Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2016 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio Compiled by Crisfield Johnson Pub. by D. W. Ensign & Co., - 1879 [206] CLEVELAND ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE. Although called the "Cleveland Asylum," this is a State institu- tion. We find that the origin of this asylum and that of the one at Dayton are substantially the same; the necessity that gave rise to the one compelled the erection of the other. In 1851 the asylum at Columbus was the only one in the State. It was then known as the "Ohio Lunatic Asylum," its name having since been changed several times, on the occasion of political changes in the State govern- ment. Its capacity was three hundred patients, or one to every six thousand six hundred and six persons in the State; in 1878 it was one to every seven hundred and sixty-one. There are now in the asylums of Ohio about three thousand five hundred patients. The principal arguments which induced the legislature to erect two new asylums for the insane were made by Dr. S. M. SMITH, of Columbus. He estimated the Ohio insane in 1851 as two thousand, of which only three hundred were provided for. As a result of the re- commendations of Dr. SMITH and others, made at the sessions of 1851 and '52, the legislature passed an act on the 30th of April, in the latter year, providing for the erection of two additional lunatic asylums. An appropriation of one hundred and forty thousand dollars was made for the purpose, and Prof. H. A. ACKLEY and Messrs. E. B. FEE, D. B. WOODS, CHARLES CIST and EDWIN SMITH were appointed the first board of trustees. At a meeting of the board held on the 9th of July, 1852, the Northern Asylum, by a vote of fourt to one, was located at Newburgh (now Cleveland). Land was received from DWIGHT JARVIS for the pur- pose. The original contract for building the Newburg asylum was awarded to JOHN GILL, of Cleveland, the price being sixty-nine thousand eight hundred dollars. On the 22d of June, 1854, Dr. L. FIRESTONE was appointed superintendent of the asylum, which posi- tion he retained until 1856. Dr. C. M. GODFREY was appointed a mem- ber of the board controlling both asylums. The Newburg institution was opened for patients on the 5th of March, 1855. In 1860 and '61 the building was enlarged by the erection of wings on the east and west sides, increasing the capacity to three hundred and seventy-five persons; and in 1870 sufficient additions were made so that the asylum would accommodate five hundred and twenty-five patients. On Wednesday, September 25, 1872, a fire occurred by which the greater part of the building was destroyed. By this disaster all written records, statistics, books of account and other valuable papers of the institution were destroyed. The patients, five hun- dred and twenty-five in number, were removed to the asylums and benevolent institutions of the State, and maintained there until the erection of the new asylum. By an act of the legislature passed March 18, 1873, the board of trustees was directed to build a new structure at a cost not exceeding five hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to be capable of accommodating six hundred and fifty patients. By recent legislation the trustees are directed to admit but one patient for each five hundred square feet (surface measure) of the building. By this law the number of patients is limited to six hundred. It is now filled to its utmost legal limit. The institution was originally designated as the "Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum," by which name it was known until a change in the politics of the State in 1874. The name was then changed to "Northern Ohio Hospital for the Insane," and again in 1876, to "Cleveland Hospital for the Insane." In 1878 the name was again changed to "Cleveland Asylum for the Insane," by which appellation the institution is now known. The several superintendents, with their terms of service, have been as follows: Dr. L. FIRESTONE, 1854-5; Dr. R. C. HOPKINS, 1856-7; Dr. JACOB LAISY, 1857-8-9; Dr. O. H. HENDRICK, 1859-60- 1-2-3-4; Dr. BYRON STANTON, 1864-5-6-7-8-9; Dr. J. M. LEWIS, 1870- 1-2-3-4; Dr.LEWIS SLUSSER, 1875-6; Dr. JAMIN STRONG, 1877-8-9. The following are the present officers of the asylum: General JAMES BARNETT, Hon. A. McGREGOR, Dr. D. L. WADSWORTH, JOHN F. PERRY, Esq., and A. P. WINSLOW, Esq., trustees; JAMIN STRONG, M.D., superintendent; JOHN S. MARSHALL, M.D., first assistant physician; JAMES D. MAXWELL, M.D., second assistant physician; JACOB D. SHERRICK, M.D., third assistant physician; CHARLES W. DIEHL, steward; NETTIE L. STRONG, matron. ==========================================================================