History of Akron, (Summit County) Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

Henry Eugene Abbey, manager, was born at Akron, Ohio, June 27, 1846. He engaged in business with his father, a jeweller, until 1869, when he leased the Akron opera house. He subsequently managed Edwin Adams and Lotta; organized a company in 1874, and in 1876 with John B. Schoeffel, leased the Academy of music, Buffalo, N.Y. In 1877 they leased the Park theatre, New York, and in 1879 opened the old Beethoven hall in Boston as the Park theatre. They next leased the Arch street theatre, Philadelphia (also renamed the Park theatre), and in 1880, Booth's theatre, New York, playing Edwin Booth and later Adelaide Neilson. In 1880 they brought Sarah Bernhardt over for her first American season and later managed Patti, Christine Nilsson, Mrs. Langtry, Henry Irving, Ellen Terry and Lawrence Barrett. In 1883 Maurice Grau became partner, and on Oct. 22, 1883, they opened with Italian opera, the venture leaving the firm with an indebtedness of nearly $290,000 which they eventually liquidated. In 1884 Mr. Abbey manages Mary Anderson in England and in 1885 brought her to America. In 1891 the firm opened the Tremont theatre in Boston. In 1892 they engaged the Metropolitan opera house, New York city, for another trial at grand opera, but the building was destroyed, together with over $200,000 worth of scenery. In 1893 they opened the new Metropolitan opera house with Faust, the cast including Emma Eames, the De Reszkes and Lassalle. At the same time Abbey's theatre was opened with Irving and Terry. In 1894 Coquelin, Jane Hading, Mounet-Sully and Beerbohm Tree were brought out, and in 1895, grand opera, Henry Irving and Lillian Russell gave them a successful season. He died in New York city, Oct. 17, 1896.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Henry Augustus Buchtel, educator, was born near Akron, Ohio, Sept. 30, 1847, son of Dr. Jonathan B. Buchtel. He was graduated at Asbury (now De Pauw) university 1872, A.M. 1875; was married Feb. 4, 1873, to Mary M. Stevenson of Greencastle, Ind., and served as a missionary in Bulgaria in 1873. On his return to the United States, the served as pastor of Methodist Episcopal churches in Indiana, Colorado, New York and New Jersey and became chancellor of the University of Denver, at Denver, Colo., Jan. 1, 1900. He received the degree D.D. from De Pauw university in 1884 and LL. D. in 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Eleroy Curtis, journalist, was born in Akron, Ohio, Nov. 5, 1850; son of the Rev. Eleroy and Harriet (Coe) Curtis; and a descendant of William Curtis of Canterbury, England, who joined tbe Massachusetts colony in 1632, with his brother-in-law, John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians. He was graduated at Western Reserve college in 1871. As a boy he learned the printer's trade and during his college course worked as a reporter on the Cleveland Leader. He went to Chicago in May, 1872, was employed on The Inter-Ocean and remained with that paper for fifteen years, advancing from reporter to editor-in-chief. His adventures as a correspendent included being held as prisoner by the James and Younger brothers, highwaymen, and finally obtaining from them the story of their lives which was published in The Inter-Ocean and became the basis of various biographies of the daring bandits. In 1874 he accompanied Custer in his campaign against the Sioux Indians, wrote the first newspaper letters from the Black Hills, and first published the discovery of gold there. The winter of 1874-75 he spent among the "Ku Klux" and members of the "White League" in the southern states and in 1875 took charge of The Inter-Ocean bureau at Washington, D.C., remaining as the Washington correspondent five years, when he became managing editor at Chicago. In 1884 he went to South America as secretary of the commission appointed by President Arthur to "ascertain the best methods of promoting the political and commercial relations between the United States and the other American republics." In 1885 President Cleveland appointed him a member of the commission and he visited all the countries south of the Rio Grande and of the Gulf of Mexico and furnished to the government and the public intelligent information as to the resources, industries, commerce, and politics of the several countries embraced in the Pan-American confederation. In 1887 he became manager of the Chicago Record bureau at Washington and in 1888 was sent to Europe to investigate and report the Nihilist movement in Russia. Upon his return he prepared the bill authorizing the international American conference, which was passed by congress, and he was appointed by Secretary Blaine executive officer of that assembly. In this capacity he managed the conference and the various excursions organized for the entertainment of the foreign delegates. He was the author of the reciprocity amendment to the McKinley tariff bill and under the direction of Secretary Blaine negotiated the reciprocity treaties made with the Central and South American republics. In 1890 he rounded and became director of the Bureau of the American republics at Washington, and was the author of many of its publications. He also conducted the Latin-American and Historical departments of the World's Columbian exposition in 1893, and was the representative of the department of state on the government board of management. He resigned as director of the bureau of American republics in 1893 at the request of President Cleveland, but remained at Chicago as chief of the Latin-American department until the close of the exposition. He then resumed newspaper and magazine work at Washington. He is the author of: Tibballses Folks (1875); Life of Zachariah Chandler (1879); A Summer Scamper (1881); The Children of the Sun (1882); The Capitals of Spanish America (1886); The Land of the Nihilist (1887); The Inca's Ransom (1888); Trade and Transportation (1889); Handbook of the American Republics (1890); Guatemala (1891); The United States and Foreign Powers (1892); The Relics of Columbus (1893); The Portraits of Columbus (1893); The Existing Autographs of Columbus (1895): The Yankees of the East (1896); The True Abraham Lincoln(1903).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor