I think I must have had writers block. It has been a very long time since my last post. I have been very busy with genealogical research and keeping up with correspondence. Our family tree has now passed 30,000 names, and it is growing exponentially. This blog you are reading now gets over 1,000 hits a month. I do my best! It keeps me busy, and out of trouble. I recently phoned my aunt Jeanette Howie to wish her a Happy 94th Birthday! She expressed to me; "that, genealogy is not for her, just looking at all those names and dates!" Henry Ford is quoted for saying, "History is Bunk." Myself, I just can't get enough.
The family connection to the story I am about to tell you begins with a set of my nine-times great-grand parents Simon Hoyt and Deborah Stowers in the late 16th and early 17th century in the hamlet of West Hatch, Somersetshire England. An image of Castles, Lords and Ladies should now be filling your head. In 1628 Simon, accompanied by his family, his brother-in-law Nicholas Stowers and the Spragues all arrived in Salem Massachusetts. The voyage was on one of the 17 ships in the Winthrop fleet. Probably on the Mary & John. In 1629 we find them living in Charlestown Massachusetts. Then on May 18, 1631 Simon took the oath of Freeman, and the family were permitted to reside in the Massachusetts Colony. However, they didn't stay in Massachusetts very long. They learned from the Indians that there was fertile soil along the Connecticut river, so they soon removed to Windsor, Connecticut. We find them on a document written in the hand of Rev. Ephraim Huit in that town. The first Church of Windsor and the grave marker of Rev. Huit still exist today. I descend from his son John Hoyt (1614-1687). The Honest Lawyer descends from Walter Hoyt (1616-1698), a younger brother of John. There are many source documents, but the one I chosen to show here the hand written, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) application of James Humphrey Hoyt, the son of James Madison Hoyt, "The Honest Lawyer" dated on May 11th, 1893.
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| SAR Application |
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| James Humphrey Hoyt c. 1917 |
In 1913 J.H.H was living at 2445 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland Ohio. Euclid avenue was known then as Millionaires Row. Many authors have written books about this area and the era. Wonderful images which captured small glimpses of that period are all that remains today. A Notable neighbor you might have heard of was John Davidson Rockefeller. Founder of the Standard Oil Company of Ohio and the first billionaire in the United States. Known still today as the wealthiest American in modern history. He lived to be 97 years and his final resting place is Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland Ohio. The Hoyts and President James A. Garfield are also buried there.
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| The Rockefeller's, John D. Sr & Jr. |
Many of the homes I have learned from my research were no smaller than 20,000 square feet. I probably should not describe them as mere homes, since these were actually mega mansions.
In 1860 James Madison Hoyt was forty-five years old, a lawyer living with his family, consisting of his wife and five children. His second child, and first daughter Mary Ella Hoyt named after her mother had past away in 1854.
James Madison Hoyt was born in Utica, Oneida, New York on Monday, January 16, 1816 to David Picket and Mary Barnum. James was first an attorney then a real estate developer. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1884. He began his career in the field of law in Cleveland in the office of Andrews & Foote. In 1837 he was admitted to the Ohio Bar, and he became a named partner, the firm then became known as Andrews ~ Foote ~ Hoyt. In 1848 it became just Foote & Hoyt after Andrews went to the bench of the Superior Court. When his first daughter Mary Ella died in 1854 he left the firm and became licensed to preach the Gospel. He took on the role of President of the Ohio Baptist Convention that same year, and was unanimously re-elected to the role for the next twenty years. He was also president of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, along with the national organization for Baptist missions in North America. James concentrated all of his efforts into real estate. He purchased large tracts of land, and then sub-divided them into divisions and lots. He sold over 1,000 acres of land and is responsible for the naming of over 100 streets in Cleveland. In the 1860 U.S. Census James owns and lives on a large tract of land in Newburgh Heights Cleveland. The family as you can see was living next to Ellery G. Williams who created the first railway in Cleveland called the Kinsman Street Horse Rail.
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| 1860 Census Newburgh Heights, James M. Hoyt & Ellery G. Williams |
Ellery G. Williams was also born in New York. He graduated from Yale and was also an attorney for many years before he started the Kinsman Street Railroad. After his death the railroad became the Cleveland & Newburgh "DUMMY" Railroad.
In the 1870 U.S. Census, James is listed as a Capitalist. Although I clipped out his neighbor Talmadge W. Leek, I still want to mention him. Talmadge was a native of Scoharie County New York. He came to Cleveland with his family in 1858 and established the wholesale notion business of Leek, Doering & Co. Talmadge was most known as a solid Republican and an ardent advocate for the abolition of slavery.
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| 1870 Census ~ Ward 6 Cleveland Ohio, Possibly Euclid Street ~ James Madison Hoyt |
1870 and the value of his home is now $171,000. He has two Irish parlor maids, and line #26: John Brown the Coachman!
The mansions of Millionaires' Row are all gone now. The depression of the 1930's saw the end to an era.
Another neighbor was George Worthington, also of New York. He was a prominent banker and businessman.
The 1880 Census still has them living on Millionaires Row, Euclid Avenue with many of the same neighbors.
James Madison Hoyt died Sunday, April 21, 1895. Prior to the decline of Euclid Avenue.
To the right is a map I found of Cleveland
from 1855.
Unfortunately it does not show the mansions.
If you have further interest in the era or in Millionaires Row there are many books and web pages out there. Many scandals and murders made by the rich. Hence another reason that James Madison Hoyt was called the HONEST LAWYER.
James Madison Hoyt was my 6th cousin 4X removed on my paternal line. The reason that John Madison Hoyt stood out in the family tree and became to me more that just a fancy name and a couple dates was a letter I found on eBay! Well, actually I didn't find the letter. The person selling the letter on eBay found me, and contacted me to see if I was interested.
The letter is dated November 16th, 1836. It isn't the full letter, but one page front and back. It is addressed to Master John C. Hoyt of Utica NY. That would be another cousin; John Comstock Hoyt.
I wish it was the entire letter. But it is amazing that this letter remains at all. Next week this letter will be 181 years old! I have read it a couple times, and have transcribed here for you:
Another neighbor was George Worthington, also of New York. He was a prominent banker and businessman.
The 1880 Census still has them living on Millionaires Row, Euclid Avenue with many of the same neighbors.
James Madison Hoyt died Sunday, April 21, 1895. Prior to the decline of Euclid Avenue.
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| C. 1900 Era Reform and Challenges. Euclid Avenue. Left to right: 2445, residence of Charles Bingham; 2525, residence of Harry Devereux; 2605, residence of Samual Mather; 2717, residence of Leonard Hanna. |
The above photo I was fortunate enough to find online at The Cleveland Memory Project.
Further looking into the 1900 U.S. Census I was able to locate Harry Devereux and wife Mildred living a few houses down from James Humphrey Hoyt who I know lived at 2445 Euclid Ave. So, I am not sure their research has the correct names, or possibly the same time period. Anyway, it is a great find, and I didn't have to travel to Cleveland to dig through photo archives.
The next two images are from the 1900 U.S. Census Euclid Ave.
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| 1855 Cleveland Ohio |
from 1855.
Unfortunately it does not show the mansions.
If you have further interest in the era or in Millionaires Row there are many books and web pages out there. Many scandals and murders made by the rich. Hence another reason that James Madison Hoyt was called the HONEST LAWYER.
James Madison Hoyt was my 6th cousin 4X removed on my paternal line. The reason that John Madison Hoyt stood out in the family tree and became to me more that just a fancy name and a couple dates was a letter I found on eBay! Well, actually I didn't find the letter. The person selling the letter on eBay found me, and contacted me to see if I was interested.
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| Master John C Hoyt, Utica NY |
I wish it was the entire letter. But it is amazing that this letter remains at all. Next week this letter will be 181 years old! I have read it a couple times, and have transcribed here for you:
or find fault with Elizabeth, and always remember that it is better suffer wrong than to do wrong. You will always find as I have done that is never of any use to get out of patience and that you will be a great deal happier to control all fretful feelings. I will tell you a little story dear John about myself which will show you how foolish and useless it is to get provoked, and you may tell it to Libby. When I was in New York I sent to the boats that carry merchandize a box containing Mary Ellia’s things and directed it to go by the way of Oswego to Cleveland. I arrived here and waited weeks and weeks but saw nothing of the box. I went to all the ware houses but could find nothing of it. At last a vessel came with George’s goods and the bareass and stout…
shipped at Uttica. And the Captain had on his bill of lading a box which he could not find. We thought it was the very one I was expecting. The Captain said he was going to Detroit and would there unload and if he found it under his loading would bring it back in a few days.
So I waited sometime and at last the vessel came back and my box was not to be found. By this time I had got perfectly out of patience I went home really provoked. Told Mary Ella that we should never see the box, and declared that I never would send a six-pence worth of goods by the Oswego way again. If I could help it and that if it cost me three times the worth of the box that I would have the full value of it of the negligent forwarders who had lost it. Well that very afternoon the long lost box came to light. George was talking with a man on the sloop of a tavern here and as it was
to look in saw a box with my name marked on it. He went up to it and found tho his great surprise that it was the very box shipped at N.Y. We found upon inquiring that it had been there two weeks that it was brought there by a man boarding there with some of his goods by mistake, and he had been negligent about sending it back to the ware house. So it proved that as forwarders whom I had blamed so much had done all they could and it was the other man who caused the delay. I felt very cheap after it as all persons do who get vexed unnecessarily but I hope it will teach me a valuable lesson, and if you remember this, it may you also Johnny. But I must close now I have written you a long letter and I shall soon expect one in return. be a good boy and be very careful to respect dear mother and father and never act disrespectfully if you wish to be happy. If you write soon it will not be long if nothing happens before you may hear from me again. In the mean time strive all you can to improve, and you will have the love normally of all your dear friends at home but also of your ever affectionate brother.
J Madison Hoyt
Master John C. Hoyt
Uttica,
Nov 16th 1836
From James, Cleveland
Master John C Hoyt
Utica N.Y.
Tell Dear Libby that I have intentionally to have written her a long letter but Mr. Pomeroy
leaves sooner than I expected and I have not time. I will do so the first opportunity,
Love to all dear friends. I am waiting to hear from Utica
Her Mr. Pomeroy
🙏 His "honesty" and personality shine in this letter, however brief. At the time in 1836 he was just 21 when he wrote the letter, and was still a newly wed. Having just married Mary Ella Beebe, August 30th, 1836. His brother, Master John C. was just fourteen years of age at the time.
What is confusing about the letter to me is when he tells Johnny to respect mother and father. Their parents were David Picket Hoyt (1772-1828) and Mary Barnum (1784-1875). While their mother was still alive at that time, their father was not. I'm sure I will figure this all out one day soon. So, from the single page of a letter written by an older brother to a younger one hundred and eighty-one years ago. The story of the lost package has traveled five centuries, from the 16th to the current 21st! I did my best to find photos to help tell this story. I found no portraits of either James Madison or his brother John Comstock. Maybe one of their grand children will read this story and share some family photos.