Frank Arthur Cleland was born in 1857 in Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. His English born father was a commission merchant and Frank grew up learning how to sell.
Shortly after he was born his family relocated to Brooklyn, New York. By the time he was 20 the family had moved to Chicago. There Frank was working for Charles Moritz Jevne the well known tea merchant at 110-112 Milwaukee Avenue.
In 1881 he was featured in an article about Warner's Safe Kidney & Liver Cure. It had supposedly helped his father. Strangely the article appeared in April and his father had died the month before.
By 1895 Frank was now working for the Russell Morgan Printing and United States Playing Card Company in San Francisco. He had been selling cards since 1891 and was representing their Fireside Game Company. (You can read about the Fireside Game Company on this website)
In October 1903 Frank left USPC and joined the Kalamazoo Paper Box and Card Company. He took charge of their office in New York City and was also responsible for their business in Canada.
By 1905 Frank has been working hard and growing the business. Even the American Stationer trade magazine noticed;
January 1905
A Well Known Sales Manager
THERE are few men who enjoy a wider acquaintance among the trade than Frank A. Cleland, the general sales manager of the Kalamazoo Paper Box and Card Company, of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Mr. Cleland is located at 377 and 379 Broadway, New York. He has lately booked some very large orders for the Lily Playing Cards, the merit of which is known by all.
By 1905 Frank has been working hard and growing the business. Even the American Stationer trade magazine noticed;
January 1905
A Well Known Sales Manager
THERE are few men who enjoy a wider acquaintance among the trade than Frank A. Cleland, the general sales manager of the Kalamazoo Paper Box and Card Company, of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Mr. Cleland is located at 377 and 379 Broadway, New York. He has lately booked some very large orders for the Lily Playing Cards, the merit of which is known by all.
Business was so good that Frank went to Chicago to open an office there. With him were his two of his most valued assistants Charles M. Smith and James M. Riddle. But by July the card company lets Frank and his team go. This was due to the hiring of Benjamin Rosenthal as head of sales.
Read more about this at the link below;
Frank took his team back to New York City and decided to start a card company of his own.
The American Stationer
Sept 28, 1905
Frank A. Cleland, of 377 Broadway, New York, has nearly completed negotiations for the erection of a new playing card factory. It must be considered that Mr. Cleland commands a large trade throughout the United States. He has succeeded in interesting a trust company in this venture. Therefore, by the first of January The Frank A. Cleland Playing Card Company will begin to take orders.
Geyer's Stationer
October 1905
The Frank A Cleland Playing Card Co
THE friends of Frank A Cleland and in fact the general trade will be pleased to learn that he is now the head of a large company which will manufacture a fine line of playing cards. Mr. Cleland has devoted years of hard work to the playing card business as sales manager. He has been constantly on the road and has met and had heart to heart talks with all his customers. He knows just the amount of business he can bring to the new company and his associates are confident of success. The Frank A Cleland Playing Card Company will shortly purchase a factory. Then the proper machinery will be installed In the early part of January they will begin to take orders. Associated with Mr. Cleland in the management of the business are Charles M.Smith and James M. Riddle. It is a very large undertaking to establish a playing card company and requires large capital. In order to interest financial men in a project good substantial evidence must be furnished as to its merits. A glance at Cleland's record of sales is enough to convince the most skeptical and in this case it has placed him at the head of a large corporation. A representative of Geyer's Stationer recently called upon him at his New York office and found him going over a large mail containing inquiries as to when he would be able to supply his new line of playing cards and he is keeping his stenographers busy. Mr. Cleland is a man of ideas strong and resourceful He has been a sort of free lance all his life in the capacity of sales manager. In fact his bold spirit has never been broken by a man higher up. Yet to those under him he is very kind and considerate thinking constantly of their welfare. Mr. Cleland says that the names he is going to give his different brand of cards will be winners and that he is about to get them copyrighted now. He will soon begin his advertising campaign taking space in the leading magazines and trade journals. He has also great faith in the follow up system of correspondence in securing orders and daily sends out a great quantity of mail.
Geyer Stationer
Oct 5, 1905
The gold bonds of the Frank A. Cleland Playing Card Company are being rapidly sold. Just now Mr. Cleland is a very busy man. Money talks.
Geyer Stationer
Oct 26, 1905
Cards ready by Jan. 15th
But something has gone wrong in New York City and Frank starts looking elsewhere.
Geyer Stationer
Nov 9, 1905
A representative of the Cleland Playing Card Company of New York is expected in Syracuse this week to look over the advantages offered by Syracuse as a manufacturing centre with a view to moving their plant to this city and securing larger quarters. The company employs 100 hands, about half of whom are women. If the plant is brought here it will bring thirty-five skilled workmen with their families—Syracuse Telegram.
On December 15. 1905 Frank incorporates. The Frank A Cleland Playing Card Company of New York City announces a capital of $100,000. The Directors are Frank A Cleland, Charles M. Smith and H. R. Wade.
Apparently the Syracuse deal falls through and Frank approaches the Chamber of Commerce in Meadsville, Pennsylvania, in January 1906. Frank wants to raise $100,000 with Meadsville coming up with $45,000 of it. He claims it will employ 100 people. Meadsville passed on the deal.
Frank's dream died and he goes back to selling other people's cards and travelling again. By 1917 he was representing the Saks Stamping Company of Long Island City, New York. They made bed pans, hot water bottles and irrigators.
Frank left New York City in 1923 for Madison, Wisconsin. After a few years he moved to Chicago, where he died in 1931. He is buried in the Cleland family plot in the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Oct 26, 1905
Cards ready by Jan. 15th
But something has gone wrong in New York City and Frank starts looking elsewhere.
Geyer Stationer
Nov 9, 1905
A representative of the Cleland Playing Card Company of New York is expected in Syracuse this week to look over the advantages offered by Syracuse as a manufacturing centre with a view to moving their plant to this city and securing larger quarters. The company employs 100 hands, about half of whom are women. If the plant is brought here it will bring thirty-five skilled workmen with their families—Syracuse Telegram.
On December 15. 1905 Frank incorporates. The Frank A Cleland Playing Card Company of New York City announces a capital of $100,000. The Directors are Frank A Cleland, Charles M. Smith and H. R. Wade.
Apparently the Syracuse deal falls through and Frank approaches the Chamber of Commerce in Meadsville, Pennsylvania, in January 1906. Frank wants to raise $100,000 with Meadsville coming up with $45,000 of it. He claims it will employ 100 people. Meadsville passed on the deal.
Frank's dream died and he goes back to selling other people's cards and travelling again. By 1917 he was representing the Saks Stamping Company of Long Island City, New York. They made bed pans, hot water bottles and irrigators.
Frank left New York City in 1923 for Madison, Wisconsin. After a few years he moved to Chicago, where he died in 1931. He is buried in the Cleland family plot in the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.