CHARLES DEXTER CLEVELAND
Son of Rev. Charles and Mehitable (Treadwell) Cleveland, was born in Salem, Mass., December 3, 1802. His venerable father, now in his ninety-eighth year, still continues, with an activity shaming many young men, those benevolent labors which he has prosecuted for more than thirty-six years, as Missionary to the Poor in the City of Boston.
In March, 1814, he entered the store of Tuckerman, Rogers & Cushing, in Boston ; and in 1816, the counting house of Wm. B. Swett, with which he was connected until August, 1820; at which date, he commenced studies preparatory for admission to college. These he pursued, in Boston, with Mr. Pemberton ; in North Andover, Mass., with Simeon Putnam, Esq. ; and at Phillips Exeter Academy. He entered college from Charlestown, Mass.; but his family soon after removed to Boston. He spent the Summer Term of Freshman year at Cambridge, as a member of Harvard College ; but rejoined the Class at the beginning of Sophomore year, with increased preference for the college of his first choice. Of that eminence of scholarship in college, which was such an earnest of his future literary distinction, not a word is needed to his classmates.
After graduating, he taught a classical school in Baltimore, Md., two years from October, 1827; was Professor of the Greek and Latin Languages in Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., from May, 1830, until a suspension of its operations in the spring of 1832 ; taught a boarding school in New Haven, Ct., about a year; was Professor of the Latin Language and Literature in the University of the City of New York, in 1833; and in October, 1834, commenced a school for young ladies in Philadelphia, Pa.; which he continued until 1861, when he received the appointment and entered on the duties of United States Consul at Cardiff, Wales. This office he relinquished in the spring of 1864, and returned to Philadelphia.
In July, 1866, partly for the purpose of establishing his declining health, and partly to afford his daughters an opportunity to pursue the French and German Languages, he again went abroad; and resided in Europe, mostly upon the Continent, three years. He returned to this country early in August, 1869, but only to be struck down by disease of the heart, of which he died suddenly, August 18th, “with little pain, and in faith and peace."
Prof. Cleveland published, while in college, “The Moral Characters of Theophrastus, in the Græca Majora, translated into English, with Notes;” and “An Epitome of Grecian Antiquities.” He has since published “First Lessons in Latin, upon a New Plan;" “The National Orator;" “A Compendium of Grecian Antiquities;" “First Lessons in Greek;" “The Anabasis of Xenophon, with English Notes;" “A Sequel to First Lessons in Latin;" A new Edition of Adams' Latin Grammar; “First Latin Book;" “Second Latin Book;" "Third Latin Book;" “The Address of the Liberty Party of Pennsylvania to the People of the State," sixty thousand copies of which were printed and put in circulation; “A Compendium of English Literature;" “Hymns for Schools;" “English Literature of the Nineteenth Century;" "An Edition of Milton's Poetical Works, with Notes, a Life of the Author, and a Verbal Index;" “A Compendium of American Literature;” and “A Compendium of Classical Literature."
While in England, he published “Anti-Slavery Addresses of 1844 and 1845, by Salmon Portland Chase and Charles Dexter Cleveland;" “Lyra Sacra Americana, or Gems from American Sacred Poetry;" and a “Letter to General U.S. Grant, President Elect of the United States."
He received the degree of LL.D. from Ingham University in 1861 and from the University of the City of New York in 1866.
He was married, March 31, 1831, to Alison Nisbet, daughter of Dr. Samuel Allen McCoskry, of Carlisle, Pa., and granddaughter of Charles Nisbet, D.D., first President of Dickinson College.
He had nine children, five of whom survived him: Samuel McCoskry, a graduate of Williams College in 1858, and now Professor of Elocution in the University of Pennsylvania ; Alison Nisbet ; Treadwell, a lawyer in New York City; Eliza ; and Lucy.
He was one of the ablest and best known instructors in America, and was the author of many of the best school and text books in use.”—Philadelphia North American.
"Prof. Cleveland took an early and active part as an abolitionist, and he never swerved. With his pen and tongue, he was always ready to advocate the rights of his fellow men, and to give the fugitive and the free man of color a cordial grasp of friendship.” — Chicago Advance.
“He won for himself the respect of all with whom he was brought in contact, by the high moral worth of his character, and by the kind consideration which he accorded to every matter brought under his notice. Throughout the civil war, he was most stanch in upholding the cause of the North, both in private and public, whenever occasion offered.” — Cardiff (Wales) Paper.
“He received great attention in Edinburgh, in the winter of 1866–7, from those best able to appreciate his fine conversational powers, his scholarly tastes, and his catholic spirit.” — Edinburgh Scotsman.
“He was honored and respected wherever he was known.” -Boston Transcript.
“He was a distinguished author, an original abolitionist, and an excellent man.” — Salem Observer.
