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110-563: Kelley is known as the "Father of the Ohio and Erie Canal" for his successful legislative attempt to establish the Ohio and Erie Canal . He was one of the canal's first two "acting commissioners", and oversaw its construction and completion. He was the president of Columbus and Xenia Railroad (completed in 1850) and the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad (completed in 1851), and pushed for

220-540: A National Historic Landmark . Portions further south are less well preserved, and a discontiguous set of locks and other canal resources roughly between Columbus and the Ohio River are listed on the National Register as the Ohio and Erie Canal Southern Descent Historic District . Ohio, which achieved statehood during 1803, remained a sparsely populated region of 50,000 people who were scattered throughout

330-484: A right of way to the land needed for the canal. The Canal Commission did not formally select the northern route of the canal until May 1825, and until that happened Kelley and Williams had to solicit land along both the Black and Cuyahoga rivers. They were highly successful, and managed to have significant amount of land donated (rather than sold). Kelley himself donated about a third of his remaining Scranton Flats land for

440-452: A Canal Commissioner. To help Ohio banks, Kelley required that canal workers be paid in bank scrip. This ensured that bank scrip circulated more widely, helping to expand a bank's market and making each bank's scrip more widely accepted by the public. Kelley's close association with the banks made him a leading figure in the Ohio banking community by the mid-1830s. In April 1832, Kelley and eight others sought additional investment to help expand

550-540: A capitalization of $ 4.4 million ($ 134,300,000 in 2023 dollars). Among them was the Trust Co., which accounted for $ 2 million ($ 6,100,000 in 2023 dollars) of that capital. Although Trust Co. stock was supposed to be sold to the public, the associates ensured that all the stock was sold in advance to their most trusted friends and business partners. Fully 75 percent of the stock was owned by wealthy New Englanders and large New York City investment companies. The remaining stock

660-607: A depository for canal funds and disbursed specie and scrip on behalf of the Canal Commission, and Kelley was later elected to the bank's board of directors. Through Micajah Williams, Kelley also became a stockholder in the Franklin Bank of Cincinnati. Kelley's biggest role as a banker was his participation as an organizer and trustee of the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company . The Trust Co., as it

770-565: A director of the bank, Kelley faced a dilemma: The Trust Co. held more than $ 1 million ($ 28,600,000 in 2023 dollars) in canal and state bonds. The only way the company could survive was if it sold these bonds. However, this risked driving down the price of the bonds the Canal Fund Commission was trying to sell at the same time and could imperil work on the many Ohio & Erie branch canals under construction as well as other state-backed canals. Kelley decided to risk further work on

880-550: A former Indian agent with extensive landholdings in Miami County ; Miner; Tappan; Williams; and Worthington. The Canal Commission picked two of their members, Kelley and Williams, to be "acting commissioners", individuals with direct supervision over canal construction. The two men located the actual canal route, negotiated for and purchased land, wrote engineering specifications for the canal bed and locks , advertised for and awarded contracts, purchased supplies, and supervised

990-418: A hillside parallel, perhaps hundreds of feet away, rather than build two embankments. By damming the rivers, long stretches of slackwater could be created which, with the addition of towpaths, could serve as portions of the canal. Where it made economic sense to do so, such as lock widths or portions of the canal through narrow rock or across aqueducts, the minimum widths were adhered to. Contracts were let for

1100-534: A journey to Ohio to perfect arrangements for a removal thither. But on returning for his family he found a peculiarly attractive opportunity for establishing himself in Durham, Conn ., and there remained until the death of his wife in 1823, when he carried out his intention of settling in Poland, Ohio . He had acquired a large country practice, and had also been for three terms a member of the legislature, when in 1837 he

1210-643: A large parcel in what became downtown Columbus. This land was platted and subdivided in 1838 and incorporated into the city of Columbus, making Kelley a substantial profit. In the early 1830s, Kelley left the Democratic-Republican Party and joined the Whig Party . This switch in political affiliations began in the mid-1810s when Kelley became a supporter of Henry Clay , the Democratic-Republican Speaker of

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1320-462: A line from Cleveland to Cincinnati, the main trunk of the canal needed to serve these areas. But no single river followed this line — canals are more cheaply and easily built along river valleys — making it difficult to design a suitable system. Specifically, the bridging of the Scioto and Miami river valleys required raising the canal to such an elevation that water from neither river could be used as

1430-474: A medical student, Jared Potter Kirtland . Alfred Kelley was admitted to the bar on November 7, 1810. He was the first lawyer to practice in Cleveland. The local court immediately appointed him prosecuting attorney for Cuyahoga County —a position he held until 1822. In one of his most notable cases, he prosecuted a slave-hunter for kidnapping in 1820. He won the case. In 1811, Kelley and 16 others formed

1540-487: A parcel of land near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. This property was defined by Water Street (now W. 9th Street) in the east, W. Lakeside Avenue on the south, the Cuyahoga River on the west, and Lake Erie on the north. Kelley constructed a home on this land in 1816. It was only the second brick house in the village of Cleveland. The structure was intended as a residence for his parents, but his mother died before it

1650-645: A resolution in Congress asking Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin to report to the Senate. In 1810, DeWitt Clinton was appointed to manage the Erie Canal Commission. He was unsuccessful in his attempt to get national aid for the construction of a canal connecting Lake Erie to the Hudson River , so he enlisted the aid of state legislators and Ohio's congressional delegation. On January 15, 1812,

1760-408: A route along which they already owned land, enriching themselves. These accusations appear unfounded. The commission had surveyed the other routes and extensively documented their unfeasibility, and historian Harry N. Schreiber has observed that there is no evidence in the commission's papers or Kelley's private correspondence to suggest any impropriety. Nor did the report actually designate Cleveland as

1870-598: A severe national recession (known as the Panic of 1819 ) that militated against any consideration of a major spending bill like the canal. The recession finally eased in the spring of 1821. Kelley was elected to the Ohio Senate in 1821 and again in 1822. On January 31, 1822, the Ohio General Assembly passed legislation authorizing the appointment of a commission to investigate the feasibility of building

1980-695: A source. As a result, the canal was divided into two sections: the Ohio and Erie Canal, which connected Cleveland to Portsmouth via the Licking Divide and the Scioto River Valley, and the Miami and Erie Canal , which connected Cincinnati to Dayton . This second canal would ultimately be extended to the Maumee River at Toledo . Copies of the original survey plat maps for the construction of both Ohio canals are available on-line from

2090-643: A state charter for the Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula Railroad (later known as the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad ). For this, he is known as the architect of Ohio's rail system. As a member of the Canal Commission Fund, he helped save Ohio from bankruptcy in 1841 and 1842. As a state legislator, he led the investigation into and secured the resignation of two Ohio State Treasurers for financial malfeasance, successfully proposed legislation abolishing imprisonment for debt, created

2200-551: A state school commissioner. The resolution passed and the reported bill became law, creating the modern Ohio public school system. Kelley sought and won re-election to the Ohio House in 1837. The previous session, the Ohio General Assembly had enacted legislation (known colloquially as the "Loan Law") which required the state to match, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, any private investment in canals, railroads, or turnpikes so long as these ventures met certain requirements. The state

2310-413: A strong and activist central government and system of federally-financed infrastructure improvement, these " National Republicans " hoped to expand the economy, empower producers (businessmen and farmers), and bring new and improved products to markets (consumers). Clay ran against Jackson for the presidency in 1824 , but John Quincy Adams won the nation's highest office after the election was thrown into

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2420-469: A threat to individual freedom, favored the farmer over the businessman, and believed that government programs (such as banking reform and regulation, infrastructure development, public education, and high tariffs) benefited the rich at the expense of the common man. The other faction, led by Clay and John Quincy Adams , favored high tariffs, believing they would prevent specie from going overseas and thus allow banks to expand capital and credit . Coupled with

2530-606: The Cleveland Museum of Natural History . The Kirtland Bird Club of Northeast Ohio, founded on September 28, 1940, is named after him. Kirtland was born in Wallingford, Connecticut . His mother was Mary, daughter of Dr. Jared Potter, a famous physician of Wallingford. His father, Turhand Kirtland, was largely interested in the purchases made by the Connecticut Land Company in Ohio, and moved to

2640-577: The Connecticut Western Reserve , an area bounded by Lake Erie on the north, Pennsylvania on the east, and the 41st parallel of north latitude on the south. The Western Reserve extended for exactly 120 miles (190 km) to the west, and came to an abrupt halt. On August 3, 1795, the state of Connecticut sold the Western Reserve to the Connecticut Land Company for $ 1.2 million ($ 21,500,000 in 2023 dollars). Joshua Stow

2750-583: The Cuyahoga River near its outlet on Lake Erie in Cleveland , and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth . It also had connections to other canal systems in Pennsylvania . The canal carried freight traffic from 1827 to 1861, when the construction of railroads ended demand. From 1862 to 1913, the canal served as a water source for industries and towns. During 1913, much of

2860-563: The Cuyahoga River , and marked with a 3.3-foot-tall (1.0 m) sandstone obelisk at each mile mark. Jared Potter Kirtland Jared Potter Kirtland (November 10, 1793 – December 10, 1877) was a naturalist , malacologist , and politician most active in the U.S. state of Ohio , where he served as a probate judge , and in the Ohio House of Representatives . He was also a physician and co-founder of Western Reserve University 's Medical School, as well as what would become

2970-485: The Erie Canal . The request was referred to the Ohio House committee on public works, which was chaired by Kelley. He wrote a report endorsing the project, but the Ohio General Assembly did not act on New York's request. Kelley and others came to believe that a canal linking the Ohio River with Lake Erie would greatly benefit Ohio. They frequently communicated with New York Governor DeWitt Clinton and those building

3080-791: The Ohio General Assembly passed a resolution expressing its opinion that the connection of the Great Lakes with the Hudson River was a project of "national concern". President Madison was against the proposal, however, and the War of 1812 ended official discussion. On December 11, 1816, Clinton, by then the Governor of New York , sent a letter to the Ohio Legislature indicating his state's willingness to construct

3190-535: The Tuscarawas River and the hydraulics (flood control) at the Portage Lakes . The Ohio & Erie Canal and its feeder reservoirs are maintained from Akron by a staff of three O.D.N.R. Ohio State Parks, Canal Hydraulic Operators. Like its sister canal, the Ohio & Erie Canal carries a large amount of stormwater. The canals were not designed to accommodate this great influx of stormwater. Most of

3300-789: The Western Reserve in 1803. In the meantime the son remained in Wallingford. When Potter died in 1810, he left a legacy to provide for Jared's medical education at Edinburgh . But the War of 1812 with Great Britain prevented the voyage, and when the Yale School of Medicine went into operation in 1813, Kirtland was the first matriculated student in a class of 38 members. He was married in May, 1814, to Caroline, second daughter of Joshua Atwater, of Wallingford, and after graduation in 1815 he practiced in Wallingford until 1818, when he made

3410-534: The "Scranton Peninsula". Kelley was a major investor in and helped organize the Commercial Bank of Lake Erie (also known as the Commercial Bank of Cleveland) in August 1816. It was the first bank in Cleveland. The bank survived the Panic of 1819 , but its finances were in such disarray that it was reorganized in 1820. Kelley was named one of 11 members of the reorganized bank's board of directors, and elected

Alfred Kelley - Misplaced Pages Continue

3520-405: The Canal Commission on January 24, 1834 (effective March 1). For his role in authorizing and construction the Ohio and Erie Canal, the press and civic leaders in Ohio lauded him as the "father of the Ohio and Erie Canal". In October 1830, Alfred Kelley relocated from Cleveland to Columbus after his wife, Mary, pleaded with him to move the family so they could spend more time together. Kelley, one of

3630-568: The Canal Fund Commission decided to float only $ 400,000 ($ 11,100,000 in 2023 dollars) worth of bonds. These bonds were offered at a high rate of interest to attract buyers. The hope was that, as segments of the canal became operational and substantial toll income was generated, the bonds would become more attractive and the interest rate on future offerings would necessarily fall. Work on the Cleveland-to-Akron segment began first. Kelley fought against constant pressure from politicians and

3740-519: The Canal Fund. Kelley returned to state employment when he was appointed a Canal Fund Commissioner on March 30, 1841. He did not relinquish his seat on the Trust Co. board of directors. Kelley became a commissioner as the Canal Fund and Ohio state finances were in crisis. One distal cause of the financial crisis was the extensive amount of canal construction the state had embarked on beginning in 1833. The General Assembly authorized construction of

3850-438: The Commercial Bank of Lake Erie. Most of the capital was provided by Henry W. Dwight and his wealthy family of bankers and investors. The Commercial Bank of Lake Erie was Cleveland's only bank from 1832 to 1834, and afterward only one of two. Until the expiration of its charter in 1843, it provided most of the scrip and bills of credit in northern Ohio, provided the underpinning for nearly all of Cleveland's business community, and

3960-577: The Erie Canal without national help, and asking the State of Ohio to join the endeavor. On January 9, 1817, the Ohio Legislature directed Ohio's Governor (and former Senator) Thomas Worthington to negotiate a deal with Clinton. Due to the cost, however, the Ohio Legislature dallied, and nothing happened for three years. Finally, in January 1822, the Ohio Legislature passed acts to fund the canal system (and

4070-508: The Erie Canal, and circulated glowing reports about construction progress and the ease with which financing was obtained. They also worked to build a coalition strong enough to overcome parochial opposition to an Ohio canal. In one of his first acts as Governor of Ohio , in December 1818 Ethan Allen Brown proposed construction of a canal between the Ohio River and Lake Erie. A financial panic occurred between March and August 1818 that led to

4180-666: The House for resolution . The Democratic-Republican Party collapsed, with Jackson forming a new Democratic Party in 1828. Rejecting the label "National Republican" as too closely tied to northeastern business interests, Clay formed the Whig Party in 1834. Neither the national Democratic Party (which dismissed state intervention in the economy and a stronger banking system) nor the Ohio Democratic Party (which rejected prioritization of canal construction projects, distrusted

4290-548: The Miami Canal Extension (from Dayton to Lake Erie) in 1833, construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal in 1834, and more than 15 feeder and branch canals and sidecuts. Unlike the prioritized building program adopted by Kelley and Williams, the state pursued all these construction projects simultaneously. This greatly increased the Canal Fund Commission's need to raise money. Moreover, while the cost of these projects

4400-967: The Ohio & Erie Canal from the Brecksville Dam to Rockside Road in Cuyahoga County was transferred to the National Park Service during 1989 as part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreational Area (now known as the Cuyahoga Valley National Park ). A lease on the canal lands from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the terminus of the canal has been executed with the Cleveland Metroparks . The Metroparks manage

4510-608: The Ohio & Erie Canal is located in Summit County, Ohio . The Ohio & Erie Canal is maintained, to this day, as a water supply for local industries. After the flood, a few sections of the canal continued in use hauling cargo to local industries. Another watered section extends from the Station Road Bridge in Brecksville northwards into Valley View and Independence, all Cleveland suburbs. The section of

Alfred Kelley - Misplaced Pages Continue

4620-553: The Ohio & Erie Canal passed near his land. As evidence of his wealth, the newspapers pointed to the "palace" Kelley was building in Columbus. These attacks were largely ignored by voters, who elected Kelley by a wide margin even though he was now a Whig. During the 1836-1837 legislative term, Kelley sponsored a resolution instructing the House Committee on Schools and School Lands to report a bill authorizing appointment of

4730-472: The Ohio & Erie Canal. The same day, the legislature adopted a bill to reconstitute the investigating commission as the Canal Commission, with authority to oversee financing and construction of the canal. Canal Commission members included Kelley; newcomer Nathaniel Beasley, a former surveyor and soldier who had served several terms in both chambers of the General Assembly; newcomer John Johnston ,

4840-540: The Ohio Department of Natural Resources. On February 4, 1825, the Ohio Legislature passed "An Act to provide for the Internal Improvement of the State of Ohio by Navigable Canals". The Canal Commission was authorized to borrow $ 400,000 during 1825, and not more than $ 600,000 per year thereafter. The notes issued were to be redeemable between 1850 and 1875. On July 4, 1825, ground was broken for

4950-480: The State Bank of Ohio, reformed the state's tax system, and successfully proposed legislation to create the first state oversight of public education. Kelley was notably the first lawyer and prosecuting attorney in Cleveland. He became the youngest member of the Ohio General Assembly at the age of 25, and returned to the legislature numerous times, until he became the oldest serving in the assembly. Alfred Kelley

5060-533: The United States House of Representatives . Clay had proposed the " American System ", an economic program consisting of high tariffs , strong banking regulation, and federal subsidies for infrastructure improvements like roads and canals. The Democratic-Republican Party was deeply divided over these proposals, however. One faction, led by Andrew Jackson , harbored a deep suspicion of the federal government. These "Jacksonians" viewed strong government as

5170-462: The adjacent real estate and the surrounding Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation. The section of the Ohio & Erie Canal still owned and maintained by the Division of Parks in southern Summit is referred to as the watered section. This section runs from downtown Akron, through Summit Lake south to Barberton , a distance of about 12 miles (19 km). Included in this section is the feeder canal from

5280-710: The bank's president in 1823. The bank's charter expired in 1842, its affairs wound up, and its assets distributed to its investors in 1845. The same year that Kelley helped organize the Commercial Bank, he and 13 others formed the Cleveland Pier Company to build a pier into Lake Erie. This structure, located at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, was erected on sand without pilings and storms soon destroyed it. On March 2, 1817, Kelley met with eight others in Brooklyn Township to form an Episcopal congregation named Trinity Parish. Holding services in

5390-404: The canal at Licking Summit near Newark, Ohio . The canals were specified to have a minimum width of 40 feet (12 m) at the top, 26 feet (8 m) at the bottom, and a depth of 4 feet (1.2 m) feet minimum. These limits were often exceeded, and indeed it was cheaper to do so in most cases. For example, it might be cheaper to build one embankment and then let the water fill all the way to

5500-696: The canal proposed by Governor Brown. Five different routes were described in the authorization bill, and the commission was charged with assessing each of them. The seven individuals appointed to the commission were Ethan Allen Brown, newly sworn in on January 3 as a U.S. Senator ; Ebenezer Buckingham Jr., who had surveyed much of central Ohio; former Madison County judge Isaac Miner; former U.S. Senator Jeremiah Morrow ; former Ohio State Senator and prominent Steubenville attorney Benjamin Tappan ; former governor and U.S. Senator Thomas Worthington ; and Alfred Kelley. Morrow resigned after being elected governor of Ohio in

5610-465: The canal system and advocated saving the bank by placing the bonds on the market. He believed that the Trust Co. was " too big to fail "; there was no way state legislature would retaliate by rescinding the bank's charter because this would cause too much damage to Ohio's economy. Disaster was averted when the bond market, recovering from the Panic of 1837, absorbed the sale of bonds sold by the Trust Co. and

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5720-484: The canal system was abandoned after important parts were flooded severely. Most of the surviving portions in the Akron-Cleveland area are managed by the National Park Service or Ohio Department of Natural Resources . They are used for various recreational purposes by the public, and still provide water for some industries. Parts of the canal are preserved, including the Ohio and Erie Canal Historic District ,

5830-446: The canal was appealing and attracted many farmers from their land. On July 3, 1827, the first canal boat on the Ohio and Erie Canal left Akron , traveled through 41 locks and over 3 aqueducts along 37 miles (60 km) of canal, to arrive at Cleveland on July 4. While the average speed of 3 mph (5 km/h) may seem slow, canal boats could carry 10 tons of goods and were much more efficient than wagons over rutted trails. During

5940-637: The canal was financed. Kelley purchased engineering and surveying instruments from firms on the East Coast , identified engineers available to work on the canal, and obtained a $ 1,400 ($ 35,607 in 2023 dollars) appropriation for the State Library of Ohio so it could purchase books on canal engineering and construction. This work gave Kelley critical insight into the importance of design and the mastery of detail. The investigating commission issued its report on January 21, 1824. The report recommended that

6050-400: The canals during 1879, it discovered that they had not been maintained well, and that state lands surrounding the canals had been sold illegally to private owners. In many cases, canals were filled in for "health reasons", with a newly laid railroad track on their right of way. Much state land was given away for free to politically savvy private owners. Nevertheless, some revenue was accrued into

6160-585: The chair of theory and practice in that institution until 1864. He was elected an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1855. Twenty years later, in 1875, he was elected as a member to the American Philosophical Society . Besides his professional attainments, Dr. Kirtland was interested in all departments of natural history. He was an efficient assistant in the first geological survey of Ohio, and

6270-478: The disposition of the canal lands is available on-line from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The Ohio and Erie Canal initially provided a connection between Akron and Lake Erie at Cleveland , then extending all the way to the Ohio River within a few years. Later, connecting canal systems were built connecting it with the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal and other parts of Eastern Ohio. Download coordinates as: An all-purpose bicycle/pedestrian trail

6380-520: The early twentieth century from the sale of water rights as well as recovery and sale of land surrounding the canals. After the maximum of the 1850s and a cessation of revenue due to the Civil War during the early 1860s, the canal's expenditures started to outgrow its revenues due to increasing maintenance costs. By 1911, most of the southern portion of the canal had been abandoned. The Great Flood of 1913 dumped an abnormally heavy amount of rain on

6490-400: The engineers and surveyors in the employ of the state who worked on the canal. The raising of funds through the issuance of bonds and stock was the legal responsibility of a separate Canal Fund Commission, but in practice the Canal Fund Commission delegated most of its power to Kelley and Williams. Kelley and Williams accomplished two major tasks in 1825. The first was to purchase or obtain

6600-501: The fall of 1822, and was replaced by Micajah Williams, a Cincinnati banker, on January 27, 1823. Kelley drafted the report of the investigatory commission. He grasped the need for a statewide (not regional or local) transportation network, and realized that only the state government could be the catalyst for making this improvement. His expansive vision for the state was moderated by a strong commitment to careful planning and strong cost–benefit analysis . Kelley and Williams did most of

6710-553: The first library association in Cuyahoga County. (It lasted about four years.) Largely through the efforts of Kelley, Cleveland was incorporated as a village by the state of Ohio on December 23, 1814. The village's first elections were held on June 5, 1815, and Kelley was elected the first president of the village unanimously. Kelley held the position only a few months, resigning on March 19, 1816. Kelley bought several properties in and around Cleveland. In 1814, he purchased

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6820-404: The first large bureaucracy in Ohio history. Work on the Ohio & Erie Canal commenced on December 10, 1825. Ohio was underdeveloped and starved for capital , and there was not nearly enough private money in the state to make even a small domestic bond sale successful. Kelley and Williams had to spend money judiciously. Rather than market all or a large portion of the necessary bonds immediately,

6930-410: The first state official to do so for corruption. Some of Kelley's legislative proposals were less successful. He introduced the first bill barring imprisonment for debt , but it did not pass. He also supported a bill to allow free African Americans to testify in court against white citizens, but this also did not win enactment. In 1816, the state of New York asked the state of Ohio's aid in building

7040-468: The following tasks: Grubbing and clearing, Mucking and ditching, Embankment and excavation, Locks and culverts, Puddling, and Protection. Initially, contractors in general proved to be inexperienced and unreliable. It was common for one job to receive 50 bids, many of them local to where the work was being performed. The chosen contractor, having underbid the contract, often would abscond leaving his labor force unpaid and his contract unfulfilled. This problem

7150-471: The interest on canal construction debt. In order to make interest payments in early 1838, the Canal Fund floated even more bonds and sought loans from banks. By early 1840, there was talk in the state legislature and among politicians and other civic leaders of repudiating a portion of the state debt. The Canal Fund was able to make its $ 281,000 ($ 8,600,000 in 2023 dollars) interest payment in June 1840 only after

7260-507: The job Garfield became ill and decided to go to college instead. The Ohio and Erie Canal Historic District, a 24.5-acre (9.9 ha) historic district including part of the canal, was declared a National Historic Landmark during 1966. It is a four-mile (6 km) section within the village of Valley View comprising three locks, the Tinkers Creek Aqueduct , and two other structures. A remaining watered section of

7370-439: The map published by a printer in the state of Delaware , but was embarrassed to discover that the Ohio General Assembly claimed copyright of his document. The Cleveland-to-Akron portion of the canal opened in July 1827, ahead of schedule. The high quality work, lack of corruption, and budget-conscious construction impressed investors, making it easier to sell canal bonds in the future. The responsibility for setting toll rates on

7480-469: The new canal also fell to Kelley and Williams. Impressed with the efficiency and speed of Ohio canal construction, the federal government agreed donate public land to the state with the stipulation that this land be sold to aid canal construction. Almost 421,400 acres (1,705 km) were donated along the route of the Miami Extension Canal, almost 292,700 acres (1,185 km) along the Wabash and Erie Canal , and another 500,000 acres (2,000 km) throughout

7590-451: The next five years, more and more portions of the canal opened, with it finally being completed during 1832: During 1832, the Ohio and Erie Canal was completed. The entire canal system was 308 miles (496 km) long with 146 lift locks and a rise of 1,206 feet (368 m). In addition, there were five feeder canals that added 24.8 miles (39.9 km) and 6 additional locks to the system consisting of: The canal's lock numbering system

7700-527: The northern terminus be near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. The canal route followed the Cuyahoga from Cleveland to Akron , the Tuscarawas River from Akron through Dover to Coshocton , the Muskingum River from Coshocton to Zanesville , and the Licking River from Zanesville to Newark . The proposed route then proceeded overland from Newark south to Licking Summit Reservoir (now Buckeye Lake ) and then overland again to Baltimore and Carroll before turning northwest toward Canal Winchester . Thereafter,

7810-511: The northern terminus. Instead, it required the canal to be built along the route with the most water. To placate its critics, the investigating commission had the route between Sandusky and Columbus resurveyed by a new engineer. Once more, the investigating committee rejected this route as lacking enough water to sustain the canal. The investigating commission issued its updated report on January 8, 1825. The Ohio General Assembly approved legislation on February 4, 1825, authorizing construction of

7920-732: The opinions of professionals and experts, and wished to retain a politicized canal board) held any interest for Kelley. Kelley was elected chairman of the Whig State Central Committee of Ohio in 1840. His prominence in the party made him a frequent target of political invective. Kelley sought and won election to the Ohio House again in 1836. Columbus and Franklin County were Democratic strongholds, however, and Democratic-controlled newspapers accused Kelley of making immorally high profits from his banking business, speculating on real estate, and enriching himself by ensuring that

8030-570: The part of the Bronsons to ensure that the board did not include risk-takers or self-dealers . Among the Ohioans on the board were Jacob Burnet, David T. Disney, Calvin Pease , Simon Perkins, Benjamin Tappan, Allen Trimble , Joseph Vance , Elisha Whittlesey, Micajah Williams, and Alfred Kelley. The Trust Co. was highly respected at the outset. As expected, it served as a depository institution for

8140-490: The press to spread finances and workforce thin and work on all segments of the canal at the same time. The "acting commissioners" also had to overcome unexpected labor shortages and contractors who abandoned their work. Through his hands-on work on the canal, Kelley became so well acquainted with the geography of Ohio that he authored the first comprehensive topographical map of the state in 1826. The other canal commissioners agreed to allow it to be published. Kelley tried to have

8250-453: The project would appear to be conceived by and for the benefit of Ohioans. The Bronsons and a few of the other associates wrote the Trust Co. charter. Although Democrats attacked the Trust Co. as a "moneyed monster", a majority of Ohio state legislators were deeply concerned that a capital liquidity crisis was about to emerge in Ohio. To alleviate the problem, on February 12, 1834, the Ohio General Assembly chartered 10 new private banks with total

8360-522: The project. Kelley and Williams also established a large, professional bureaucracy to construct and finance the canal. In the United States in the early 1800s, state governments employed only a few dozen people. Kelley and Williams made recommendations to the full commission regarding organizational structure, staffing, and the duties of each job. The commission invariably followed their guidance, and in so doing allowed Kelley and Williams to create

8470-494: The report recommended that the canal generally follow Big Walnut Creek to Columbus , and then the Scioto River south from Columbus through Chillicothe to Portsmouth on the Ohio River. The investigating commission also recommended simultaneous construction of the Miami and Erie Canal from Cincinnati at least as far as Dayton . Opponents of the canal accused Kelley and other investigating commissioners of recommending

8580-483: The report; it would not be until 1846 that the state's property tax laws were changed. Kelley was also one of five members of the legislature appointed to a special committee to investigate financial malfeasance by Hiram M. Curry , the Ohio State Treasurer , and his predecessor, William McFarland , both of whom had incurred substantial deficits, embezzled funds, and exhibited incompetence. Curry resigned,

8690-604: The siltation and erosion problems experienced presently are the result of stormwater inappropriately piped into the canals over the years. During late 1996, the canal from Zoar to Cleveland was designated a National Heritage Corridor . This designation was brought about through the efforts of many communities, civic organizations, businesses and individuals working in partnership. Another section still watered, approximately one mile in length, runs along Canal Road in Pickaway County southwest of Circleville. A map showing

8800-564: The state (in March) approved $ 300,000 in new borrowing expressly to meet the interest payment. The Canal Fund was nearly out of cash again by November 1840. The fund commissioners asked the Ohio State Auditor for an advance of $ 200,000 ($ 6,100,000 in 2023 dollars), which was refused. Ohio and Erie Canal The Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed during the 1820s and early 1830s in Ohio . It connected Akron with

8910-474: The state and who had no means of transporting goods economically out of the state. Without easy access to distant markets, agriculture served only local needs and large-scale manufacturing was nearly non-existent. As early as 1787, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had discussed the desirability of a canal linking Lake Erie to the Ohio River as part of a national system of canals. It wasn't until 1807 that Ohio's first Senator, Thomas Worthington offered

9020-506: The state for other canals. In 1832, the Ohio & Erie Canal was finished, except for the final lock at Portsmouth. Work on the Miami and Erie Canal was also complete, except for the lock connecting the Great Miami and Ohio Rivers at Cincinnati. Kelley contracted malaria in his first years of work on the canal, and in 1832 his health was so poor that canal commission meetings had to be held at his home. In their 1832 annual report to

9130-422: The state legislature, Kelley and Williams proposed that the Canal Commission be abolished and a new commission, consisting entirely of politically neutral engineers, be established to oversee future construction and operation. This was one of only a handful of recommendations the two made which the General Assembly refused to adopt. With work on both canals completed in 1833, and in poor health, Kelley resigned from

9240-431: The state of Ohio, receiving and disbursing scrip and specie. It also did a large amount of business with private banks in addition to its real estate mortgage business. The Panic of 1837 significantly damaged the financial standing of the Trust Co. In October 1839, the company stopped making payment in specie. This placed its charter at risk, for state law allowed the company to suspend payment of specie only for 30 days. As

9350-456: The state's public education obligations). On January 31, 1822, the Ohio General Assembly passed a resolution to employ an engineer and appoint commissioners to survey and design the canal system as soon as possible. A sum not to exceed $ 6,000 was reserved for this purpose. James Geddes , an engineer who had worked on the New York canals, was hired. Since most of Ohio's population lived along

9460-402: The state, causing extensive flooding. This caused the reservoirs to spill over into the canals, destroying aqueducts, washing out banks, and devastating most of the locks. In Akron, Lock 1 was dynamited to allow backed up floodwater to flow. As a teenager during 1847, James Garfield worked as a "hoggee", driving mules to pull barges along the canal. After repeatedly falling into the canal on

9570-459: The township, Cleveland, and occasionally in the village of Euclid , it was the first Christian church formally organized in Cuyahoga County. In October 1814, Alfred Kelley was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives . He was the youngest member of the state legislature, barely old enough to meet the Ohio constitution's age requirement for holding public office. He was re-elected in 1815 and 1816. Kelley did not seek office in 1817 or 1818, but

9680-492: The water treatment plant. 82° 52' 21"W 83°01'52.9896"W Travels through Cuyahoga , Summit , Stark , Licking , Franklin , Fairfield , Pickaway , and Scioto counties. ^   A:  In 2007-2008-? Tinkers Creek Aqueduct is undergoing renovation following flood damage from Tinkers Creek (Cuyahoga River) and Cuyahoga River ^   B:  Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail miles are measured from its original connection with Lake Erie at Lock 44, on

9790-527: The wealthiest men in Columbus, purchased 18 acres (73,000 m) of land on E. Broad Street. Beginning in 1837, he began construction on a large Greek Revival home at 282 East Broad Street, known as the Alfred Kelley mansion . Kelley also made large real estate purchases in Franklin County and in Cleveland after leaving the Canal Commission. Kelley, Moylen Northrup, and John Kerr purchased

9900-411: The work of the investigating commission. They examined and surveyed routes, collected data, wrote economic studies, and analyzed construction techniques to determine the best means of building the canal. Kelley traveled to New York to see the kind of construction technology used there, consulted with Erie Canal construction supervisors and state officials, and procured as much information as he could on how

10010-420: Was a member of the party led by Moses Cleaveland which surveyed the Western Reserve in 1796. Encouraged by his uncle's descriptions of the lush lands of the Western Reserve, Alfred's eldest brother, Datus, traveled to the nascent settlement of Cleveland in early 1810. Although he returned almost immediately, Alfred emigrated to Cleveland in May 1810. He made the journey on horseback, accompanied by Joshua Stow and

10120-699: Was appointed a judge of the New York Court of Common Pleas in 1805, and held various other public offices in Lowville and Oneida County . The Kelleys became moderately wealthy. In 1807, Alfred began the study of law under Jonas Pratt, a judge of the New York Supreme Court . Daniel Kelley was increasingly unhappy with the Stow family's liberal religious views, which were beginning to influence his sons. Another of Alfred's uncles, Joshua Stow ,

10230-518: Was born in Middlefield, Connecticut , on November 7, 1789, to Daniel and Jemima ( née Stow) Kelley. He was the second of six children (all boys). The Kelleys were of English descent, having lived in Connecticut since at least 1690. The Stows were an important English land-owning family which emigrated to Massachusetts in 1630 and then Connecticut in 1650. Alfred's uncle, Silas Stow ,

10340-514: Was completed. Kelley and his wife took up residence there instead, occupying the house until 1827. Kelley and his brothers Datus and Irad formed a general store in January 1815. They erected a brick building on Superior Avenue at the intersection with Bank Street (now W. 6th Street). Kelley also purchased a peninsula on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River, where he established a farm. In 1833, he sold most of this land to local merchant Joel Scranton. The area thereafter became known as "Scranton Flats" or

10450-724: Was constructed by Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Southern Cuyahoga County and Northern Summit County, Cleveland Metroparks in Northern Cuyahoga County, and Akron/ Summit County Metroparks in Southern Summit County to roughly follow the original Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath route. (The northernmost section in Cuyahoga County is still undergoing construction.) There are many connecting trails going to other points of interest throughout their park systems. -82° 37' 26.3994" Behind

10560-410: Was elected again to the House in 1819. He served a single term, and did not run for reelection. His legislative accomplishments in this short period were numerous. Kelley successfully proposed that the Ohio House create a finance committee, and the members elected him its first chair. Within weeks, he authored a report which argued for taxation of land according to value and not use. No action was taken on

10670-619: Was elected to the professorship of the theory and practice of medicine in the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati . He resigned this position in 1842, having in the meantime purchased a fine fruit farm in East Rockport , five miles from the city of Cleveland , where he spent the rest of his life. In 1843 the medical department of the Western Reserve College was established, at Cleveland, and he filled

10780-548: Was more commonly known, was conceived by Connecticut and New York financier Isaac Bronson , his son Arthur Bronson, and New York lawyer and prominent Jacksonian Charles Butler (brother of U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Franklin Butler ). They had previously incorporated the New York Life Insurance and Trust Company , which gave wealthy Easterners the chance to invest in a bank whose sole business

10890-482: Was needed to complete the work. The debt reached $ 17 million ($ 502,100,000 in 2023 dollars) in 1841. The proximate cause of the financial crisis was the Panic of 1837. The Canal Fund had great difficulty selling bonds in 1837, and had so little money on hand that (except for those working on the Wabash & Erie Canal) it stopped paying contractors in December 1837. Additionally, canal revenues were not high enough to pay

11000-438: Was one of only a few major banks where the state and federal government deposited specie. Kelley pushed the bank to become involved with the Ohio & Erie Canal. It received specie payments from Eastern bond investors and disbursed scrip and specie on behalf of the Canal Fund Commission. Kelley also became a major investor in the Franklin Bank of Columbus (probably no later than June 1836). This institution, founded in 1816, became

11110-490: Was one of the original investors in the Connecticut Land Company . By royal charter, the Connecticut Colony laid claim to most of the lands west of the colony between the 41st and 42nd parallels of north latitude. In 1786, Connecticut ceded all its land claims to the government of the United States in exchange for cancellation of its American Revolutionary War debts. Connecticut retained only those lands known as

11220-515: Was oriented from the Lower Basin, near the southwest corner of the current Exchange and Main streets in Akron. North of the basin is Lock 1 North, and south of the basin is Lock 1 South. At this basin was the joining of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal . The canals enjoyed a period of prosperity from the 1830s to the early 1860s, with maximum revenue between 1852 and 1855. During the 1840s, Ohio

11330-565: Was originally estimated at $ 4.5 million ($ 142,100,000 in 2023 dollars), actual costs were much closer to $ 10 million ($ 269,300,000 in 2023 dollars). Another distal cause of the crisis was the Loan Law of 1837. By 1839, state debt had soared to $ 12 million ($ 343,400,000 in 2023 dollars), of which $ 2.5 million was Loan Law debt and $ 8.5 million was attributable to work on the six new feeder and branch canals. The debt reached $ 14.8 million ($ 451,700,000 in 2023 dollars) in 1840, and another $ 2.5 million

11440-416: Was rapidly issuing bonds to comply with the law, despite the ill-considered or parochial nature of these projects. Kelley's bill to repeal the Loan Law failed. He was successful on another front, when his 17-year legislative effort to abolish imprisonment for debt finally won the approval of the legislature. Kelley built extensive business and personal relationships with bankers in Ohio and New York City while

11550-442: Was so bad that many laborers refused to perform canal work for fear of not being paid. As the bidding process was improved, and more reliable contractors engaged, the situation improved. Workers were initially paid $ 0.30 per day and offered a jigger of whiskey. As work progressed, and where labor was in shortage, workers could make as much as $ 15 per month. At that time, cash money was scarce in Ohio forcing much bartering. Working on

11660-436: Was sold to prominent Ohioans such as Jacob Burnet , David T. Disney , John H. Groesbeck, Simon Perkins , Elisha Whittlesey, Micajah Williams, and Alfred Kelley. The Bronsons, who secured a large majority of shares via proxy from the eastern shareholders, hand-picked the board of directors, who were elected on September 30, 1834. The charter required that at least two-thirds of the board be Ohioans, which required great care on

11770-630: Was the land agent for Nicholas Low , who owned the township that later became Lowville, New York . At the urging of Silas Stow, the Kelleys moved to Lowville in the winter of 1798–1799. Daniel built and operated a gristmill , and Jemima dispensed medication and medical treatment to the settlers in the area. Having attended public school in Middlefield and Lowville, Alfred enrolled at Fairfield Academy in Fairfield, New York , in 1804. Daniel Kelley

11880-416: Was the third most prosperous state, owing much of that growth to the canal. Immediately after the Civil War , it became apparent that railroads would take the canal's business. From 1861 until 1879, after the canal had been badly flooded, Ohio leased its canals to private owners who earned revenue from dwindling boat operation and the sale of water to factories and towns. When the state resumed ownership of

11990-513: Was to make real estate mortgages in western New York. It made large profits. They now conceived of a similar organization for Ohio, and gathered a secretive group of initial investors ("the associates"). At this period in American history, nearly all states refused to allow "foreign" (out-of-state) corporations to do business within their borders. The associates recruited Elisha Whittlesey and Micajah T. Williams to be " front men " for them, so that

12100-547: Was untiring in his efforts to improve the horticulture and agriculture of his adopted state. He died at his residence in East Rockport, December 10, 1877, aged 84 years. Shortly after the death of his first wife he was married to Hannah F. Toucey, of Newtown, Conn . Of three children by his first marriage, one daughter survived him. His great-grandson Kirtland Cutter became an architect, designing Yale Sheffield Scientific School and various personal residences such as

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