Remembering Uncle Hugo Leisy

(Note: Recently, the City of Cleveland celebrated their first National Championship in any sport in over half a century, when the Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors in a thrilling 7-game series. One fellow, who would have dearly loved to see that championship was my wife's Uncle Hugo Leisy. Some years ago we had the pleasure of visiting Uncle Hugo in his home in Cleveland. Also, a guest that night was Tris Speaker, a Hall of Famer, who had led the Cleveland Indians to their first World Championship back before World War I. The Leisy Brewery sponsored broadcasts of the Indians' games, and other sports events, and Uncle Hugo was proud to be part of the Cleveland sports scene.)

It seems that every family has a favorite Uncle -- the fellow who is the center of attention at family reunions, and even after he is gone he still manages to be the central figure in the stories people tell about the family. In my wife's family this role was filled by Jean's Great Uncle Hugo Leisy, of Cleveland, Ohio.

Hugo was born in Keokuk, Iowa in 1869, the eldest son of German immigrants from Friedelsheim, Germany. Four of the Leisy brothers who came to this country, including Hugo's father, August, went into the brewing business in Iowa, then Illinois and Ohio. The brothers were all of the Mennonite faith, but at that time the Mennonites preached moderation in the consumption of alcohol, as in all things, and the brewing of beer was not considered a problem with the church. Gradually, though, the Mennonite stand on drinking (in the United States) turned to total abstinence. When the issue of brewing beer did become a serious issue between the Leisys and the Mennonite Church in the 1880s, August decided that the brewing atmosphere was not such a good environment in which to raise his family, so he sold his interest in the Cleveland brewery to his brother, Isaac, and headed west, where he bought farmland south of Wisner, Neb.

Early in the 1900s, Hugo became a banker in Wisner. From all reports, as a young man, Hugo was quite a dandy in the local social circles. He was a good-looking fellow with a promising future and was considered among the most eligible of bachelors in the community. He enjoyed his life, and had fate not stepped in Hugo would probably have lived out his life happily in Wisner. However, in 1914, a tragedy occurred in Cleveland that altered Hugo's future in a way he never could have guessed.

By 1914 Isaac Leisy had died in Cleveland and under the leadership of his son, Otto, the Leisy Brewery had prospered to the point that it was not only the leading brewery in Cleveland, but the leading brewery in the State of Ohio as well. Otto had become a leading "king maker" in Cleveland politics, and an important Philanthropist in the city. He had financial interests in a number of companies besides the brewery. Things could not have been better for the brewery and for the Cleveland Leisy family. But this all changed when Otto died suddenly at age 51.

Otto's sister, Amanda assumed presidency of the brewery, but only long enough to appoint a permanent head of the company. For this she turned to their cousin in Nebraska. Hugo Leisy, by this time was the president of the Wisner State Bank, and had been named the executor of Otto's estate. He had no experience in the brewing business, of course, but was a knowledgeable businessman, and agreed to come to Cleveland to run the Leisy Brewery and related businesses for the family until Otto's 14-year old son, Herbert would be able to take over the reins of the far flung Cleveland Leisy enterprises.

Hugo, the bachelor, was suddenly not only the executive officer of a major business, but since Otto's wife had preceded him in death by one year, Hugo (along with Otto's sister-in-law from Germany, Anna Gerber) was also the guardian of a teen-age boy. (Note: Hugo and Anna were later married. They had no children of their own.)

Hugo came to the brewing business at a bad time. After a number of good years for the brewery, after World War I, Prohibition became the law of the land. It is ironic that America, "the chief respecter of private enterprise and property rights," shut down an entire industry -- without compensation.

Until 1932, when Roosevelt lifted the ban on the manufacture of beer and spirits, the Leisy Brewery in Cleveland remained closed. This is not to say that Hugo Leisy was not busy during these years. From the earliest days of the brewery, Isaac, then Otto, had been buying up properties in Cleveland, which they would lease back to saloon operators, who would promise to feature the Leisy products. Over the years they had acquired some 200 properties in Cleveland, including some prime locations, so during the years of Prohibition, the Leisy Brewery really became a Real Estate firm, under the name of "The Pontiac Improvement Company."

This is the company that Hugo continued to run after Herbert came of age, again starting up the Leisy Brewery Co., following Prohibition.

Hugo lived the rest of his life in Cleveland, but he never did forget his Nebraska roots, where he continued to own land. For 24 years, he and his wife, Anna, returned to the Leisy farm for three or four weeks during September and October. Hugo was 94 at the time of his last visit, four years before his death. The fall visit was a busy and happy time for the visitors, and the Nebraska Leisys as well. It became a well-rehearsed ritual.

Hugo and Anna were driven out from Cleveland by their chauffeur, Wheeler, who had been with the family for many years. At first their car was a German-made Benz, then a seven-passenger Pierce Arrow, and finally a Cadillac. Always, an overnight stop at the Fontenelle Hotel, where Jean's folks met them. Hugo entertained them at Johnny's Steak House. He bought choice steak cuts at the Central Market for use during their farm stay.

During these visits Hugo and Anna were treated with great respect. Jean's folks moved out of their room during the stay and everything was done to make their visit enjoyable. After all, this was the life they were accustomed to in Cleveland. Hugo loved to observe (on the fringes) the operations connected with the cattle and the field work of the farm. But each afternoon Hugo took a little rest. Dressed in a three-piece suit, he would stretch out on the den sofa, flat on his back, with his hands crossed over his chest for a 30-minute nap. during which he never stirred. He awoke refreshed and unwrinkled.

At 5 o'clock it was cocktail time, and Hugo presided. His specialty was a Manhattan, precisely mixed. While everyone was limited to one cocktail, there was always enough left in the pitcher for a little "dividend," equal to at least one more drink.

Dinnertime was an event -- starched white tablecloth and napkins, and the best china and silverware. While the food was beautifully presented and delicious, the stories that were told at the table were the highlight of the dinner---which could easily last two hours.

Uncle Hugo had a phenomenal memory and was a good storyteller, and Wheeler, the chauffeur could have made his living as a stand-up comic. He had the knack of describing an everyday event in a particularly entertaining fashion.

Once, while in school in Chicago and not yet married, I was invited to spend the weekend with Wheeler and Uncle Hugo in Cleveland.

It was a fun experience. I'd never before toured a large brewery (or any brewery). I had also not visited in a home with servants. I'm not sure just what I expected, but I was a bit surprised. Their home, while very nice was not pretentious, and in need of redecorating.

They were no longer waited on by a bevy of servants. Wheeler stopped in, but they just had one live-in, Sally, a large jovial black lady. She prepared meals and did some cleaning -- there were no frills/

By this time Aunt Anna had died. Uncle Hugo was in his 90s and quite set in his ways. In retirement, he had established a routine from which he did not deviate. I got to be a part of his ritual. Wheeler came to the house mid-morning. We had a light breakfast, then went to the bank, where Uncle Hugo made a withdrawal of just a few dollars. Next stop, a drugstore lunch counter, where the waitress served him a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup, without even asking him for his order.

From the drugstore it was just a short walk to the Cleveland market, a huge open-aired pavilion -- aisles and aisles of food stalls, offering everything from fresh fish and meats, to tables heaped with fresh vegetables and fruits. It was more than I could absorb.

It was easy to see why Uncle Hugo visited the market. Though he had set out to buy just a few chops for the evening meal, we made the complete tour past all of the various stalls. We rarely stopped at a stall, yet as we passed, at almost every table the proprietor sang out, "Good morning Mr. Leisy. How are you today, Mr. Leisy?" He was almost apologetic. "I really don't know very many of these people. I guess I've been coming so long that they just know me".

The chops at dinner that night were very good, though Uncle Hugo reminded me a lot of Jean's Dad as he critiqued the quality of the meat, the cut, and the preparation. They were "good, but not quite as good as the ones we had last week."

For dessert that night, we had ice cream. Sally brought us our bowls before we had finished the main course. Uncle Hugo was quick to reprimand her. "Sally, that ice cream will be melted before we ever are ready for it" he said. "But Mr. Leisy," she answered, "You always put your ice cream under the lamp to melt it anyway. I just thought it could melt on its own." Needless to say, she took the ice cream back to the freezer.

After dinner she brought it back. Uncle Hugo put it under the lamp to melt.