USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > The pioneer families of Cleveland 1796-1840 Vol. II > Part 13
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1834
BENJAMIN
One of the sufferers by the fire which swept the south side of Superior street in 1835 from Bank to Water streets, was George W. Benjamin, who, at the time, was conducting a boarding-house in the rear of Kel- logg's block, now occupied by the American House. The writer thinks it was a frame residence that once stood close to the street, and at an earlier day was the Walworth house, which had been moved to the rear of the lot. The fire started in this house, and a young maid living with the Benjamins was burned to death. Evidently there was much practical sym- pathy expressed for the family, as, subsequently, appeared in the Cleve- land Advertiser, the following :
"I would return my sincere gratitude to the ladies of Cleveland for their kind endeavor to ameliorate my late misfortune in the cordial and hospitable reception of myself and husband to their dwellings, and in the voluntary and liberal donations to supply me with wearing-apparel of which, by the recent fire, I was left nearly destitute.
"May you ever be under the kind proctection of that Being who neither slumbers nor sleeps, and who though He acts as a Sovereign is yet a Father.
Adaline P. Benjamin."
Mr. Benjamin went into the grocery business. His store in 1837 was on Bank street, and his residence No. 62 St. Clair street. The name drops out in the directory of 1845, and the heads of the family either died between these dates or left the city.
486
1834
HOWE
Amaziah Dutton Howe was 23 years old when he came to this city from New York state and started the manufacture of sashes and window- blinds. These were all hand-made in those days. The process was slow and demanded the skill and accuracy of a first-class carpenter.
Mr. Howe was the son of Amaziah Howe, a native of Vermont, who belonged to the old New England family of that name. He removed to Skeneateles, N. Y., where his son A. D. Howe was born. Mrs. Howe the elder was a Miss Betsey Mckay before her marriage.
Soon after his arrival in Cleveland, Amaziah D. Howe met Miss Elis- abeth Shaw, a young English girl who, with two older sisters, had crossed the Atlantic a short time previous to seek their fortunes in this country. They were :
Elisabeth Shaw, married A. D. Sarah Shaw, married John F. Tay- Howe. lor.
Jane Shaw, married William Fudge,
a burr-mill manufacturer.
During the first years of their married life, Mr. and Mrs. Howe lived on Center street, and afterward on Howe street, named for the family. They had three children, and in 1852, when the oldest of these was about 12 years old, Mrs. Elisabeth Howe died, and was laid away in Erie street cemetery. The following year, Mr. Howe died at the home of his parents in Skeneateles, in the prime of his life. His body was not brought back to Cleveland.
The children thus left orphaned at a tender age, were cared for by their mother's sisters until able to look out for themselves, which they proceeded to do when all three were yet quite young. They were:
Capt. William Addison Howe, m. Rachel Howe, m. Morris Jackson
Rachel Sage, daughter of John Holley, grandson of Ezekie'
and Rachel Coleman Sage. Hawley or Holley the pioneer of 1797.
Minerva Howe, m. Samuel Patton; 2nd, Plez James.
Capt. Howe is still a resident of Cleveland and living in a beautiful home on Abdington Road. He was a member of the famous Seventh Regiment, O. V. I., in the Civil War, and possesses a military record that his posterity may well cherish with pride.
Mrs. Rachel Howe is aunt of the late William Sage, the well-known literary and dramatic critic of the Cleveland Leader.
1834
HASKELL
Roger and Sarah Hinsdale Haskell, formerly of Burlington, N. Y., but later of Geneva in the same state, removed to Cleveland in 1834. They were a middle-aged couple, and brought with them grown sons and daughters, one or more of them married.
487
1834
DENISON
The father and sons engaged in the saddlery business on Water street, and the family lived near by. George F. Marshall, himself a pio- neer, and one of the founders of the Old Settlers' Association, learned the trade of harness and saddle-making of the Haskells, and in an address before that society in 1889 spoke warmly and affectionately of one of the sons "My old friend and preceptor George H. Haskell, to whom I was bound in apprenticeship over 57 years ago."
After living here a few years, the Haskells left town for a time and engaged in farming and lumbering in Summit county, returning in 1850. Meanwhile the parents died, the father in Summit county, and the mother at the home of her daughter in Elyria.
The children of Roger and Sarah Hinsdale Haskell :
James R. Haskell, m. Julia White. George H. Haskell, b. 1801; m. Em-
Daniel M. Haskell, m. Mary Wood ily Sandford; d. 1895.
of New York State.
Mr. and Mrs. George Haskell were married 1833 in Geneva, N. Y., and came to Cleveland in the following year. He was then 33 years old, and his wife Emily Haskell 12 years his junior.
She was the daughter of Dr. Jared Sandford of Lodi, N. Y., an intel- ligent, capable woman, always reaching out for the best in everything. She was greatly interested in missionary work both at home and abroad, and in connection with her friend Mrs. Charles Wheeler a very active member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. She died in 1881. The Haskell homestead for many years was on the east side of Brownell street between Euclid and Prospect streets.
Children of George and Emily Haskell:
Edward Haskell, d. 1871.
Charles Haskell, d. 1853.
Cornelia Haskell, m. C. H. Randall. Julia Haskell.
1834
DENISON
Daniel Denison was a ship-builder of Norwich, Conn., who came west in 1834. He was born 1802, the son of Thomas and Meribah Cowdry Denison, was married, and had three young children.
His wife was Nancy Williams, daughter of Jedediah Williams, of the Norwich branch of that old Connecticut family.
Mr. Denison bought property on Ontario street where the family lived for 16 years. It was number 50, at that time.
In 1850, Mr. Denison removed with his family to Peoria, Ill., and en- gaged there in ship-building, but he lived only two years after making the change. He was buried in Peoria, and his widow and children re- turned to Cleveland.
488
1834
DENISON
Daniel Denison came from old Puritan stock, having descended from Capt. George Denison, and, also, by double line of descent from Rev. William Brewster of the Mayflower.
It naturally followed that Daniel and his wife were church-goers, and Sabbath-keepers. They were faithful adherents of Methodism, and be- longed to the first church of that faith, holding services on the corner of St. Clair and Wood street.
Their children were in after-years also closely connected with the First Methodist Church.
Nancy Williams Denison outlived her husband 32 years. She spent her last days with her daughter Mrs. Hester on Willson Ave., and died aged 77. She was laid away in Erie street cemetery.
The children of Daniel and Nancy Denison :
Nancy Williams Denison, born in Norwich, Conn .; married 1st, Russell Beach; 2nd, George How- lett; 3rd, John Bramley. She re- sides in Saginaw, Mich.
Merribah Seymour Denison, b. in Norwich, Conn .; m. Dr. A. J. Gardner. She died at Grand Rap- ids, Mich., and was buried in Lake View cemetery. No children.
Louise Adelaide Denison, b. in Nor- wich, Conn .; m. 1st, Wellington P. Cooke of Cleveland; 2nd, Ed- ward Lewis.
Edwin Denison, b. 1836, in Cleve- land; died 1908; m. Julia A. Bur- well.
Thomas Denison, b. 1839; m. Isabel M. Myrill. Mrs. Isabel Denison died in 1912 and was buried in Lake View cemetery.
Jed W. Denison, b. 1841; m. M. E. Fairchild of Middleburg. He re- sides at 2196 East 101st street.
Marietta Denison, b. 1845; m. Geo. Hester, an attorney.
Mrs. Grace Frinton Denison, a daughter of Nancy Beach, lives in Saginaw, Mich.
Mrs. Louise Denison Cooke was but a year and a half old when her parents brought her to Cleveland. Mr. Cooke was an early leather mer- chant. They were very prominent in the First Methodist Church, and had hosts of warm friends in this community. Only one of their three children lived to maturity, Adelaide Cooke who married Dr. John C. Davis, and lives in Cincinnati.
Mrs. Cooke's second marriage to Mr. Lewis a widower, took place when both were in late middle age. He had a lovely daughter who mar- ried Charles H. Weed of Cleveland. Both families of Cooke and Lewis lived on Prospect st.
Edwin Denison was many years of the firm of Denison Brothers, leather and hide merchants. He had four sons and five daughters:
Charles E. Denison, of Boston, Mass. Jesse Denison.
May Denison-Mrs. C. B. Miller. Emeline Denison.
Hattie Denison-Mrs. Fred William. Grace Denison-Mrs. Charles Arter. George B. Denison, lives on Taylor
Daniel Denison.
Ernest Denison.
Road, E. Cleveland.
489
1834
CANFIELD
Seven of these children reside in Cleveland.
Thomas and Isabel Myrell Denison's two daughters are:
Adelaide Denison, teacher in Lincoln Ruth Denison, is a teacher in War- ren School.
High School.
Jed Denison had four children :
Nelly Denison-Mrs. William Flood. Le Roy Denison, m. Florence Mur- Harry Denison, living in North Da- kota. ray. Lou E. Denison.
The children of Marietta Denison Hester:
Frank Hester, m. Gertrude Miller. Edwin Hester, lives in Alliance, O. Flora B. Hester.
1834
CANFIELD
In 1833 several of Cleveland's largest land-owners began to lay out streets through their ten-acre lots within the village limits. These had hitherto been used as small farms or as pastures. Now they were divided into building lots, and the encouraging sale of these inaugurated Cleve- land's first land boom.
The news of it spread rapidly and for four years or more there was a steady movement toward this town of opportunity, most of it from the eastern states.
Among the arrivals in 1834 were two men of Connecticut birth who had had previous experience in the handling of real-estate and who were lured hither by reports of the beauty of the city, its commercial advan- tages and its wonderful possibilities. They were Horace Canfield and Sheldon Pease, brothers-in-law, having married sisters of the well-known Humphrey family of New Haven Co., Conn.
Horace Canfield was the son of Joseph and Abigail Canfield of Salis- bury, Conn. He married, in 1825, Janette Humphrey, of Humphreyville, Conn., and the young couple resided in New York City preceding their removal to Cleveland, and three of their children were born there.
Mr. and Mrs. Canfield were exceedingly refined in their manners and tastes, and at once became very popular in the village, both in financial and social circles.
Mr. Canfield was a man of far-reaching thought and possessed of almost prophetic vision. He was deeply interested in the growth of Cleveland, especially along esthetic lines. He planted trees freely upon his own property holdings, urged his associates to do likewise, and never ceased to use his influence with public officials toward the beautifying of the Public Square and streets.
490
1834
HUMPHREY
It is claimed that he was the first man to suggest that a railroad could connect the Atlantic with the Pacific. He wrote an article to that effect and sent it to the Cleveland Herald. The editor published the com- munication, but remarked upon it in a manner that plainly evidenced his personal opinion of such a wild and visionary statement.
Mrs. Canfield was a fine-looking woman. She was twenty-seven years of age when she came to Cleveland, and her residence here extended over many years. The family residence, part of that period, was on Water street, West 9th, below Lake street, and afterward on Ontario street, not far from the Square.
Mr. Canfield died in 1866 at Canadaigua, N. Y., and his widow spent her declining years with her son, Horace J. Canfield, in his home at Stockbridge, Mass.
The children of Horace and Janette Humphrey Canfield were:
Janette Canfield, b. in New York City, 1827; m. John M. Hunting- ton, son of Thomas Huntington of Norwich, Conn. She d. near Cin- cinnati, O., in 1847.
Josephine Canfield, b. 1829, N. Y. City; m. Benjamin Franklin Smith of Cleveland.
Horace Jared Canfield, b. N. Y. City, 1834.
Ellen Curtis Canfield, b. Cleveland, 1838 ; m. Delos Cole, in 1862.
Charles Edward Canfield, b. Cleve- land 1840; d. seven years of age, near Cincinnati.
John M. Huntington served as Quarter Master during the Civil War. He died in 1865 aged forty-seven years.
Josephine Canfield Smith was a cultured lady with strong literary tastes. Her husband for many years was connected with railroads ter- minating in Buffalo. They removed from that city to Chicago, Ill.
Horace J. Canfield was an editorial writer on the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser. He was a man of scholarly attainments. In 1878 he removed to Stockbridge, Mass.
Ella Canfield Cole was a charming and attractive woman, fond of so- ciety and in every way adorned it. Her sudden death in 1866, the same year as that of her father, was a shock to a large circle of Cleveland friends.
Lee Canfield, who was a real-estate dealer and promoter of the town in 1833, may have been a brother of Horace Canfield. He was an active business man in the early '30s, but died or removed elsewhere before the city was organized in 1836.
1834 HUMPHREY
Sarah Curtis Humphrey, the widowed mother of Mrs. Horace Canfield and Mrs. Sheldon Pease, is entitled to mention through her long years of residence in this city.
She was born in Derby, Conn., and was the daughter of Sheldon and Lois Nichols Curtis, and at the age of 20 married Hon. John Humphrey, a distinguished man in after-years, and a judge of the New Haven Court.
491
1834
DEAN
They lived in an elegant home situated on a hill overlooking a valley, and in a Connecticut town named for the family. They were for many miles around regarded as the aristocrats of the community.
Their wealth and social standing enabled them to give to their two daughters and only son David Humphrey superior advantages. The lat- ter was but eight years of age at the death of his father in 1826. He lived with his mother and sisters during their residence in Cleveland, married Miss Angeline Canda in Chicago, and died in San Francisco, Cal., aged 35, leaving one son.
Mrs. Sarah Curtis Humphrey died in this city and rests in Wood- land cemetery.
1834
DEAN
David Dean and Olive White were married in Utica, N. Y., in 1828. Six years later, after a short residence in Columbus, they came to Cleve- land. Their first home was 39 Champlain street, where they were still living in 1838.
Mr. Dean was a coach-maker and within the twenty years he lived in town had become one of its leading carriage-manufacturers.
With Mark Whitelaw he built a double brick residence on the south side of Prospect street, in the north side of which the family lived until 1852. Mr. Dean then bought eight acres of land in the heart of the then village of Newburgh. It was situated on the west side of Broadway near Harvard street. The property had been owned by a family named Rad- way. The grading of Broadway, a few years since, left the family- residence at an awkward elevation from the street, and it was moved back and turned to face Dean Place, now East 82nd street.
David Dean died at the age of 61 years. He was a large man and rather heavy-featured.
Mrs. Dean was a fair type of the New England woman, frugal, ambi- tious, undemonstrative, but warm-hearted. Her married life, for various reasons, had been a strenuous one, and it had been saddened by the death of her children. Only one of the six she had mothered lived to reach maturity. A dear son, fourteen years of age, was drowned, and her only remaining daughter Harriet died when eight years old.
Mrs. Dean outlived her husband many years, living in the homestead with her son Edward Leroy Dean, who followed the business of his father, and died at the same age, 61 years.
He married Miss Amantha Knapp, daughter of a Newburgh pioneer; she is living alone in the old home. Her son Allen Dean having removed to Chicago, and her daughter Jeanne married to William J. Townsend and living on Drexel Ave.
Mrs. Amantha Dean is 72 years young, and her mind so busy with the various social and philanthropic questions of the day that she does not find time to be lonely.
Three generations of the Dean family lie in Erie street cemetery.
492
1834
ELY
Merrick Ely of Deerfield, O., was a member of the distinguished fam- ily of that name, many generations of which have lived in Springfield, Mass.
His father Lewis Ely was a soldier of the Revolution and came to Deerfield in 1799 from Granville, Mass. His mother was Anna Granger Ely.
Merrick Ely married Lovisa Farnum, daughter of Elisha Farnum, a soldier and pensioner of the American Revolution. Her mother was Thankful Day Farnum. Lovisa Farnum was born in Blanford, Mass., and while yet a young girl her parents moved to Deerfield, O. The Elys continued to reside in Deerfield, until their family consisted of a son and four daughters, when, having purchased a farm on what is now Kinsman Road, Mr. Ely concluded in 1834 to occupy it.
The family left Deerfield on July Fourth in a stage coach drawn by four horses, and their household goods in two wagons; but such was the terrible condition of the roads at this time that it required four horses to draw each wagon and three days to make the journey of 50 miles.
Previous to his marriage Merrick Ely and his brother Lewis Ely kept a store of general merchandise in Deerfield, O. An account-book kept by Mr. Ely, one year, contains the name of Jesse Grant, father of Gen. U. S. Grant, and shows that he was a frequent customer.
This old account-book is now in the possession of Mrs. Louise Johnson Smith, the only granddaughter of Merrick Ely.
With William H. Otis of Cleveland, Mr. Ely took a contract for carry- ing the U. S. Mail from Pittsburgh to Cleveland, which called him to Washington, D. C., two or three times each year.
He was a major in the state militia, and in much demand on Training Day, a popular event in early times.
The Ely farm was five miles south-east of the Public Square. Mr. Ely did not confine himself exclusively to tilling it, but carried on a business in Cleveland. The road between the two places was a wretched country-road, one of continuous mud-holes ; on each side of it were woods. Between Erie street cemetery and the Square was a long stretch of scrub- oaks.
In 1838 Merrick Ely died suddenly, leaving a wife and four children. He lies in Erie street cemetery.
Mrs. Ely was a patient, forbearing woman, and self-sacrificing to a fault. She was ever considerate of the comfort and happiness of others, and a mother who gave good advice to her children, and impressed upon them the duties and responsibilities of life. In short, she was a noble, Christian woman.
She was a notable cook, and a generous provider. The many neigh- borhood and church-gatherings which were the only social functions of that day, often met at her house, and it is said that the children were al- ways pleased when she entertained because she invariably passed two kinds of pie with the doughnuts, whereas all other hostesses seemed to think one kind sufficient.
493
1834
GAYLORD
The daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Merrick Ely received good educational advantages and all in their youth were school-teachers.
Louisa Ely, m. Luke D. Johnson. Sarah Ely, m. Isaac Bears.
Lucinda Ely, m. Luke D. Johnson.
A string of gold beads belonging to Mrs. Lovisa Ely and worn by her for many years is still worn occasionally by her granddaughter Mrs. Charles H. Smith.
1834
GAYLORD
Henry L. Gaylord, son of Nehemiah and Esther Stevens Gaylord, fol- lowed his older brother Erastus to Cleveland, and in partnership with him led a quiet mercantile life. No mention of him in connection with public affairs can be found; nevertheless, he was a valuable citizen during the 19 years he lived in Cleveland. He died in 1853 when his youngest son was 11 years of age.
Mrs. Gaylord was Maria Tousley, daughter of Judge Tousley of Mani- lus, N. Y. She was born in 1805, and died many years after her hus- band had passed away.
The family lived on the south-east corner of Ontario and St. Clair streets until 1850, and then removed to a home on Prospect ave.
The children of Henry L. and Maria Tousley Gaylord :
Sylvanus Tousley, b. 1836; d. about Alice H. Fairbanks, dau. of A. W.
20 years of age, unmarried. Fairbanks.
William Henry Tousley, b. 1842; m.
William H. Gaylord graduated at Western Reserve University in the class of '64, and afterward studied and practiced law. He was born in the city and spent his life of 63 years in the heart of it; consequently was long prominently known among business men.
But chiefly was he distinguished by his connection with the Rowfant Club, of which he was re-elected president year after year. This society located on Prospect Avenue is devoted to the study and collection of rare works and beautiful book-bindings. It annually issues a small but ex- quisite volume of master poetry and prose, the edition of which is lim- ited to the regular and honorary membership. The club is known to book- lovers all over the country as well as in England.
Mr. Gaylord was fully recognized by his friends as a wit and racon- teur. No one tried to measure the former with him without coming to verbal grief. He had traveled extensively, and numbered friends and acquaintances in almost every clime, either through contact or corre- spondence.
494
1834
GALE
He loved to entertain the Rowfant Club at his unique home in East Cleveland, the "Owl's Nest," which contained one of the finest libraries in the city, and many antiquities.
His only child, Pauline Gaylord Brussewit, at the time of his death, resided in London, England.
1834 GALE
Martin Gale, son of John and Betsey Herrick Gale, married Susan Walters, and they removed to Cleveland in 1834. Their journey ended as they drove up to Job Doan's tavern, corner of Euclid and Fairmount streets. The next day Mr. Gale looked about unsuccessfully in search of a house in which to live. There was a little store-house occupying the south-east corner, about where the Historical Building stands. It be- longed to the Doans, and at that time was used to store corn.
Good Mrs. Doan felt interested in the young couple who had come such a long journey to seek their fortunes. "If that corn were only out, you might use the store," she remarked.
"If that is all that hinders, I can make short work of it," replied Mr. Gale, and was as good as his word. Soon the little store was empty, swept and cleaned, and he was off to the steamboat dock for the limited but precious household goods they had brought with them from New York state.
Mrs. Gale was a woman of much force of character, a good reader, and possessed a fine memory. She could talk for hours in her old age of the people she had known in her long life in Cleveland.
One story she loved to tell of early days in the city was that of the discomfort women endured previous to the reign of hoops. It was the fashion to wear many petticoats and have dress skirts set out as far as pos- sible. One Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. Gale started to call upon friends and relatives near the Shaker settlement. When they reached the long, steep hill leading to the heights, her skirts were too cumbersome to make the climb, so she slipped off two or three, and Mr. Gale carried them up on his arm.
She died within two weeks of her ninetieth birthday.
The children of Martin and Susan Gale:
Henry Gale, m. Maria Comstock. Elisabeth Gale, m. L. M. Southern. Benjamin Gale, m. Catherine Rice. Susan Gale, m. Charles Hagen. Merrit S. Gale and Aaron W. Gale,
m. in San Francisco.
Martin Gale, m. Emily Talbot.
John W. Gale, m. Genevive Turrell. Alida Gale, m. DeWitt C. Stebbins. Edward T. Gale, unmarried.
Mrs. Gale had two brothers and a sister who also settled in Cleveland, John Walters, who married Caroline Doan; Benjamin Walters, and Elis- abeth Walters, who married Edwin Ingersoll.
The former home of this family was Plattsburg, N. Y. After the death of their father Aaron Walters, their mother Susan Roberts Walters came to Cleveland and spent the rest of her life with children residing here.
495
1834
HUSSEY
Richard Hussey came to Cleveland some time in the '30s; the exact year not learned. He was living on Seneca street in 1837. Eight years later he was keeping the light-house on Water street and evidently liv- ing there. Nothing further can be secured concerning him, save that he had an interesting family of children who married and were well known. But they removed to Racine, Wisconsin, and all efforts to com- municate with any of Richard Hussey's grandchildren have failed. There- fore, nothing in regard to his wife has been learned.
So far as can be recalled by early citizens the children of Richard Hussey were three daughters and a son.
Emily Hussey, m. James H. Kelley. She had 12 children, at her death. Mr. Kelley married a second time. He died in Racine, Wis.
Charlotte Hussey, m. Robert Bailey, a Cleveland dry-goods merchant.
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