In 1816, Mr. Case received the appointment of cashier of the Commercial Bank of Lake Erie, just organized in Cleveland. He immediately removed to Cleveland and entered on the discharge of his duties. These did not occupy the whole of his time, so with the avocations of a banker he coupled the practice of law and also the business of land agent. The bank, in common with most of the similar institutions of the time, was compelled to suspend operations, but was revived in after years with Mr. Case as president. Of those who were connected as officers with the original organization, Mr. Case gave the least promise of a long life, but yet he outlived all his colleagues.
With the close of the bank he devoted himself more earnestly to the practice of the law and the prosecution of his business as a land agent. The active practice of the law was abandoned in 1834, but the land agency was continued until a comparatively recent period, when his infirmities, and the care of his own estate, grown into large proportions, rendered it necessary for him to decline all business for others.
Mr. Case had a natural taste for the investigation of land titles and studying the history of the earlier land owners. His business as a land agent gave him scope for the gratification of this taste, and his appointment as agent for the management of the Western Reserve school lands, enabled him still further to prosecute his researches, whilst his strong memory retained the facts acquired until he became complete master of the whole history of the titles derived from the Connecticut Land Company.
From his earliest connection with Cleveland, Mr. Case took a lively interest in the affairs of the village, the improvement of the streets, maintenance and enlargement of the schools, and the extension of religious influences. For all these purposes he contributed liberally, and spent much time and labor. To his thoughtfulness and public spirit are due the commencement of the work of planting shade trees on the streets, which has added so much to the beauty of the city, and has won for it the cognomen of the Forest City. From 1821 to 1825, he was president of the village, and was judicious and energetic in the management of its affairs. On the erection of Cuyahoga county, he was its first auditor. He was subsequently sent to the State Legislature, where he distinguished himself by his persistent labors in behalf of the Ohio canals. He headed the subscription to the stock of the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad Company with the sum of five thousand dollars, and became a director in the Company. His good sense, a judgment that rarely erred, his extensive knowledge of the village and surrounding country, and the cheerful readiness with which he gave counsel, whenever requested in good faith, caused him to be the confidential adviser of the county and municipal officials, after he had ceased to take an active part in public affairs.
One of the rules from which he never deviated, was in no case to contract a debt beyond his ability to pay within two years without depending on a sale of property. In this way he was enabled to accumulate acre after acre in what has since proved to be valuable portions of the city, and thus to acquire a vast estate, which, in his later years, became steadily remunerative.
Mr. Case was a man of uncommon industry, of high integrity, and strong common sense. His manner to strangers, especially when interrupted in business, was brusque, and gave an unfavorable impression to those unacquainted with his real character, which was uniformly cheerful and kind. As a seller of land, he was both just and generous, and from no one ever came the complaint of oppressive or ungenerous treatment. Although not a member of any church organization, he had strong religious tendencies, of a liberal cast.
Mr. Case died December 7th, 1864, leaving one son, Leonard Case, the other son, William, having died a short time earlier.
Reuben Wood.
Honorable Reuben Wood, an early settler of Cleveland, was born in Rutland county, Vermont, in 1792. In early life he worked on a farm in Summer and taught school in Winter. Resolving to achieve more than this, he went to Canada and studied the classics under the tuition of an English clergyman, and while there commenced the study of law with Hon. Barnabas Bidwell. When war was declared in 1812, young Wood, with all other resident Americans were required to leave Canada. He then went to Middletown, Vt., where he completed his legal studies in the office of Gen. Jonas Clark, an eminent lawyer of that place.
In 1818, he married, and emigrated to Cleveland, where he arrived September of that year, a stranger, and without money. He at once entered upon a successful practice, and soon became distinguished as a lawyer and advocate.