Re: John Shelley born 1815 in London
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In reply to:
Re: John Shelley born 1815 in London
Jacquie Holden 3/06/09
I don't know anything about his parents.Here's what I do know:
John Shelley born 1815 London, England;married Clarinda Russell 1839 in Cleveland, OH; died 1889 in Cleveland, OH.
From "Pioneer Families of Cleveland" at http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Cuyahoga/Cleveland502.htmhttp://www.heritagepursuit.com/Cuyahoga/Cleveland502.htm:
For 50 years John Shelley was warden or vestryman of Old Trinity Church, and in all those years he was in weekly attendance upon its sacred services, save when ill or out of town. One of the duties of a church vestryman is to seat "the stranger within the gates," and many are they whose earliest recollection of Sabbaths in Trinity is that of John Shelley's figure, straight and sturdy, ushering visitors up the main aisle to comfortable pews, or, as warden, contribution plate in hand, moving slowly down it to the soft sound of clinking coin and to the beautiful strains of an offertory being played or sung. Probably no one is yet living whom he first seated or to whom he passed the plate in the little church on Seneca street.
John Shelley was 20 years when in 1835 he came from England to the village of Cleveland, then numbering but 2000 souls. He had started from home with a business project in view, which local conditions, at that time, made impractical. The next step was to look about and determine what was most in demand in the little town and least supplied. It proved to be gentlemen's clothes. Therefore, Mr. Shelley opened a custom-made tailoring establishment, at number 15 Superior street, advertised the fact at once in the local newspapers, and saw that the same had a conspicuous place in the first city directory of 1837. But he was too shrewd a business man to continue in an occupation of slow return when fortunes were being made in land allotments. So he put his own hand to the real-estate wheel and sent it spinning to profitable ends. He built a fine stone house in the most beautiful part of Prospect, near Perry. Trinity Cathedral now overshadows it. There were more prominent business men probably living within two blocks of that corner of Prospect street than in any other neighborhood of the city. For years before his death Col. William Edwards was the sole survivor of that group of men, and his widow pluckily remains in her attractive home, unmoved by the allurements of what, at present, are more fashionable districts.
Mr. Shelley died in 1889, following an illness of three months. It is said that, next to family and church, he was devoted to his friends. In times of pleasure or pain, sorrow or rejoicing, they were sure of his ready sympathy and aid. Therefore, upon the day of his funeral, scores of gray-haired men and women crowded the ample parlors of his home to pay their last testimony of respect and affection.
John Shelley married in 1839, Clarinda Russell, daughter of Alanson and Nancy Caulkins Russell, early residents of Cleveland. We quote from one who knew her well: "There were few like her. A sweeter, purer woman never livedalways busy on her Master's service, always thoughtful of others, and lovingly doing for them." She was a devoted member and worker in Trinity Church nearly all her life; one of the original members of Lakeside Hospital, of the Church Home-for aged women-and one of the originators of the Diet Dispensary-now defunct-which, for long years, was the most beautiful and practical charity the city has ever known. In hundreds of cases, weeks or months of suffering among the sick poor were alleviated and made endurable by daily gifts of delicious beef tea, fresh eggs, milk, etc., and, above all, by personal sympathy from the members of that organization. That funds could not be secured for its further continuance was a reflection upon those who withheld their dimes, rather than those who declined longer to give their dollars.
Mrs. Shelley died in 1877. There was but one child in the family:
Mary Shelley, m. Edmund Pechin.
From girlhood to middle age Mary Shelley Pechin was a prominent society woman. She was closely identified with all Trinity church activities, and an ardent supporter of the Diet Dispensary, which her mother had helped to found. She is a Colonial Dame, and a Daughter of the American Revolution. For several years she has been living in Buchanan, Virginia.