Cuyahoga County OH

Biographical Sketch of Charles Pierpont Punchard

Punchard, Charles Pierpont, Jr.; landscape architect; born, Farmingham, Mass., June 3, 1885; son of Charles P. and Mattie Blanchard Punchard; educated, public schools, Farmingham, Mass., Brookline, Mass.; special student, dept. Landscape Architecture; graduate School of Applied Science, Harvard University, 1909-1911; member Troop A, First Squadron Cavalry, O. N. G.; enlisted, May, 1912; previous to coming to Cleveland, was connected with various landscape architects in Boston, on both private and public work; partner Evans & Punchard; member American Society Landscape Architecture. Recreations: Tennis and Riding.

Slave Narrative of John W. Matheus

Interviewer: Bishop & Isleman Person Interviewed: John Williams Matheus Location: Steubenville, Ohio Age: 77 Place of Residence: 203 Dock Street WPA in Ohio Federal Writers’ Project Bishop & Isleman Reporter: Bishop (Revision) July 8, 1937 Topic: Ex-Slaves Jefferson County, District #5 JOHN WILLIAMS MATHEUS Ex-Slave, 77 years “My mothers name was Martha. She died when I was eleven months old. My mother was owned by Racer Blue and his wife Scotty. When I was bout eleven or twelve they put me out with Michael Blue and his wife Mary. Michael Blue was a brother to Racer Blue. Racer Blue died … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Louis Day

Day, William Louis; judge, born, Canton, O., Aug. 13, 1876; son of William Rufus (q. v.) and Mary Elizabeth (Schaefer) Day; graduate Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Mass., 1896; LL. B., University of Michigan, 1900; married Elizabeth E. McKay, of Caro, Mich., Sept. 10, 1902; admitted to bar, 1900, and practiced at Canton; city solicitor, 1906-1908; U. S. atty., Northern Dist. Ohio, 1908-1911; U. S. dist. judge, May 13, 1911-; Republican, Lutheran. Clubs : Hermit, Cleveland Athletic, Nisi Prins.

Biographical Sketch of Bruce Raymer Gilbreath

Gilbreath, Bruce Raymer; dentist; born, Cleveland, Sept. 19, 1883; son of Charles L. and Clara B. Raymer Gilbreath; University School, 1904, Western Reserve Dental College, 1901; member Gamma Delta Psi and Psi Omega Fraternities and F. & A. M.

Biographical Sketch of Frederick W. Bruch

Bruch, Frederick W.; manufacturer; born, Feb. 22, 1852, Rhine, Bavaria, Germany; son of Karl F. and Sophia Zeppn Brach; public school education; married, Cleveland, Sept. 29, 1888, Miss Emma Mohrman; issue, Alfred E., Karl F., Ethel S., and Edward P., learned and followed the machinist’s trade until 1880; became associated with Claus Greve and Daniel Luehers, establishing the Acme Machinery Co., business conducted as a partnership until 1892; then incorporated as The Acme Machinery Co., became pres. of the company at that time, and still occupies that position; pres. The Kraus Furniture Co., Adams Realty Co., organizer and director The … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Willis E. Bonesteel

Bonesteel, Willis E.; sec’y Worden Tool Co.; born, Northampton, O., Oct. 7, 1862; son of George H. and Loretta C. Prior Bonesteel; public school education; married, Cleveland, Oct. 4, 1886, Annabell Scott; director Land Title Abstract Co., Cleveland Savings & Loan Co.; member Brooklyn Lodge, F. & A. M., Webb chapter, R. A. M., Oriental commandery, K. T., Lake Erie Consistory, Al Koran Temple.

Biographical Sketch of Stephen Lawrence Pierce

Pierce, Stephen Lawrence; manufacturer shoes; born, Birmingham, O., Nov. 4, 1855; son of Bennett and Clarry Pierce; educated, Oberlin College; married, Cleveland, May 10, 1882, Kittie J. Hawkint, many years with the old firm of Childs, Groff & Co., shoe jobbers; in 1884, started to manufacture shoes and has continued in same line until the present time; has a large trade in most of the states of the Union; head of S. L. Pierce & Co.; director First National Bank, Guardian Savings & Trust Co., Clifton Land & Improvement Co.; member Chamber of Commerce; served one year as treas. of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fred F. Klingman

Klingman, Fred F.; attorney; born, Cleveland, Nov. 29, 1866; son of Jacob and Minnie Finn Klingman; educated, public schools, Cleveland, Grammar and High School; married, Cleveland, June 1, 1892, Hattie Jones; one daughter, Nadine Klingman; councilman Brooklyn Village and Cleveland; asst. county prosecutor; admitted to the bar in 1894; director in the following companies: The Pfaffman Egg Noodle, The Victor Tea, The Ohio Enamel, The Brookins, The Morreau, The Oscar Kroehle; member the advisory board, The United Banking Co.; member the Masonic Order, and Chamber of Industry.

Biographical Sketch of George Edward Tower

Tower, George Edward; manager; born, Ashtabula, O., July, 18, 1877; son of Herbert Bascom and Alice Jane Hart Tower; educated, public schools, Ashtabula, O., and Chattanooga, Tenn.; graduated from High School in latter city; received degree B. S., Chattanooga Normal University, and LL. B., Chattanooga Law School; business career, shop, drafting, engineering and sales experience in engineering and manufacturing companies, until he established the Tower Machinery Co., in 1908, which carries on a brokerage business in heavy contractors’ equipment; proprietor and mgr. The Tower Machinery Co.; member Chamber of Commerce, The Cleveland Engineering Society; member Epworth Memorial Methodist Church, Masonic … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank J. Svoboda

Svoboda, Frank J.; publisher; born, Bohemia, May 1, 1874; son of John and Mary Vild Svoboda; educated, Parochial school, “Our Lady of Lourdes,” Cleveland, O., and evening public schools; married, Cleveland, June 30, 1896, Josephine Holpuch; issue, four children; when 25 years of age, established a Bohemian Newspaper, The American, which has grown to a large publication; and is considered one of the best Bohemian newspapers in the United States; The American is the representative newspaper for the Bohemian people of Cleveland; director American Association of Foreign Newspapers of N. Y.; member First Catholic Central Union of the U. S., … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert L. Becker

Becker, Albert L.; pres. and treas. Cleveland Auto Livery; born, Cleveland, March 31, ____ ; son of John and Christiana Schlather Becker; educated, Cleveland public and High School; thirty-second degree Mason, Mystic Shrine; member Athletic and Automobile Clubs.

Biographical Sketch of James Hotchkiss Rogers

Rogers, James Hotchkiss; pianist, organist; born, Fair Haven, Conn., Feb. 7, 1857; son of Martin L. and Harriet (Hotchkiss` Rogers; educated, Lake Forest, Ill.; studied music, Berlin and Paris, 1875-1880; married Alice Abigail Hall, of Indianapolis, Oct. 20, 1891; composer of about 150 compositions, including songs, piano pieces, anthems and part songs; two cantatas: “The Man of Nazareth”; “The New Life”; as well as part songs and music for organ and violin.

Biographical Sketch of Charles Thomas Biggerstaff

Biggerstaff, Charles Thomas; mason contractor; born, Welland, Can., May 16, 1885; son of Thomas and Harriet Ann Castle Biggerstaff, educated, Cleveland public schools; married, Cleveland, May 16, 1906, Minnie Schroeder; one daughter, Harriet, age 6 years, and one son, Thomas, age 4 years; his father and mother left Oxford, Eng., in 1884, and came to Welland, Can., in 1887, they came to Cleveland, where he has always lived; after going through the East Madison Avenue public school, he learned the bricklaying trade, going into the mason contracting business with his father in 1911, as junior partner, and taking full charge … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Christian Ulmer

Ulmer, John Christian; manfr.; born, Wurttenberg, Germany, Dec. 26, 1862; son of Christian and Ann Maria Klein Ulmer; educated in Germany and the Cuyahoga Falls, O., High School; started in the machinist trade, jobbing and marine engine building, but mostly tool-making and foreman until 1893; started a business for the repairing of engineering, surveying and scientific instruments; in 1895, began the manufacture of same, incorporated 1906, as the J. C. Ulmer Co.; since 1896, the “Ulmer” instruments have been extensively used in the laying out of the Cleveland park system, water tunnels, sewers, track elevations, and many public and private … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hermann N. Matzen

Matzen, Hermann N.; sculptor; born, Denmark, 1861; son of Nicolai Edinger and Henrietta Basch Matzen; graduate, German-American Seminary, Detroit, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Berlin (medal of second class); married, Cleveland, 1888, Emma Hale; married, 1908, Blanche Disette; issue, Madelein Dorothy, Carl and Herman; engaged in sculpture since 1893; executed groups, “War and Peace,” on Indianapolis Soldiers’ and Sailors’ monument; Schiller monument, Detroit; Burke mausoleum.; figures, “Moses and Gregory,” Cuyahoga County Court House, Cleveland; “Law and Justice,” Summit County Court House, Akron; “Cain and Abel,” Lake County Court House, Painesville; Wagner monument, Cleveland, and others; instructor Cleveland School of Art … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ralph Wigmore Edwards

Edwards, Ralph Wigmore; born at Cardiff, Wales, Feb. 1, 1879; son of Morgan and Fanny Wigmore Edwards; was brought to the United States in 1885; removing to Cleveland, Ohio, after some years’ residence in New York City; studied law at the Cleveland Law School; was admitted to the bar in 1901, and has since practised law at Cleveland, being a member of the firm of Geier, Farrell & Edwards; Democrat, in 1910, was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the 79th General Assembly; in February, 1912, he was appointed a member of the Board of Civil Service … Read more

Slave Narrative of Lucretia Alexander

Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: Lucretia Alexander Location: 1708 High Street, Little Rock, Arkansas Age: 89 Occupation: Washed. Ironed. Plowed. Hoed “I been married three times and my last name was Lucretia Alexander. I was twelve years old when the War began. My mother died at seventy-three or seventy-five. That was in August 1865—August the ninth. She was buried August twelfth. The reason they kept her was they had refugeed her children off to different places to keep them from the Yankees. They couldn’t get them back. My mother and her children were heir property. Her first master was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rudolph Carl Engel

Engel, Rudolph Carl; physician and surgeon; born, Cleveland, June 19, 1879; son of Fred C. and Mary C. Heimberger Engel; educated, Cleveland public schools, Cleveland College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Medical Dept. Ohio Wesleyan University, Doctor of Medicine, 1902; married, Cleveland, June 11, 1902, Miss Mary Sheka; two sons, Walter Alfred and Alvin Ralph Engel; surgeon to River Furnace Co. and River Steel Mill, special examiner Police and Fire Depts., January, 1912; surgeon-in-chief, Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias of Cuyahoga County; medical examiner, Cuyahoga Lodge, K. of P.; member Cleveland Academy of Medicine and Ohio State Medical Ass’n. Recreations: … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fred S. Borton

Borton, Fred S.; sec’y Cleveland, Painesville & Eastern R. R.; born, Plymouth, Ind., Oct. 25, 1861; public school education; came to Cleveland, 1881; with Geo. Cooper & Co., till 1884; then with the American Wire Co.; 1884-1891, with Dime Savings & Banking Co.; asst. treas.; elected sec ‘y Cleveland Electric R. R. Co., and the A. B. C. R. R. Co.; then in various capacities with the Everett-Moore Syndicate; in 1906, severed connection; with Herrick, Parmlee & Crawford, with which firm closely associated in 1904 and 1905; and with his brother, T. E. Borton, established the firm of F. S. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert William Smith

Smith, Albert William; college prof.; born at Newark, O., Oct. 4, 1862; son of George H. and Mary (Sanborn) Smith; Ph. C., University of Michigan, 1885; B. S., Case School of Applied Science, Cleveland, 1887; Ph. D., University of Zurich, 1891; married Mary Wilkinson of Cleveland, June 5, 1890; prof. chemistry, Case School of Applied Science, since 1891, Yellow A. A. A. S.; member American Chemistry Society, American Institute Mining Engineers, American Electrochem. Society, Society Promotion Engineering Education; has contributed to technical papers in society proceedings.