1556 Granville Street
Renz House

Lot 54, Smith's Woodland Park Addition

John Jacob Renz, Jr. was born February 22, 1871 in Columbus, son of John Jacob and Catherine Kaiser Renz. He married Flora Pauline Dorbert on September 9, 1903 in Franklin County. Flora was born November 29, 1873 in Columbus, daughter of George and Clara Guthke Dorbert. They had a daughter, Pauline H. (1909).

The Renz first appear on Granville Street in the 1907 City Directory. In 1906 and earlier John's occupation is listed as molder, this was also his father's occupation. John worked as a molder until 1911 when he got a job as a sanitary inspector. In 1913 his job is listed as Sergeant Sanitary Police.

The 1916 City Directory lists John as Chief of Sanitation and Tenement Inspection, City Board of Health. The Renz' home address is 1362 Granville Street, on the west side of Taylor Avenue. In the 1920 Census, the Renz are renting 943 East Main Street and John is Chief Sanitary Officer of the Health Department.

In the 1930 Census, the Renz live in Clintonville at 165 Tibet Road. John is a Deputy Clerk of the Franklin County Court.

The Dillies bought the house from the Renz on March 17, 1919.

John Edson Dillie was born April 12, 1878 in Brookville, Montgomery County, the son of Zachariah T.  and Tamson Hartman Dillie. He married Martha A. Barber in Clark County on November 14, 1901. Martha was born on January 30, 1881 in Ross County, daughter of Joseph D. and Mary A. Drummond  Barber.

John Edson Dillie was a motorman on the Ohio Electric Railroad in 1910 and at least through 1918. The Ohio Electric Railway Company was an interurban formed in 1907 with the consolidation of 14 smaller interurban railways. It was one of Ohio's largest interurban systems. It connected Toledo, Lima, Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati, providing passenger service to small towns in western Ohio. The railroad went bankrupt in 1927.

Nephew Kenneth Randall lived with them in 1920 and 1930. Also in 1930, nephew Joseph W. Case, and nieces Mabel and Wilma.

The 1949 Columbus City Directory lists John and Martha at Dillie's Delicatessen, 4 Central Market and they are living at 34 North Remington Road. The Central Market House was on Fourth and ran between Town and Rich Streets.

In the 1920s and 30s there were some transfers of the property, but they seem to all be between relatives of John's. The property always returned to John Dillie in these exchanges.

John died in Florida on August 30, 1979 at age 102. 

On November 13, 1943, the widowed Alpha R. Dotson bought the house from the Dillies.

Byron Harry Dotson was born March 11, 1900 in Canal Winchester, Ohio, son of Charles E. and Emma May Waltermire Dotson. He married Alpha Ruth Soncrant in Detroit, Michigan on September 8, 1919. Alpha was born February 24, 1893 in Fremont, Ohio, daughter of Jacob Christ and Christina Margarete Myers Soncrant. They had five children: Harry L. (1921), Lois C. (1923), Audrey R. (1925), Edward B. (1927) and Wildra R. (1928).

I'll mention here that the Soncrant name is also found spelled Sanscrainte in some records and that Alpha's father, Jacob Christ went by his first and middle names alternately.

In 1920 the Dotsons lived in Bloom Township, Fairfield County. Byron was a farm laborer. The Dotsons lived in Groveport in 1930 and Byron was a stationery engineer in an electric power plant. He died October 16, 1941 of complications following a heart attack. His death certificate lists his occupation as fireman with the Columbus & Southern Electric Company. The Dotsons lived on Blacklick Street in Groveport at the time. Byron is buried in Lithopolis, Ohio.

Alpha died in Greenfield, Ohio on December 4, 1975.

Just a few months later, on July 26, 1944, Alpha sold the house to her brother, John C. Soncrant.

John C. Soncrant was born May (or October) 25, 1904 in Port Clinton, Ohio, son of Jacob Christ Soncrant and Christina Myers. He married Mary Sigler, a divorcee, on October 6, 1927 in Franklin County. Mary's first husband's name was Guy Norris. Mary was born in 1904 in Winfield, West Virginia, daughter of Selby and Eliza Lanham Sigler.

In the 1930 Census, John is listed as an Army recruit at Fort Hayes. John C. Soncrant is listed in the 1945 City Directory at 1556, his occupation is listed as U.S. Army. John was a MSgt in the US Air Force and served in WWII.

He later married Cloneil Clara Upton. "Clo" was born November 20, 1919 in Mississippi. She died October 3, 2003 in Houston, Texas. Her obituary reports that "she was an avid gardener, loved her family and was a great fan of George Strait. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Maxie Upton and husband, John Soncrant. She is survived by her sons, John Soncrant (December 1945) and wife, Kathleen of Spring, TX, Charles R. Soncrant (January 4, 1928-January 6, 2004) and wife, Lois of Issaquah, Washington; brother, Fred Upton of Jackson, Mississippi; 7 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren."

John died of cancer on May 24, 1959 in Bexar, Texas. His death certificate states that his regular address was 615 Shadywood Lane in San Antonio. He had been at the Air Force Hospital at Lackland Air Force Base for three months prior to his death. He is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

On June 5, 1950, Edward D. and Viola E. Clement bought the house from John and Cloneil C. Soncrant of Jackson, Mississippi.

Rev. Edward D. Clement was born March 8, 1910 in Ohio, son of Elizabeth Clement. He married Veola E. Hopewell before 1932. Viola was born in 1911 in Virginia, probably the daughter of William and Sarah Hopewell. They had a daughter Martha who died of pneumonia at 11 days old, born on April 14, 1933. Martha is buried at Evergreen Cemetery. They had another daughter, Ruth Marie (September 12, 1934-December 10, 1998).

In the 1932 City Directory the Cements are listed at 239 North 21st Street. Edward is a laborer. In 1938 they lived at 289-1/2 North Ohio Avenue and Edward is listed as janitor at the Medical Science Building Company. From 1941 to 1950 the Clements lived at 1330 Clifton Avenue, Apartment J. Edward was working as a janitor.

Viola died on June 7, 1960. the property was divided equally between Edward and her daughter, Ruth C. Jenkins.

Edward later married Emeliana N. Dionisio, a Filiipina born February 8, 1935. They had a son, Edward D. Clement, Jr. (February 8, 1974-June 28, 2009) and two daughters, Lolita and Carmelita.

Edward died in Columbus on October 24, 1979. His interest in the property (then an undivided 3/4) passed to his second wife, Emeliana N. Clement. On October 21, 1982, Emeliana bought Ruth's then 1/4 interest in the property.

The Columbus Dispatch of March 27, 1996 reported, "Two men were shot yesterday afternoon at 1556 Granville St., on the Near East Side during an argument with a third man....Alvin Wilson, 21, suffered a gunshot wound in the abdomen and was in fair condition last night at Grant Medical Center...Eric Robinson, 27, was in serious condition at Grant with gunshot wounds in the chest and arm...Police said Wilson and Robinson were arguing with a man when he pulled out a gun and shot them...The suspect then fled. No arrests have been made."

Emeliana died in Columbus on March 31, 2004.

Edward E. Phillips purchased the property on February 26, 2002.

1556 Granville Street, March 2010

Edward D. Clement, Jr.