Part 17 (1/2)
Abbey, it is that of ability to do a large business, on a small capital; having, like nearly all of our merchants, commenced business with nothing that his own hands had not earned, and pa.s.sing through all the trials incident to mercantile life in a young country, he has become an excellent financier. Naturally of a genial temperament, and inclined to look on the bright side of things, he glides over reverses and difficulties easier than some people, yet he has always keenly felt, and often deplored, the want of such early advantages as children of the present day possess.
Being early interested in the cause of temperance, he has persistently endeavored to spread its beneficial effects by means of temperance organizations, and in April, 1869, he was nominated as temperance candidate for Mayor on the first strictly temperance munic.i.p.al ticket ever put in nomination in Cleveland. The result was the polling of a temperance vote of about ten per cent, of the whole vote cast.
Twenty-seven years since, whilst in business at Akron, he was induced to make a profession of faith and be received into the Congregational church.
The faith then professed has never been renounced, and he is now an active member of Plymouth Congregational church in Cleveland.
On November 4th, 1844, Mr. Abbey married Miss Sarah Goodale, of Kent, Ohio, but who came originally from Ma.s.sachusetts. Of this marriage there were four children, three of whom are still living; the oldest being married to Charles H. White, of Chicago, Illinois. The other daughter and a son remain with the family at home.
B. W. Jenness.
Mr. Jenness was born in Deerfield, New Hamps.h.i.+re, July 14, 1806, received a good academical education and in 1823 removed from Deerfield to Strafford, in the same State, where he engaged in merchandizing, continuing in that occupation for thirty years, and finding it reasonably remunerative. In addition to keeping his store he filled the position of postmaster of the town for fifteen years, being appointed under several successive administrations. He represented the town in the lower branch of the State Legislature, and held the office of High Sheriff for over five years, the county which he officiated in having since been carved out into several counties. On leaving that office he became Probate Judge, which position he retained five years and then resigned, although the terms of office were such that he could have retained his position until he was seventy years of age. He was nominated by the Breckenridge party for Governor of the State, but declined. In 1845-6, he was appointed to the Senate of the United States, to fill out the unexpired term of the Hon. Levi Woodbury, who was appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1850, he was a member of the Const.i.tutional Convention to revise the const.i.tution of New Hamps.h.i.+re, after which he retired to private life, and has allowed politics to take their own course without his aid.
Mr. Jenness came to Cleveland seven years ago, but immediately after his arrival started into the lumber business here with vigor, and has followed it up in the same way, until now he has become so intimately connected with Cleveland commerce that he seems like an old settler who has grown up with the city. He superintended the whole business here from the first, whilst his partners attended to the manufacturing department at their mills in Michigan, until May 1st, 1869, when Mr. Jenness bought out their entire interests. He has succeeded in building up a business equal to the best in that line in the short s.p.a.ce of seven years, which speaks well for the energy and business ability displayed.
In addition to his lumber business Mr. Jenness, in connection with three others, built the propeller B. W. Jenness, for carrying lumber and trading from Buffalo to Chicago and intermediate ports. She carries about 330,000 feet of lumber, and cost $50,000. He has also been part owner of several other vessels since he has resided here.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Very Truly Yours B. W. Jenness?]
Mr. Jenness is a man of the most active temperament, he no sooner decides that a thing has to be done than he does it with all his might. One may form an idea of him by seeing him write his name; as quick as the pen touches the paper it is off like a flash of lightning, with the signature complete. He is broad and powerfully built, and to all appearance can endure as much as most men, although sixty-three years of age. Like other successful men, he attributes his success to strict attention to business in person. In politics he has always been a Democrat. In religion he is very liberal, favoring Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Unitarians when occasion serves. He is held in esteem by all who know him, and we trust he may have many years of usefulness before him.
Mr. Jenness was married in 1827 to Miss Nancy Shackford, of Strafford, New Hamps.h.i.+re, whom it was his misfortune to lose in May, 1868, leaving two daughters the sole survivors of a family of five, the three sons being dead.
John Fletcher Warner.
The late J. F. Warner was a native of Burlington, Vermont, on the border of Lake Champlain. His parents were poor, and his early advantages were limited. At an early age he became a sort of cabin boy on one of the Lake Champlain steamers. Mr. Warner came to Cleveland in 1833 or 1834, and went into the employ of Wellman, Winch & Co., who then kept a warehouse near the present site of the Erie elevator. Mr. Warner often related to his friends with much glee, a little incident that occurred in connection with his engagement to labor for this firm. It appears that it was represented to him that he was desired to travel for the house; and he, with visions of a span of white horses, elegant outfit, and an easy time, readily accepted the proposition to travel for them. But his bright expectations were soon clouded; his horse was shown him and his course of travel was the circle around a horse power used for elevating grain from vessels, prior to the erection of any steam grain elevators in the city. He saw he had been the victim of a practical joke, and commenced his travel with as good a grace as possible, under the circ.u.mstances.
Mr. Warner remained with this firm for about two years, and then became warehouseman for Ransom, Baldwin & Co., which was composed of John G.
Ransom, now residing in Hamilton, Canada, Stephen A. Baldwin, deceased, Charles M. Giddings, deceased, and William H. Bruce, then residing at Green Bay, and, we believe, now deceased. In 1838 or 1839, this firm was dissolved, and merged into Ransom, McNair & Co. Mathew McNair, Jr., the junior partner of this firm, whom the older residents will recollect, is now residing in California. Mr. Warner continued with this firm until they retired from business, and then he formed a business connection with Augustus Handy and Ralph H. Harmon. We do not know whether it was prior or subsequent to this partners.h.i.+p that he lived for a year or two at Tonawanda, but are under the impression that it was prior; but at the time of the Tonawanda speculation, gotten up by Clevelanders, he was induced to go there.
After about two or three years, the firm with which Mr. Warner was connected, moved to Chicago, but being all Clevelanders, and Chicago not being congenial to them, the firm soon dissolved, and the members of it moved back to Cleveland, since which time Mr. Warner was employed in no active business. At intervals he had made investments that proved profitable, and not being in very robust health, had but little ambition, and lived in comparative retirement. He was one of those who loved to talk over old times, and never forgot old faces. He was as charitable as his means would permit towards worthy objects, and preserved through all his business relations a character for strict integrity. He was a man of strong friends.h.i.+ps, frank in his avowals, and left a circle of business and social friends who will remember him as an upright, warm-hearted, and public spirited man, who lived in good report, and died sincerely lamented.
For many years Mr. Warner had been more or less an invalid, though not often confined to his house, with Bright's disease of the kidneys. In November, 1868, it a.s.sumed a more serious phase, and on December 19th, 1868, terminated his life. About eight months previously, he suffered the loss of his beloved wife, while spending the colder months in Florida, which had a very depressing effect upon him, and took from him a very necessary incentive to life.
A. V. Cannon.
On the 10th of July, 1867, died, after a very short illness, A. V. Cannon, one of the most promising of the young business men of Cleveland, beloved by his intimate a.s.sociates, and esteemed by the whole business community brought in contact with him, and thus able to learn his worth.
Mr. Cannon was a native of the Western Reserve, having been born in Streetsboro', Portage county, in 1834. On leaving school he entered the store of Babc.o.c.k & Hurd, in Aurora, in that county, and when those gentleman removed to Cleveland he accompanied them and remained in their establishment some time, making a twelve years' stay with them altogether.
He then went into the produce and commission business, and one year later formed a partners.h.i.+p with Mr. J. F. Freeman, which existed until dissolved by death. For two years before his death his health had been impaired, and he had been confined to his house for about eighteen months with an affection of the leg, but had recovered sufficiently to attend to business, and was in a fair way of perfect recovery. As a relaxation from business, he visited some friends in the West. On his return he was seized with inflammation of the bowels and died after a very brief illness.