Grover Cleveland as Buffalo Knew Him, by Charles H. Armitage (HC, 1926, $13, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
Grover Cleveland was not even supposed to live in Buffalo, much less become mayor. At age 27 he was on his way to Ohio to look for a job when he stopped by to see relatives. There he stayed, to be elected sheriff, mayor, and eventually governor. He became known as an honest man, and a reformer. ( He vetoed an annual street cleaning contract, even though the winner had been a friend, because the bid had not been the lowest.)
Once he got into the presidency he was still known as a reformer, but with a heavy pro-business slant. One of his most famous interventions was in the Chicago Pullman Railroad Strike of 1894. The mail went by rail. When the mail couldn't get through he called in federal troops.
(Not mentioned in this book is his foreign policy.)
I had forgotten that Cleveland served two presidencies, but not consecutively. In 1888 Harrison took the electoral college vote, even though Cleveland took the popular vote.
Cleveland's other claim to fame was his marriage during his presidency. Before his election he was accused of fathering a child. He said it was possible, and got elected anyway. Then people surmised he was thinking of marriage, most likely to the widow of his former law partner. Oops, ... He did marry a Folsom, but it was his partner's young daughter who had just graduated from college. (Don't you just love a good love story!)
One of the endearing qualities of this particular book is the number of photos, grainy as they are, and copies of correspondence. Anything with any connection to Buffalo is included. Look for this book in the local section, avail. 1/21.
