The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-07-26
Biographical Sketches of Stephen Grover
Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks.

Scotch OF MR.. CLEVELAND S CAREER
Mr.. Cleveland was born in the tow
of Essex, state of New Jersey, on tn
18th day of March, 1887. He is a de
scendant of New England yamily
which has been in this country two
hundred years. The family is noted
for its piety and religious zeal, having
had for many generations distinguish
ed representatives in the clerical pro
fession. Mr.. Cleveland's great-grand
father, Aaron Cleveland, was a Con
gregational minister of Norwich, Conn
He was a strong man, mentally and
physically, and hundredlyears age
was the author of many radical anti
slavery papers. Richard Cleveland,
the father eff the subject of this sketch,
was educated for the ministry, and was
of the Presbyterian faith. He married
a Miss Neal, of Baltimore. soon after
settling as pastor of church in New
Jersey, where Grover was born.
Governor Cleveland's educational
facilities and opportunities were rather
limited, consisting OF chance to at
tend the common schools and an acad-
envy at Clinton, Oneida county, N. Y,
for brief period. After leaving the
academy he became a clerk for a year
at one + the eleemosynary institutions
of NewYork City; then he returned
home, determined to go West to seek
his fortune, and in May, 1855, with
companion, started for Cleveland, o.
Mr.. Cleveland says he was attracted to
that city because it had his name. On
his way there he stopped at Buffalo, to
visit an uncle, Mr.. Lewis F. Allen, who
used his best endeavors to dissuade his
nephew from going farther. To make
his arguments and entreaties effectual,
he offered Grover a clerkship, which
the young man accepted. Having de-
termined upon the law as profession,
it was not long before he made arrange
ments to become law student in the
office Of Rogers, Bowen & Rogers. In
1859 he was admitted to the bar, pass
ing most creditably a rigid examination.
He continued with his preceptors four
years, which gave him really eight years
of thorough study and legal expert
ence, He was then appointed assistant
district assistant for the county of Erie
by G. c. Torrance, which position he
filed for q period of three years. In
1865 he was nominated by the demo-
cratic comfy convention for district at
torney, to succeed Mr.. Torrance, but
was defeated by Hon. Lyman K. Bass.
Mr.. Cleveland formed law copart-
nership with the late I. V. Vanderpool,
January L, 1866, which was continued
until 1869. He then became member
of the firm of Laning, Cleveland & Fol-
som. In November, 1870, Mr.. Cleve-
land was chosen sheriff of Erie county,
and at the close of that service became
q member of the law firm of Bass, Cleve-
land & Bissell. This was the strongest
and brainiest law firm in Western New
York, and at once commanded a very
lucrative practice. In 1881, Mr.. Cleve-
and was chosen mayor of Buffalo, but
before the expiration of his term was
elected governor of the Empire state.
Mr.. Cleveland is one of a family of nine |
four sons and five daughters.
His widowed mother died at Holland |
Patent, New York, in the summer of
1882. All the children, except two sons
burned at sea, are living.