Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-28

From letter to the New York Herald,
We make following extracts:
The first large store built in Oil City was
erected by a worthy gentleman by the
name of John HopsWell, who, with his
aIniable and accom- ta4lsbed daughters, may
be considered the actual founders of the
Oil City, or Petroleum sristocracy. They
were the prime movers in all the soeiables,
picnics, &c, Of the early days of the place,
and were regarded as the life and soul of
fashionable life. One of the daughters has
since married a gentleman in Meadville.-
Jonn Hopewell is everywhere regarded as
high-toned gentleman, and, with his fam
lily, are an ornament and addition to re-
spectsble society anywhere. Dr. Bagg.
formerly from Michigan, and agent of the
Michigan Rock Oil Company; Mr. Lay, of
Laytonia, and family, formerly from Gin
cinnsti; Messrs Byles & Brown, who open
cd the second store, we're among the earliest
settlers who gave character to the place
Then came several Michigan families with
the Michigan Company, ard with excellent
taste and intelligence assisted IN framing
society from the crude elements by which
they we're surrounded. Since then several
respected families from the eastward have
settled in the place, and altogether society
in OIL City is as refined as you will find it
in any new country.
Among the most active business officers
in OIL City is that of Fiske & Co., for the
sale of oil lands, transfer of leases. interests
in oil wells, &c. Mr.. Fiske is nephew of
the late Judge Douglas; the second mem
Hzf the Erv-, - NJ u
well known and highly respected citizen of
Cleveland, and the third is Mr.. G. J. Fox,
formerly United States Consul at Aspin-
wall Mr.. J, B. Chandler, of Lscon, Hi
nois, caught The oil fever at Oil City. and
has sink two wells at Livingston county,
Illinois. r
William A, Shreve ESQ. Is also prom
inent citizen of Oil City. He is Presi-
dentof the National Bank William e.
Tilson ESQ, an active resident, is with Mr..
Shreve. John Il. Coleman, ESQ, J. II.
Winsor, Esq, fFranklin), Captain Van
dergrift, Cornelius Curtis ESQ, George
Barker, C. Mckinney, Stephen Il. Stan
dart. Of Frsnklin-a pioneer, very active
Joseph Benefsuts James Kincaid, Young
Crittenden, Of Titusville le-who cot up the
Crittenden Hall-and hundreds, perhaps
thousands of others, whose names il is i'm
possible now to recall, and all hailing from
various parts of Oil creek region, are
among the lively spirits Of the territory,
and very successful in their business.
A newspaper is published here, called
the OIL City Register, by Mr.. Walter R.
Jones, TO whom the writer has been indebt-
ed for polite attentions.
=
Some time ago young man of fine
personal address made his appearance IN
Rouseville, and opened an oil exchange
and reading ROOM, He soon made him
self agreesbl to all the people in this re-
gion- 1t may be stated that ha had for
merly supcrintended a fashionable club
room in Washington city, at which Pres
ident Lincoln, among other government
notsbles, was frequenter, and parloolL of
chocolate and pate de foi erGs. Be that as it
may the young stranger exhibited all the
charscteTistics of a gentleman accustomed
10 good society. He was very successful in
business. From 6 moderate beginning he
grew to be the possessor of great wealth.
He spent his money freely, and an incident
will show his contempt for filthy lucFe:
nc WIS Once ChItou upon W pay Il Dll OF
small amounts dollar OF two-When,
taking bunch of greenbacks from his
pocket, he, with puff of his bresth, blew
them in the direction, with the remark to
the bin collector, "There pick up the
amount of your bill, and throw the rest in
the waste basket" He was accused of
heing very busy at 9 certain time. "Yes,"
he replied, tolerably busy, but see US on
Mondays, when our washer bills come in"
He subsequently left Rouseyille, went to
New York, Is now member of the PetrO-
lum Board, very rich, very gay, very
fashionable. Has wealthy father-in-law
in Niagara, and permanent box at the
Opera. He has also a splendid equipage,
which for style is scarcely approached by
any fashionable turnout on the Park. He
takes pride in his personal appearance, is
neat as a hemstich, genteel, not over fas-
tidious, handles ten thousand dollar check
with kid gloves, and is great favorite in
the refined society in which he f0urishos
He is pre-eminently one of the sristocracy
"PetrOliA," and his name is L. +. Watkins