Cuyahoga County, Ohio - Chapter 39: Various Societies, Etc, 1870

Chapter 39: Various Societies, Etc

Cuyahoga County Medical Society - Its Two Predecessors - Its Objects - Meetings - Present Officers - Academy of Medicine and Surgery - Its Origin - First Officers of the Cuyahoga County Medical Association - Change of Name - Objects - Present Officers - Cleveland Asylum for the Insane - Cause of its Construction - Passage of the Act - Various Additions - Destruction by Fire - The Asylum Rebuilt - Its Legal Capacity - Changes of Name - List of Superintendents - Present Officers - Northern Ohio Fair Association - Its Original Corporators - Amount of Stock - List of Directors - List of Officers - Its Fairs - Application of Profits - -Amount of Expenditures - The Cleveland Club - Cuyahoga County Agricultural Society - Time of Organization - Successive Removals - Powerful Rivalry - Brighter Prospects - Present Officers - Western Reserve Historical Society - Organization and First Officers - Its Purposes - Loeation - Some of its Treasures - Acknowledgments.

THIS organization was formed in 1873, by the amalgamation of the two societies known as the Cleveland Academy of Medicine and the Pathological Society; its object being, like those of its predecessors, to increase the professional knowlege of the members, to bring them into more intimate social relations with each other, and to promote the improvement. of the medical art. Its members number at present about fifty; their meetings being held semi-monthly at. the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association. The officers on the 1st of August, 1879, were as follows: Dr. P. H. Sawyer, president; Drs. C. C. Arms and J. H. Lowman, vice presidents; Dr. W. O. Jenks, secretary; Dr. J. C. Preston, treasurer; Drs. W. J. Scott, F. C. Dutton and G. C. Ashman, censors.

Academy Of Medicine And Surgery

This society was organized in 1865, by members of the Homeopathic school, as the Cuyahoga County Medical Association, with a membership of thirtyeight; the following being the first officers: Dr. John Wheeler, president; Dr. A. O. Blair, vice president; Dr. G. W. Barnes, secretary; Dr. L. W. Sapp, treasurer. In 1872 the name was changed to the Academy of Medicine and Surgery, whichis still retained. Its object is to advance the interests of medical science, and to promote the mutual improvement of its members. Meetings are heid, as cireumstances require in the Homoepathic Medical College and in the offices of the members of the society. 'The membership in August, 1879, was fifty; the officers being Dr. G. J. Jones, president; Dr. F. H. Barr, secretary and treasurer.

Cleveland Asylum For The Insane

Although called the "'Cleveland Asylum," this is a State institutions. We find that the origin of this asy- Inm and that of the one at Dayton are substantially the same; the necessity that gave rise to the one compelled the erection of the other. In 1851 the asylum at Columbus was the only one in the State. It was then known as the '' Ohio Lunatic Asylum," its name haying since been changed several times, on the oecasion of political changes in the State government. Its capacity was three hundred patients, or one to every six thousand six hundred and six per-

.sons in the State; in 1878 it was one to every seven hundred and sixty-one. 'There are now in the asylums of Ohio about three thousand five hundred patients.

The principal arguments which induced the Iegislature to erect two new asylums for the insane were made by Dr. S. M. Smith, of Columbus. He estimated the Ohio insane in 1851 as two thousand, of which only three hundred were provided for. As a result of the recomendations of Dr. Smith and others, made at the sessions of 1851 and '52, the legislature passed an act on the 30th of April, in the latter year, providing for the erection of two additional lunatic asylums. An appropriation of one hundred and forty thousand dollars was-made for the purpose, and Prof. H. A. Ackley and Messrs. E. B. Fee, D. B. Woods, Charles Cist and Edwin Smith were appointed the first board of trustees. _ At a meeting of the board held on the 9th of July, 1852, the Northern Asylum, by a vote of four to one, was located at Newburg (new Cleveland). Land was received from Dwight Jarvis for the purpose. The original contract for building the Newburg asylum was awarded to John Gill, of Cleveland, the price being sixty-nine thousand eight hundred dollars. On the 22d of June, 1854, Dr. L. Firestone was appointed superintendent of the asylum, which position he retained until 1856. Dr. C. M. Godfrey was appointed a member of the board controlling both asylums. The Newburg institution was opened for patients on the 5th of March, 1855.

' In 1860 and '61 the building was enlarged by the erection of wings on the east and west sides, increasing the capacity to three hundred and seventy-five persons; and in 1870 sufficient additions were made so that the asylum would accommodate five hundred and twenty-five patients.

On Wednesday, September 25, 1872, a fire occurred by which the greater part of the building was destroyed. By this disaster all written records, statistics, books of account and other valuable papers of the institution were destroyed. The patients, five hundred and twenty-five in number, were removed to the asylums and benevolent institutions of the State, and maintained there until the erection of the new asylum. By an act of the legislature passed March 18, 1873, the board of trustees was directed to build a new structure at a cost not exceeding five hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to be capable of accommodating six hundred and fifty patients. By recent legislation the trustees are directed to admit but one patient for each five hundred square feet (surface measure) of the building. By this law the number of patients is limited to six hundred. It is now filled to its utmost legal limit.

The institution was originally designated as the "Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum," by which name it was known until a change in the politics of the State in 1874. The name was then changed to '' Northern Ohio Hospital for the Insane," and again, in 1876, to '' Cleveland Hospital for the Insane." In 1878 the name was again changed to '' Cleveland Asylum for the Insane," by which appellation the institution is now known.

The following are the present officers of the asylum: General James Barnett, Hon. A. McGregor, Dr. D. L. Wadsworth, John F. Perry, Esq., and A. P.

- Winslow, Esq., trustees; Jamin Strong, M.D., superintendent; John S. Marshall, M.D., first assistant physician; James D. Maxwell, M.D., second assistant physician; Jacob D. Sherrick, M.D., third assistant physician; Charles W. Diehl, steward; Nettie L. Strong, matron.

Northern Ohio Fair Association

The Northern Ohio Fair Association, though composed entirely of Cleveland men, was organized and is maintained for the purpose of encouraging the agricultural and manufacturing interests of the country at large, and more particularly those of the northern section of this State. The society was incorporated on the 26th of February, 1870, by the following gentlemen, all prominently identified with the business of Cleveland: Amasa Stone, Jr., J. H. Wade, J. P. Robison, W. 8. Streator, 8. D.. Harris, A. Everett, Amos Townsend, Wiliam Bingham, D. A. Dangler, O. A. Childs, L. L. Hickox, O. H. Payne, A. Pope, W. A. Fisher, William Collins, and Ilenry Nottingham.

The capital stock of the Association was fixed at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, all of which was immediately subscribed and paid in. The management of the enterprise was committed to the hands of twenty-three directors, one-third of whom are elected annually to hold office for the term of three years.

The following is a list of the gentlemen who have served as directors of the Association for varying periods since its organization, in the order of their election, those marked thus + being now members of the board: Amasa Stone, Jr., Stillman Witt, John P. Robisont, John P. Ross, William Kdwardst, Worthy S. Streatort, John 8. Casement, George W. Ilowet, Henry F. Clark, Daniel P. Rhodes, Abel W. Fairbanks+, Edwin Cowles+, John R. Buchtel, Henry B. Paynet, George Westlake, James Barnettt, Albert Allent, David A. Dangler, Charles B. Pettengill, George H. Burtt, Henry Nottingham, Hiram C. Brockway, Lester L. Hickox, John Todt, Oscar A. Childs, William W. Armstrong}, Oliver H. Payne, Pendleton G. Watmough, William J. McKinniet, Silas Merchant, Samuel Briggs+, Sylvester T, Eyercttt, George A. Bakert, William J. Gordont, Ste- 'phen V. Harknesst+, George W. Shortt, William A. McCurdyt, Jeptha H. Wadet, Geo. E. Armstroug.

Nine fairs have been held by the Society, commencing in 1870, and including that of 1879. There was no exhibition held in 1877, as the '' Centennial Exposition" at Philadelphia in 1876 was believed to have exhausted the people's desire for large exhibitions for at least one year. The dates of the several fairs have

The exhibitions of the Association were very successful for the first four years, both as to the interest manifested and the financial results; the entire profits being applied to the improvement of the grounds and buildings, which now represent an aggregate cost, (including the capital stock,) of over two hundred thousand dollars.

There has never been a fair held on the grounds of the society which was not seriously interfered with by stormy weather; but, notwithstanding this drawback to financial success, the Association has promptly met all its obligations, thereby adding materially to Cleveland's reputation for enterprise.

From its organization to and including 1878, the following have been the chief items and amounts of moneys disbursed: For advertising and printing, $25,789; for general expenses, salaries and maintenance of grounds, $116,231; for premiums, $101,555 - making a grand total of two hundred and forty-three thousand, five hundred and seventy-five dollars.

The Cleveland Club

This an organization composed of a portion of the directory uf the Northern Ohio Fair Association and was formed in 1871, for the purpose of holding trotting and racing meetings annually at the Fair Grounds. These meetings have been uniformly successful, and are yearly increasing in interest. The club attained very high rank under the management of Mr. John Tod, its first presiding officer, and has lost none of its prestige under that of his successors. The following gentlemen are the present officers: William Edwards, president; George H. Burt, vicepresident; S. T. Everett, treasurer; Samuel Briggs, secretary.

This association was organized and held its first fair in the year 1849. Unfortunately, the books relating to the earlier period of its existence have not been preserved, and we are unable to give the names of its first officers or the details concerning its career. For many years its fairs were held on Kinsman street (now Woodland avenue), Cleveland. The place of holding them was then removed to Newburg.

After the organization of the Northern Ohio Fair Association in 1870, the exhibitions of that institution with its superior amount of capital, absorbed so great an extent that those of the county society seriously declined. Under these circumstances the latter removed its headquarters, in 1873, to Chagrin Falls, where its fairs have since been held. Even there it has suffered from the rivalry of its powerful neighbor, and has labored under serious financial ema: & # ever, and feel confident that they have now passed the worst point, and that entire success will speedily crown their efforts. The present officers are William Stoneman, president; J. W. Collins, first vice-president; Kdward Murfet, second vice-president; K. W. Force, secretary and treasurer. The premiums offered amount to about two thousand dollars.

Western Reserve And Notrthern Owio Historical Society

The association was organized at Cleveland on the 28th day of May, 1867. Its first officers were as follows: Col. Charles Whittlesey, president; M. B. Scott, vice-president; J. C. Buell, secretary; A. K. Spencer, treasurer; J. C. Buell and H. A. Smith, curators for one year; C. C. Baldwin and M. B. Scott, for two years; Joseph Perkins and Charles Whittlesey, for three years. Mr. Buell declined the secretaryship, and O. C. Baldwin was elected in his place. Col. Whittlesey has been annually re-elected president until the present time.

The purposes of the society were declared to be '' to discover, procure and preserve whatever relates to the history, biography, genealogy, antiquities and statistics of the Western Reserve, the State of Ohio and the Northwest." This design has thus far, under the faithful management of the officers of the society, been most zealously and successfully carried out.

Under an arrangement with the Cleveland '' Society for Savings," and the Cleveland Library Association, the Ilistorical Society has the perpetual use of the third story of the stone building erected by the Society for Savings, situated on the north side of Monumental Square, Cleveland. This large and lofty hall is already crowded with historical material relating to Ohio and the Northwest, and with interesting relics pertaining to this and other regions. Here may be seen, besides a historical library of some three thousand bound volumes, complete files of several of the principal newspapers of Cleveland, and a large number of bound volumes of other newspapers; curiosities from all parts of the globe, including a remarkable collection of Oriental articles, presented by Col. W. P. Fogg; numerous relics of the Mound-builders and Indians; mementoes of the late civil war and other national conflicts; some large, expensive and interesting books, such as Lord Kingsborough's Antiquities of Mexico, Professor Hayden's Portraits of Indian Chiefs, etc. ; a very large collection of the coins of all countries, and a host of other articles, which lack of space forbids our mentioning here.

There is also a collection of several hundred maps, and those of early date, relating to the West, are of especial interest. Among the numerous manuscripts, too, belonging to the society, are a large number relating to the early history of this region, and the writer takes pleasure in repeating the acknowledgement, made in the introduction to this work, of the liberality and cordiality with which these and other possessions of the institution have been opened to his examination during the prosecution of his labors.