Teaching Cleveland Digital

WADE, JEPTHA HOMER I (11 Aug. 1811-9 Aug. 1890), financier and telegraph pioneer, was born in Romulus, Seneca County, N.Y., the son of Jeptha and Sarah (Allen) Wade. He operated a factory and worked as portrait painter before becoming interested in the telegraph. He became interested in the telegraph, and in 1847, as a subcontractor for J. J. Speedy, he began constructing a telegraph line from Detroit to Jackson, Mich. Wade soon added lines from Detroit to Milwaukee and to Buffalo by way of Cleveland. In 1849-50 he built lines from Cleveland to Cincinnati and St. Louis. In 1854 he consolidated his lines with those of Royal E. House to create a network of lines across the Old Northwest, and in Apr. 1856 their network was part of the 13-company consolidation of telegraph lines that created the Western Union Telegraph Co. Wade served as the general agent for Western Union, and he continued to develop new lines and telegraph companies in the West, forming the California State Telegraph Co. and the Pacific Telegraph Co.; the latter was connected to St. Louis and San Francisco by wire in Aug. 1861. Wade became president of Western Union in 1866, but poor health forced him to resign the following year.

Wade moved to Cleveland in 1856. He was a director of 8 railroad companies; helped organizing Citizens Savings & Loan Assoc. (1867), becoming its first president (1868); was president of Natl. Bank of Commerce and an incorporator of Cleveland Rolling Mill Co. (1863); became a sinking-fund commissioner in 1870 (serving 20 years); was an organizer and first president of LAKE VIEW CEMETERY Assoc.; and was an incorporator of Case School of Applied Science (1880). In 1881, Wade offered the city 75 acres of land along Doan Brook as a park (See WADE PARK). He also donated land to Western Reserve University. Wade married Rebecca Loueza Facer in 1832, who died in 1836. He married Susan M. Fleming in 1837. Wade had one natural child, Randall P., and 4 adopted children: Delia (Moore), Eusebra (Bates), Myra (Huggins), and Bessie (Reynolds).

Harris R. Cooley

From the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

The link is here

COOLEY, HARRIS REID (18 Oct. 1857-24 Oct. 1936), minister and reform leader, was born to Laura Reid and LATHROP COOLEY† in Royalton, Ohio, graduated with a B.A. from Hiram College in 1877, and with a M.A. from Oberlin College in 1880. Following postgraduate work at Oberlin, he served 1-year pastorates in DISCIPLES OF CHRIST churches in Brunswick and Aurora, Ohio. In 1882, Cooley became pastor of Cedar Ave. Christian Church in Cleveland, retaining that position for 21 years. Among his large congregation was TOM L. JOHNSON†, who became a close friend, especially when Johnson became ill with typhoid fever. They shared ideals in politics and reform, with Cooley being almost alone among the city’s Protestant clergy supporting Johnson’s radical democracy. When Johnson was elected mayor in 1901, he appointed Cooley director of charities and correction, which he held for 10 years. Cooley created the farm colony on 2,000 acres WARRENSVILLE TWP., purchased in 1902 for $350,000, which housed the CLEVELAND WORKHOUSE, the county poorhouse, and a tuberculosis sanatorium. “Cooley Farms” was considered an outstanding example of progressive penology and health care. In 1903, Cooley supervised the opening of the City Farm School, popularly known as the CLEVELAND BOYS’ SCHOOL IN HUDSON, in Hudson, Ohio, which provided a rehabilitative setting where orphaned or incorrigible boys under 14 could be guided by a professional staff. Cooley also served on the City Plan Commission (1915-1934). In 1900, Cooley married Cora Clark, a Hiram College professor and suffragette; they had no children. He died in Cleveland and was buried in WOODLAND CEMETERY.

Walter Burr Gongwer

From the Encyclopedia of Cleveland history.

The link is here

GONGWER, W. BURR (1873-28 Sept. 1948), Democratic party boss for 35 years, was born near Mansfield, Ohio, the son of Louis and Irena Gonger. He began as a journalist there before coming to Cleveland in 1899 as political reporter for the PLAIN DEALER. In 1900 he interviewed Democrat mayoral candidate TOM JOHNSON†. They became friends, and Mayor Johnson made Gongwer his secretary although Gongwer was a Republican. Johnson so inspired Gongwer that he turned Democrat and, as Johnson’s secretary for 8 years, Gongwer began gaining power as he was entrusted with party details, including patronage distribution.

Gongwer became deputy clerk of the Board of Elections in 1910 and chief clerk 2 years later. From 1915-21, he was collector of customs. With Johnson’s death, party leadership passed to NEWTON D. BAKER†, but he gradually relinquished party duties to Gongwer, his chief lieutenant, until Gongwer was practically party boss by 1915 although he didn’t become executive committee chairman until 1924. In the 1920s, when the Democrats were weak, Gongwer kept the party alive by implementing the “60-40 deal,” allowing Democrats a portion of jobs under the Republican-controlled, CITY MANAGER PLAN. In the early 1930s, Gongwer produce Democratic victories and ruled one of the strongest political organizations in Cleveland’s history. However, a 5-year internal debate between Gongwer, MARTIN SWEENEY†, and ROBT. BULKLEY† again debilitated the party. Gongwer lost his position to RAY MILLER† in 1940, retired from politics, and spent his remaining years in the insurance business he established in the 1920s.

Gongwer and his wife, Nona Cappeller, had a daughter, Dorothy. He died in Cleveland and was buried in Mansfield, Ohio.

Ohio: A Tale of Two Cities by Lincoln Steffens

A Tale of Two Cities by Lincoln Steffens (link to Google Book)

A comparison of two cities, Cleveland and Cincinnati during the Tom L. Johnson era.

Lincoln Steffens was a journalist on the national level who famously called Johnson “the best mayor of the best run city in America.”

The link is here

(to get rid of yellow marks hit “clear search”)

Samuel Mather

From the Encyclopedia of Cleveland

The link is here

MATHER, SAMUEL (13 July 1851-18 Oct. 1931), industrialist and philanthropist, son of Samuel and Georgiana Woolson Mather, was born and educated in Cleveland. He planned attending Harvard, then working at his father’s business, Cleveland Iron Co., but had an mining accident requiring lengthy recuperation. In 1882, Mather affiliated with JAMES S. PICKANDS † and Jay C. Morse to form PICKANDS MATHER & CO., a rival to Cleveland Iron. After 2 years, the company leased a mine in the Gogebic Range, later acquiring interests in the Minnesota Mesabi and Michigan Marquette Ranges. Mather allied Pickands-Mather with the steel industry, providing resources and transportation; and facilitating the U.S. Steel merger in 1902. Success compounded his inherited wealth.

Mather was senior warden and vestryman of TRINITY CATHEDRAL, president of FEDERATED CHURCHES OF GREATER CLEVELAND, and a trustee and benefactor of HIRAM HOUSE. During WORLD WAR I he organized the War Chest, donating over $750,000, and receiving the Cross of the Legion of Honor from the French government. In 1919, he helped establish the COMMUNITY CHEST, contributing $100,000 annually, and in 1930 establishing a $1.6 million trust fund to insure its prosperity. Mather married FLORA STONE† in 1881 and fathered 4 children: S. Livingston (see SAMUEL LIVINGSTON MATHER†), Phillip, Constance, and Amasa Stone. When Mather died, he was the richest man in Ohio. His estate was divided among his children, grandchildren, and daughter-in-law, and various charitable causes. Major benefactors included WESTERN RESERVE UNIV., UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS CASE MEDICAL CENTER, JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY, Kenyon College, the Episcopal Church, St. Luke’s Hospital of Tokyo, Japan, and the Community Chest. Because of declining stock values in the Depression, the bequests could not be paid. As the value of the estate increased with market improvements, heirs contested the will, since Mather had changed the terms within a year of his death, and some bequests (notably one to WRU) were invalidated.

“Maurice Maschke Memoirs” Plain Dealer Series August, 1934

Multiple part series that ran in Plain Dealer February 2 through March 14, 1934

The Plain Dealer during this period was a strongly Democratic newspaper, so its interesting that they provided this platform for Republican “Boss” Maschke to tell his side of the story

Each part is a pdf file, approximately 8mg in size, so be patient

(Some are difficult to read)