USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > The pioneer families of Cleveland 1796-1840 Vol. II > Part 27
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625
1840
SMITH
For over 200 years or since the days of the redoubtable Capt. John Smith of Jamestown, Virginia, an unbroken procession of John Smiths have been blazing the way for civilization from the Atlantic to the Pacific. English and Irish Johns mostly, but with here and there a Schmidt or a Smitt that denoted Germanic origin.
The first John Smith of Cleveland, and the only one for some years, was a young Irishman from Baileyboro, County Cavan, who came to the village in 1833. He left behind him a young wife and two little children, which accounts for the tireless energy, the ceaseless industry of the three years he spent alone in Cleveland, often sore at heart with home-sickness and with longing for the dear ones across the water.
It was a joyful time, therefore, that day in 1836, when his family joined him here, and it was again reunited. Mr. Smith had purchased or rented a small farm in Warrensville, just over the Newburgh line, and upon this he settled and cultivated for the next ten years, at the end of which he removed his household effects back to Cleveland, where he spent the rest of his days. He was a charter member of St. Mary's church, the first one of the Roman Catholic faith, and the intimate friend and staunch supporter of the Rev. John Dillon, and today the Smith family possess a valuable and historic souvenir, the Bible of the young, beloved first priest of that parish.
Mrs. Smith belonged to an Irish family, the name of which has long stood for brilliant intellect and for fervent patriotism. She was Cather- ine Sheridan. Only two of her four children reached maturity. These were :
Patrick Smith, b. 1827; m. Margaret Olwill.
Theresa Smith, m. William Quigley.
The family lived first on Spring street, and for many years following at the north-east corner of Erie and St. Clair streets.
Patrick Smith was a lad of nine years when he became a resident of Cleveland. In time he became so thoroughly identified with work on the local river and harbor that old citizens naturally associate him with it in any contemplation or conversation regarding early days of navigation. The sight of a tug steaming in or out of the river, or the rattling chains of a ponderous dredge deepening or widening the channel, suggests at once the progressive mind that introduced the former, and the master- hand that added to and perfected the latter.
One can imagine the pessimistic remarks that greeted "Pat" Smith's first little steam-tug, the first one on the river.
"It may answer for row-boats. But for vessels and barges? Never!"
And the never-ceasing surprise and interest with which one watches a saucy, capable little tug of today marshaling a big freighter in or out of the harbor can be but a fraction of that experienced when the first one made its trial trip.
Mrs. Margaret Smith was the daughter of Philip Olwill, also an early resident of the city. Her mother was a McGrath. In all the 59 years of Margaret Smith's life her first and only thought was for other people. Her own wishes, her own comfort always came last, after every one else
626
1830
PHILLIPS
was provided for. She was an enthusiastic temperance worker from the days when, as a very young girl, she helped to fashion regalia for the St. Patrick Temperance Society, to those in which she knelt in prayer in saloons side by side with her Protestant sisters in the temperance crusade of the '70s.
The children of Patrick and Margaret Olwill Smith :
Estelle Smith, m. James Cunnea.
Louis Smith, m. Margaret Farnan. James Smith, m. Elisabeth Dwyer.
Angela Smith, m. Dr. Arnold Peskind.
1830
PHILLIPS
A private school for boys, called by its eccentric head "The Sacred Classical Shades," was one of the features of early Cleveland. Many and many a time within the past 75 years gray-haired men-growing fewer and fewer as time elapsed-have exchanged reminiscences of the days when they were pupils of the famous school, and have laughed hilar- iously over the memories of their boyhood pranks, and of the speeches and eccentricities of their old schoolmaster.
He was the Rev. William Phillips of Leeds, England, a Baptist clergy- man most proficient in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, who, at 45 years of age, came to Cleveland from Buffalo. Previous to that time-1830-he had had a varied experience, the most exciting of which was that upon several occasions, he had missed becoming a very rich man, his exceedingly im- practical nature always preventing him from embracing opportunity.
He was the son of a prosperous manufacturer of military uniforms who was able to give his children exceptional advantages. In 1811, William Phillips married Elisabeth Pryor, who brought to him a fortune, the larger part of which he proceeded to lose through injudicious invest- ment, and by the shrinking of values, caused by the Napoleonic wars, which absorbed what remained of it.
In October, 1829, with his wife and five children, he sailed from England as a missionary to Canada, where he purchased a tract of land which subsequently he allowed to slip out of his hands. London, Ontario, now stands on the site. He removed to Buffalo, N. Y., and while there bought 150 acres within a half mile of Fort Dearborn, now Chicago, Ill.
The family started for that place on a steamboat which touched at Cleveland on the way, and here Mr. Phillips was informed that cholera was raging in Fort Dearborn. He concluded, therefore, to go no far- ther, and sold or exchanged the farm for a house and lot on Ontario street, between St. Clair and Lake streets, and remained in Cleveland, where he opened a classical school on the corner of High and Middle streets. As
627
1830
PHILLIPS
before stated, many of his pupils became prominent in the business and professional life of the city.
Later, he removed to a farm in Warrensville, and taught in Newburgh. W. S. Kerruish and Moses Watterson attended his school at that time. After working his farm for a number of years he returned to the city to spend his last days. In 1866, when nearly 81 years of age, he delivered a lecture in the country, walked ten miles home in a November storm, and contracted pneumonia, from which he died.
Elisabeth Prior, wife of the Rev. William Phillips, was as interesting a character as her husband, though his opposite in disposition and tem- perament. She came of a family made famous through valuable inven- tions. Her father, John Prior of Skipton, Eng., was a clock manufacturer. He made and erected several large turret-clocks for cathedrals and min- sters. To him we owe the useful though exasperating alarm-clock. He was the first to notice that the hip-joint form could be utilized in mechan- ics, and brought into use the ball and socket-joint, now universally in use. By attaching this device to a wind-mill and adding a fishtail vane, he invented a wind-mill yet used on innumerable farms. This talent has been inherited in the fifth generation by Arthur L. Bauder, A. M., B. S., an inventor of the present period.
It is claimed that Elisabeth Prior's wedding portion was $80,000. The privation of pioneer life, therefore, must have been unusually hard after one of ease and luxury. But no records of complaint or reproach have been handed down to Elisabeth Phillips' grandchildren. Like other members of the sisterhood of pioneer nobility, she accepted disappoint- ment and reverses as ordinances of Providence, rather than the result of human mistakes or folly.
She was passionately fond of flowers. A plant called in England the "velvet plant" was a special pet which she brought with her across the ocean, nursed it through the rigors of a Canadian winter, thence to Cleveland, only to find that it was a wayside weed encumbering the pastures of this vicinity. It is known as the Mullein weed.
Mrs. Phillips died in 1855, and is buried in Erie street cemetery.
The children of William and Elisabeth Phillips :
George Prior Phillips, b. 1812; died
Sarah Phillips, b. 1818; m. . . 1885, unmarried. d. 1901.
Eliza Phillips, b. 1813; m. Levi Bau- der; died 1883. d. 1907.
Thomas Phillips, b. 1820 ; m. -;
John W. Phillips, b. 1816; m. a wid- ow; d. 1884.
All these children, save one, left descendants. After the death of his wife, the Rev. Phillips married a Mrs. Patton, who died three years afterward.
628
1831
SEVERANCE.
Dr. Robert B. Severance and his wife, Diana Long Severance, of Shelburne, Mass., gave to Cleveland four sons who, for all too brief a time, commanded the attention and admiration of the best element of the town in early days.
Dr. Severance was a student of his father-in-law, Dr. John Long, a distinguished physician of Shelburne, and practised his profession in that town until his death at 44 years of age, leaving four young sons- the oldest 18 years of age, the youngest but 8 years old.
In addition to his practice, Dr. Severance had opened a store for gen- eral merchandise adjoining his residence. It was the only one of the kind for miles around. In this his two oldest boys, Solomon and Theo- doric, acquired a knowledge of business at a very early age, which served them well when the death of their parents threw them on their own re- sources.
Dr. Severance was a fine man, deeply interested in public affairs, and very generous and philanthropic. His children were:
Solomon Lewis Severance, b. 1812; Erasmus Darwin Severance, b.
died 1838; m. Mary H. Long. 1817 ;; died 1840; unmarried.
Theodoric Cardeno Severance, b. John Long Severance, b. 1822; died 1859; unmarried.
1814; m. Caroline M. Seymour.
These sons were all well equipped with unusual ability and talents. They were musical, and while living in Cleveland belonged to the choir of the Old Stone Church, and were enthusiastic members of local musical societies. None of them followed their father's profession. Solomon was a merchant, and the others all entered banks and filled important positions in them when mere lads.
Solomon Severance proved to be the most valuable member of the family to the city, as he left two children who have been identified with its social and business interests for nearly 60 years past. He opened a dry-goods store at No. 57 Superior street, and in 1833 married Mary Long, only child of Dr. David and Juliana Walworth Long. A brilliant meteoric phenomena occurred that evening-November 12-which was long referred to as "The night of the falling stars." It was most unusual and lasting. Many timid souls were sure that the end of the world was at hand.
Mr. and Mrs. Severance began housekeeping in a home Dr. Long had erected for their use on part of the Long estate, and situated on Huron street, south of Prospect street. Their wedded happiness was of short duration. Mr. Severance-never very strong-developed a bron- chial trouble which obliged him to seek a warmer climate where he died in 1838, leaving two sons :
Solon Severance, b. 1834; m. Emily C. Allen.
Lewis H. Severance, b. 1838; m. Fanny E. Benedict of Norwalk; 2nd, Miss Florence Harkness of Cleveland.
Theodoric C. Severance entered a bank in Elyria at the age of 15. He came to Cleveland in 1836, and in the years he spent in this city was
629
1831
SEVERANCE
teller and cashier of three different banking establishments. He re- moved to Boston, from there to Beaufort, S. C., where he was in the gov- ernment service, and finally failing health drove him to the warmer cli- mate of California, where he died in 1892. In 1840 he married Caroline M. Seymour, an accomplished young lady of a distinguished family. She was then 20 years of age, and is yet living-a resident of Los Angeles, Cal .- and very prominent in the social and club life of that city.
The children of T. C. and Caroline Severance:
Orson Seymour Severance, d. young. Pierre Clarke Severance.
James S. Severance. Erasmus Severance, died at the age of 23.
Julia Long Severance.
Mark Sibley Severance.
John Long Severance was taken into the home of Dr. David Long after the death of his parents, and became very dear to the members of that family. He was looked upon as an own son, and great was their grief- shared in by the whole community-when he died in 1859.
All of the Severance boys had been, from time to time, members of the Long household-the loss of their parents and their childhood home appealing closely to Mrs. Long's tender, generous heart.
Mary Long Severance, also, in her young widowhood returned with her little sons to her father's home on Woodland ave., where she lived many years after Dr. Long and his wife had gone to their reward. There she remained until advanced age and failing eyesight, together with changed conditions in that locality, made a new home in another part of the city imperative. An elegant and commodious one was erected on Euclid ave., at the north-west corner of E. 89th street. Here Madame Severance continued to welcome friends and entertain guests until short- ly before her death.
Other mention of this pioneer will be found on previous pages of this work. She was one of the finest types of the women of her generation- gentle, courteous, sympathetic, ever conscientious in regard to duties and obligations pertaining to her family, the community, and the church with which she was throughout her long life affiliated. Madame Sever- ance was the first person the writer interviewed in reference to the un- dertaking of this work, and her instant recognition of its future value, her expressions of encouragement, and ready offers of assistance from her rich storehouse of memories were potent factors in the continuance of research through periods when its magnitude and difficulties seemed too great to be met or overcome.
Pages 279 to 283, inclusive, contain priceless data contributed by Madame Severance.
630
1831
WINSLOW
The arrival of Richard Winslow, in 1831, gave the shipping interests of Cleveland considerable impetus, for he was a ship-builder and vessel- owner long years before he removed to the city, and became possessed of a large fleet of boats afterward. Large, comparatively, for what was considered that years ago, sinks into insignificance beside the number and size of the present ones.
Although he came here from a southern state, he was a "down east Yankee," born in Falmouth, Maine, where he learned all there was then to know of ship-building. He was descended from a brother of Gov. Winslow. In 1812, when about 43 years old, he went to Ocracake, N. C., and while there, nearly 20 years, engaged in active business.
At 45 years of age, he married Mary Nash Grandy, a lovely young. woman very much his junior. She became the mother of eleven children, most of them boys. Three little daughters died in the same week, soon after coming to Cleveland, of an epidemic peculiar to childhood, and the triple bereavement was a blow from which the mother never recovered.
It is said of her that she was small and slight, a typical, southern woman, soft-voiced, gentle of speech and manner. She had been used to colored help, and unaccustomed to household work. She found condi- tions in Cleveland so widely different from those of her southern home as to be most bewildering and discouraging.
The families who kept maids, in those days, were the exceptions ; the women of each household usually performed all the domestic tasks, even to the family washing. Dear, little Mrs. Winslow tried hard to "Do while in Rome as the Romans do" with varying success.
Northern cooking also was quite different from that of the south, and it is recalled by those who were children then, that their mothers, who were fond of Mrs. Winslow, and sympathized with her in her domestic difficulties, often furnished her recipes, or came to her rescue when seem- ingly overwhelmed with household cares-for she had a large family of children.
The Winslows lived in a small frame cottage-No. 2 Euclid ave .- close to the Public Square.
Mrs. Winslow became a member of the St. Clair street Methodist church, and her memory is still cherished by those yet living of that society. She died in 1858, and when the First Methodist church was erected corner of Euclid and Erie streets, now the site of the Cleveland Trust Company, her sons furnished a memorial window in her name. This was removed to the recent new edifice farther out on the avenue.
Richard Winslow was 62 years old when he came to Cleveland, and 88 years of age at his death in 1857. He was a money-maker, and, dur- ing his life here, added much to the competence he brought with him.
The Winslow family had a vault for many years in Erie street ceme- tery. Six children of the eleven born to them failed to reach maturity. Those who lived were:
Nathan Crane Winslow, b. 1812; m. Helen Clarke, dau. of Dr. W. A. Clarke.
Mary Ann Clarke, dau. of Dr. W. A. Clarke.
Rufus K. Winslow, b. 1817; m. Lucy
Hezekiah Winslow, b. 1815; m. Clarke, dau. of Dr. W. A. Clarke.
631
1831
TIBBITS
Edwin Winslow, b. 1824; unmar- Richard G. Winslow, unmarried.
ried. Died at his residence, 28 Cheshire street, aged 82 years.
Died 1854, aged 40.
Hezekiah Winslow left Cleveland about 1860, removing to New York city. He had one child, a young daughter, who died in Paris, France, while the family were in Europe.
N. C. Winslow lived on Superior street near Erie-No. 254. He re- moved to Buffalo. He had two sons, William and Henry.
Rufus K. Winslow was the only one of the family who remained in the city permanently. He owned extensive vessel property, and in most re- spects was very like his father in his business and personal characteris- tics. He had but one child, a daughter, now Mrs. John Chadwick, who lives in Paris, where her mother, Mrs. Lucy Clark Winslow, died while on a visit there, removing the last of that family from the beautiful Euclid ave. home it occupied so many years.
None of Richard Winslow's descendants now remain in the city.
1832
TIBBETS
George B. Tibbets was a well-known citizen of Cleveland through his office of justice of the peace-one he held for 18 consecutive years. He was nearly 40 years of age when he came to this city from Schenectady, N. Y., where he was born. He was the son of John and Elisabeth Van Vorce Tibbits. His mother belonged to a fine Dutch family of early New York. George B. Tibbets married Tacey Kellogg in Buffalo in 1824. She was a sister of Dr. Burr Kellogg and Mrs. William Shepard, both of whom were Cleveland pioneers in the '30s.
Mr. Tibbets was book-keeper for a business firm during the first years of his life in the city. The family lived at 48 Erie street-E. 9th. Their first child was born in Troy, N. Y., and the others were all natives of Cleveland. Mr. Tibbets died in 1866, aged 71, and his wife in 1850, at the age of 44.
Children of George and Tacey Tibbets :
George W. Tibbets, b. 1830; m. Elisabeth Rudman. He was a patent attorney, and engineer. Elisabeth Tibbets, b. 1833; m. Hor- ace E. Dakins.
Mary Tibbets, b. 1835.
Henry B. Tibbets, b. 1838; m. Fan- ny Castella. He was a wood en- graver.
Ellen Tibbets, b. 1844; m. Charles E. Sawyer, and removed to Los Angeles, Cal.
632
1832
OUTHWAITE
In the Cleveland directory of 1837, there appears the following :
J. Outhwaite. Christopher Outhwaite. J. & G. Outhwaite.
The initial of the first stands for John, and those of the last John and George. The four were father and sons, and their arrival in Cleveland five years previous to this date was a decided gain to the town; not so much in added business activities, as through the high moral influence exerted by these men.
John Outhwaite, Sr., came to America in 1830 from Hunton, Eng., and settled in Buffalo, N. Y. His wife, Mary Coates Outhwaite, lived but eighteen months afterwards, and was laid to rest in one of the old ceme- teries of that city. She left eight children, the oldest of whom was about twenty-two years of age, the youngest eight years.
The children of John and Mary Outhwaite :
John Outhwaite, Jr. William Outhwaite, m. Delia Tay- lor. He died in Kansas.
Christopher Outhwaite, m. Appelina Harris. Joseph Outhwaite, died in young manhood.
George Outhwaite, m. Harriet Hodg- son.
Margaret Outhwaite.
Mary Outhwaite, m. John Blackwell, removed to Iowa.
Anne Outhwaite.
In 1832, John Outhwaite, Jr., came to Cleveland to look over the field with a view of removing the family here, should the outlook be favorable. He was soon joined by his brother Christopher, and a few months later by the rest of the family.
John and George Outhwaite were grocers at 87 Superior street. The father, with the help of his sons, carried on a candle and soap-business. He lived at 184 St. Clair street.
The family had high ideals of life and conduct, and most of its mem- bers at once became identified with the small, struggling Methodist church, and for many years, which included the life time of some of them, were earnest and devout workers in that religious society. The names of John Outhwaite, Jr., of Christopher and his wife, and of Margaret and Anne Outhwaite, appear upon the early church records, and they were among those who sacrificed much in order to build the first church edifice on St. Clair street.
John Outhwaite, Jr., was the only son who remained permanently established in business here; the others came and went as circumstances or inclination dictated. He was actively engaged in the opening of iron mines in the Michigan peninsula, and assisted in the founding and settle- ment of Marquette. He was born in 1811, and died in 1872. He married Anne Hodgson, an English girl, who died young, leaving a daughter, Mary Anne Outhwaite, who afterward became Mrs. Jay Morse. Her husband was a prosperous business man of the city.
633
1832
OUTHWAITE
Mr. John Outhwaite, Jr., married secondly, Martha Peet, daughter of Elijah and Martha Williams Peet, and sister of Mrs. Jacob Lowman, and of Mrs. Hamilton Hough.
The children of this second marriage:
John Outhwaite, 3rd, m. Mary Nelson.
Joseph H. Outhwaite, m. Annette Boyce.
Caroline Outhwaite, m. Col. James Pickands, of Pickands, Mather & Co.
Christopher Outhwaite, son of John, Sr., was talented, very spiritual- minded, and naturally inclined to the ministry. But early circumstances prevented. However, he gave much time and thought to the support and upbuilding of the church, and sometimes supplied in a pulpit when he found it vacant in towns where he chanced to spend the Sabbath. He was cared for in his declining years by his daughter, Mrs. Gould of Lin- coln, Neb.
Christopher and Appolina Outhwaite had four children:
Milton Colt Outhwaite (named for a pioneer Methodist minister) . Sarah Coats Outhwaite.
Charlotte Outhwaite, m. Hon. Charles Gould of Nebraska. William Outhwaite.
Harriet Hodgson, the wife of George Outhwaite, was a sister of Mrs. John Outhwaite, Jr. She also died young, leaving young children. He married secondly, Mary Poole of Zanesville, O. The family lived south.
Margaret and Anne Outhwaite, the youngest children of the pioneers, never married. They spent their long lives together in this city, and the death of the former in 1908 severed a bond of sisterly devotion which rarely has been equaled.
Miss Anne, at this date, December, 1909, lives at 2350 East 50th street. A companion tenderly administers to her comfort. Here Miss Anne re- ceives her nephews and nieces, and welcomes old and life-long friends. She is a gentle, refined woman, and very interesting in conversation. She has resided in the city, probably, as long, if not longer, than any one liv- ing here-79 years.
For some time after her arrival in Cleveland she lived with her brother Christopher on the north-west corner of Euclid and Erie streets, on the present site of the Hickox building. The dwelling stood then in the woods. All about, and especially looking to the east, nothing was to be seen but trees. Mr. Thomas Jones, with his large family of children, lived on Erie street, adjoining the Outhwaite, and his children were their play- mates.
Miss Outhwaite attended the private school on Superior street, con- ducted by Lucinda Hickox Caldwell. Thomas May's little daughter Helen also was a pupil, and one of Miss Outhwaite's cherished memories is of a children's party given by Mrs. May in honor of her daughter's birthday. As a child, Miss Outhwaite stood in mortal fear of the cows which roamed the streets at will. She was sent for milk every day, at some place not
634
1832
LOWMAN
far from home, and often breathed a childish prayer, while on her way there or back, that she be preserved from harm.
In after years the Outhwaites bought a farm near Woodland ave .- then Kinsman street. In time, this part of town was allotted, and a street cut through their place was named for the family-"Outhwaite ave." Outhwaite school and avenue were named for this pioneer family.
1833
LOWMAN
The American ancestor of the Lowman family came to the east shore of Maryland in 1700. Jacob Lowman and his wife Anna Foltz removed in the latter part of that century to Hagerstown, Md. Jacob Lowman died, leaving a widow and children. Unfortunately his farm was mort- gaged for quite a sum of money and his young sons remained or returned to it to work out the indebtedness. When the mortgage was raised and the mother and younger children in safe circumstances the boys went out into the world to seek their own fortunes.
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