached. "It was Lot far from the first of December of the year 1811," Mr. Williams writes, "and such were the representations made to my father of the utter hopelessness of working an ox or a horse team and wagon snecessfully through the Cat- taraugus woods at that season of the year, that he decided to sell his oxen, horses and wagons, and to ship himself, family and goods aboard the new and staunch schooner Little Belt, then lying at anchor in the Niagara river, waiting a favorable wind to move it up the rapids into the lake for a voyage. After embarking it was nearly three weeks before a favorable wind was secured to move the vessel from its moorings. I remember while lying wind-bound in the Ni- agara river and near the Canadian shore the long walks taken by my father up and down said river, and at one time in particular ofvis. iting Fort Erie, which was then fully garrisoned and quite in readiness for action in anticipation of a rupture of the peace at that time prevailing, and was expected at any moment to be succeed- ed by active war."
The long wait at last came to an end, but when finally ont on the waters of Erie a scason
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of stormy and boisterous weather was encoun- tered. The ship finally came in sight of the shores of their destination, but was unable to land its passengers because of the roughness of the sea. The storm finally drove them back to Port Presque Isle (Erie), where Mr. Williams and his family disembarked. Means of convey- ance were found, and the long journey finally came to an end by their arrival at Painesville, Ohio, where they were most hospitably received by a few people there located. Shelter was found for the winter in a comfortable log dwell- ing owned by General Paine, where they re- mained until the following spring, making p'eas- ant acquaintances among the settlers in the re- gions about them, and arranging plans for the future. Early in the year following, 1812, the elder Williams purchasing the old courthouse in the village of Painesville, with some twenty or thirty acres surrounding it- the county seat having been removed to Chardon -and moved bis family into it; and in that building, remod- eled for family use, the father lived for the re- mainder of his life.
The son attended school during this winter in a primitive structure near by; and after a time, when a school was regularly opened jo a building erected for that purpose, he was one of the most eager recipients of its benefits when- ever he could be spared from labor at home. A natural desire for knowledge, quickened by an industry that was one of the gifts from his New England ancestry, led him to make the best use of these opportunities. "I was often to be Found," he says, "engaged in drawing maps of different countries, or on winter evenings, by the light of the tallow wick, poring over some knotty problem in Pike's or Adams' arithmeties, and thus trying to store up knowledge which might serve me in the near future. Neither cold nor heat seemed to abate or diminish my ardor in this pursuit, as I well remember giv- ing whole evenings to study in some dark cor- ner, with very little light and under great dis- advantages; and thus passed away, without much change, a large portion of my early boy-
hood." One recollection of those carly days cannot be passed by because of the historic val- ue that attaches thereto. When Hull surren- dered Detroit to the British, it will be remem. bered, word went all through northern Ohio that the British and Indians were making a de- scent upon the important frontier to the south of Lake Erie, and that boat-loads of them had been already seen on their way down the lake. When the news reached Painesville, there was a quick gathering of the people to discuss the best course to pursue, which he, boy -like, of course attended. "Although not all agreed as to the best measures to take for the general safe- ty, they all seemed ready to prepare in some way for resisting the foe; and so all, without ex- ception, were busy, some running bullets, some looking up and burnishing every musket and rifle to be found among the villagers, and repair- ing every old and unused weapon of assault or defense which was known or could be heard of among the inhabitants of the village; while some, moved with fear, were conversing how best they could escape collision with the foe by conveying themselves and families into the in- terior until the danger had passed. It was con- tidently expected by all that it could not be more than a day or so before the hooting Indi- ans and British would be upon us, for it was re- ported as a fact that immediately after the sur- render of Hull they were seen to embark on this adventure in large numbers and in open boats. After a day or so news was sent that what was first supposed to be the embarkment of the enemy, with desigus of plunder and mur- der, those open boats, which were making their way as best they could along its shore were load- ed with the paroled prisoners of war who had surrendered on the capitulation of Ilull."
The youth made such progress in his studies and especially with the pen, that an unexpected opening for advancement in life soon presented itself as an outcome of his labors. Elihu Spen- cer had been sent from Connecticut to Warren, Ohio, where he settled, as an agent for the sale of lands belonging to Eastern parties, the
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payment of these taxes, and a general care and oversight of their interests. He had been for some time looking for a suitable person whom he could safely introduce into his business, and who could, after a time, relieve him of a part of his many labors. On one occasion when Mr. Spencer was stopping at the tavern then kept in Painesville by the elder Williams, he saw some of the school work prepared by the boy, and was greatly impressed by the quality it possessed and the promise it gave of better work in the future. Hle finally proposed to take the boy, to fit him for the work required, and in fact to adopt him for his own child, and to leave him such inheritance as a son might justly claim. Mr. Spencer was a member of one of the best families of Connecticut, well educated, a gradu- ate of Yale, whose character was above reproach, and after careful consideration the father con- sented, led thereto only by his desire for the good of the boy. Accordingly, in June, 1818, a few days after his fifteenth birth day, he was taken to his new home in Warren, then, as now, the seat of Trumbull county, and made a mem- ber of Mr. Spencer's family, which consisted only of his wife and himself. His residence there was a pleasant and happy one, his work in the office being excellently and industrionsly per- formed. He was often sent long distances ou business suited to his age and abilities, and al- ways with apparent satisfaction to his employer. Ile also accompanied the surveyors sent to lay off' some picee of land which Mr. Spencer had sold, which furnished him many interesting studies in that line. By direction of Mr. Speneer he commenced his studies once more, under competent instructors, and was on the sure road to an exceptional education for those days, when an event occurred that made a sudden change for the present, and had its effect in the future. On July 20, 1819, Mr. Spencer, who was consumptive, was taken with severe hemor- rhage of the lungs, and although help was speed- ily summoned, it was of no avail, and death came almost immediately to his relief. This event so sudden and so sad, changed all of the youth's
expectations, and no doubt materially altered the whole tenor of his life. " It so happened," said Mr. Williams, "that Zalmon Fiteh, the then cashier of the Western Reserve Bank, was at the suggestion of Mrs. Spencer appointed adminis- trator of Mr. Spencer's estate, and henee into his possession passed all the valuable documents and papers of the deceased. It was not, however, possible by any order or decree of the court, in the matter of administration, to affeet my eon- dition for better or for worse. It left me, in fact, quite helpless, exposed to be driven hither and thither by the rough storms of life which blasted my prospects and removed by sudden death my best and only support and helper." But it so happened that Mr. Fitch needed an assistant in the bank and the position was offered the young man and accepted. The chief blessing that came from the change, however, was the fact that he became a member of Mr. Fitch's family, and there found a home and shelter of a kind not often given to a young man after his departure from beneath the parental roof. Here he remained until January, 1825, when he re- moved to Buffalo, New York, under an expee- tation of bettering his financial condition, and there took a position in the revived Niagara Bank, an institution that had seen a season of prosperity followed by one of reverses, to be again set going under new anspices. This bank underwent a second collapse during Mr. Will- iams' connection with it, and its doors were again elosed, and following this he and another gentleman were appointed receivers of the same during the winter of 1826-'27, and during his administration as such the bank's business was wound up in a most satisfactory manner. In 1825, during Mr. Williams' early residence in Buffalo, the opening of the Erie canal occurred. During the same year he attended the reception tendered to LaFayette npon the occasion of that great man's visit to Buffalo. While in Buffalo and bnsily employed in the affairs of the bank, Mr. Williams' shrewd foresight led him to make certain investments in land, the increased value of which laid securely the foundation of what-
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ever competeney he was afterward to acenmu- late. Hle became a member of the firm of Ben- nett & Williams, and for some time devoted himself with great success to the handling of real estate, a business for which the partnership was formed. In May, 1827, Mr. Williams re- turned to Warren, Ohio, where on the 23d he was joined in marriage to Miss Lucy Fitch, the daughter of his former chief in the West- ern Reserve Bank, a pleasant home was soon made in Buffalo, and the dream of a long life of happiness with his first love was only entered upon when it was shattered by a sudden blow- death claiming the young wife on Angust 30, 1829. On May 30, 1832, he was again mar- ried, to Miss Laura Fitch, a sister of his first wife whose life ended on September 30, 1852. Mr. Williams remained in Buffalo until revers- es, eaused by the panie of 1837, led him to re- move with his family to Cleveland, where he afterward continuously resided. He made his home in the comfortable frame dwelling that stood on Enclid avenue, where Bond street is now located, and remained there until the street improvement caused the old structure to be torn down some twenty-two or -three years ago, when he removed to his late home on Enclid, between Perry street and Sterling avenne.
After coming to Cleveland, Mr. Williams de- voted himself to varions interests of a mercan- tile and manufacturing character, and was a useful and busy member of the community in many ways. Ile also brought into market a large tract of land on Garden street, and Case and Euclid avenues, opening and naming Grant and Williams streets, and doing much to im- prove that section of the eity. During the lat- ter years of his life he lived in quiet case, giv- ing his mind to occupations and pastimes for which he had little leisure in the early days. Ile read and studied much, and as a writer showed a vein of philosophy and a power of ob- servation and description that would have made him successful had he chosen the profession of letters as his life work.
In polities Mr. Williams was a Democrat of the Jackson sehool until the aggression of slav- ery led him to join the Free Soil party upon its creation; and when that party was merged into the Republican party he became and afterward remained an earnest supporter of the principles advocated by the latter organization. He be- came a member of the Presbyterian Church dur- ing his residence in Warren, and was an upright and faithful member of that denomination all through life. Modest and retiring, he declined in both eivil and church affairs to allow his name to be used in connection with any office whatever. The unflinching honesty, faithful- ness to duty, and industry, that were the lead- ing principles of his life, need no extended dis- eussion, and it may only be said that he was a true and faithful worker all through a long life, and that in the feebleness of poor health and old age he awaited the summons into that high- er life to which so many of his beloved friends had been already called. He died on Decem- ber 11, 1888.
D R. II. K. STONER, a physician and sur- geon of Cleveland, was born at Berlin, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, a son of John O. and Lizzie W. (Kimmell) Stoner, na- tives also of that State. The father owns valu- able coal lands, and is engaged in mining and shipping. In political matters, he is an active worker in the Prohibition party, but would never accept publie preferment. ITe has reached the age of fifty-four years, and his wife is one year younger. Both are devout and worthy members of the Methodist Church.
11. K. Stoner, their only child, received his education in the common schools, and in an academy at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, under Dr. Shumaker, a noted educator and one of the best instructors of his day in the State. Mr. Stoner also graduated at the Allegheny College of Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1882. After reading medicine for a time he took a course at
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the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, graduating at that institution in 1885. Since that year Dr. Stoner has been engaged in the practice of medicine in Cleveland. He has had excellent hospital experience in the Jefferson Medical Hospital. Success has attended his efforts, and he stands well in the profession. In his social relations, Dr. Stoner is Examining Surgeon of the I. O. F .; politically, is an active worker in the Prohibition party; and religiously, is a member of the Epworth Memorial Method- ist Episcopal Church of Cleveland. The Doe- tor is one of the promising young physicians of the county.
E DWARD M. ANTHONY, deceased, to whom this memoir is dedicated, was for many years one of the prominent and honored residents of Rocky River Hamlet. Be- ing one of the old residents of the township and one who did much to advance its interests and further its development, it is eminently fitting that this tribute he accorded him,-the tribute of representation in a volume devoted to the leading citizens of Cuyahoga county.
Edward M. Anthony was born in Brookfield, Madison county, New York, January 18, 1826, passed his boyhood days in Rockport township and here increased in stature and knowledge, greeted the dawn of his young man- hood, finally married and saw a family of chil- dren grow up about him, continned an active and ambitions worker in his chosen field, found his hair silvered by the flight of years, and then, full of honor and reverend in age, was gathered to his fathers, lamented by all who had known him and appreciated his sterling worth of character. December 13, 1857, in Amherst, Lorain county, Ohio, he was united in marriage to Miss Sophronia L. Tyler, a native of Ridge- ville, that county, where she was born April 9, 1834. Her father, David Miles Tyler, l'amit- iarly known as Miles Tyler, wasa well-known and prominent resident of Lorain county, where he
died March 10, 1864. Her mother, whose maid- en name was Polly Farrell, died March 10, 1878.
After his marriage Edward M. Anthony set- tled on the old parental homestead, where he continued to live until the hour of his death, which occurred September 12, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Anthony were the parents of eight ehil- dren, namely: Hubert M., who married Miss Ada M. Bradley; Estella M., who is the wife of Willard Jordan; Charles E .; Carrie A., wife of Ernest Brown; Alice A., Florence B., William G. and Harry M.
Mr. Anthony devoted his entire life to farmn- ing. Ile erected good buildings and made sub- stantial improvements upon his place, which compriseJ at the time of his death eighty aeres. Ile was a man of inch intelligence and ability, was held in high esteem in the community and his memory will be retained in lasting honor. Mrs. Anthony still resides upon the old home- stead, whose acres are hallowed by the associ- ations of many years.
His father, John S. Anthony, emigrated from his Eastern home with his family when Edward M. was but six years of age, coming to Cleve- land on the steamboat Daniel Webster and set- tling on forty aeres of land in Rockport town- ship, or at Rocky River Hamlet, as it is now known. He was a stanch close-communion Baptist and had much to do with establishing the Baptist Church in Rockport, remaining a Deacon of it until his death. Ile was a man well informed and a good writer, being often called upon to write wills and other doeuments. For his wife he married Miss Lydia Mason.
The following lines were written by himself with a request that they be preserved:
LAST LINES ON MYSELF.
Adieu, dear friends, my glass is run,
My work is, like a hireling, done; My bounds were set; I could not pass The last pulse beat; I fell like grass. Death aimed his dart, the fatal deed was done, And I lie sleeping in the silent tomb. I leave a world of strife and sore disease
For a more friendly soit of health and peace, Our days fly like the weaver's shuttle-fast ; We scarcely glimpse the present: all is pasl.
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Such is poor mortal man in his best state,- Nothing but vanity, and death his fate; Thus our first parents well entailed to all The sad effects experienced by their fall. Reverse the scene, and prospects bright arise : The second Adam points above the skies. A substitute, he suffered in our stead, Then conquered death in rising from the dead. ( Death, where is thy sting? Thy reign shalt cease; Thy grasp on captive millions quick release; A general jail delivery will take place, Comprising all of Adam's numerous race. Last will and testament confirms each heir By name and title to an ample share.
ON J. S. ANTHONY (HIMSELF).
Christ is my only hope To raise me from the tomb. Anxious I wait and cry in death, Lord Jesus, quickly come !
ON A. M. COE (A UNIVERSALIST NEIGHBOR).
All men were born to die: All men will rise again: I died in faith that all mankind Shall with my Savior reign.
EPITAPH ON R. MILLARD.
When that bright morn shall usher in My sleeping dust shall rise And with transporting joy embrace My Savior in the skies.
EPITAPH ON B. STEDSON.
This stone a monument shall stand Informing where I lie. Reader, reflect thy fate is sure: All men were born to die!
P AUL SCHNEIDER .- One of the import- ant and conspicuous manufacturing eu- terprises of Cleveland is that conducted by the Schneider & Trenkamp Company, manufacturers of gasoline and gas stoves, and at the head of this concern, which is one of the most extensive of the sort in the Union, stands the subject of this review. Ile was born at Frankfort-on-the-Oder, June 27, 1844, being the son of Henry and Wilhelmina Schneider, the former of whom was a lithographor by trade
and occupation and a man of considerable noto in his native land. He died in 1859, at the age of sixty-two years.
Panl Schneider acquired a good common- school education in Germany, and there learnod the trade of machinist, becoming an expert and particularly intelligent workman. When the German government became involved in war with Austria and later with France (1866 and 1870 respectively) Mr. Schneider bore arms in his country's cause, serving faithfully and val- iantly on the field of battle. In 1874 he came to the United States and at once located in Cleve- land, which city has since continued to be his home and the scene of his successful business operations. After a few years passed in other lines of work, he engaged in the manufacture of stoves, and the enterprise, which was of very cirenmscribed order at the time of its inception, prospered to a wonderful degree, in fact being the nucleus of the magnificent industry of which he is the prime factor to-day. IIe brought to bear diligence, earnest application to work and marked business ability, all of which conspired to bring his ventures to a successful issue. A number of inventions, made after careful experi- ment, were eventually put into practical applica- tion and added greatly to the value and superi- ority of the stoves manufactured, and incident- ally to the success of the undertaking.
To recapitulate, we may say that for the period of fifteen years Mr. Schneider devoted his atten- tion to the manufacturing of optical and mathe- matical instruments, and that he then became concerned in practical electrical work with C. F. Brush, with whom he remained four years. It is a noteworthy fact that he personally made the first are light turned out by the Brush Electric Company. Subsequently he left the employ of the Brush Company and entered into a partner- ship with Henry Treukamp, for the purpose of manufacturing vapor stoves, of which products he may practically claim to have been the ori- ginator. Ilis wonderful skill as a mechanic and his ready discernment in regard to points where improvements were demanded and could be
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made, resulted in the placing on the market stoves that were far superior to anything ever before produced in the line, and eventually in developing a business of magnificent propor- tions. The business of the Schneider & Tren- kamp Company has experienced an almost phenomenal growth, standing to-day as an enter- prise of stupendous importance. The buildings of the plant cover nearly two acres of ground, and in the carrying forward of the work of the institution a corps of 400 workmen is employed. Mr. Schneider, who has been president of the company since the time of its organization, has seeured a number of patents on original inven- tions applied to the vapor stoves; and largely to his skill and scientific mechanical knowledge do the products of the factory owe their marked precedence over all others of the sort.
Mr. Schneider is identified with several other important organizations and enterprises in Cleveland. Ile is a director of the Phoenix Paint Company, is president and director of the Germania Hall Company, of which he was one of the organizers, and was formerly president of the North American Sangerbund. Ile has been a member of the Cleveland Gesangverein since 1878; was elected president of the same in 1887, a position which he resigned after serv- ing for three terms.
Starting ont in life without any financial re- sources or support, Mr. Schneider stands as a true type of the self-made man, having attained to honor and success by virtue of his integrity, intelligence, industry and economy,-one whose life is worthy of emulation.
The marriage of our subject was solemnized in 1870, when he was united to Miss Anna Dohle. They have five children: Hans, Grethe, Anna, Freida and Freddie.
ON ZEAGER, of Rocky River hamlet, was born in Denmark, January 13, 1559, where he passed the early years of his life, coming to America about the year 1873. Hle made a short stay in Cleveland and then
came into Rockport township, where he worked ont by the month for several years, and then rented a farm for eight years, carrying on the business of gardening. He finally bought the farm of forty-four acres where he now lives. It is mostly improved. He was married in Rockport township, January 17, 1884, to Miss Mina Knudson, who was also a native of Den- mark. They have five children, namely: Julius, Emma, Lonis, Maria and Loura. Mr. Zeager was elected one of the Trustees of Rocky River hamlet in the spring of 1893, and was chosen President of the board, or Mayor.
M ICHAEL HOUCK of Rocky River IIam- let was born in what was Ohio City, but is now known as the West Side of Cleveland, June 29, 1839. ITis father was the late Andrew Honek, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to America when a young man of about twenty years. He lived in Buffalo, New York, for a few years and then removed to Ohio City, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, where he resided till his death, which occurred March 1, 1875. He was a machinist by trade and in the employ of the Cuyahoga Steain Furnace Company for thirty five years. The mother of our subject was Catherine Pfaltzgraff who was also a native of Bavaria, Germany. They were married in Cleveland by the Rev. Mr. Allard, who was one of the first German preachers of Cleveland. The mother still sur- vives. They had a family of nine sons of whom Michael was the eldest. He was reared on the West Side in Cleveland. He enlisted in the smminer of 1862 in the Nineteenth Ohio Light Artillery and served three years, till June, 1865. By being thrown from a horse in Cov- ington, Kentucky, he was seriously injured, losing the sight of his left eye.
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