CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A 200-year-old chair that belonged to Cleveland’s first permanent settler now sits in the Bay Village Historical Society, carrying with it two centuries of the city’s history.
The wooden chair belonged to Lorenzo Carter, who established Cleveland’s first settlement along the Cuyahoga River. The furniture shows its age with worn wood and bark still clinging to the bottom of the seat.
“Lorenzo was the first settler that stayed, and remember it was all Indians at the time. He did speak an Indian language. He was fluent and kept the peace with them,” said Cathy Flament, director of the Bay Village Historical Society.
Chair passes through generations
Carter built his home and tavern along the Cuyahoga River. When he died, the chair went to his oldest son, Alonzo, who married into the Aiken family. The chair remained with the Aikens for generations…