In March, 1836, Cleveland was incorporated as a city, and henceforth to the ordinary courts of the county was added a city court for cognizance of offences against the ordinances.
In the year 1848, a Superior Court was organized, with Sherlock J. Andrew as judge, and G. A. Benedict as clerk. This court existed but a short time, when it expired by reason of the adoption of the new constitution of the State, which made no provision for its continuance.
In 1855, Cleveland was selected as the seat of a District and Circuit Court of the United States.
As a matter of curiosity, the following list of Attorneys and Counsellors in Cleveland, in 1837, is taken from McCabe's Cleveland and Ohio City Directory, those not practising at that time being marked with an asterisk: Joseph Adams, John W. Allen, Sherlock J. Andrews, Oliver P. Baldwin, John Barr, Phillip Battell, George A. Benedict, Henry W. Billings, Elijah Bingham,* Flavius Bingham, Thomas Bolton, James A. Briggs, Varnum J. Card, Leonard Case,* Richard M. Chapman, Alexander L. Collins, James L. Conger, Samuel Cowles,* Henry H. Dodge, John Erwin, Simeon Ford, John A. Foot, James K. Hitchcock, George Hoadly, James M. Hoyt, Seth T. Hurd, Moses Kelley, George T. Kingsley, William B. Lloyd, George W. Lynde, Samuel Mather, Daniel Parish, Henry B. Payne, Francis Randal, Harvey Rice, O. S. St. John, Wyllys Silliman, George W. Stanley, Samuel Starkweather, John M. Sterling,* Charles Stetson, Charles Whittlesey, Frederick Whittlesey,* John W. Willey,* Samuel Williamson, Hiram V. Wilson.
[Illustration: Alfred Kelley]
Alfred Kelley.
Alfred Kelley was born at Middletown, Conn., Nov. 7th, 1789. He was the second son of Daniel and Jemima Kelley. His mother's maiden name was Stow. She was a sister of Judge Joshua Stow, and also of Judge Silas Stow of Lowville, N. Y. The latter was the father of Judge Horatio Stow, of Buffalo, N. Y., and of Alexander Stow, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, both of whom were men of great talents and distinction. In the winter of 1798, Alfred Kelley removed with his father's family to Lowville, N. Y. His father was President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Lewis county, N. Y., was one of the founders of Lowville Academy and President of its Board of Trustees.
Alfred Kelley was educated at Fairfield Academy, N. Y. He read law at Whitesboro, N. Y., three years, in the office of Jonas Platt, a judge of the Supreme Court of that State.
In the Spring of 1810, in company with Joshua Stow, Dr. J. P. Kirtland, and others, he removed to Cleveland,--traveling on horseback. At the November term 1810, on motion of Peter Hitchcock, Alfred Kelley was admitted as an attorney of the Court of Common Pleas for Cuyahoga county. On the same day, being his 21st birth day, he was appointed Public Prosecutor as the successor of Peter Hitchcock, late Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio. Mr. Kelley continued Prosecutor till 1821, when he resigned. In October 1814, he was elected from Cuyahoga county a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, being barely old enough under the Constitution when the Legislature met to take his seat in that body and being the youngest member. Chillicothe was then the temporary State capital.
On the 25th of August, 1817. Alfred Kelley was married to Mary S. Welles, oldest daughter of Major Melancthon Wolsey Welles, of Lowville, N. Y. They had eleven children of whom six are now living.