USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Volume Two > Part 54
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the Sunnyside Home for Girls, Girard; James; Benjamin, deceased; and Mrs. Yeager. By a former marriage to Miss Keziah Caughey, Mr. Smith had four children: Margaret, the widow of Charles Willis, lives at Gir- ard; George, lives at Girard; Mary, the widow of Thomas Moorehead, lives in Cleveland; and Frank, deceased.
Mr. Yeager is a Republican and a member of the Universalist Church.
Matthew Griswold, deceased, ranked among the leading pioneer busi- ness men of Erie County. He was born at Old Lyme, Conn., June 6, 1833, the son of Matthew and Phoebe (Ely) Griswold.
Matthew Griswold, Sr., began the study of medicine, but after the sudden death of his father, he returned home and operated the farm and took care of his mother. He spent his entire life at Lyme, Conn. Mr. and Mrs. Griswold had eight children: Catherine, Lydia, Marion, Phebe, Ellen, Elizabeth, Fannie, and Matthew, the subject of this sketch.
Matthew Griswold spent the first 30 years of his life on the home farm at Lyme, Conn., and engaged in farming. He was a member at one time of the Connecticut legislature. In 1865 he removed to Erie and entered into partnership with Samuel Selden, the business being known as the Selden & Griswold Mfg. Co., until about 1884 when Mr. Griswold bought out the Selden interest, and from that time until his death he was connected with the Griswold Manufacturing Company. He died May 19, 1919, and his wife died in February, 1871. They are buried in Erie.
Mr. Griswold was married first in 1862 to Miss Sarah L. Olmstead, a native of Erie, and the daughter of Lemuel G. and Sarah (Marvin) Olm- stead, natives of New York and Pennsylvania, respectively. Mr. Griswold was later married in 1876 to Miss Annie B. Schenk, of Philadelphia, and the daughter of William Edward and Jane (Torry) Schenk. Mr. Gris- wold had seven children: Matthew, lives in Erie; Marvin E., lives in Erie; W. E. S., lives in New York City; R. W., lives in Erie; Eli, lives in Erie; Dwight and Jane Whittemore Griswold, both deceased; Sarah (Olmstead) Griswold, Mr. Griswold's first wife, was a granddaughter of Elihu Marvin, who was also Mr. Griswold's great-uncle. Mr. Marvin with his brother, Enoch Marvin, were among the earliest settlers of Erie County, coming here from Connecticut about 1830.
Mr. Griswold was a Republican and a member of the Park Presby- terian Church. He was well known in Erie County and was one of the representative men of his community.
MATTHEW GRISWOLD
MATTHEW GRISWOLD, SR.
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The Keystone Cooperative Grape Association, North East, is non- stock, non-profit and is incorporated under the Pennsylvania cooperative law that was enacted in the year of 1919. The association is purely co- operative and the only dividends being returned are patronage dividends returned to its members on a pro rata basis as to the amount of individ- ual purchases or the amount of fruits given to the association for sale. The Keystone Cooperative Grape Association was incorporated in De- cember, 1921, and started business after purchasing the business of the old Keystone Company, in January, 1922.
Its object is to act as purchasing agent for farm supplies, to be sold to the members, consisting of baskets, fertilizers, spray material and general farm supplies, and also to act as selling agent for its members in disposing of their crops, such as grapes, cherries, prunes, currants and other small fruits.
Back in 1896, there sprung up a Grape Union known as the "Chau- tauqua and Erie Grape Company", with its head office at Brocton, New York. The Grape Union represented about 90 per cent. of the total acre- age of the Chautauqua and Erie grape belt. It had eight sub-divisions with their local managers, but the local manager had nothing to do with the selling of grapes grown and handled by the sub-division. One sales committee, located at Westfield, New York, sold all the grapes for its entire membership.
Prior to the organization of this Chautauqua and Erie Grape Com- pany the method of marketing was through individual shippers, and up to this time, there were practically no outright sales, either for cash or credit, all business being done on a consigned commission basis.
The first cooperative organization deserves much credit for estab- lishing the method of selling grapes outright on a cash basis. This ac- complishment alone proved of great help in securing better returns, for the farmers and also put the selling of grapes on a business basis.
In 1901 the growers in the Erie County, Pennsylvania, grape dis- trict decided that owing to their increase in acreage, they could aid the individual grower much better by having a separate association repre- sented in their district. The result was that the Keystone Grape Com- pany was organized and chartered under the corporation law of Penn- sylvania.
This company was necessarily a stock company as there was at that time no legal provisions for non-stock corporations; but the stock was (80)
1
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distributed only to growers of grapes, somewhat upon an acreage basis, and the business was from the beginning managed upon lines somewhat similar to those later adopted under our new co-operative laws. The com- pany was, from the beginning, controlled by directors who were grape growers and the aim was betterment of the industry rather than profits on the stock. The company was notably successful and, when absorbed by the new association, had a fine established business.
In the spring of 1921, meetings were held by many of the grape growers of Erie County, with the advice and assistance of the Pennsyl- vania State Bureau of Markets, a new cooperative association was formed. This association was organized under the Pennsylvania cooperative law of 1919 and was chartered under the name of the "Northwestern Penn- sylvania Fruit Association."
An arrangement was then entered into between this new association and the Keystone Grape Company, under the terms of which the new as- sociation took over the good will of the company and the real estate con- sisting of office building, warehouse and basket factory, at the appraisal of $20,000.00. The name of the association was changed to "Keystone Cooperative Grape Association", the directors of the Keystone Grape Company were elected directors of the new cooperative association.
In order to provide the funds for this transaction, the members were asked to purchase three year, 6 per cent. certificates of indebtedness of the Association. The members responded by purchasing the entire amount. This transaction was completed on January 1, 1922, and the business has since been conducted by the Association.
December 31st, 1924, the Keystone Cooperative Grape Association at the close of its business, 1924, had about five thousand (5,000) acres of grapes under contract with its members. This acreage represents about 57 per cent. of the total acreage of Erie County, Pennsylvania.
Its membership is composed of 250 Concord grape growers, begin- ning on the east at the state line, New York, and extending west to the township of Harbor Creek, Pa.
The membership at the close of the year 1924 showed an increase of about one hundred (100) new members in two years' time. And the Association did not lose a single member in 1922 or 1923 except those who sold their farms and discontinued farming.
The Keystone sold for its members during the past three years as follows: In 1922, 8,700 tons of Concord grapes, equivalent to 780 cars;
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in 1923, 5,100 tons of Concord grapes, equivalent to 465 cars; in 1924, 8,222 tons of Concord grapes, equivalent to 800 cars. The grapes handled by the Association are loaded on ten different loading stations on the New York Central and Nickel Plate Railroad Company lines.
The results for the past three years were: In 1922, total sales, $684,425.02 ; surplus savings, $14,578.37. In 1923, total sales, $509,630.13; surplus savings, $10,042.19. In 1924, total sales, $715,294.73; surplus savings, $15,689.94. During the past three years of existence of the Keystone Cooperative Grape Association, they have paid back to their members of 1922, patronage dividends amounting to $14,326.00.
Each member in joining the Association must pay an initial mem- bership fee of $5.00 and sign a contract and give a note based on the number of acres of grapes owned or leased by him. The amount of note is determined on the basis of $10.00 per acre of grapes, plus $25.00. The note may be made to collect damages from a member who violates his contract and they are also the emergency capital which enables the Asso- ciation to obtain proper credit rating.
The officers and directors elected at the members' annual meeting, January, 1925, for the ensuing year, are as follows: President, D. C. Bostwick; vice-president, G. Will Butt; secretary, Archie D. Phillips ; treasurer and manager, H. Harold Meyer. Directors: D. C. Bost- wick, C. E. Leet, G. W. Butt, A. D. Phillips, F. B. Crawford, A. B. Robinson, I. H. Russell, J. W. Orton, C. A. Bell, J. P. Bingham, M. H. Smith, H. H. Meyer.
Jonathan B. Cessna, lawyer, was born in Bedford County, Pa., March 24, 1840, son of William and Rachel (Norgart) Cessna, and a descendant of Jean Cessna, a French Huguenot, who settled at Friend's Cove, Pa., in 1690; from him and his wife, Priscilla, the line is traced through their son John, who was killed by the Indians near Shippensburg, Pa., and his wife, -; their son, John, and his wife, -; their son, John, and his wife, -; and their son, John, and his wife, - -; who were the grandparents of the subject of this sketch. John Cessna, his great-grandfather, was a member of the constitutional convention of 1774, which drafted the first constitution of the State of Pennsylvania; he also served as major during the Revolutionary War, and was with General Washington in suppressing the Whiskey Insurrection in western Pennsylvania ; he served three terms as sheriff of Bedford County, having
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been chosen to that office in 1779, 1781 and 1783. John Cessna, our sub- ject's brother, was for many years a leading politician of Pennsylvania, was speaker of the House of the State Legislature for three terms, and three times represented the 18th Congressional District in Congress.
Jonathan B. Cessna received his preparatory education in the Al- legheny Male and Female Academy at Bainsburg, Pa., and was graduated at the Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, Pa., in 1864, and sub- sequently received second college degree, M. A. The following year he was admitted to the bar in Bedford County, and practiced law in that and other counties until April, 1885, when he removed to Hastings, Nebr. He had been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsyl- vania in May, 1868, and in January, 1876, was admitted to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court on motion of Hon. Jeremiah Black. Before his removal to the West, Mr. Cessna was connected with a number of im- portant cases, among them that of Noble vs. The Thompson Oil Co., in which $50,000 was involved and a number of intricate points were in con- troversy; also another case in the oil regions between Thompson, Noble and Delemater, the amount involved being more than $100,000. In the West he was employed in a number of cases that attracted wide attention, including the Keedle Case contest in the U. S. Supreme Court of private land claims, to recover a very valuable tract of land in New Mexico worth several millions of dollars; this suit was instituted by the heirs of John G. Heath by virtue of a grant of land to him by the Mexican Government in 1821, and was one of the most important cases in litigation in recent years. He was attorney for C. L. Jones against the Railway Company in an important case in Illinois, a case to recover triple damages for illegal charges of freight under the railroad law of that state. While in Hastings, Mr. Cessna also made a specialty of land and equity suits, yet did not exclude general practice, except in the branch of criminal law. In 1905 he removed to Erie, Pa., where as usual he has always given special attention to land and equity cases. In a recent case, involving real estate of $200,000 held in trust, after argument of two days he had the distinction of winning success on every proposition he argued. In politics he has been a Republican since 1862. Having fallen on a pitchfork in 1854, he has been lame ever since, and never saw active service in the Civil War. He is deeply interested in all public questions, local and national, fre- quently writing and speaking on issues involving the general uplift of humanity. Among his subjects are: "Progression is the Law of Na-
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ture"; "Our Duties as Citizens to Our Republic"; "The Relation of Edu- cation to American Institutions"; "The Growing West"; "The Constitution of the United States"; "The Progress and Growth of Civil Government"; "Foreign Attachment"; "Proceeding in Rem"; "Woman Suffrage"; and "The United States as a World Power in Securing International Peace"; "Rate-Making by Commission" appeared in the North America Review for January, 1906. This article was quoted in Congressional Records during the passage of the bill, pronounced a complete answer to Attorney Gen- eral Olney's article in a previous North American Review and a clear legal justification and support for the passage of the Act.
Many authorities are cited, proving conclusively that rate-making by commissions established by Congress and Legislatures was constitu- tional; that these bodies had a right to fix rates prima facie valid and reasonable in all courts; that such action is not a delegation of legislative power, illegal and void. The leading authority cited was C. B. and Q. R. R. Co. vs. Jones, 149 Ill. 37 N. E. 247.
In 1882 some 47 parallel cases were brought in various courts of Illinois. They were in and out of the State and Federal Courts for eight years when Cessna became interested. The Jones Case was brought from the Federal Court to the State Court, and tried at Galesburg. Judgment for $2,808 and $1,200 attorney fees paid by defendant to plaintiff's attor- neys. All other cases were settled and dismissed. No plaintiff in the 47 cases in principle identical only different in amount of claim was ever successful. Jones' original claim was filed for treble damages; if also for single damages, judgment would have been several times larger. Amend- ment asked was barred by statute of limitation. This is one of the best considered cases in rate-making by commission to be found in the books. Appeal taken to the U. S. Supreme Court; judgment paid before called there for trial.
During the World War, he was active in the "Four Minute Cam- paign" making many speeches in theatres, at fairs and school houses and other public places, and was recognized at Washington as one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active campaign speaker in the service.
He was married June 12, 1872, to Katherine U., daughter of Conrad and Elizabeth A. Brown, of Erie, Pa., and they have two sons-W. Brown Cessna of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Reon B. Cessna of Kansas City, Mo., both traveling salesmen of the Monarch Manufacturing Co. of Council Bluffs, Iowa.
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Richard H. Beyer, a successful and well known jeweler of Erie, was born in Hirschberg, Silesia, Prussia, May 15, 1878, and comes of a race of watchmakers.
The Beyer family have been watchmakers in Silesia, Prussia, since the year 1750. Richard H. Beyer was educated in the public schools of Hirschberg, and after learning the watchmaking trade he came to this country in 1895 and entered the employ of his uncle in Erie. He has since been continuously engaged in that work and has a fine jewelry store at 16th and Peach Streets and a well established trade.
On April 16, 1902, Mr. Beyer was united in marriage with Miss Mary Feichtner of Erie, and they have two children: Richard L., born April 27, 1905, a student at Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa .; and Walter E., born May 14, 1907, also a student.
Mr. Beyer is a Republican, a member of the Lutheran Church, a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Shrine. He also belongs to the Cham- ber of Commerce.
LaGrand Skinner, inventor, manufacturer and financier, and founder of the Skinner Engine Company, was born at Pooleville, Madison County, N. Y., May 23, 1845, and is a son of Frank and Charlotte (Eaton) Skinner.
Frank Skinner moved from New York to New Jersey, where he died in 1907 at the age of 84 years. His wife was a native of Pooleville, N. Y., whose father was a pioneer woolen manufacturer of Springfield, Mass. She died in 1901.
The boyhood days of LaGrand Skinner were spent in the little town of Eaton, where he went to reside with an uncle when he was 16 years of age. This uncle (Wood) was the second manufacturer of portable engines in the United States, and was an earnest and valued instructor to his ambitious nephew, who remained with him until 1868. During this period Mr. Skinner was not only perfecting himself in the manufacturing busi- ness, but spent considerable time in the tool room of the Remington Arms Manufacturing Company, at Ilion, N. Y. In 1868 he constructed his first engine after his own design, his work being conducted in a little shop built on the site where stood the little log cabin which had been built by his maternal grandfather. After remaining in service for about 16 years, this first product of Mr. Skinner's inventive and mechanical talent came again into his possession. In 1871 he began the manufacture of engines at Chittenango, N. Y., subsequently conducted a like business in
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Chicago for a time and on July 3, 1873, established a small manufacturing plant in the Lilley shop, Erie. In 1875 he formed a partnership with Thomas Wood, and the firm of Skinner & Wood occupied a new shop for their business, erected by the late John Selden in 1877, and in 1881 the proprietors built a plant themselves at the corner of 12th and Chestnut street. The firm of Skinner & Wood was dissolved in 1883, and for the succeeding two years Mr. Skinner conducted the business alone, but in 1885 the Skinner Engine Company was incorporated with Mr. Skinner as president. He was also one of the organizers of the Union Iron Works.
Mr. Skinner was married to Miss Hannah Harrington, a native of Chittenango, N. Y., and a daughter of P. D. Harrington. Two children were born to them: Allen David, connected with the Skinner Engine Company, Erie, and Helen, who died at the age of six years.
M. Levant Davis is a distinguished member of the Erie County bar. He was born in Waterford Township, Erie County, April 5, 1868, and is the son of Minor M. and Linnie E. (Williams) Davis.
The Davis family was established in America when Daniel Davis came over from his native country of Wales about the year 1759 and settled on Long Island. He had two sons, William and Zophar, the latter named being born Oct. 7, 1769, and the great-grandfather of M. Levant Davis, the subject of this sketch. Zophar Davis was married to Lois Porter, a daughter of a Vermont family, and they moved to Erie County in 1816 and were among the first settlers of Washington Township. Wil- liam Davis, one of their sons, was born Nov. 27, 1812, and he married Louisa Thomas. To them was born Minor M. Davis, father of our subject. He was born in Washington Township, April 5, 1843, but lived nearly all his life in Waterford Township. He served in the War of the Rebellion and was a farmer during his early life. In 1885 he removed his family to Waterford, and became a prominent merchant. He died April 25, 1907, and his wife continued to reside at Waterford. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis were born the following children: M. Levant, the subject of this sketch; Maude; Bertha A., married Harry L. Merritt, of Waterford, Pa .; and Shirley A. Davis.
M. Levant Davis received his early education in the district schools of Waterford Township and also attended Waterford Academy. He taught two winter terms of school, worked in his father's store during vacations, and was taken into the business as a partner in 1889. Having
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determined to prepare himself for the legal profession, Mr. Davis entered the law department of the University of Michigan in 1891, and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in the class of 1893. After being admitted to the bar he went to Chicago and in 1895 returned to Water- ford, where he gave his attention principally to the mercantile business until 1900, when he took up his residence in the city of Erie, and was admitted to the bar of Erie County. In 1902 he was elected to the office of district attorney of Erie County.
On April 27, 1909, Mr. Davis was married to Miss Hildegarde Mc- Clelland, a daughter of William and Mary McClelland. Her people resided at Champaign, Ill., at the time of her birth, but after her mother's death she was reared by her grandparents, Thomas and Mary McClelland, of Erie.
In politics Mr. Davis is a staunch supporter of the Republican party, and he is identified with various business and fraternal organizations of the city.
Charles I. Indich, a popular and successful cafeteria owner of Erie, was born in Austria, April 14, 1890, and is the son of Abraham and Adelia (Herbst) Indich, natives of Austria. Mr. Indich is deceased and his wife resides in Republic of Poland. He was born in 1860, began life as a farmer and cattle trader and at the time of his death in April, 1905, he was en- gaged in the lumber and real estate business. Abraham Indich and Adelia Herbst were married Dec. 12, 1883 and 10 children were born to them, as follows: Gisella, married L. Lefkowitz; Sarah, married M. Gollman; Emanuel, Charles I., the subject of this sketch, Rose, Regina, Isadore, Her- man, Meyer, and Isaac, deceased.
Charles I. Indich came to the United States when he was 16 years of age, unaided and with little funds. He was employed as a waiter in vari- ous hotels, and by hard work as an apprentice and careful study, Mr. In- dich made a success of the restaurant business. He served as manager of the Kahkwa Club for five years, as manager of the Erie Yacht Club for three years ; as manager of the Reed House cafeteria for one year; and was the owner of the Arbor Inn cafeteria on State Street for one year. For the past two and one-half years he has successfully managed the Y. M. C. A. cafeteria.
On Oct. 28, 1914, Mr. Indich was married to Miss Clara A. Schmitz, a native of Erie and the daughter of Robert and Selena Schmitz, natives of
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Germany. Mr. Schmitz died at the age of 68 years and his widow resides at 336 West 4th Street, Erie. Mr. and Mrs. Indich have one daughter, Selena A., born March 25, 1917.
Mr. Indich is a Republican, a member of the Salem church, and be- longs to the Masonic lodge, Shrine, Knights of Pythias, Malta, Lions Club, and the Y. M. C. A. He takes an active interest in all charitable organ- izations and is a firm believer in the Community Chest and anything per- taining to the welfare of the city of Erie and the country of his adoption. Mr. Indich recently purchased a beautiful suburban home located on Chest- nut Hill.
During the summer of 1924 Mr. Indich visited his mother and other relatives in Poland.
C. D. Condon is a reliable and well known business man of Erie, where he is proprietor of the Condon Printing Company. He was born at Waverly, Ohio, July 24, 1887, and is the son of R. L. and Eliza Condon.
C. D. Condon spent his boyhood at Waverly, Ohio, and after complet- ing his high school course took up the study of law. He later became interested in advertising and in 1920 established his present printing business. Beginning with practically no financial backing, Mr. Condon has developed a business that ranks among the leading printing estab- lishments of the city. He is known as a high-grade job printer.
Mr. Condon was married, Dec. 25, 1914, to Miss Mary Sullivan, of Erie, and they have five children: Thomas Day, John K., Barbara, Mary Alice, and Catherine.
Mr. Condon is identified with the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North America, and has held various offices in this organization.
Walter A. Dart, secretary of the Lake Shore Ice Cream Company, is among the leading business men of Erie. He was born at Hamburg, N. Y., June 25, 1888, and is the son of Allen and Catherine Dart.
Mr. and Mrs. Dart, deceased, were the parents of four children: Raymond, associated with the Standard Oil Company at Hamburg, N. Y .; Mollie, married Fitch Hoag, lives in Buffalo; Warren, lives at Elmira, N. Y .; and Walter A., the subject of this sketch.
Walter A. Dart received his education in the Hamburg schools and after his graduation from high school entered the employ of the Fairport
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(N. Y.) Packing Company. He was later connected with the William Hengerer Company of Buffalo, N. Y., and in 1913 located in Erie. He has since been identified with the Lake Shore Ice Cream Company, which was organized the previous year by L. W. Mathias and F. L. Randall.
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