Cleveland Past and Present: Its Representative Men Part 21

Mr. Quayle stands high among the citizens of Cleveland for integrity and sterling character generally. He always fulfills his obligations, whether to employer or employed. He has worked hard with his own hands, and given personal supervision to all his work, believing that the eye of the master and the hand of the workman combined a.s.sure good work. He is strict in fulfilling all his contracts, and in this way has acquired a fine reputation and a handsome fortune. But that point has not been reached without a severe and continuous struggle against adverse circ.u.mstances, which were overcome only by a determined will and patient labor that conquered all.

Mr. Quayle's first wife died in September, 1860. He was married again February 8th, 1867, to Miss Mary Proudfoot, of this city.

Elihu M. Peck.

Another of the s.h.i.+p builders who have a.s.sisted greatly in building up the commerce and reputation of the port of Cleveland, is Elihu M. Peck. The vessels built by him, or by the firm of Peck & Masters, which existed about nine years, are known over the lakes. A large proportion of the work done, especially in the later years, was in the construction of propellers, of which several of the finest specimens afloat were made in that yard.

Mr. Peck was born in Otsego county, New York, in 1822, and on reaching his sixteenth year, came west and learned the art of s.h.i.+p building in this vicinity. On completing his education in this business, he worked for a time as a journeyman. In 1847, he set up for himself, and his first work was the construction of the schooner Jenny Lind, of 200 tons. When she was finished he ceased building new vessels for some years, and turned his attention exclusively to the repair of old vessels, at which he found abundant occupation. His yard was always busy, for the growing lake marine demanded a large and steadily increasing amount of annual repairs.

In 1855, a partners.h.i.+p was formed with I. U. Masters, and the new firm immediately entered upon the construction of new vessels. The first craft launched from their stocks was the Ocean Wave, the first of a fleet of fifty built by the firm previous to its dissolution and the death of Mr.

Masters. They form a fleet of which the builders had good reason to be proud, for a glance at their names will recall the whole history of the lake marine for the past fourteen years. What strides have been made in the improvement of the lake marine is plainly shown by the increase in the tonnage of the vessels built, whilst to those familiar with the lake trade, the names will call up recollections of the crafts that will give a yet better idea of the progress made.

The barque Ocean Wave, the first built by the new firm, was followed by the Julia Dean, of 460 tons. These were followed in rapid succession by the Kenosha, schooner Iowa, 370 tons, barque B. S. Shephard, 500 tons, schooners Ralph Campbell, 240 tons, A. H. Stevens, 240 tons, David Tod, 460 tons, and Ellen Williams, 380 tons; barque De Soto, 570 tons; schooners John S. Newhouse, 370 tons, W. B. Castle, 230 tons, Baltic, 360 tons, Midnight, 370 tons, and J. T. Ayer, 380 tons. At this time they undertook the construction of propellers, and the first two built were at once remarked for their correct proportions, beauty of finish, and strength of hull. They were the Evergreen City, 612 tons, and the Fountain City, 820 tons. The schooner Ellen White, 160 tons, was built, and then the firm resumed work on propellers. The Cornet, 624 tons, and Rocket of the same size, were built and put into the railroad line running from Buffalo westward. These were models of beauty and strength. Next came the schooners Metropolis, 360 tons, Mary B. Hale, 360 tons, and E. M. Peck, 168 tons; barque Colorado, 503 tons; propeller Detroit, 398 tons; barques Unadilla, 567 tons, C. P. Sherman, 568 tons, Sunrise, 598 tons, Golden Fleece, 609 tons, and Northwest, 630 tons; tugs W. B. Castle, 219 tons and I. U. Masters, 203 tons; barque S. V. R. Watson, 678 tons; propeller Toledo, 621 tons; tug Hector, 204 tons; propellers Winslow, 920 tons, Idaho, 920 tons, Atlantic, 660 tons, Meteor, 730 tons, Pewabic, 730 tons, Metamora, 300 tons, and Octavia, 450 tons. This ended the operations of the firm of Peck & Masters, in 1864. The firm was dissolved and Mr. Masters died.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Truly, E. M. Peck]

Mr. Peck now carried on his s.h.i.+p yard alone, and his first work was the filling of a contract to build two steam Revenue cutters for service on the lakes. The John Sherman, of 500 tons, and the A. P. Fessenden, of the same size, were turned out, and no better work could possibly be found.

The Government officers promptly accepted the vessels and declared them more than up to the requirements of the contract. They were p.r.o.nounced models of beauty, strength, and speed.

The cutters were followed by the schooner Oak Leaf, 390 tons; propellers Messenger, 400 tons, and Nebraska, 1,300 tons, the latter, one of the finest steamers put on the lakes; schooner David Stewart, 675 tons; propellers Manistee, 400 tons, and City of Concord, 400 tons. Two other propellers, one of 1,000 tons, and one of about 300 tons, were added in the season of 1869.

It will be seen that nearly all the vessels, whether sail or steam, built by Mr. Peck, were of the first cla.s.s, being mainly barques and large propellers. They will be recognized by those familiar with lake commerce, as models in size, beauty, and strength, whilst several have made unusually quick trips.

Mr. Peck has enjoyed an unusual measure of success. The work of his hands has prospered, and he has earned his reward, not only in reputation but in substantial prosperity. He has aimed not only to equal the best work done by others, but studied how to improve on his own work. The result has been a constant improvement in the style and quality of his vessels, so that excellent as the last new hull may have been, it was almost sure to be excelled by the next one that left the stocks. And whilst thus giving close attention to the mechanical details of his business, he was skillful in managing the financial part of it so as to secure the rewards honestly won by industry and skill. He always kept his affairs in such order that no serious financial difficulty ever troubled him.

Nor was he an avaricious, though a prudent man. A working man himself, he was in thorough sympathy with his workmen, and in the slack season, instead of discharging his men and thus entailing want upon them, he built vessels on speculation, merely that he might keep the men busy and their families from suffering. Providentially these speculations were always successful, thus ill.u.s.trating the proverb, that "there is he that scattereth, and yet increaseth."

Mr. Peck took an active part in the formation of the People's Gas Light Company, and is now president of that organization. He is also a director of the Savings Loan a.s.sociation.

John Martin.

John Martin, of the firm of Quayle & Martin, was born in the county of Antrim, Ireland, December 15th, 1824, of poor parents, with whom he came to Canada when but nine years of age. At the age of fourteen he commenced working in a s.h.i.+p yard in Montreal, by turning grindstone. He soon attracted the attention of the proprietor by his using handily the tools of the workmen while they were at dinner, and he was furnished tools and set to work at the trade. He continued in this employ for about two years, and during the time, with a view to fitting himself for the business of life, he attended school in the evenings. He then worked his pa.s.sage to French Creek, New York, having at the time of leaving only a dollar and a half in money. At French Creek he engaged with G. S. Weeks, one of the best s.h.i.+p builders on the lakes, and remained with him at French Creek two years, when Mr. Weeks moved to Oswego, Mr. Martin accompanying him to that place, and continuing in his employ two years longer. Mr. Martin then went to Detroit, where he worked a year on the steamboat Wisconsin.

In 1843, he came to Cleveland and commenced work for G. W. Jones, on the steamboat Empire. This work finished, he commenced sub-contracting, wrecking, planking, and jobbing generally, until 1846, when he went into the employ of another firm, with whom he worked two years.

At the end of that time his employers were owing him more than they could pay, so, to square the matter, he bought an interest in their business.

But this did not mend the matter, as it proved to be an interest in their debts, more than in their business, they being deeply involved. The firm owned the brig Courtland, and one of the members had sailed her for some time at a great loss. Young Martin took his place and proved himself master of the situation, by reducing the liabilities of the firm to about $2,500. That done he sold the vessel, dissolved partners.h.i.+p, and commenced planking and general jobbing again. After a time he built a vessel for Moses & Quayle. He found frequent employment in wrecking jobs, being very successful at such work.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Yours truly, John Martin]

The three years thus occupied gave him a start in life. He cleared off the indebtedness of the old firm and had $3,000 ahead. He then took the contract for building the brig John G. Deshler, for Handy, Warren & Co.

This was a very successful contract, and gave Mr. Martin a handsome lift, and enabled him to take an interest with Mr. Quayle, under the firm name of Quayle & Martin, a brief mention of its operations being made in the sketch of Mr. Quayle's life.

In 1858, Mr. Martin loaded the John G. Deshler and D. C. Pierce with staves and made a successful trip to England, and on the return brought one of the spans for the Victoria bridge at Montreal. In 1859, he took over two more cargoes in the same vessels, selling one in Cork, and the other in Glasgow. Nor was this the only connection of the firm with the direct lake and ocean trade. They have built vessels for Liverpool parties, for ocean service, and also two vessels for New York parties for the same purpose.

Six of these vessels have also been sold out of the lake service for ocean navigation, and have been used on the ocean for five or six years with great success. The John G. Deshler, which had been transferred to the ocean, as previously mentioned, was sunk by the rebels at the outbreak of the war, and was a total loss to the firm. The latest work of the firm is a fine vessel for A. Bradley, that will carry a thousand tons of iron ore.

Mr. Martin has proved himself admirably adapted to the line of business it was his fortune to learn, and this, of course, together with close attention to business, furnishes the clue to his success. He is emphatically a self-made man, and can therefore appreciate the handsome competence that has crowned his labors so early in life, he being now but 45 years of age.

During the war Mr. Martin was actively and earnestly on the side of the Government. He was never idle, and always ready to furnish his share, and far more than his share, to the work of suppressing the rebellion. He furnished three subst.i.tutes for the army, and was active in promoting volunteering.

Mr. Martin was married to Miss Mary Picket, of Devons.h.i.+re, England, whose father and grandfather were both Episcopal clergymen. Three children were born of this marriage; a son, who is now book-keeper for the firm, and two daughters.

Mr. Martin has enjoyed the confidence of his neighbors to so high a degree, that he has represented the Ninth Ward in the City Council for six successive years.

The Bench and Bar

The leading points in the history of legal affairs in Cleveland have already been noticed with sufficient fullness in the sketch of the history of Cleveland, especially so far as relates more immediately to the earlier portion of that history. The following biographical sketches give a good general idea of the progress of affairs in relation to the Bench and Bar of the city within the active life of the present generation. It is therefore unnecessary at this place to detail more than a few incidental facts.

The towns.h.i.+p of Cleveland, of the county of Trumbull, was organized in 1800. The first justice of the Quorum, for the new towns.h.i.+p, was James Kingsbury, and the first Justice, not of the Quorum, was Amos Spafford.

The first constables were Stephen Gilbert and Lorenzo Carter.

In 1810, the county of Cuyahoga was organized and Cleveland made the county seat. The court-house, of logs, was two years afterwards built on the Public Square, as narrated in previuos portions of this work. The county was organized on the 9th May, and on 5th of June a County Court was held with the following officers:

_Presiding Judge_.--Benjamin Ruggles _a.s.sociate Judges_.--Nathan Perry, Sen., Augustus Gilbert, Timothy Doan.

_Clerk_.--John Walworth.

_Sheriff_.--Smith S. Baldwin.

The first lawyer in Cleveland, under the county organization, arrived here the same year and put out his s.h.i.+ngle with the name of "Alfred Kelley"

inscribed thereon. Previous to this the law business had all been done by Samuel Huntington, who arrived in 1801. At the time of the organization of the court, the court-house had not been built, and the first session was held in Murray's store, which had just been built. The first business was the finding of a bill by the grand jury for pet.i.t larceny, and several for the offence of selling whisky to Indians, and selling foreign goods without license.

The first execution was that of the Indian Omic, which took place June 24th, 1812, as previously narrated.

In March, 1836, Cleveland was incorporated as a city, and henceforth to the ordinary courts of the county was added a city court for cognizance of offences against the ordinances.

In the year 1848, a Superior Court was organized, with Sherlock J. Andrew as judge, and G. A. Benedict as clerk. This court existed but a short time, when it expired by reason of the adoption of the new const.i.tution of the State, which made no provision for its continuance.

In 1855, Cleveland was selected as the seat of a District and Circuit Court of the United States.

As a matter of curiosity, the following list of Attorneys and Counsellors in Cleveland, in 1837, is taken from McCabe's Cleveland and Ohio City Directory, those not practising at that time being marked with an asterisk: Joseph Adams, John W. Allen, Sherlock J. Andrews, Oliver P.

Baldwin, John Barr, Phillip Battell, George A. Benedict, Henry W.

Billings, Elijah Bingham,* Flavius Bingham, Thomas Bolton, James A.

Briggs, Varnum J. Card, Leonard Case,* Richard M. Chapman, Alexander L.

Collins, James L. Conger, Samuel Cowles,* Henry H. Dodge, John Erwin, Simeon Ford, John A. Foot, James K. Hitchc.o.c.k, George Hoadly, James M.