Frederick Cleveland
(1838 - 1897)
Page 1396, # 4857
FREDERICK CLEVELAND passed his early life with his parents in the cities of New York, Albany, and Schenectady. He prepared for college at the Albany Boys’ Academy, and entered Yale in 1854, but delicate health from his birth forced him to give up his studies, and he spent the following four or five years in Iowa, Louisiana, and the Southwest. It was during this period that he made one of a party appointed by the government to survey Kansas. Being a strong anti-slavery man, when the war -broke out he made his way through the swamps of Louisiana to New Orleans and came North.
At the age of twenty-four he entered the firm of B. S. Cory & Co;, druggists, Waukegan, Illinois. Remaining in this business several years, he had associated with him A. B. Van Denburgh, and afterward his brother George. Upon the removal of the latter to New York city, in the autumn of 1866, he continued the business alone until 1868. He then removed to Chicago and resumed the drug business under the name of Cleveland & Snyder.
His health having entirely failed, under the advice of his physicians he removed in 1869 to Peoria, Illinois. He here began the manufacture of Cleveland’s Superior Baking Powder. In this he succeeded beyond his highest expectations, and, in 1870, removed the business to Albany, N. Y. By his untiring energy he established it upon a firm basis. In 1874 his brother George became associated with him under the firm name of Cleveland Brothers, and since then the business has been extended throughout the United States and the Canadas.
In 1889 he sold his interest in Cleveland Brothers and retired from business. Long a member of the Fourth Presbyterian church of Albany, he served as a trustee, was elected 1878 ; and was afterward one of its elders, having been chosen to that responsible office May 12, 1884. A loving husband, tender father, dearly beloved by all who knew him, generous and gentle, he was a man of God thoroughly furnished unto all good works. For more than three years and a half he was unable to attend to business, and in the early part of February, 1885, suffered a severe stroke of paralysis.
For many of his last years he lived in his beautiful home on the hills above the Hudson River, ministered to by a loving and devoted wife, who ever encouraged him with her counsel and co-operation ; patient and happy, awaiting the will of his heavenly Father he so faithfully served.
Mrs. Gertrude Maria (Van Vranken) Cleveland still resides in her home.
Frederick Cleveland is a subscriber to this Genealogy.
