Quinby, Jr. and brother key figures in early Wooster
This is where the home of Ephraim Quinby, Jr. sat in downtown Wooster, on the corner of what is now the intersection of South Market and Henry streets. Reportedly, the property was a half-block wide and the house had 32 rooms. Quinby's descendants lived in it until it was razed in 1931.
Ephraim Quinby, Sr. and Amma Blackmore married in 1795 and four years later settled on 400 acres at the future location of Trumbull County, Ohio.
Ephraim and Amma Quinby had 11 children: four girls and seven boys. Two of the boys would go on to be very influential in the development of Wayne County and Wooster — Samuel and Ephraim Quinby, Jr.
Samuel Quinby (1794-1874) was appointed by President James Monroe as Receiver of Public Monies of the United States Land Office, a seat vacated by John Sloane, who had been elected to Congress from the 6th District, State of Ohio. He moved to Wooster. He held the office until 1835, and although he had supported John Quincy Adams for president, he survived losing that position when Adams lost his presidency after just one term to Andrew Jackson.
This is a measure of Samuel Quinby's personal integrity and of the high esteem others, even political adversaries, held him. During his tenure with the U.S. Land Office, he also was Wayne County's treasurer, holding that position form 1822-38.
Samuel Quinby's brother, Ephraim, was 16 years his junior. By the time he was about 13 years old, he came to Wooster to live with his older brother. He would occasionally help out at the U.S. Land Office, and all that time he was receiving an education at Wooster City Schools.
In July 1828 Ephraim Quinby went to work for John Larwill as a clerk in one of his stores. He earned $100 per year, plus board. After a year working for Larwill, who had taken a job in Tiffin, he returned home to work at his brother's office. Among his duties was to make the deposits of money collected for the sale of public lands. This required periodic trips to the Branch Bank of the United States in Pittsburgh, a seven-day journey.
In fall 1834 Ephraim Quinby embarked on a mercantile career, renting a storeroom from Gen. Cyrus Spink across from the American Hotel in Wooster, approximately where Books in Stock is today, and on Oct. 12, 1837, he married Catharine E. McConahay, the daughter of Judge D. McConahay.
From 1836-42 Quinby focused on investing in Wooster real estate, where most of his fortunes originated. He purchased 14 acres south of Liberty and east of Bever, from which he formed city lots that sold rapidly. These lots were 60 feet wide by 180 feet deep and sold for about $250 (about $5,000 today). By 1841 similar lots were selling for upward of $6,000 (about $132,000 today). Such was the real-estate boom in Wooster.
In the period from 1848-76, Quinby dabbled in real estate, buying, selling and improving property all over the city of Wooster. Although Quinby owned land in Cleveland, Wooster was always his home. To that end, he built a massive home in Wooster for his family. It was located on the west side of South Market Street, between West South Street and Henry Street, partially where Wooster Appliance is today. Reportedly, the property was a half-block wide and the house had 32 rooms. Quinby's descendants lived in it until it was razed in 1931.
Quinby desired to bring the culture of larger cities to Wooster, so in the mid-1870s he chaired a committee of like-minded gentlemen to commission a design for an opera house. On Feb. 1, 1877, the opera house opened. In spite of his protests, it was named the Quinby Opera House. It was located at the southeast corner of North Buckeye Street and East Larwill Street, where the Brothers of the Annunciation of Mary Convent is today. It had a seating capacity of 1,000.
Plays were put on by both local troupes of amateur thespians and traveling troupes of professionals. Typical ticket prices were 25 cents for children and 50 cents for adults. It stood for 33 years until being supplanted by an improved venue at City Hall.
Quinby was instrumental in bringing The College of Wooster to town. In 1866 the Presbyterian Synods of Ohio were searching for a town suitable for a college. They required a subscription of $100,000, which included the value of land for the college building. Knowing the value of having a university located in town, an effort was immediately started to raise the required funds. At the outset Quinby donated $10,000.
But as the last pledges came in, the effort fell $32,000 short of their goal. The Presbyterian Synods gathered to meet in Wooster to review the site and the fundraising effort. They agreed to accept a 20-acre site as a donation of $25,000 from Quinby and a $75,000 subscription from the city. They further agreed to accept the shortfall of funds as a guaranty from Quinby and other citizens in Wooster, and the university was born. From the day it opened and throughout the rest of his life, Quinby supported the college both financially and with his ability to garner involvement of others.
Quinby also was a pivotal person in bringing the first railroad to Wooster. On Oct. 16, 1845, the first meeting was held to discuss the need to bring rail traffic to Wooster. The meeting was presided over by Spink with Quinby acting as secretary, and a team of advocates went to work making speeches throughout the county to drive public support.
Their campaign was successful in raising the funds necessary, and on Aug. 10, 1852, the first passenger train rolled into Wooster. It was a great achievement for Quinby and the rest of the committee, who had fought so hard to make it happen. The celebration of that first train was epic, as 15-20,000 people were on scene for the celebration. Such was the absolute importance of this event for Wooster — it meant the town could now grow and prosper, secure in the knowledge it was connected to the outside world and corporations could safely do business here.
Quinby died unexpectedly on Jan. 30, 1880, at his home on South Market Street. His death record says he died of apoplexy, which is what today is called a stroke. He was only 69.
At his death Quinby owned 150 acres of Wooster real estate, and total estate was estimated to be worth $1-$3 million, the equivalent of $27-$81 million in today’s dollars. At the time of his death, he had only one direct heir, his son, Edward M. Quinby.
It goes without saying Wooster and Wayne County in general would be a far different place had it not been for the two brothers, Samuel and Ephraim Quinby, Jr.