Charles Willard State from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
STAGE, CHARLES WILLARD (26 Nov. 1868-17 May 1946) was a lawyer active in civic affairs and politics who became Cleveland’s first utilities director under the Home Rule charter.
Born in Painesville to Stephen and Sarah (Knight) S., Stage graduated from Painesville High School (1888). He received his A.B. from Western Reserve University (1892), the A.M. in 1893, and graduated in the first class of W.R.U.’s Law School (1895). Stage was captain of W.R.U.’s first football team, and was a National League umpire. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1895 and entered into private practice in Cleveland.
Stage served in the Ohio House of Representative, 1902-1903, and was Cuyahoga County Solicitor from 1903-1908. He was Secretary for the Municipal Traction Co., 1906-1908, and Secretary of the City Sinking Fund Committee, 1910-1912. Under Mayor NEWTON D. BAKER†, Stage was Public Safety Director, 1912-1914, and the City’s first Utilities Director, 1914-1916.
From 1916-1922 Stage was general counsel for the Van Sweringens. When Stage retired in 1938 he was vice president, director and general counsel for the Cleveland Union Terminal Co. and had been secretary and a director of the Cleveland Interurban Road Co., Cleveland Traction Terminals Co., Cleveland Terminal Co., Terminal Buildings Co., Terminal Hotels Co., Traction Stores Co. and Van Ess Co.
On 29 Aug. 1903 Stage married Dr. Miriam Gertrude Kerruish who died in the 1929 CLEVELAND CLINIC DISASTER. They had four children: Charles Jr., William, Miriam and Edward. Stage, an Episcopalian, was cremated.
