USA > Ohio > Licking County > Newark > Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio > Part 41
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Isaac Cain was born August 14, 1823, and spent his entire life on the old homestead, containing one hundred and eighty-six acres in Union township, two miles east of Outville on the Black road, the place being known as "Mount Pleas- ant" farm. He was well known throughout the township for his industry, through which he became quite prosperous, and was accounted among the county's best agriculturists. His good character gave him an excellent reputation throughout the township for his life was always conducted as nearly as possible in harmony with the teachings of Christianity, as set forth in the Presbyterian church, of which he was a member. He was indeed a desirable and worthy citizen, entertaining the confidence and respect of all who knew him. He was twice married, his first wife, Minerva Parkerson, having passed away in 1855, leaving one child, John, who resides in Outville with Burton. His second wife, Mary Condit, was a native of New Jersey, where her birth occurred September 13, 1824. With her parents, Isaac and Jane (Dobbins) Condit, natives of New Jersey, she came to Licking county when thirteen years of age and after a long and useful life passed away February 28, 1901. She was the mother of the following children: George W., a resident of Columbus, Ohio; Burton; Jennie, the wife of William Yearly; Fannie, who became the wife of Frank Wells, of Harrison township; Mattie, who resides with her husband, Charles Nichols, in Westerville, Ohio; and Joseph B., who passed away in infancy.
On the farm on which his father was born and spent his entire life Burton Cain was reared, there familiarizing himself with the various departments of agri- culture, and during boyhood acquired his education in the neighboring schools. He remained upon the home place until 1898, when he located in Outville and established himself in the hay and grain business and also in handling live stock, in both enterprises being an extensive buyer and shipper. In connection with his
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BURTON CAIN
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business interests here he still owns a part of the old homestead, the farm consist- ing of ninety acres, and in partnership with his half-brother John, he keeps the property under cultivation and raises general crops and stock, which he handles in connection with his business in the village. He is an enterprising business man and, his volume of trade steadily increasing, the concern of which he is proprietor is one of the most prominent in the commercial circles of Outville.
In 1891 Mr. Cain wedded Mary Alice Turner, a native of Kirkersville, Harri- son township, where her birth occurred August 9, 1859. Her parents were Harvey and Elizabeth (Jackson) Turner, her father a native of Perry county and her mother of Delaware county. Mr. Turner, by a former marriage with Sarah Deweese, had one child, Elizabeth Embry, who resides in Kirkersville. The chil- dren of his second marriage are: Mary Alice; Katie Embry, a resident of Newark, Ohio; William, who lives in Kirkersville; and Retta, who resides in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Cain gives his allegiance to the democratic party and, being a public- spirited man, he is always ready and willing to assist in promoting all measures designed for the general improvement of the community. He belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Red Men, in behalf of which organizations he takes an active interest, and he is a member of the Presbyterian church. His business relations have always been straightforward and, being a man of excellent judgment and careful management, the commercial worth of the enterprise he conducts has added much to the financial standing of the town, in which he is favorably known as a representative and honorable citizen.
DAVID D. GREEN.
It is interesting in this connection to note something of the history of the Rev. David D. Green, whose widow and three children reside at Granville. Rev. David D. Green devoted his life to missionary work in foreign lands and in the west, and his influence was of no restricted order. In fact, his work was a widely felt influence and his memory remains as a blessed benediction to all who knew him. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1828. His parents were Isaac and Lettie (Miller) Green, and the influence of his early life and training in a Christian household were manifest throughout his entire career, proving again the truth of the saying of the wise man of old: "Train a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." In his early childhood his parents removed to Chesterville, and after completing his preliminary education he spent a year as a student in the Male Academy, con- ducted under the auspices of the Presbyterian church. He afterward went to Martinsburg, where he pursued a preparatory course and then entered Jefferson College at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. In the meantime he had united with the Presbyterian church of Chesterville, Ohio, under the ministry of the Rev. F. A. Shearer, and determining to devote his life to the work of the church he entered the Western Theological Seminary in the fall of 1856, pursuing there a three years' course, which was followed by graduation in the class of 1859. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Richland at Frederickstown, Ohio, and ordained as
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a foreign missionary by the same Presbytery at Shelbyville, Ohio. His first field of labor was at Ningpo, China, whither he was sent in 1859, there remaining until the fall of 1866. The first news received at China after he reached that country was concerning the attack of Fort Sumter. He was one hundred and sixty-eight days on the voyage, which was made on a sailing vessel without a stop. Just prior to starting for foreign fields Rev. Green was married to Lydia J. Goodrich, a daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Powell) Goodrich, who came from Simsbury, Hartford county, Connecticut, and located on a farm in Greenville township, Licking county, which is the old homestead, and now owned by Moses Goodrich. On reaching China Rev. and Mrs. Green had a very cordial reception at Shanghai and, as stated, went from there to Ningpo, and in the fall of 1866 to Hangchau. In the former place they lived in a foreign house and in the latter in a native house.
Missionaries are ordinarily in China from one to three years before they begin to do any preaching in the Chinese language. Rev. Green, however, did not wait until he had acquired a sufficient knowledge of the tongue before attempting to do Christian work there. At that time there was considerable foreign shipping at Ningpo and from almost the first Sabbath after his arrival he directed much of his attention to the welfare of the sailors and other foreigners in the settlement. llis efforts among this class were not confined to an occassional sermon, for he visited the men in their lodgings, in the hospital and on board their ships. Many individual rescues of fallen people were made by him. Mrs. Green was also most helpful in his work and taught in the boys' school, of which Mr. Green had charge in connection with his preaching. Four of the boys under their care became very able native helpers. While Ningpo and Hangchau were the central points of his labor, Rev. Green did not confine his attention to those places entirely, but traveled from point to point, preaching the gospel and exemplifying in his life the influence of the Christian religion.
While living abroad several children were born unto Rev. and Mrs. Green. William, born August 11, 1861, in Ningpo, died in Teagchau in 1863 and was buried in a cemetery overlooking the China Sea. Sarah Letty, born January 17, 1864, at Ningpo, is now teaching for the fifth year in Wilson College at Cham- bersburg, Pennsylvania. George McCartee, who was born August 20, 1867, has always been an invalid. Mr. and Mrs. Green remained at Hangchau until May, 1869, when they returned to their native land in order to secure more efficient medical treatment for their son George M. They went first to Granville and there on the 31st of August, 1869, a daughter, Laura Caroline, was born. She is now a teacher in the Pennsylvania College for Women at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where she has been located for six years.
In 1870 Rev. Green went as a home missionary to Doniphon, Kansas, where he labored until the time of his death, having charge of the Doniphon and Wathena churches. He died in the former town on September 25, 1872, as he and his wife were preparing to return to China. The family afterward came to Granville, where they have since lived. Rev. Green had retained his connection with the Ningpo Presbytery, for he expected to return and again enter the mis- sionary field of China. He was an earnest student and a devoted servant of the ministry, and died in the triumph of the faith for which he sacrificed so much to
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preach. One who was with him at his death said: "The valley had no shadow for him and when his articulation failed in English, his tongue found utterance in the Chinese 'Yong wha,' meaning glory. He not only taught us how to live but how to triumph over death."
Mrs. Green, like her husband, was liberally educated and gave her children good advantages. She was graduated at the Granville Female College and taught there from 1854 until 1859, when she was married. Following the death of her husband she returned with her family to Granville, residing here continuously since. The daughter, Sarah Letty, is a graduate of the Granville Female College and afterward completed the bachelor of science course at Cornell, and is now teaching science. Laura Caroline is also a graduate of Granville Female College and of Wellesley College, where she won the bachelor of arts degree, and she teaches Greek and Latin. The members of the family occupy an enviable position in the social circles where intelligence and character-worth are accepted as passports into good society.
ISRAEL W. WILSON.
Israel W. Wilson, numbered among the veterans of the Civil war and also classed with the representative agriculturists of Granville township, is well known in this county, for he was born here and is a representative of one of the old pioneer families. His birth occurred near the Cross Key Tavern in Madison township, February 19, 1840, his parents being Stewart and Lovina (Cornell) Wilson. His paternal grandparents were Alexander and Catharine (Wilson) Wilson, natives of Pennsylvania, who in the year 1818 left that state and came to Ohio. Mrs. Wilson rode horseback all the way and carried on the horn of the saddle a sprinkling can filled with honey. A bear and her cub, smelling this honey, followed them for some distance, but at length they succeeded in driving the animals away. The first location of the family was at Rushville near Lan- caster, Ohio, where they lived for three years, after which they came to Licking county, traveling through the forests all the way to Madison township. Here they located on a tract of land which Alexander Wilson secured from the Stanbury tract. He was led to make this selection from the fact that he found a deer drink- ing from a spring there and wished to be near a spring, as he had been in Penn- sylvania. Both he and his wife remained upon the homestead, which he there developed, throughout their remaining days and were buried on the farm, but in 1866 their remains were removed to Cedar Hill cemetery. The death of the grandfather occurred in 1838, while the grandmother passed away in 1836.
Stewart Wilson was their only child. He was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania in 1809, and was brought by his parents to this county in 1818. He continued to reside upon the old home farm until his death, which occurred when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-six years. His place comprised sixty- five acres of land, which he carefully cultivated and improved and through his farming operations he provided for his family. He married Lovina Cornell, who was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1815, and died on the old homestead farm
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in 1880. She was a daughter of Gideon and Julia (Lobdel) Cornell, who were natives of Massachusetts and came to Ohio from Granville, that state. They located first near Johnstown in this county and some of the Cornells are still living in that locality. They were connected with Ezra Cornell, the founder of Cornell University, who was a cousin of Gideon Cornell. The maternal grand- mother of Mr. Wilson was Julia Lobdel, whose father located on what has since been known as Lobdel Run in St. Albans township in 1805. He located on a quarter section of land, for which he gave forty dollars and his wife's saddle. So wild and unimproved was the district that they had to cut their way through the woods from Zanesville. Indians still lived in the state and everything appeared just as it came from the hand of nature. In the family of Stewart and Lovina (Cornell) Wilson were eight children : Alexander, who served in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and is now deceased; Mrs. Eliza Jane Simpson, who has also passed away; Mrs. Caroline Patterson, of East Newark; Israel W .; Robert, a twin brother of Kathrine, who served as a member of Com- pany F, Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and is now deceased; Kathrine, who has also passed away ; Leander, living on the old homestead in Madison town- ship; and Mrs. Leanna Montgomery, also deceased. The last two were twins.
No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Israel W. Wilson until August, 1862, when patriotism constrained him to put aside the work of the farm and give his aid to the government. He donned the blue uniform and became a member of Company F, Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with his brother Robert. He was in the following engagements: Rich- mond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862 ; Siege of Vicksburg, May 18 to July 4, 1863; raid after Marmaduke and Price through Arkansas and Missouri, fall of 1864; Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi, June 10, 1864; Tupelo, Mississippi, July 12, 1864; Oxford, Mississippi, July 15, 1864; Nashville, December 15-16, 1864; Siege of Mobile, Alabama, March 27 to April 9, 1865; and other skirmishes. Robert Wilson was captured June 10, 1864, and spent ten months in Andersonville prison, undergoing all the hardships of southern prison life. He was in the Sultana dis- aster, the greatest of its kind in the history of the world. After the explosion, in which sixteen hundred were killed, Robert Wilson hung on to a line in the ice cold water until rescued.
When the war was over Israel W. Wilson returned to his home and soon afterward married. On the 10th of October, 1865, he wedded Miss Mary E. Spellman, who was born in St. Albans township in 1842 and was a daughter of George and Jane (Lansing) Spellman. The father was born in St. Albans town- ship and the mother in Troy, New York. He was a son of Thomas Spellman and a grandson of Timothy Spellman, who was with the colony from Granville, Massachusetts, that came to Ohio in 1805 and founded the town of Granville, Ohio. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have been born five children : Robert Lansing, now living in New York city; Ellen S., the wife of Victor Stark, of St. Albans township; Jane L., the wife of Frank Stark, of St. Albans township, a brother of Victor Stark; Carrie L., the wife of Griffith Jones, of Houston, Texas; and Charles M., of New York city.
Following his marriage Israel W. Wilson took up his abode in Granville township, where he has since lived. He cultivated rented land for a number of years and in 1895 came to his present home adjoining the corporation limits of
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Granville, where he is now living retired. He has always taken a lively interest in public affairs, cooperating in many movements for the general good and his fellow townsmen recognize in him a public-spirited citizen who manifests toward his home county and the country at large the same spirit of loyalty which charac- terized him during his three years' defense of the Union. He has always voted with the republican party, but has never held nor desired office. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and all of his life has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which finds in him a stalwart adherent, doing all in his power to promote its growth and extend its influence.
JOSEPH RENZ.
Joseph Renz is numbered among the most deserving and highly respected citizens of Newark. He is of sturdy German stock and descends from a family whose members were among the early settlers of this community. He has been an invaluable man to the city, and has not only served with great credit in many municipal and county offices but has also been always solicitous to promote public improvements, and through his efforts much has been added to the appearance of the city, and as well to its financial standing. Mr. Renz is now engaged in the insurance business and conducts agencies for all of the old line companies, at the same time acting as a notary public. He was born in Newark, November 29, 1859, a son of Lawrence Renz, a native of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in 1845, locating in Newark, where he was a well-known and highly esteemed character among the German pioneers. He passed away in 1898, at the advanced age of seventy-six years. Odelia (Minna) Renz, mother of the subject of this sketch, who was also a native of Germany, passed out of this life in 1906, having attained the age of seventy-five years.
In the common schools of Newark, Joseph Renz completed a course of study and later became a student at St. Vincent's, in Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania. He returned to Newark and, in 1878, was appointed a clerk in the county recorder's office, in which position he not only served with great credit to himself, but also with advantage to the community. He increased in popularity and influ- ence, and was subsequently appointed to the office of deputy auditor, the duties of which office he performed with exceptional ability for a period of thirteen years. At the termination of that period he was appointed to a position in the county treasurer's office, where he remained for eight years, having in all served the public creditably for upwards of twenty-five years. He then established himself in the real-estate and insurance business, at the same time entering upon the duties of a notary public. These interests he is now conducting and in them is meeting with remarkable success. Mr. Renz has always been alive to the highest interests of the municipality, and, owing to his many years of experience in public affairs, was made a member of the city board of review. He has been serving in this capacity for the past five years. He is a man of excellent judgment and as well of remarkable administrative ability, being recognized as a valuable man and counsellor in all matters pertaining to city government and public improvements.
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In March of the year 1890 he was united in marriage to Laura J. McCamey, a native of Licking county, and daughter of John W. McCamey. Mr. Renz is an active democrat. He has always been an ardent devotee of the principles of the party, and is an influential factor throughout the county during political cam- paigns. He is a director of the German Life Association and as well a representa- tive of the best fire insurance companies in the United States.
WILLIAM F. PALMER.
William F. Palmer, proprietor of the Shady Nook Farm in Etna township, well deserves mention in this volume by reason of the fact that he is a substantial agriculturist and reliable citizen and that his ancestors were among the early pioneers of the state, devoting their lives to preparing the way for the high state of progress now experienced throughout its counties. His grandfather. Thomas Palmer, was the fifth among the early settlers of Truro township, Franklin county, and that he led an active and eminently useful life is indicated by the fact that a tablet bearing his name has been placed in the Franklin County Memorial Hall. Over a century ago he went from his native state, Maine, to Truro township, arriv- ing there in the year 1805 and entering six hundred acres of land, much of which he cleared, engaging in agricultural pursuits until his death in the year 1824. He was twice married and, by his first wife had five children, among whom were Thomas, Carpenter and William. By his second wife, who was Mary Philbrook, he had two children: Joel, father of the subject of this review ; and Hiram, de- ceased.
Joel Palmer was born in Reynoldsburg, Franklin county, July 17, 1822, and there he resided with his parents until he was twenty-six years of age, in the mean- time attending the neighboring schools. He then came to this county, locating on a farm situated on the line between Etna and Lima townships and about five miles from his birthplace. Here he spent his remaining days in the pursuit of agricul- ture, departing this life in Lima township, August 19, 1905, after having lived continuously in one residence for fifty years. His home was on the township road one mile north of Wagram, and his career was marked by eminent success, inas- much as he started out in life without either means or influence, but by his perse- verance and enterprise finally accumulated a considerable fortune and at his death left a valuable estate. His life was modest and quiet and while he was always will- ing to assist in movements designed for the betterment of the community he never held public office nor took active part in politics, preferring to live in the retire- ment and comforts of his home. At his death, which occurred in his eighty-fourth year, he left nine children, all of whom were married and reared families, twenty- two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and he never attended a funeral of his immediate family. the first one of his near relatives to pass on during his life being a daughter-in-law. His wife, Mrs. Lucinda Palmer, a native of Franklin county, was born October 22. 1824, a daughter of Jonathan and Sarah (Rees) Ash- brook, her mother having been a daughter of Jacob Rees and her father a son of Eli Ashbrook, the biography of whose family appears elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Palmer still survives and resides here with her children, namely : Corwin F.,
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MR. AND MRS. JOEL PALMER
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a resident of Vermont ; William F .; Norman A., who lives in Minnesota; Marion G., on the home place in Lima township; Byron, who departed this life in Ashtabula, Ohio; Myrta A., wife of Frank McLade, of Hebron; Clarence Joel and Clara Lu- cinda, twins, the former residing in Etna township and the latter widow of Charles Chrysler, living in Franklin county; and Ella A., who with her husband, C. S. Frazier, resides in Muskingum county, Ohio.
On the old homestead William F. Palmer was reared, having the usual expe- riences common to the country lad during his boyhood days, and acquiring his edu- cation in the district schools. He was born in Etna township, October 6, 1850. Remaining on his father's farm until he was married, he then took up similar work independently and has since been engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He owns a farm of one hundred and eighty acres, located on the Etna township line, where he resides, his premises being provided with a magnificent residence and substantial outbuildings, and, as executor, he also has charge of his father's estate, including an adjoining farm of two hundred and fifty acres on which there is an elegant brick residence, the farm being also provided with its own barn and outbuildings. General agriculture commands the attention of Mr. Palmer, and he also engages to some extent in raising and feeding stock.
In 1873 Mr. Palmer wedded Miss Sarah Buckland, a native of Union township, born November 25, 1848, and a daughter of Nelson and Eliza (Winters) Buckland, a biographical sketch of whose family appears in another part of this volume. To this union have been born five children: Cora, who is the wife of Llewellyn Tus- sing, of Franklin county, and has five children-Frederick, Homer, Laura, Ardella and Russell; Lillian, who is at home with her parents; Lec B., a neighboring farmer, who wedded Traverse Deeds, daughter of John J. Deeds, and has one child, Dorothy May; Alta E., at home; and Raymond.
Mr. Palmer has always devoted his attention to the duties of his farm, and, his business affairs being numerous, he has not found time to devote to secret societies, he preferring to spend his leisure with his family and in the retirement of the home circle. However, he and his wife attend divine services at the Licking Baptist church of Union township, of which he is a liberal supporter. His reputa- tion for industry and honesty entitles him to be enumerated among the worthy citizens of his native county.
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