Cleveland Past and Present

M >> Maurice Joblin >> Cleveland Past and Present

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46

Elbert Irving Baldwin, the founder and head of the firm, was born in New
Haven, Connecticut, May 13, 1829. He received excellent early educational
advantages, in preparation for a literary life, but as his health was not
equal to this, he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, when about
eighteen years of age, by engaging as clerk in the dry goods house of
Sandford & Allen, in his native town. With the firm he remained several
years, and then engaged for about two years with a dry goods firm in New
York city.

In October, 1853, Mr. Baldwin came to Cleveland, and on the completion of
Northrup & Spangler's Block, commenced the retail branch of the dry goods
business, his father, S. I. Baldwin, being a partner in the business for
the first three years. Mr. Baldwin opened out with a stock of goods
costing sixteen thousand dollars, and at the close of the first year had
made sales to the amount of forty-three thousand dollars. This was an
encouraging result for those times, and he correctly judged that it was
but the foundation of a large and lucrative business. Each succeeding
year, without any exception, has brought an increase of business, till the
annual sales of the firm are in the vicinity of a million dollars, which,
in a retail business, in a city of Cleveland's size, is very large; and
fairly entitles him to be regarded as the most successful dry goods
merchant Cleveland has ever had. Having from the first conducted business
in a strictly honorable manner, selling only good articles at reasonable
profits, and allowing no misrepresentations, the result is, that many of
the customers of the house are of fifteen years' continuance. This, in
conjunction with the natural growth of the trade growing out of an
increase in the population, now gives his house the appearance of a
central dry goods market.

Besides endeavoring to deal faithfully with customers, he inaugurated the
one price and cash system of trade, so as to be faithful to himself and
his creditors, and the result of all is--immense success.

To meet the demands of trade, in 1868, his firm purchased a piece of land
whereon stood part of the well known City Buildings, on Superior street,
and erected the elegant store now occupied by them, at an expense of over
one hundred thousand dollars. It has been selected by us as a symbolic
title page, representing Cleveland present, and is at once an ornament to
the city, and a monument to untiring industry and integrity. The building
has a frontage of forty-two and a half feet, a depth of one hundred and
fifty feet, and a height of eighty feet, overtopping all the blocks in the
city. The front is of Amherst sandstone. The building is divided into five
stories, with a basement; the ground floor, occupied by the store, having
five hundred feet of counter-room. Without, the architectural taste
displayed was unexceptionably good, the building having an appearance of
lightness and elegance, whilst at the same time conveying an idea of
strength and solidity. The store is fitted up in the most sumptuous
manner, and is of itself an attraction to visitors, to say nothing of the
rich wares always there displayed.

On the retirement of his father, Mr. Baldwin associated with himself his
brother-in-law, H. R. Hatch, and in 1863, Mr. W. S. Tyler, an employee, was
admitted to an interest in the business, and in 1866, Mr. G. C. F. Hayne,
another employee, became a partner. This is an excellent custom, and we
are glad to see so many of our heavy merchants acknowledging the integrity
and ability of their clerks in the same way.

Mr. Baldwin has now the general superintendence of the whole business;
and, although he is not, nor ever has been, physically strong, is very
active, and there is little that escapes his observation.

He was married, August, 1855, to Miss Mary Janette Sterling, of Lima,
Livingston county, New York. The fruits of the marriage were three
children now living, and one daughter who died.

Mr. Baldwin has been connected with the Second Presbyterian church about
thirteen years, and has taken an active interest in the Sunday school. He
was trustee of the church for several years, and has always been found
ready to aid in the furtherance of every good work.

[Illustration: Yours Truly, G. N. Abbey]

Grove N. Abbey.

The trade in stoneware is a very important branch of the business of
Cleveland, and this lies in the hands of one firm, of which Grove N. Abbey
is the leading member. As the West generally is supplied from the parent
house of the Abbeys, or from one or other of the branch establishments
through the West, in which Mr. Abbey holds an interest, it would be
manifestly out of place to omit, in a work of this character, a reference
to him and his operations.

Mr. Abbey was born in Portland, Connecticut, August 19th, 1818. He was the
eleventh of a family of thirteen, of whom seven yet live. The father,
Asaph, died at the age of fifty-five. The mother, Ruth Hollister, survived
her husband thirty years, the last twenty-two of which were spent in the
family of her son Grove N., and died February 20th, 1868, at the advanced
age of eighty-six. As before said, she had thirteen children, twelve of
whom married, and thus enabled her to remark, as she repeatedly did, that
she had had twenty-four children. Before her death she had seventy-one
grandchildren added to the list of her descendants, besides fifty-seven
great-grandchildren, and one of the fourth generation, making in all one
hundred and forty-two descendants.

At the age of sixteen, G. N. Abbey bade adieu to his New England home and
set out for the West. A good portion of his first year after leaving home
was spent in Pittsburgh, which he then left for Ohio, where he has since
resided; twenty-one years in Akron, and the remainder of the time in
Cleveland. His first experience in Akron was as a clerk, from which he
rose to the position of merchant on his own account, carrying on business
until 1856. In the Spring of the preceding year he commenced business on
River street, Cleveland, in the sale of Akron stoneware, in which he had
become interested, and in 1856, removed his family to Cleveland, where he
has since that time resided, retaining his mercantile interests in Akron
until 1858.

When Mr. Abbey was carrying on a mercantile business in Akron, his
attention was called to the growing importance of the manufacture and
trade in stoneware, made from the clay of the Springfield clay-bed, which
has since become famous for the superior quality of stoneware made from
it. The pioneer in the business was David Abbey, a brother of Grove, who
died in Chicago, in 1856. The extension of railways to Akron rapidly
developed the trade in stoneware, and the Abbey family turned their
exclusive attention to it. The trade grew to importance wherever the
articles found their way. To obtain greater facilities for sale and
distribution, Mr. Grove N. Abbey came to Cleveland and obtained storage
privileges in a warehouse on River street, at the foot of St. Clair hill.
Soon the increase of business justified the engagement of the whole
building, and from that time the growth of the trade has been rapid and
permanent. Brandi houses were established in Chicago, Indianapolis, and
St. Louis, and the parent houses in Akron and Cleveland have been kept
busy in supplying the needs of these branches as well as of their own. The
character of the article dealt in became known throughout the West, and
wherever introduced the trade soon increased in importance. The result has
been a gratifying success to the Abbeys, and the addition of a large
revenue to the county of Summit.

In all their various ramifications of business, Mr. Abbey has occupied an
important position. In addition to providing for the home trade, he has
exercised constant personal supervision over the supplying of the western
branches. The negotiations between dealers and manufacturers have mostly
been managed by him, and the importance of these negotiations may be
judged from the fact that the requirements of the customers of Abbey & Co.
regulate the amount of stoneware manufactured in Summit county, and thus
affect the business and revenues of the county.

The business of the Cleveland house of G. N. Abbey & Co. has gradually
been increased by the introduction of other articles of a kindred nature,
such as the brown and yellow ware, manufactured at East Liverpool, Ohio,
glassware from Pittsburgh and New York, and fire-brick and fire-clay. The
position of Cleveland renders it the natural distributing point for those
wares, and the extensive facilities possessed by Mr. Abbey, and his long
experience in the business, place the monopoly of the trade in his hands.
That nothing but good has grown out of this virtual monopoly, is seen in
the fact that the business is steadily increasing, that no dissatisfaction
is expressed by the customers, and that no litigations have taken place
during the long business career of the house, extending over a hundred
years in Cleveland.

During the last six years the firm has had some interest in vessels on the
lakes, and these interests have been carefully watched by Mr. Abbey, who
has entire control.

It will be rightly inferred from what has already been said, that Mr.
Abbey has achieved success in business. That success is due to no lucky
accident or extraneous circumstances, but is the natural result of devoted
attachment to business, keen insight, and a determination to follow, as
far as practicable, the golden rule of doing as you would be done by, and
of a desire to avoid all misunderstandings.

If there be one business faculty more than another, prominent in Mr.
Abbey, it is that of ability to do a large business, on a small capital;
having, like nearly all of our merchants, commenced business with nothing
that his own hands had not earned, and passing through all the trials
incident to mercantile life in a young country, he has become an excellent
financier. Naturally of a genial temperament, and inclined to look on the
bright side of things, he glides over reverses and difficulties easier
than some people, yet he has always keenly felt, and often deplored, the
want of such early advantages as children of the present day possess.

Being early interested in the cause of temperance, he has persistently
endeavored to spread its beneficial effects by means of temperance
organizations, and in April, 1869, he was nominated as temperance
candidate for Mayor on the first strictly temperance municipal ticket ever
put in nomination in Cleveland. The result was the polling of a temperance
vote of about ten per cent, of the whole vote cast.

Twenty-seven years since, whilst in business at Akron, he was induced to
make a profession of faith and be received into the Congregational church.
The faith then professed has never been renounced, and he is now an active
member of Plymouth Congregational church in Cleveland.

On November 4th, 1844, Mr. Abbey married Miss Sarah Goodale, of Kent,
Ohio, but who came originally from Massachusetts. Of this marriage there
were four children, three of whom are still living; the oldest being
married to Charles H. White, of Chicago, Illinois. The other daughter and
a son remain with the family at home.

B. W. Jenness.

Mr. Jenness was born in Deerfield, New Hampshire, July 14, 1806, received
a good academical education and in 1823 removed from Deerfield to
Strafford, in the same State, where he engaged in merchandizing,
continuing in that occupation for thirty years, and finding it reasonably
remunerative. In addition to keeping his store he filled the position of
postmaster of the town for fifteen years, being appointed under several
successive administrations. He represented the town in the lower branch
of the State Legislature, and held the office of High Sheriff for over
five years, the county which he officiated in having since been carved
out into several counties. On leaving that office he became Probate
Judge, which position he retained five years and then resigned, although
the terms of office were such that he could have retained his position
until he was seventy years of age. He was nominated by the Breckenridge
party for Governor of the State, but declined. In 1845-6, he was
appointed to the Senate of the United States, to fill out the unexpired
term of the Hon. Levi Woodbury, who was appointed to the Supreme Court of
the United States. In 1850, he was a member of the Constitutional
Convention to revise the constitution of New Hampshire, after which he
retired to private life, and has allowed politics to take their own
course without his aid.

Mr. Jenness came to Cleveland seven years ago, but immediately after his
arrival started into the lumber business here with vigor, and has followed
it up in the same way, until now he has become so intimately connected
with Cleveland commerce that he seems like an old settler who has grown up
with the city. He superintended the whole business here from the first,
whilst his partners attended to the manufacturing department at their
mills in Michigan, until May 1st, 1869, when Mr. Jenness bought out their
entire interests. He has succeeded in building up a business equal to the
best in that line in the short space of seven years, which speaks well for
the energy and business ability displayed.

In addition to his lumber business Mr. Jenness, in connection with three
others, built the propeller B. W. Jenness, for carrying lumber and trading
from Buffalo to Chicago and intermediate ports. She carries about 330,000
feet of lumber, and cost $50,000. He has also been part owner of several
other vessels since he has resided here.

[Illustration: Very Truly Yours B. W. Jenness?]

Mr. Jenness is a man of the most active temperament, he no sooner decides
that a thing has to be done than he does it with all his might. One may
form an idea of him by seeing him write his name; as quick as the pen
touches the paper it is off like a flash of lightning, with the signature
complete. He is broad and powerfully built, and to all appearance can
endure as much as most men, although sixty-three years of age. Like other
successful men, he attributes his success to strict attention to business
in person. In politics he has always been a Democrat. In religion he is
very liberal, favoring Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and
Unitarians when occasion serves. He is held in esteem by all who know him,
and we trust he may have many years of usefulness before him.

Mr. Jenness was married in 1827 to Miss Nancy Shackford, of Strafford,
New Hampshire, whom it was his misfortune to lose in May, 1868, leaving
two daughters the sole survivors of a family of five, the three sons
being dead.

John Fletcher Warner.

The late J. F. Warner was a native of Burlington, Vermont, on the border of
Lake Champlain. His parents were poor, and his early advantages were
limited. At an early age he became a sort of cabin boy on one of the Lake
Champlain steamers. Mr. Warner came to Cleveland in 1833 or 1834, and went
into the employ of Wellman, Winch & Co., who then kept a warehouse near
the present site of the Erie elevator. Mr. Warner often related to his
friends with much glee, a little incident that occurred in connection with
his engagement to labor for this firm. It appears that it was represented
to him that he was desired to travel for the house; and he, with visions
of a span of white horses, elegant outfit, and an easy time, readily
accepted the proposition to travel for them. But his bright expectations
were soon clouded; his horse was shown him and his course of travel was
the circle around a horse power used for elevating grain from vessels,
prior to the erection of any steam grain elevators in the city. He saw he
had been the victim of a practical joke, and commenced his travel with as
good a grace as possible, under the circumstances.

Mr. Warner remained with this firm for about two years, and then became
warehouseman for Ransom, Baldwin & Co., which was composed of John G.
Ransom, now residing in Hamilton, Canada, Stephen A. Baldwin, deceased,
Charles M. Giddings, deceased, and William H. Bruce, then residing at
Green Bay, and, we believe, now deceased. In 1838 or 1839, this firm was
dissolved, and merged into Ransom, McNair & Co. Mathew McNair, Jr., the
junior partner of this firm, whom the older residents will recollect, is
now residing in California. Mr. Warner continued with this firm until
they retired from business, and then he formed a business connection with
Augustus Handy and Ralph H. Harmon. We do not know whether it was prior
or subsequent to this partnership that he lived for a year or two at
Tonawanda, but are under the impression that it was prior; but at the
time of the Tonawanda speculation, gotten up by Clevelanders, he was
induced to go there.

After about two or three years, the firm with which Mr. Warner was
connected, moved to Chicago, but being all Clevelanders, and Chicago not
being congenial to them, the firm soon dissolved, and the members of it
moved back to Cleveland, since which time Mr. Warner was employed in no
active business. At intervals he had made investments that proved
profitable, and not being in very robust health, had but little
ambition, and lived in comparative retirement. He was one of those who
loved to talk over old times, and never forgot old faces. He was as
charitable as his means would permit towards worthy objects, and
preserved through all his business relations a character for strict
integrity. He was a man of strong friendships, frank in his avowals, and
left a circle of business and social friends who will remember him as an
upright, warm-hearted, and public spirited man, who lived in good
report, and died sincerely lamented.

For many years Mr. Warner had been more or less an invalid, though not
often confined to his house, with Bright's disease of the kidneys. In
November, 1868, it assumed a more serious phase, and on December 19th,
1868, terminated his life. About eight months previously, he suffered the
loss of his beloved wife, while spending the colder months in Florida,
which had a very depressing effect upon him, and took from him a very
necessary incentive to life.

A. V. Cannon.

On the 10th of July, 1867, died, after a very short illness, A. V. Cannon,
one of the most promising of the young business men of Cleveland, beloved
by his intimate associates, and esteemed by the whole business community
brought in contact with him, and thus able to learn his worth.

Mr. Cannon was a native of the Western Reserve, having been born in
Streetsboro', Portage county, in 1834. On leaving school he entered the
store of Babcock & Hurd, in Aurora, in that county, and when those
gentleman removed to Cleveland he accompanied them and remained in their
establishment some time, making a twelve years' stay with them altogether.

He then went into the produce and commission business, and one year later
formed a partnership with Mr. J. F. Freeman, which existed until dissolved
by death. For two years before his death his health had been impaired, and
he had been confined to his house for about eighteen months with an
affection of the leg, but had recovered sufficiently to attend to
business, and was in a fair way of perfect recovery. As a relaxation from
business, he visited some friends in the West. On his return he was seized
with inflammation of the bowels and died after a very brief illness.

Mr. Cannon was one of the kindest of men, universally respected in
business circles for his integrity and probity, and in the social circle
for his mild and gentle manners and Christian spirit. He died at the early
age of thirty-three, without an enemy, and with the confidence, the esteem
and the love of all who knew him. On the announcement of his death the
Board of Trade passed resolutions of respect and sorrow, paying high
tributes to his business, social, and Christian qualities. He was buried
with full Masonic honors, being a valued member of that order.

Mr. Cannon was married June 8th, 1863, to Mary, daughter of the late David
Morris, and left one child, a daughter, now five years of age, very bright
and promising.

At the meeting of the Board of Trade, the announcement of Mr. Cannon's
death was made by Mr. H. S. Davis, in the following terms:

It is with feelings of profound sorrow that I announce the decease of
A. V. Cannon, Esq., a much respected member of this Board. He has been
stricken down suddenly, in the hour of his manhood, and in the midst of
his usefulness. I have known Mr. Cannon from his early manhood, and can
bear testimony to his untiring industry, strict integrity, and the
purity of his character in all the relations of life. He was earnest in
business, pleasant and affable in his demeanor, beloved by all who knew
him, and it is not too much to say that in his death the Board has met
with an irreparable loss.

We cannot lose such men without feeling that it comes very close to
ourselves, and let us pause in the midst of our daily avocations to pay
our parting respects to the memory of one who, were he living, would be
first to recognize it as being due to others, and I would therefore
suggest to the meinbers of this Board, that so far as possible they
attend his funeral.

Mr. R. T. Lyon offered the following resolutions, which were
unanimously adopted:

_Resolved_, That we learn with much regret and sorrow the death of our
esteemed friend and member of this Board of Trade, Mr. A. V. Cannon,
noted for his modesty, honesty, business qualifications, strict
integrity and moral principles, and worthy of the imitation of us all;
and in these manifestations of our respect and regard we sympathise with
the family and friends of the deceased in their sorrow and affliction.

_Resolved_, That we will make it our duty to attend the funeral of the
deceased at the appointed time.

_Resolved_, That the daily session of this Board be suspended on the day
of the funeral of the deceased.

_Resolved_, That a copy of the above resolutions be transmitted to the
family of the deceased, by the Secretary.

H. F. Brayton.

If there be a business man in Cleveland without an enemy, we think it must
be H. F. Brayton. He has been connected with various branches of business
in this city for thirty-three years, and enjoyed to an unusual degree the
confidence of his fellow citizens.

H. F. Brayton was born in Jefferson county, New York, November 22, 1812.
He obtained a good academical education, and at the age of eighteen went
to New York city and engaged as a clerk in a dry goods store, where he
remained six years. During that time he became secretary of the first
total abstinence society ever organized in that city. He was also
treasurer of the Young Men's Anti-Slavery Society in that city, so far
back as 1834, when Abolition doctrines were very unpopular. He it was that
engaged the noted Theodore D. Weld and sent him out to the Western Reserve
to lecture on the subject, and who succeeded in a very marked degree in
bringing the masses over on to Abolition ground, and from which, in this
section, they never receded until every bondman's fetter was broken. John
Jay, our present minister to Austria, was, at the same time, one of the
directors of the Society. He also connected himself with the Liberty
party, being associated with Salmon P. Chase, in its early history. He
next glided into the Free Soil party, and from that to the Republican.

In 1836, Mr. Brayton left New York and came to Cleveland, and very soon
became book-keeper of the old Bank of Cleveland, and remained in the same
position three years. He then went to Columbus and became cashier of a
bank. After one year he resigned and came back to Cleveland, where he
engaged in private banking, and continued the same for about ten years.

In 1850, Mr. Brayton became the first agent of the Continental Insurance
Company, in this city, and still retains the office. This has been one of
the most successful companies in the country. He is also the agent of the
Washington Insurance Company, and the peculiarity of the two companies is,
that the assured participate in the profits.

In January, 1869, his son, H. G. Brayton, became interested in his
father's business, under the firm name of H. F. Brayton & Son. H. F.
Brayton is also a partner in another insurance agency in the city. About
six years since he went to New York and took charge of the agency
department of the Columbia Insurance Company, and continued in the
discharge of the duties of the office for one year, when the agency
business was discontinued in that company, and Mr. Brayton accepted a like
situation in the Resolute Insurance Company, where he remained about two
years, and then returned to Cleveland, where his business had been carried
on as usual during the three years of his absence.

Mr. Brayton has not devoted his entire attention to banking and insurance
since his residence in Cleveland. From 1854 to 1857, he was connected with
the firm of I. C. Pendleton & Co. in the coal trade, and previous to this
he was the secretary of the Ohio Coal Company, which dealt principally in
Pittsburgh coal for gas purposes. He is also at present engaged in the
foreign passenger and real estate business.