Harry Hilliard Wylie Biography
Description
- Media Type
- Image
- Genealogical Resource
- Notes
- "A History of Cleveland, Ohio" by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Full Text
HARRY HILLIARD WYLIE
Harry Hilliard Wylie's contribution to greater Cleveland is the flourishing little suburb of Beachland-on-the-Lake, adjoining the eastern limits of the city. He foresaw the great advantages to be derived from a home on the bank of the lake, far enough removed from the din and strife of city life to insure a peaceful atmosphere. He believed there were enough people in the city who would spend an hour on the cars, going and coming, to populate such a place. Hence, where less than four years ago the grape vine flourished and the bossie cow meandered listlessly over the meadows, a multitude of houses have been built and the city man now lives in the country with every known city improvement.
Around Beachland other settlements have sprung up, Lake Shore boulevard has been extended from Cleveland beyond Beachland and well on its way to Buf- falo, and in a few years' time Cleveland's growth eastward along the lake will be phenomenal beyond question.
Mr. Wylie modestly disclaims that he is responsible for all of this great growth, but is ready to accept his share of it whenever occasion demands.
Mr. Wylie was born in Cahaba, Alabama, just forty years ago this August. His father was a Scotchman and his mother a Kentucky American. With one possessed of so much pent up vigor, he soon found the south too slow for him, and at thirteen years of age he spent his first night in New York city, sleeping in a dry-goods box under one of the arches of the new Brooklyn bridge, then just being completed. The next day he entered into partnership with another merchant of rather tender years, the entire tangible assets of the partnership being a blacking box with brushes, no blacking, three morning Suns and two cents in cash. This partnership flourished for a week but was terminated when Mr. Wylie accepted the responsible position of "devil" on the New York Evening Sun. A rapid promotion followed through press room, composing room and editorial department, until at sixteen we find him a full fledged cub reporter, putting in his odd hours at Cooper Union and night schools.
Mr. Wylie went to Chicago for the World's Fair, liked it and remained, working on the staff of the Inter Ocean, Times Herald and other papers, leaving there in 1896 to return to New York by way of Cleveland. Cleveland was too much for him, her opportunities were too great to be overlooked, and a visit to the Heights, out Mayfield Road, convinced Mr. Wylie that here was a section for which there was a great future, so we find him in 1898 actively engaged in the real-estate business, making a specialty of farm lands east of Cleveland. What his foresight has been is shown by his success with the Gates Mills property in its infancy and a large number of farm properties, especially along Mayfield Road and its vicinity, Compton Heights, Wyldwood Heights and Yellowstone Road.
Mr. Wylie is the secretary of The Beachland Realty Company, one of the pioneers in the development of Cleveland surburban properties and one of the most successful. Early in 1910 the company extended its sphere of operations to inter- national fields by purchasing Grimsby Beach, the great Canadian Chautauqua on Lake Ontario. They expect under Mr. Wylie's direction to Americanize this wonderful property and devote it to a summer residence resort for the better class of Americans and Canadians.
Since 1906 Mr. Wylie's energies have been more particularly directed to Beachland-on-the-Lake. He lives at Beachland, is married and has four children, as follows : Robert Frederick, who is two years of age ; William Dunbar, nine years old ; and Helen and Beatrice, who are fifteen and eleven years of age respectively.
- Publisher
- The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
- Date of Publication
- 1910
- Copyright Statement
- Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Contact
- Grimsby ChautauquaEmail:gen-library@grimsby.ca
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