The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-10
OUR OLDEST CITIZEN DEAD.
Gibson S.Cleaveland Dies at his Home
in Plymouth Aged 81 Years.

Gibson Strong Cleaveland died at
his home in this city, Friday morn
ing, January A, 1907 aged "a years. /
month and % days.
Among the present residents Mr..
Cleaveland was the first man in Ply
mouth He was born in Ontario coun-
ty, N. Y. several miles from Canaan
daigua, Nov. ~, 1912, the son o,
Willard and Sally Strong Cleaveland
HIS father was a native of Massa-
chusetts and his mother Of Connect
cut. Mr.. Cleaveland was reared on a
farm until seventeen years of age.
at which time he entered the employ
of Oliver Rose, the proprietor OF a
hotel called The Temperance House
in Canandaigua where he remained
for two years when he succeeded Mr..
Rose in the hotel business. Mr.. Rose
came to Indiana in 1884, and settled |
in Marshall county on the present |
site of Plymouth and opened the first
mercantile establishment shortly af-
ter his arrival. He soon returned to |
New York for his family and it was
with them that Mr.. Cleaveland came |
to Marshall county in 1885, at which |
time there were only three buildings |
on the present site of Plymouth, all |
a 4
being used for hotel purposes by |
Grove Pomeroy, who was the first
settler of the county seat. Shortly |
after his arrival Mr.. cleveland en-
gagged in farming, teaming and work
ing in Mr.. Roses store. In 1895 he
entered the general store of AMI L.
Wheeler, one of the early merchants
of Plymouth, in whose employ he
continued about three years. He then
became local salesman for a Michigan |
City firm by the nam of Carter &
Carter who brought a stock of goods |
TO Plymouth in 1912. He was a clerk
with this firm for about three years,
and then became a partner of the es-
tablishment which continued under
the name Of Carter & Cleaveland for
eight years. MI. Cleaveland then
spent several years in settling up the
businss of the firm and at the same
time held the Office of county record
er.
In 1854 he removed with his family
to Madison, Wisconsin where he re-
manned until the spring of 1855, when
he returned to Plymouth and again
engaged in general merchandising
He continued the business by him
self and with others until 1871 when
he removed to Chicago and engaged
in the hat and cap trade under the
firm name of cleveland & Johnson
where he remained one year. when he
returned to his home in Plymouth.
Since leaving Chicago Mr.. Cleave
land has not engaged in business.
In the year 1866 he erected the resi-
dence where he died. He was. an ac-
tive member of the Episcopal church
for many years and has been a liberal
patron of the congregation in Ply
mouth.
Mr.. Cleaveland was first married
at South Bend, Nov. Is, 1888, to Car
oline A. Rose, daughter of Oliver
Rose, his first employer. She was
born July 90, 1917 and died March 80.
1868, the mother of three children,
James o, who died in New York.
September II, 1908, and Caroline
Louise, wife of. w. w. Culver, of ST.
Louis, who died Oct. 2. o The
oldest daughter, Mary Ellen, died
June 10, 1s45.
Mr.. Cleaveland's second marriage
was solemnized in Plymouth, Sep
TENDER %, 1869 with Jane N. Thomp-
son, a native OF Connecticut. To this
union was born two children, Hol-
brook Gibson, born August 10, 1870,
and Victoria c., born Dec. IL, 1872.
who was united in marriage with
Franklin L. Sheppard of Phil
adelphia, less than a year ago and
reached Plymouth on the Sunday pre-
ceding her fathers death. Holbrook
Cleaveland now a prominent attorney
of St. Louis, his been here since his
fathers serious illness.
OF a family of thirteen children of
which he was the eldest, Mr.. Cleave-
land is survived by a brother, james,
L. Cleaveland of this city, and by al
sister. Mrs. Mary L. Woodrow, who
IS now spending the winter here with
her son, James Woodrow.
1t is not necessary to say that Mr.
cleveland was a good citizen; for II
years his life was an open book in
the city of Plymouth and he was
friend and worker for the success of
every good cause.
Funeral services conducted by Rev
S. Howard at the Episcopal
church Sunday at 2:3O p. m Inter
ment at Oak Hill cemetery.