Charles Eugene Selover, Sr.: From Niles Farm Boy To New York City Banker To San Franciso Importer - Part VI

Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. Starts Over and Again Fails Several Times 

The Albert G. Burtis Probate

We left Charles and Susan Selover living at 123 North Street in Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY in 1902 with little visible means of support. Newspapers next report on Charles when he was called to give testimony in a trial over the Last Will and Testament of Albert G. Burtis, the wealthy resident of Springside (today called Springside Inn) in the Town of Fleming, Cayuga Co., New York. Albert's family contested his purported Will because of its large bequest to a 22-year old woman who claimed that she was engaged to Albert, who was very much her senior.

During the course of this litigation, Charles was questioned about his professional history, including his experience in banking, presumably to establish his credentials for the testimony he was about to give. Charles gave his current residence in September 1903 as his aunt's farm in Sennett, which he was "looking after."

Down on the Gertrude Selover Lockwood Farm in Sennett

Gertrude Selover, sister of Charles's father, married Horace W. Lockwood before 1850. Gertrude and Horace resided in the Town of Niles, Cayuga Co., New York up until the Civil War but had removed to a farm in the Town of Sennett, Cayuga Co., New York by 1865. This farm was located at the intersection of County House Road and North Street Road (as the intersection, since moved, then existed) just over one-half mile north of the Auburn city limits. Horace W. Lockwood died in 1892 leaving his widow, Gertrude, on the farm. She was Administratrix of Horace's estate and sold his livestock, farm equipment, and crops at a public auction not long after his death.

Gertrude retained the farm, which she presumably rented out to others between 1893 and 1902. Charles and Susan may have moved to the Lockwood farm early in 1903. There were two houses on the farm so the Selovers could have occupied the second house, if they didn't live with Gertrude. Charles hadn't been on a farm to work since he was a boy and hadn't previously exhibited an inclination for the strenuous physical labor required for farming at the turn of the 20th Century.

Whether or not Charles attempted to farm isn't clear. He would have had to acquire the requisite equipment and draft animals to farm because Gertrude had sold off all such items in 1892. A significant sum would have been required for Charles to get started in farming, even if Gertrude let him farm the land for free, which seems a bit unlikely, assuming she was living on farm rental income.

Charles would have had another option, that of acting as farm manager with hired hands to do the grunt work. He still would have had to make the initial investment in equipment, animals, and supplies, however, with his only return being the net income after paying on his investment and labor costs. Charles's net might be a relatively small amount or even loss depending on crop success and market prices. Whatever strategy Charles was following on the Lockwood Farm, he and Susan entertained William Selover, Jr. (Charles's father) and William's third wife, Ella C. Hicks, on 27 November 1903, the day after Thanksgiving.

Charles Goes Bankrupt

The next appearance of Charles in the newspapers came in January 1905 in the form of an article about him filing for bankruptcy at Utica, Oneida Co., New York.

Charles E. Selover Bankrupt. Charles E. Selover, a farmer at Sennett, through his attorney, Amasa J. Parker, yesterday filed a petition in voluntary bankruptcy in the courts at Utica. Selover's liabilities aggregate $16,725 and he has no assets. The creditors include David E.[F.] Wallace of Cortland, for $3,435; the Moravia National bank, $2,289; the National Bank of Cortland, $3,000 and the First National bank of Moravia, $8,000.

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Charles E. Selover Bankrupt (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Auburn Bulletin, Wednesday, 11 January 1905), Old Fulton New York Post Cards http://www.fultonhistory.com

 We can speculate that the money owed to David F. Wallace, the initial President of the Melrose Woolen Company who disposed of his investment in 1898, might have been for Melrose stock purchased by Charles. The purposes of Charles's other borrowings remain unknown.

A Discharge in Bankruptcy for Charles E. Selover was granted at Utica on 2 May 1905. He was out from under his burden of debt, but, doubtless, his credit with the institutions he had depended on for loans had come to an end, probably permanently.

Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. at the Clark House Hotel in Fulton

Charles next surfaced at Fulton, Oswego Co., New York toward the end of March 1905 where he was operating the Clark House hotel in partnership with his much younger half-brother, William Harris Selover. Susan and Charles, probably with their younger children, must have resided at the hotel or nearby in Fulton while their oldest son, Charles Eugene Selover, Jr., remained in Auburn to attend Auburn High School. Charles, Jr. made a weekend trip from Auburn to Fulton to visit his parents in early April 1905.

The Selover brothers carried on their business at the Clark House until the end of November 1905 when their interest was assumed by Mr. Frank Freeman. The newspaper account stated that the Selover brothers had "conducted an excellent hotel." Little has been published to enlighten us about the reasons behind the Selover brothers getting out of the hotel businesses, but there are several clues.

William H. and Charles E. Selover brought a case to City Court in Fulton in mid-December 1905. The claim was against Mrs. Washburn, proprietor of an "Uncle Tom's Cabin" company of actors, for unpaid board of $34 incurred by members of the cast at the Clark House when it was under the management of the Selovers. Washburn, of course, maintained that she had nothing to do with the board bill and that it was the responsibility of others. How the case was resolved has not been found.

More revealing was revocation, with costs, ca. 24 January 1906 of the Liquor Excise Tax Certificate held by Charles E. Selover. The Revocation Order was granted to Commissioner of  Excise Cullinan in Supreme Court on the grounds that Charles sold liquor to minors and sold liquor on Sundays, both prohibited activities. From this evidence, we can assume that the Clark House sold liquor. Such sales likely were an important source of revenue for the operation. Charles's ambition to turn a profit may have gotten him into trouble through overreach once again. With the prospect of losing Charles's permission to sell liquor, the Selover brothers must have seen the handwriting on the wall and sold their interest to Mr. Freeman before the liquor license revocation came down.

Selover House on North Street in Auburn Sold

A newspaper notice appeared in March 1906 reporting purchase of the "old Selover homestead" on North Street in Auburn by the Auburn Theological Seminary. Charles and Susan had resided at two locations while in Auburn, 188 North Street and 123 North Street. The latter location was much closer to the Seminary than the former so 123 North Street possibly was the property in question. Whether the property was still owned by Charles remains doubtful given his bankruptcy the year before.

Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. Removes to Brooklyn and Gains Success

Central Congregational Church

Exactly when Charles and Susan and their family left Fulton for New York City is uncertain. A news item in September 1906 reports that Charles was visiting his father in Moravia, Cayuga Co., New York after traveling from New York City. Thus, it seems likely that Charles and Susan had made their move during spring or early summer 1906, if not before. We know that the Selovers resided in Brooklyn by spring 1907. Charles had established a relationship with the Central Congregational Church at Franklin Avenue and Hancock Street by April 1907 when he attended the First Annual Banquet given by the Men's Bible Class. Charles and Susan resided at 25 Spencer Place in 1907.

Charles would be associated with the Central Congregational Church through at least 1919 and probably early 1920. Charles, Sr., with his son, Charles, Jr., attended the Seventh Annual Dinner of the Men's Union of the Church at the Academy of Music on 1 February 1910. Charles, Sr. subsequently attended the Twelfth Annual Dinner in the Church's parlors on 1 March 1915. On 11 April 1918, former President William Howard Taft addressed the men's Annual Dinner gathering. Charles, Sr. attended, again joined by Charles, Jr., as well as Frank Cyrus Straat, his old partner and brother-in-law from Cortland, Cayuga Co., NY who now resided in New York City.

Harmony Club of America

Charles Selover's employment between his arrival in New York City in the first part of 1906 and continuing through the first half of 1909 has not been revealed. However, in early September 1909 tentative incorporation papers were filed for an entity to be called the Harmony Club, with Attorney Edward H. Fallows as President and Helen M. Fogler as Secretary. Charles E. Selover was also listed as an incorporator. The tentative incorporation was initially rejected because it proposed running hospitals, health homes, sanitoria, clinics, dispensaries, and other hygienic institutions, which required prior approval from the New York State Board of Charities.

Charles and Susan made a trip to Auburn and Moravia in mid-September 1909 while the Harmony Club incorporation papers presumably underwent revision by attorney Fallows. They stayed with Charles's father, William Selover, Jr., and stepmother, Ella C. Hicks, during their stay in Moravia, and returned on the Monday train to New York City on 20 September.

Apparently the Harmony Club incorporation papers were suitably massaged to enable approval, which came at Albany, Albany Co., New York on 26 October 1909.

DULL CARE MUST TAKE BACK SEAT. . . . ALBANY, Oct. 26-The blue penciling of dull care and the harmonizing of people with themselves thereby putting them on the road to happiness is the object of the Harmony club of America, whose certificate of incorporation was approved today by Secretary Koenig. The application was made by Attorney Edward H. Fallows of New York, who is the founder of the new club. Interested with him is Bishop Fallows of the diocese of Chicago. Herman J. Schwartz, William Conner, Edward Earl Purinton, William G. Schauffler, Samuel Fallows, Helen M. Fogler, C. A. Mattfield and Charles E. Selover. All of-these people are to assist in radiating happiness throughout New York state, the United States and England. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Dull Care Must Take Back Seat. . . . Albany, Oct. 26 (Glens Falls, Warren Co., NY, Glens Falls Daily Times, Tuesday, 26 October 1909), Old Fulton New York Post Cards http://www.fultonhistory.com

It is difficult to see Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. as a co-founder of a self-help organization, at least in light of his previous adventures in capitalism. On the other hand, Charles had been beaten down repeatedly in his efforts to make it big in finance and business and surely had the will to keep trying. The Harmony Club must have seemed an opportunity to Charles, however much he actually endorsed its tenets. Those principles were explained at a public meeting at the Carnegie Lyceum (today's Zankel Hall, part of Carnegie Hall) on 12 November 1909.

"HARMONY WAS ALL AROUND. . . . The Harmony Club held its first public meeting last night at the Carnegie Lyceum, which was crowded. the meeting was opened in harmony's name and closed in harmony. The large audience quit the building with the touching picture before them of Bishop Fallows of Chicago, who had just spoken on 'The World's Need of Harmony,' standing with hands extended after appealing (by request) for a collection in Harmony's name, while his son, Edward H. Fallows of this city, stood beside him-a bit in the rear, filially-with his hand on the Bishop's shoulder, as who should say:  'But nay-  Yet-if you will.'. . . Bishop Fallows in his address thus explained Harmony:  Harmony in the home means the constant [illegible], of love conjugal, love parental, love filial and love fraternal. It is the providence of the father, the tenderness of the mother, answered by the reciprocal affection and forbearance of the entire household flock, one toward another. . . . President Edward H. Fallows said further in explaining in greater detail the value of membership in the Harmony Club:  'Your only qualifications for membership are a hunger for happiness, a thirst for knowledge and a desire for growth and 50 cents.'. . ."

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Harmony Was All Around (New York City, NY, The Sun, Saturday, 13 November 1909), Old Fulton New York Post Cards http://www.fultonhistory.com

Charles had become the Harmony Club Secretary by 1910, working from the offices of Attorney Edward H. Fallows at 30 Church Street in Manhattan. Charles and Susan were by then residing at 1058 Bergen Street in Brooklyn. There they were visited by Mr. and Mrs. William Selover, Jr. of Moravia, immediately following Thanksgiving 1910.

Charles continued with the Harmony Club during 1911 but by then was Treasurer of the organization working at 30 Church Street and 5 East 42nd Street. We can assume that he remained with the Harmony Club through 1911 and perhaps well into 1912 when probate documents of his uncle, Henry D. Welty of Owasco, Cayuga Co., New York, listed him among next of kin. Charles and Susan's
four children were each to receive $500 pursuant to Henry D. Welty's Will.

Society of the Cayugas

 Charles was listed among the members of the Society of the Cayugas in early November 1909. The Society was a club whose members comprised former residents of Cayuga County, New York then living in New York City. The Society of the Cayugas, viewed in today's context, engaged in appropriation of aspects of Iroquoian culture, but, at the time, probably served to cement business and social relationships among former Cayugans.

American Bankers' Safety Company

Late September 1912 revealed that Charles Eugene Selover, Sr. had not retreated from his vision of success in the world of finance and manufacturing. A newspaper note announced incorporation of the American Bankers' Safety Company with a stock capitalization of $3,000,000. Charles was listed among the incorporators of the Company, which intended to manufacture and trade in banking equipment, safes, and vaults. When the Company declared a dividend of 1 3/4% on its preferred stock in mid-December 1912, Charles was listed as Assistant Treasurer of the corporation.

Financial commentators, however, were skeptical about the prospects of the American Banker's Safety Company.

Capitalizing Prospects. . . . Talk about over-capitalization, capitalizing prospects, stock watering, etc., have you seen the prospectus of the American Bankers Safety Company, of Delaware, issued under the auspices of George Leask & Company, members of the New York Stock Exchange recommending the 7 percent cumulative preferred stock of this company 'as an attractive investment?' If not, secure a copy, and if it does not remind you of the 'good old days of 1892' when the Herring-Hall-Marvin Company was launched your memory must be deficient, for we doubt if anything quite so remarkable in the way of a stock flotation in the safe and vault construction business has been undertaken since that company made its appearance one April morning, was three times over-subscribed, paid one dividend and subsequently passed into the hands of a receiver. . . . If the American Bankers Safety Company was capitalized at what could be regarded as a fair valuation of assets the preferred stock might be shown to be attractive as an investment, but when $2,000,000 of good will and numerous other large and doubtful items are inserted to swell its assets to uncertain proportions, the enterprise calls for analysis. . . .

-- Roger Post (transcriber), United States Investor 24(4):163-165 (Boston, New York, and Washington, Frank P. Bennett & Company, January 25, 1913), Google Books https://books.google.com/

Whatever the case was for or against the American Bankers' Safety Company, Charles, as Assistant Treasurer, presumably had a steady income as a corporate officer in 1913. Charles and Susan traveled to Moravia, Cayuga Co., New York in September 1913 for a stay with Mr. and Mrs. William Selover, Jr. The latter couple made a return visit to Charles and Susan's family in Brooklyn just after Thanksgiving 1913.

Cortland County Society of Greater New York and Vicinity

Like the Society of the Cayugas, the Cortland County Society was meant to maintain relationships between former residents of Cortland County, New York who had removed to New York City and surrounding communities. The Cortland County Society held its 13th Annual Reunion and Dinner on 25 January 1913 at the Hotel Astor, then a relatively new hotel located in the Times Square area of Manhattan. Charles and Susan Selover attended the function, which was presided over by Frank Cyrus Straat, Charles's brother-in-law and former business partner in Cortland. Philomena Ingalls Straat, Susan's sister, attended as well.

The Straats and Selovers both attended the 14th Annual Reunion and Dinner of the Cortland County Society on 22 January 1914, again at the Hotel Astor, where they dined together at Table No. 11. They were joined by William Ingalls Selover, Charles and Susan's second son who would have been 20 years old at the time.

We next learn of the Straats and Selovers attending a Cortland County Society Annual Reunion and Dinner on 14 February 1918 at the Aldine Club on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Charles Selover was a Member of the Nominating Committee for the Society for 1918. Both families also attended the 19th Annual Reunion and Dinner the following year, again at the Aldine Club. It may well be that Charles and Susan attended these events in other years as well.

Philippine Lyceum Bureau, Incorporated

This corporation, formed with the tiny capitalization of $1080 in November 1913, with Charles Selover as a Director, was an "amusement" management company. The Bureau would make all the arrangements for Dean C. Worcester, former Secretary of the Interior of the Philippine Islands, to conduct a lecture tour of the United States. Worcester had "hundreds of lantern slides to illustrate the conditions about which he [would] speak." The thrust of the tour, besides descriptive information about the Philippines and its people, seems to have been to show the colonial administration of the Islands by the United States in a favorable light.

The Bureau produced a brochure describing the proposed lecture tour and presumably would have received either a share of the gate receipts for Worcester's lectures or a fixed fee for making the necessary arrangements in various cities around the country. Evidence showing whether or not Charles made any money from the work of the Philippine Lyceum Bureau has not been found.

Sources indicate that Attorney Edward H. Fallows, the man behind the Harmony Club of America, was also President of the American-Philippine Company formed October 1912. It turns out that the Philippine Lyceum Bureau was located in the offices of the American-Philippine Company. This shows that Charles Selover had maintained his relationship with Fallows beyond that of the Harmony Club, and this fact set the stage for Charles's later career.

Visayan Refining Company

The Visayan Refining Company was incorporated in Dover, Delaware on 12 December 1913. Charles E. Selover was among the incorporators. Visayan proposed to "refine, prospect for[,] operate and maintain animal, mineral and vegetable substances of all kinds." Capitalization of Visayan was set at  $2,000,000 of stock. This was another of Attorney Edward H. Fallows' ventures under the umbrella of the American-Philippine Company.

Dean C. Worcester (see above) was made General Manager of the Visayan Refining Company. He was able, despite opposition, to establish a refining plant for producing coconut oil at Mactan, Cebu, Philippine Islands, which became very successful. Charles would have reaped at least a modest reward for his association with Visayan, which later became the Philippine Refining Company.

Port Washington Building Company and Port Washington Estates

Charles E. Selover was a Director and Treasurer of both the Port Washington Building Company and Port Washington Estates in 1914. Charles continued as a Director and Treasurer of Port Washington Estates in 1915-16, but his status with the Building Company during these years isn't known. It seems likely, however, that the two companies were closely tied and reasonable to assume that Charles continued as a Director and Treasurer of the Building Company subsequent to 1914. Both companies operated from 30 Church Street in Manhattan, the location of Attorney Edward H. Fallows' offices, and Fallows was President of both enterprises.

Port Washington Estates must have been a real estate development company. Port Washington is located on the North Shore of Long Island. An advertisement to sell a lot with beach access measuring 100' x 150' in Port Washington Estates for $2,900 on easy terms appeared over the name of Charles E. Selover in 1914. We can assume that the Port Washington Building Company existed to build houses on the lots sold by Port Washington Estates.

American-Philippine Company and Vegetable Oil Corporation

Charles E. Selover was directly associated with the American-Philippine Company of Edward H. Fallows, rather than with its subsidiary companies, for the first time in 1917 when he was listed as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer. This marked a move upward for Charles in Attorney Fallows' corporations. Still, Charles had been among the original incorporators of the American-Philippine Company in 1912 so presumably had retained some ownership interest in the corporation since that time. 

Charles identified himself as a Comptroller on his passport application in 1919  although his specific employer was not named. The 1920 federal census lists him as Secretary-Treasurer in the vegetable oil industry. Attorney Fallows had formed the Vegetable Oil Corporation to produce glycerine for munitions during World War I although it didn't go into operation before the end of the War. It is likely that Charles was Comptroller and Secretary-Treasurer of that organization.

At Home in Brooklyn

Charles's stepmother, Ella C. Hicks Selover, died on 10 December 1916 at Moravia. Charles's father, William Selover, Jr., then spent from February to May 1917 at the home of Charles and Susan in Brooklyn before returning to Moravia. It appears that William came back to Brooklyn to live permanently with Charles and Susan later in 1917. William died at their home 19 January 1920. His remains were returned to Moravia for burial in Indian Mound Cemetery.

Charles and Susan joined a group of relatives, including the family of their son Charles, Jr., at North Fair Haven, Sterling, Cayuga Co., New York at the beginning of September 1917 for a vacation of two weeks duration on Lake Ontario. Charles traveled to Cortland to visit his brother-in-law, Dr. Cassius E. Ingalls, for a week in July 1918. The following year, Charles and Susan joined the Straat family at a summer home in Winstead, Litchfield Co., Connecticut. There they were visited by Dr. Ingalls around Memorial Day 1919. 

Charles attended the 30th Annual Dinner honoring the birthday of General Ulysses S. Grant at Grant Hall of G. A. R. Post No. 327 on 28 April 1919 at 489 Washington Avenue. Charles had been just a boy during the Civil War but may have belonged to the Post's Associate Society or was otherwise the guest of a member.

We can speculate that by the summer of 1917 Charles had surmounted some of his past financial difficulties with steady employment in the several corporations of Attorney Edward H. Fallows, who was a very successful businessman. The Selovers, who had formerly lived at 1058 Bergen Street, were by 1919 living at 228 New York Avenue in Brooklyn. Business requirements would soon draw Charles and Susan to the West Coast of the United States as Attorney Fallows' companies continued to focus on the Philippine Islands and Tahiti.

To be continued. . . .