The Democratic advocate., 1884-07-19
THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES.
Grover Cleveland and TllOs. A. lIerasi-
ricxs-Sketehes of Their Careers

ricks-sketches of Their Careers.
Grover Cleveland, of New York, and Thos.
A. Hendricks of Indiana, as elsewhere stated,
were placed in nomination by the Democratic
national convention at Chicago last Friday for
President and Vice President respectively.
Following are sketches of their careers.
Grover Cleveland was born at Caldwell,
Essex county, N. D., on the 18th of March.
1887. His father, Richard Falling Cleveland,
graduated at Yale College in 1924, and taught
a private school of high repute in Baltimore,
over old Patapsco engine-house, at the south
western corner of Fayette and North streets.
He read theology with the Rev. DIR. Nevin, of
the First Presbyterian Church, which was then
at the northwest corner of Fayette and North
streets, the site Of the present United States
courthouse. He subsequently spent some
time at Princeton, and became "a Presbyterian
clergyman. He married Miss Ann Neal,
daughter of the Rev. Abner Neal, local min
lister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
one of the pioneer booksellers and publishers
of Baltimore, who had his store on Baltimore
street, between Charles and st. Paul streets.
After preaching while at Portsmouth, Va,
he removed to Caldwell, n. j., where, as
heretofore stated, his son Grover was born,
and subsequently to Fayetteville, eight miles
east of Syracuse, n. Y. In 1917 he was made
secretary of the Home Missionary Society and
in 1853 was installed at Holland Patent, II
miles north of Utica, where he died few
weeks later. Mrs. Cleveland died at the same
place July 10, 1882, aged rs.
Her brother, and the uncle of Gov. Cleve-
land, Mr.. Joseph Neal, also retired Balti-
more bookseller, lives at No. 101 North Caro-
line street, Baltimore. Although in the 90th
year of his age, Mr.. Neal is hale and hearty,
and takes a full share of interest in the public
affairs in which his nephew is now promi-
nent actor. Mrs. Sarah Gere, of Pittston,
Pa, widow of the Methodist Episcopal minis
ter, and Mr.. Joseph Neal, of Baltimore, are
the only survivors of the seven children of
Rev. Abner Neal The late Abner Neal, a
graduate of Yale, and for number OF. years a
lawyer and resident of Westminster, Carroll
county, Nd, who died in 1874, was another
son. Mrs. George NJ. Parke, of Westminster,
daughter of the late Abner Neal is cousin
to Gov. Cleveland.
Rev. r. F. Cleveland's grandfather and
Grover Cleveland's great grandfather, Aaron
Cleveland, was native of East Haddam,
Conn.,, and Congregational minister. He
was man of decided literary talent. His
son Charles was city missionary of Boston.
One of Charles Cleveland daughters became
the mother of Arthur Cleveland Coke, well
known in Baltimore as the rector at one time
of Grace p. L. Church, that city, and now
the Episcopal Bishop of Western New York
Charles Cleveland's younger brother, William,
was the father of Richard Falling and the
grandfather of Grover. He was silversmith
by trade and lived on the outskirts of Norwich
Conn.
Grover Cleveland's ancestry, therefore,
presents a blending of New England and
Southern stocks, his father being descendant
of the Purtans, and his mother native of
Maryland He was named Stephen Grover
after friend of his father in the ministry,
but dropped the first name because he was al
ways called by the second. At the age of
fourteen he entered country store at Fayette
vile, n. Y, where he remained two years,
when his fathers removal to Clinton, n. y,
enabled him to attend high school there.
After his father death he assisted his brother,
who was a teacher in the New York Blind
Asylum. In 1858 he set out for the West
with companion, but his friends in Buffalo
persuaded him not to continue his journey
any further to the westward.
Young Cleveland therefore became Il resi-
dent of Buffalo, and soon secured a law stu
dents desk in the office of Messrs. Rogers.
Bowen & Rogers Mr.. Cleveland was ad-
mitted to practice as an attorney in 1859.
After his admission he continued with his pre-
ceptors for four years, which, with the pre-
vious four years served as student. gave him
eight years of the best kind oflegal experience.
He was then appointed assistant district at
torney for the county of Erie, which position
he filled with marked ability for period of
three years. He was nominated by the Dem
ocratic county convention in 1865 for district
attorney to succeed Mr.. Torrance, and was
defeated Mr.. Cleveland formed law CO.
partnership with the late }. V. Vanderpool on
the lst of January, 1866, which was continu-
ed until August, 1869. He then became
member of the firm of Laning, Cleveland L
Folsom, the late A. p. Laning and the late
Oscar Folsom being his associates. This firm
in. existence for less than two years,
and until Mr.. Cleveland retired therefrom to
assume the duties of sheriff Of Erie county, to
which office he was chosen at the election in
November, 1870. AT the expiration of his
official term as sheriff he became member
of the firm of Bass, Cleveland Bissel, with
Hon. Lyman X. Bass and Wilson S. Bissel us
associates. This was strong and popular firm,
and at once commanded large and lucrative
practice. At the close of Mr.. Bass congress
sional career his failing health introduced him
to seek residence in Colorado, resulted in
dissolution of the copartnership and the form
ing of another under the name of Cleveland
Bissell. In December, 1881, Mr. George j.
Sicard was admitted as Il partner in the law
firm, which was then styled Cleveland, Bissell
& Sicard, and continued to the time of his
election as Governor of New York.
1t was while member of this firm that Mr..
Cleveland came into prominence as one of the
leading lawyers of Western New York. As
an advocate before court or jury his style
was marked by clear, ineisiye logic and a
thqrnpgh mastery Of all tho details Of his
cases. One OF his early associates said OF
him recently: ''Grover won our admiration
by his three traits of indomitable industry,
unpretentious courage and answering hon
esty. | never saw more thorough man at
anything he undertook. Whatever the sub
ject was, he was reticent until he had mas
tered all its bearings and made up his own
mind-and then nothing could swerve him
from his conviction. 1t was this quality of
intellectual integrity more than anything else
perhaps that made him afterwards listened to
aud respected when more brilliant mep WHO
we're opposed to him were aPplanded and hr'
gotten"
In November, 1881, Mr.. Cleveland was the
Democratic candidate for the office of mayor
of Buffalo, and was elected by the largest
majority ever known, having received the
votes OF many Of the opposing party under
the belief that he would give the city a reform
administration. Mr.. Cleveland S administra-
ton was such us to justify the expectations
that were created by his well-known character
aud previous public record as well, and the
people felt, without distinction of party, that
they had in Mayor Cleveland an able, fearless,
upright chief magistrate. He had occasion
several times to interpose his veto between
the city treasury and the schemes of plunder-
ing politicians, and he always did it fearlessly.
In one Of his messages, vetoing an iniquitous
street-eleaping contract. he.said 'tThis is IA
time for plai8 sReeeh, and my obieeti9n 70
your action shall be plainly stated. [ regard
it as the elimination Of u m9st barefaaed,
i'm 2udent and shameless scheme to betray the
iAteFests of the people and to worse than
sqqander the Rablis money We are fast
ginning positions in the grades Of PUBLIC stew
ardship. There is no middle ground. Those
who are not for The people, either ia or out Of
your honorable body, arg against them, and
should be treated accordingly" In word,
his record was such that the eyes of oil Dem
oerats in the State were turned toward him as