OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 103 ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 March 09, 2008 http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/know.htm ************************************************ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits -- Part 103 Notes by S Kelly ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Cleveland Pier Company In 1816 an attempt was made to build a pier on Clevelands open Lake. For this purpose an act of incorporation was procured and an assocation was formed under the name of the " Cleveland Pier Company, as follows; " We the undersigned, hereby covenant and agee to associate and form ourselves into a company, to be known and distinguished by the name and title of the " Cleaveland Pier Company," for the purpose of erecting a pier at, or near the village of Cleveland, for the accommodation of vesels navigating Lake Erie. Agreeable to an act of the Legislature of the State of Ohio, passed at thie session in 1815-16, authorizing the incorporating of a company for the aforesaid purposes. " signed by; Alonzo Carter George Wallace A.W. Walworth Darius E. Henderson David Long Sam'l Williamson,Sr Alfred Kelley Irad Kelley Datus Kelley James Kingsbury Eben Hosmer Horace Perry Daniel Kelley Levi Johnson These works were built as schedled, The base was constructed on quicksand and without the use of pile drivers. The Kelley's were responsible for do smething about this and soon made it usable. The pier did not last too long due to the quicksand along the Lake. It served its purpose for a while and withstood the fury of the lake storms. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Spencer Family The year 1832, added a large element of strong, conscientious, gifted men, and refined,spirtual women, who reinforced the religious and intellectual life of the village of Cleveland. One of the former was Thoma Phelps Spencer, who came from Hartford, Connecticut, and with Horace Canfield started a printing establishment. Thomas was the son of John and Mary Adams Spencer, and was born 1809 at Hartford. His mother was a strong willed woman, one of great strength of mind and after Mr John Spencer died, she raised eleven children, the youngest of these, were twin daughters, Barzilla and Rosilla Spencer, and a ltttle blind son. I reflect that the cares accountulated of such a household rested upon her widowed head, and that she raised all eleven children to become good and talented useful men and women is deserving of respect and reverence. She was a sweet, dignified woman, with a keen, but soft dark eye, an erect figure, with a graceful carriage. She died in 1852, stricken with Cholera, while on a visit with her son and his family and was buried at the Erie Street Cemetery. Timothy P. Spenser was an ardent Democrat in his political faith, and he and his partners bought the " Cleveland Advertiser," which had been a Whig newspaper, and made it a domocaratic paper. Within four years with their success, they were able to change it from a weekly paper to a daily one It was the small parent of the present Plain Dealer. In 1841, Canfield and Spencer sold te Advertiser to the Gray brothers, who changed its name, but not its politics. After the sale of the Advertiser, Mr. Spencer was postmaster continued in the book and job-printing business. Mr. Horace Canfield returned east. At that time, Mr. Spencer was postmaster of the city. He went into the manufacturing business, and previous to his death in 1885, was connected with the Waterworks department. The inauguration of President Grover Cleveland gave Thomas P great happiness. He was as enthused as a small boy, declaring that the account in the evening paper, made him weep. He walked briskly home from the office that day, erect and vigorous and droped dead the next morning. He was a genial man, of sunny temperament, who had scaores of friends who felt deeply his loss.. Timothy Phelps Spencer married Elizabeth Reeve, daughter of John Reeve. Elizabeth died 10 years previous to her husband's death. Their children were; T. Reeve Spencer, b. 1838, died 1867 Rosella Stewart Spencer, b. 1842; married William H. Kelley , youngest son of Irad Kelley Annie Elizabeth Spencer, b. 1845; married Charles Long Cutter, son of A.D. Cutter. Mary Adams Spencer, b. 1855, died in Cleveland, 1896. Fannie Spencer, b. 1859 and died in Cleveland, 1880. The sudden death of their only son , Capt. T. Reeve Spencer, was a severe blow to his parnts and sisters. His life promised much to all his friends. He had served his counrty throughout the civil war, and at the time of his death by yellow fever, was a Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue. Hs district was on Lake Ponchartrain, 60 miles north of New Orleans. Reeve Spencer was a amiable young man, of sterling integrity, and had fine business capacity. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Next - Part 104