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

Messrs. S. S. Coe & Co., Cleveland, Ohio:

Gentlemen,--No one dislikes, more than we do, to grumble or find fault,
but we hate just as bad to have our boats detained beyond a reasonable
time, at your place; and when our boats leave here for your place, we
look for them back at a certain time; and if they do not get here soon
after that time, it disarranges all our calculations and proves a great
loss to us. All our boats were detained a week on account of a break in
our canal, and then to be detained beyond a reasonable time in port,
makes it worse. Mr. Wheeler, at Akron, is the only man on the Ohio
canal, that we know of, that has been in the business longer than we
have on our canal, and we defy you to find a boatman on our canal or
river that will say we ever detained them beyond a reasonable time; and
there is no need of it if men do as they would be done by, and the
situation our river has been in this geason has been vexatious enough
for any one. Time is money, and eight or ten boats being detained a day
or two counts up. The J. Larkin left for your place to-day.

Tours truly,

S. Adams & Co.

Cleveland, July 29th, 1848. Messrs. Sam'l Adams & Co., Dresden, O.:

Gentlemen,--Your esteemed favor of the 25th inst. is at hand.

It has been a matter of some considerable interest to us to ascertain,
if possible, as to which city takes precedence in age, Zanesville or
Cleveland.

As, which incident is first in date, the cutting of the bridle path from
Wheeling to the Muskingum by Old Zane, or the coasting of our lake to
the Cuyahoga of the exploring party under Old Stow. Your Mr. Adams, we
are quite sure, can give us the much desired information.

We see it stated that our good Democratic candidate for President once
resided at or near your beautiful village. You may be familiar with
his early history--we wish to know, if such a thing is possible,
whether he commenced his political career as a Federalist or a
Democrat, and whether he did or did not break his sword at the
disgraceful surrender of that old coward Hull; but more than all, as
we think it most important of all, is, did he, or did he not, when at
the age of nineteen, wear that emblem of Federalism, the black
cockade. To this last question we beg you will give us an answer if
such a thing be possible.

While troubling you in this manner, for which we beg your kind
indulgence, may we also ask you as to the condition, moral and physical
of your returned volunteers? Report says they have been badly treated;
we are anxious to know as to this, for if so, and commanded by Whig'
officers, we can make political capital out of it against the Whig
party; if not, we can make capital against the administration; we do not
care which, as our object is to do justice to both parties. Can you tell
us which candidate they will support. They are important in numbers, and
from their high character, will carry a great, moral force with them;
and on this last account we have supposed they would oppose General
Taylor, as it has been said he used profane language at the battle of
Buena Vista.

We are erecting here a new and beautiful theater, it opens Aug. 21. We
hope we may see you here at that time.

Your ob't serv'ts,

S. S. Coe & Co.

P.S. You are right as to the _unnecessary_ detention at this place of
canal boats; it is an evil of great turpitude. _We never do so_. Aside
from the great loss to owner, it affects the morals of the crews, and
in this we know the oldest forwarder on the canal, Mr. Wheeler, will
agree with us.

John Long Severance.

Conspicuous among those former residents of Cleveland who have passed away
and left only a pleasant memory behind them, is John Long Severance, who
died about ten years ago, mourned by a wide circle of friends, whom his
many lovable qualities had brought around him.

Mr. Severance was born in 1822, his father being Dr. Robert Severance, of
Shelburne, Massachusetts. His parents dying within a few months of each
other, when he was but nine years old, young Severance was adopted by the
late Dr. Long, of Cleveland, who gave him every advantage in the way of
education that could be procured in the city. A college course was
intended but his delicate health forbade this, and in his sixteenth year
he was taken into the old Commercial Bank of Lake Erie, and then into the
reorganized institution, remaining there twenty years.

His health, never good, broke down entirely under the fatiguing duties of
the bank, and he was compelled to resign his connection with that
institution and seek a restoration of his wasted vigor by a voyage to
Europe. At Southampton, England, he died on the 30th August, 1859, at the
age of thirty-seven, surrounded by every attention which kind friends and
sympathizing strangers could bestow upon him.

Mr. Severance was a man of many rare and sterling attractions. His social
qualities, passion for music, and love for little children, as well as
sincere attachment to a large circle of friends, caused general mourning
for his death. He was one of the founders of the Second Presbyterian
church, and by the members of that body his loss was keenly felt. He had
always felt a deep interest in the prosperity of the church, contributing
largely through his rare ability as a musician, both in the choir and in
the Sunday schools, to the welfare of the congregation, until he was
obliged to abandon those services on account of advancing disease. With
rare energy and many reasons for desiring to live, he was slow to believe
that he must fall in early manhood before the destroyer. And while he was
not afraid to die, and expressed a firm confidence in God in whatever
event, he felt it to be his duty to struggle for a longer life, and no
doubt prolonged his days in this manner. He was consistent, uniform,
earnest, stable, both in faith and practice; always punctual in the
discharge of his business and Christian duties, his attendance in the
church, and his labors in the mission and Sunday schools. His last letter
before death, written to an intimate personal and business friend, said:
"I feel quite sure the disease is making rapid progress, but this gives me
no uneasiness or alarm, nor have I experienced any feeling but that I am
hastening home. The prospect would be dark indeed with no hope in Christ,
no deep and abiding trust in God's pardoning love. This trust in him has
sustained me through every trial, and this hope in Christ and his
all-atoning blood grows brighter every day, taking away the fear of death,
and lighting up the pathway through the dark valley, through which so many
of my loved ones have already passed."

[Illustration: D. Sanford]

Daniel Sanford.

The late Daniel Sanford, whose name is held in esteem by old Clevelanders,
was born in Milford, Connecticut, in 1803. At a very early age he left his
home and went to New York where he learned the trade of a ship joiner, one
of his first jobs being upon the cabins of the Fairfield, the first
steamer on the East River.

In 1834, he came to Cleveland and worked for some time at his trade as a
journeyman ship joiner. In coming time he aspired to build ships on his
own account, and for this purpose formed a partnership with Luther Moses.
The first work done by the firm was on the steamer New York, and
subsequently the steamers Ohio and Saratoga were built by them. In
addition to these a very large number of propellers and sailing vessels
were built, and canal boats almost without number. The mere list of crafts
of one description and another, built by this firm, would take
considerable space in our pages.

In 1849, the firm, which had done so much important work in the ship
yards, was dissolved and Mr. Sanford changed his business from
ship-building to dealing in lumber, which he entered upon on a large scale
and continued under the title of D. Sanford, and subsequently Sanford &
Son, until his death, which occurred on Sunday morning, September 22,
1864, after an illness of about four weeks, the disease being inflammation
of the bowels.

Mr. Sanford came to Cleveland with but five hundred dollars in his pocket,
but he worked his way with prudence and economy till he had acquired a
handsome property. His business on his death descended to his third son,
Nelson Sanford, who has conducted it prudently and with success.

He was earnestly patriotic, and on the outbreak of the war for the
Union he took a lively interest in everything pertaining to it.
Becoming satisfied that the rebels never intended submission to the
lawful authorities until they were flogged into submission, he strongly
urged their severe punishment, and contributed liberally to send men
into the field.

Mr. Sanford was a strong advocate of the consolidation of Ohio City and
Cleveland, and in his position of member of the Ohio City Council aided
materially in bringing about the result. He was no politician, but was not
one of those who make that fact an excuse for taking no interest in public
affairs. He had decided views on public matters, and never avoided his
duties as a citizen.

In whatever concerned the welfare of the city he took strong interest, and
was one of the first stockholders of the Cleveland, Columbus and
Cincinnati Railroad Company, as he was also of the Cleveland and Mahoning
Railroad Company.

Every dollar of Mr. Sanford's money was honestly earned; not a hard,
mean, or wrongful action tarnished a single penny passing into his
hands. Had he been avaricious he might have died worth half a million
dollars, but he was infinitely richer in the blessings of hundreds of
poor people who were the secret recipients of his bounty. He had "a hand
open as day for melting charity." Yet in his good deeds he never let his
left hand know what his right hand did. His last words on earth were of
a character in keeping with his whole life. Calling his youngest son to
his bedside he said, "Benjamin, be honest in all your transactions." On
the tomb of David Sanford can with truth be written: "An honest man--the
noblest work of God."

Charles W. Coe.

Charles W. Coe, so long and favorably known in our business circles, was
born in Oswego, New York, March 19th, 1822. His grandfather, Col. Eli
Parsons, was a soldier in the Revolution, and prominent in the Shay's
Rebellion, in Massachusetts. His father was a physician of much note in
Oswego, and died about 1828, leaving two children; Charles, the younger,
is the subject of this sketch. Like a great many other physicians, he left
a number of old accounts of no value, and not a great deal besides, so
that Charles and his brother had to strike out early in life to do
something towards getting a living, and hence educational matters did not
receive all the desired attention.

Charles came to Cleveland in 1840, and at once engaged as clerk with N. E.
Crittenden, jeweler. He remained in that situation about a year, when he
returned to Oswego, and after the lapse of two years, came back to
Cleveland, and entered into the employ of Pease & Allen, produce and
commission merchants, with whom he remained until 1849. At that time, he
went into the employ of Mr. Charles Hickox, and continued with him until
1855, when he took an interest with Mr. Hickox in the milling business,
already referred to in this work, and in which he still continues.

Mr. Coe has won his present prominent position among the business men of
Cleveland by shrewd foresight and close attention to business. He is a
hard worker and a keen observer of the fluctuations of business, mingling
prudence with enterprise to such a degree that, whilst he has driven a
profitable business, it has always been a safe one. He is frank,
unselfish, and free hearted. Whilst having had reason to appreciate the
value of money, he esteems it not so much on its own account as on account
of the domestic comforts and enjoyments its judicious expenditure brings.

S. M. Strong

The drug establishment of Strong & Armstrong stands foremost in that
branch of the business of Cleveland and has achieved a wide reputation,
having an extensive trade not only through Northern Ohio, but in Indiana,
Michigan and Pennsylvania, drawing custom away from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
and Detroit in territory previously considered naturally tributary to
those places.

S. M. Strong, the leading partner of the firm, is a native Buckeye, having
been born in Lorain County, Ohio, in 1833. His boyhood was spent in
acquiring a good common school education, after obtaining which he became
clerk in a drug store at Elyria, entering it at the age of sixteen and
remaining about two years when, in 1850, he accompanied his employer, who
removed to Cleveland, and remained with him there three years more.

At the end of that time, he entered Gaylord's drug store, in which he
continued about two years, when he turned his attention to pushing a
fever and ague remedy which he had been at work on for several years
previous. Four years he devoted to this work, finding a partial success,
and then he formed a partnership with A. C. Armstrong, of Medina county,
for the purpose of building up a wholesale and retailing business. The
business of Henderson & Punderson, which was established in 1836, was
purchased, and the new firm of Strong & Armstrong opened business in the
old place, No. 199 Superior street. At first the business was carried on
in a limited way, the total of jobbing and retail sales for the first year
amounting to but $75,000. But the partners were young, energetic, and full
of hope. They pushed their trade vigorously, attended closely to the
details of the business, and mingled enterprise with prudent economy so
well that they were soon gratified at finding their business annually
growing larger and more profitable. In less than ten years their trade has
grown from about $75,000 in a year to over $600,000, and their limited
establishment so enlarged as to require the services of twenty-four
assistants. The business, though large, has been managed with such care
and prudence as to render losses very light and litigation almost wholly
unnecessary.

Ship Building

For years Cleveland has been the principal ship building port on the
lakes. Of late the ship building interest here has shared the depression
felt by it throughout the Union, but it is still an important interest,
and before long will probably resume its activity.

The first vessel reported built in the vicinity of Cleveland was the
Zephyr, thirty tons burthen, built by Mr. Carter, in 1808, for the trade
of the village. The precise spot of her building is not recorded. She was
burned at Conjocketa Creek, near Black Rock. The next was the Ohio, of
sixty tons, built by Murray and Bixby, in 1810, and launched from the East
bank of the river near the spot now occupied by Pettit & Holland's
warehouse. She was sailed by John Austen and afterwards became a gunboat
in Perry's fleet, but took no part in the battle of Lake Erie, being
absent on special service.

In 1813, Levi Johnson built the Pilot. The story of her construction and
launch has already been told in the sketch of Levi Johnson's life. In that
sketch also will be found the account of most of the early ship building
of Cleveland, he being the principal ship builder of the pioneer days.

In 1821, Philo Taylor built the Prudence, which was launched on the river
opposite where the New England block now stands.

In 1826, John Blair built the Macedonian, of sixty tons, and in the same
year the Lake Serpent, forty tons, was built by Captain Bartiss and
sailed by him.

The first steamboat built in Cleveland was the Enterprise, built by Levi
Johnson in 1826, but not floated into the lake until the following year.

The enterprise of ship building pursued a steady course in Cleveland for a
number of years, a few vessels being added annually, until about the year
1853, when the business took a sudden start and made rapid progress. For
the next few years the ship yards were busy and the ship building interest
was one of the most important branches of the business of the city. In
1856, a total of thirty-seven lake crafts, sail and steam, was reported
built, having a tonnage of nearly sixteen thousand tons. During the past
twenty years, nearly five hundred vessels of all kinds, for lake
navigation, have been built in the district of Cuyahoga, and of these all
but a small proportion were built in Cleveland. The description of vessels
built has greatly altered during that time, the size of the largest class
having more than trebled. During the year 1868, there were built in this
port four propellers, one steamer and three schooners, with an aggregate
of 3,279 tons. This is much less in number and tonnage than in some
previous years, but still gives Cleveland the lead in the ship building of
the lakes. The absorption of the flats on the lower part of the river for
railroad and manufacturing purposes, and for lumber yards, has seriously
incommoded the ship building interests by restricting the space available
for ship yards.

In the division of the ship building business of the lakes in past years,
the construction of large side-wheel steamers was principally carried on
at Buffalo, whilst in first class propellers and sailing vessels Cleveland
immeasurably distanced all competitors, both in the quantity and quality
of the craft turned out. As the demand for side-wheel steamers lessened,
the site of their construction was removed from Buffalo to Detroit.
Cleveland-built propellers, however, take front rank, and Cleveland-built
sail vessels have found their way over every part of the lake chain,
sailed down the Atlantic coast from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to South
American ports, and crossing the Atlantic, have penetrated nearly every
European sea. Everywhere they have done credit to their builders by their
speed, sea worthiness, and excellent construction.

Just here it is proper to place, on record the history of an attempt to
establish a direct trade with Europe, which gave abundant promise of good
results, both to the commercial and ship building interests of the city.
It has already been referred to in this work, but it appropriately falls
within the scope of this sketch.

In the year 1856, the schooner Dean Richmond, of 379 tons, was built by
Quayle & Martin in Cleveland, for C. J. Kershaw, of Chicago. This vessel
was loaded with wheat and under the command of Capt. D. C. Pierce, sailed
from Chicago to Liverpool. She arrived in good time, having made a quick
passage, and astonished the English people by her rig, and from the fact
of her having come from the inland lakes of America to Europe. The
schooner was sold in Liverpool, and her new owners changed her name to
the Belina, and placed her in the trade between Liverpool and Brazil, on
which route she made quick and successful trips.

In 1857, the same builders turned out the barque c.J. Kershaw, of 380 tons
burthen, having built her for Capt. D. G. Pierce, who was the pioneer
captain in the trade. The Kershaw was loaded with staves, cedar posts and
black walnut lumber. In the Fall, she started on her return with a load of
crockery and iron, but was twice driven back by terrific gales and had to
go into dock for repairs. This brought her into St. Lawrence river so
late, that she was frozen in the Lachine Canal. Early in 1858, she arrived
in Cleveland with her cargo in excellent order and to the perfect
satisfaction of the consignees.

About the time that the Kershaw was launched, a small British schooner,
the Madeira Pet of 123 tons, came from Liverpool through the rivers and
lakes to Chicago, with a cargo of hardware, cutlery, glass, &c., on
speculation. The enterprise was not successful, and no more attempts were
made to establish a direct trade between Chicago and European ports.

During the Spring and Summer of 1858, several of the leading business men
of Cleveland entered with vigor into the trade, and a respectable fleet of
vessels was dispatched to European ports. A new barque, the D. C. Pierce,
was built for Messrs. Pierce & Barney and sent to Liverpool with a cargo
of staves and black walnut lumber. The same parties sent the C. J. Kershaw
to London with a similar cargo, and the Chieftain and Black Hawk, with the
same kind of freight. Mr. T. P. Handy sent the R. H. Harmon with staves and
black walnut lumber to Liverpool, the D. B. Sexton with a similar cargo to
London, and the J. F. Warner with a cargo of the same kind to Glasgow. Mr.
H. E. Howe sent the new barque H. E. Howe to London with a cargo of staves
and lumber. Col. N. M. Standart sent the Correspondent to Liverpool with a
load of wheat, and Mr. C. Reis freighted the Harvest to Hamburgh with a
cargo of lumber, staves and fancy woods. This made a fleet of ten vessels,
owned and freighted by Cleveland merchants, with a total tonnage of about
3,600 tons. Two vessels were sent out from Detroit with similar cargoes,
but the enterprise was pre-eminently a Cleveland one.

All of the Cleveland fleet disposed of their cargoes to good advantage.
Six of them returned with cargoes of crockery, bar iron, pig iron, and
salt. This part of the trip also proved successful. It was the intention
of the owners to sell some of the vessels in England, but the shipping
interests were so prostrated that it was impossible to dispose of the
ships at anything like a fair price. They therefore still remained in the
hands of Cleveland owners, but four of them did not return to the Lakes.
The D. B. Sexton went up the Mediterranean; the H. E. Howe went on a
voyage to South America, the Harvest to the West Indies, and the C. J.
Kershaw was employed in the Mediterranean trade. Wherever any of the
Cleveland vessels went, they called forth complimentary remarks by their
fleetness and steadiness in heavy weather.

In the following year, other vessels were sent out and made successful
trips. The remarkable sea-going qualities exhibited by these lake-built
crafts, outsailing, as they did, ocean clippers and weathering gales that
sent sea-going ships flying helpless before the storm, attracted the
attention of Eastern ship-owners, and orders were received for vessels to
be built for the Atlantic coasting trade. The outbreak of the war gave a
severe check to the direct trade, which passed into the hands of an
English firm who still continue to run vessels between Cleveland and
Liverpool, and in the depressed condition of the American carrying trade
on the ocean there was no longer a demand for new vessels for the coasting
trade. With a revival of business in that line, and an enlargement of the
canals between Lake Erie and tidewater, so as to allow the passage of
larger vessels, there is a probability that a brisk demand for Cleveland
vessels for the salt water will yet spring up.

[Illustration: Respectfully, S. W. Johnson]

Seth W. Johnson.

The name of Seth W. Johnson has for more than thirty years been closely
and prominently identified with the ship building interests of
Cleveland. He saw the business in its infancy, was largely accessory to
its growth into the important proportions it at last assumed, and though
no longer engaged in the business, his withdrawal from it is so recent
that the mention of his name suggests, to those familiar with the
affairs of the city for a number of years, the incessant tapping of the
shipwrights' hammers and visions of skeleton ships gradually assuming
the form and substance in which they are to carry the commerce of the
great West to market.

Mr. Johnson was a native of Middle Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut,
his mother, who died October 17, 1868, being formerly Miss Mary Whitmore,
born at Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, in 1780, and his
father, Henry Johnson, born in 1776, and died July 6, 1869. Seth W.
Johnson was the second son and third child of a family of nine, all of
whom, with both father and mother, were alive on the 16th of October,
1868, the oldest child being then about sixty-one years old, and the
youngest over forty.

Young Johnson worked with his father a short time as a farmer, but not
feeling in his element in the plow field or in the cow yard, he followed
the bent of his mechanical tastes, and engaged himself to work in a ship
yard. He commenced work in this line when about fourteen years old, and
served out his full apprenticeship of seven years, when he set up in
business for himself, taking full charge of the work of finishing ships.
This he carried on for three years with considerable success.

But New England, he rightly judged, was too narrow a field for the young
man who wished to improve his prospects and with narrow means lay the
foundation of a liberal competence. The West offered the most promise, and
to the West he accordingly came, taking his kit of tools with him. Landing
in Cleveland in the Fall of 1834, he satisfied himself that here was the
proper place for the exercise of his knowledge and abilities, and here,
accordingly, he prepared to make his home. Before settling down to steady
business in Cleveland he made a trip to Perrysburgh, on the Maumee, where
he assisted in finishing the Commodore Perry. This work done he returned
to Cleveland in the Spring of 1835, and opened his ship yard, at first
confining himself to the repair of vessels. But soon he was called on to
build as well as repair. The steamboat Constellation was completed by him
at Black River, and the steamboat Robert Fulton, built at Cleveland by
Griffith, Standart & Co.