Where one comes from and when one lived all frame the circumstances that shape one's character and determine one's future. Kenneth Irving Cleveland began life on a farm in Charlton Massachusetts but larger circumstances shaped his future. Ken was born into troubled times and a failing economy. His early career choices were limited, but as post war markets recovered, Ken took advantage of unplanned opportunities and became successful in an unwanted profession. Through quirks of history and a twists of fate, Ken' surname, Cleveland, prefaced his future, determined his career, and the place where it would begin.