213 Woodland Avenue
Caren House

Lot 23 and part of lot 24 Hannah M. Taylor's Addition 

On March 10, 1905, the Carens purchased this lot from James W. and Elizabeth Pope for $3,000. The deed notes that a balance of $140.28 was due on assessment for the improvement of Woodland Avenue. 

This house was probably built for the Carens in 1905.

Henry Joseph Caren was born February 22, 1859 in Columbus, son of Irish parents, John James and Mary McMullen Caran. He married Mary Anne Bergin in Franklin County on October 24, 1883. Mary was born February 13, 1859 in Columbus, daughter of Irish parents, Thomas and Margaret Smith Bergin. They had two children, Marguerite (June 27, 1885 - May 7, 1907) and Alice Catherine (July 9, 1889 - July 15, 1915).

Caren was Franklin County Auditor 1890-1894. The Carens lived at 267 East Spring Street before moving here. 

Caren was later the Treasurer of The Bergin & Brady Company, distillers and wholesale liquor dealers.  

James Caren owned lots 26-27 Munson's Woodland Avenue Addition, went to Henry and John on his death in 1920

The Caren's daughter Alice married Neal Joseph Hasbrook in Franklin County on October 12, 1910. Neal was born in September 17, 1887 in Columbus, son of George and Anna M. Kolb Hasbrook. They had three children: Neal Caren (September 13, 1911 - September 17, 1991), Mary Margaret (February 12, 1913 - November 13, 1949), and Alice C. (July 15, 1915 - September 14, 2014). 

The Hasbrooks lived at 213 Woodland Avenue. Alice died July 15, 1915. She is buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery. Neal died June 29, 1929 in Fairfield County and is buried at Greenlawn Cemetery. 

Nellie Sullivan worked for the Carens and lived at the house from at least 1910 to 1930. She was born in Ohio about October 1868, and had been a live-in servant for Cyrus Woodbury in 1900. She left the Carens before 1935.

Mary died at home on April 24, 1926. Caren died January 24, 1940. The Carens are buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery.

The house was transferred to Caren's three grandchildren after his death in 1940. They sold the house on December 31, 1942 to Thelmer Davis.

Thelmer Davis was born July 14, 1903 in Arkansas. He was a barber and lived at 2672 Sullivant Avenue. 

Davis sold the house a month later on January 29, 1943 to attorney Harold H. Voelker.

Voelker sold the house On October 2, 1943 to the Coreys.

Bille Juan "Bill" Corey was born about November 6, 1896 in Sealy, Texas, son of Charles L. and Fanny Vick Corey. His second marriage was to Evelyn Madame Harris. Evelyn was born April 15, 1892 in Kentucky. They had a son, Vincent Harris (June 14, 1926).  

Corey was a carpenter and building contractor. In 1917 he lived in Dupont, Florida and was working as a farm foreman. Bille was a veteran of World War I, wounded in action on September 19, 1918 and discharged on June 20, 1919. On April 15, 1921 he married Patti Wofford in Wood County, Texas.

In 1926 Evelyn and Bille lived in Rusk, Texas. In 1930 they lived in Prestonburg, Kentucky. In 1942 they lived at 1036 Chambers Road in Columbus.

Bille died in Lee County, Florida in May 1967. Evelyn died October 18, 1990. She is buried at Glen Rest Memorial Estate in Reynoldsburg.

The Coreys sold the house the the Reids on May 13, 1953.

Commodore Melvin Reid, Sr. was born August 9, 1882 (years vary in different records from 1873 to 1889) in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, son of James S. and Margaret Boger Reid. He married Bertha L. Russell on May 29, 1907 in Gilmer, North Carolina. Bertha was born about 1890 in North Carolina, daughter of Charlie and Mary Russell. They had two sons, Commodore Melvin, Jr. (July 16, 1913 - February 5, 1963) and Quentin (September 27, 1918 - March 19, 2007).

Caldwell's 1921 History of the American Negro and his institutions, Volume 4, has a biographical sketch of Reid, "Rev. Commodore M. Reid now (1920), stationed at 
St. James M. E. Church, Winston-Salem, N.C., is a native of the Old North State, having been born in Cabarrus Co. August 9, 1889. His father, James S. Reid, was also a minister of the Gospel, and. his mother, before her marriage, was Margaret Boger. His grandparents on the paternal side were Jerry and Mamie Reid and on the maternal side Jesse and Martha Boger. Rev. Reid's father was free-born, but his mother was a slave before Emancipation. 

As a boy he attended the local public school and when 
ready for college matriculated at the A. & M., now the A. 
& T. College at Greensboro, graduating from that institution in 1907 and also did special correspondence work under the direction of the Chicago University in Theology. 

On May 29, 1908, Rev. Reid was married to Bertha Russell, a daughter of Charlie and Mary Russell, of Greensboro. Mrs. Reid was educated at Bennett College. They have two children, Quinten E. and Commodore Reid, Jr. 

Young Reid had the misfortune to lose his mother at 
an early age and there was a large family of children besides himself. They lived in the country and there could hardly have been a more unpromising situation than that which confronted our subject. He remembers now, as he looks back over those days, that the Sunday School was a steadying influence in his life and that he got from it much of the inspiration that has been beneficial in his large success. When he was about fourteen years of age, he was converted and came into the work of the A. M. E. Church and later definitely consecrated himself to the work of the ministry. From boyhood he had felt that his life work must be that of the ministry, but knowing the hardships of the ministry he tried to get away from the call but finally yielded. Speaking of his career as a preacher, he says: 

"My first pastorate was Erie Mills Circuit containing 
two churches, St. Stephens 'and Piney Grove. I was appointed to this circuit in July, 1913, in the middle of the 
Conference year. That fall I was ordained Deacon by 
Bishop Coppin, at Hickory, and sent to Coppin's Chapel, 
Durham. This was a mission with nine women and children as members. I resided at Raleigh and went back 
and forth to Durham to my work. The membership increased from nine to thirty and my report to the Conference showed half of a $1,500 debt paid. I was pleased when assigned to Wayman's Chapel, Mt. Airy, but was very much surprised on arriving to find the membership greatly reduced and dissatisfied because of a long standing debt. The building had been purchased twenty-five years previously at a cost of $800. Figures on the book showed that $8,000.00 had been raised and yet they had a debt of $500. My report to the next Conference showed the debt paid in full. It was at this Conference that I was given Elder's orders. I was retained at Mt. Airy for another year and reported to the next Conference that the church building had been repaired and the membership increased to 100. My next assignment was the Burlington circuit, where I was confronted by another mortgage. That, however, proved the happiest year of my ministerial life, notwithstanding I suffered a severe attack of Typhoid fever, which was the first time I had ever needed the services of a doctor. My people proved loyal and faithful in this my time of distress and I shall never forget them. Naturally I was anxious to return there for the second term and had been promised the place by my Bishop. At St. James, Winston-Salem, however, a condition arose which necessitated a change, and to my surprise I was sent there. Again, one of the first things I met on arrival was the record of a debt of several thousand dollars which had hung over the present building since its erection fifteen years before. The membership was small and seriously divided. On taking charge I was told, with more frankness than courtesy, that I was not wanted because of my youth. I was advised then that they had had some pretty big men and that they had run over all of them and that unless I was mighty strong they would run over me like an ox over a brush heap. I am glad, however, to say that I have been returned for a third term. The church building is clear of debt. A new furnace, new pews and electric lights have been added. The interior has been painted, new carpet put on the floor, all at a cost of nearly $4,000, which has been paid in full. The member- 
ship has steadily grown till we now have over three hun- 
dred on the roll." 

Thus it will be seen that Rev. Reid has grown steadily 
with his work and it is no small compliment to a man of 
his age to have been appointed to such an exacting position. The secret of his success is the direct, straight-forward way he has of dealing with folks. He is not afraid to work himself and impresses others with a desire to make things go on the circuit or station where he happens to be at the time. Before he entered the ministry he was a brick-layer by trade and has frequently been able to make valuable suggestions in connection with building and repair work. 

In reading he, of course, puts the Bible first. After 
that he has a love for the best English authors and the 
work of the leading writers of his own race, such as Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Prof. DuBois and others. Among the secret orders he is identified with the Masons. He is of the opinion that the best interests of the race will he promoted when large numbers become more efficient in every sphere of life. He says: "The National interests must ever lag until every citizen is given a man's chance and Negroes particularly given equal rights." 

Rev. Reid has served as Statistical Secretary of the 
Annual Conference and Chairman of Committee on Sustentation. He was active in war work and his church made an enviable record in the first Red Cross Campaign."

Reid was pastor of the Mt. Vernon Avenue A.M.E. Church.

There is a Cedar Grove Township, Orange County, North Carolina birth record dated June 6, 1926 for an unnamed stillborn daughter. The record lists Rev. Commodore M. Reid as the father and the mother as Mamie Jane Thompson. 

Bertha died November 29, 1961. Commodore died May 29, 1963. 

The Reids sold the house on January 22, 1957 to Sugar Realty, Inc.

Sugar Realty sold the house on December 1, 1971 to Sedolia E. Walker and Lorine E. Wynn.

Sedolia E. Scott was born March 31, 1914 in Winona, West Virginia, daughter of Edward and Julia Progue/Pogue Scott. 

According to her 1946 marriage record, Lorine was the daughter of Sedolia and Edward Wade, born January 30, 1930 in Hazy, West Virginia. (There is no indexed birth certificate for that name, but there is one for Lorine Elizabeth Scott, born November 25, 1928, in Harrison County, West Virginia, daughter of Benjamin Felix and Bonnie Elizabeth Miller Scott.)

Sedolia married George Walker in Fayette County, West Virginia on August 30, 1930. She married Marcellus Latham in Franklin County on July 28, 1945. Marcellus was born August 1, 1906 in McDonald, Georgia. 

Sedolia E. Latham, widow of Marcellus, is listed in the 1951 and 1953 City Directories at 325 Washington Avenue. 

Lorine married Willie Baker on December 24, 1946 in Franklin County. There are also two marriage records for her and William O. Mitchell (January 14, 1905 - April 19, 1989) in Franklin County, first on December 15, 1985 and the second on March 31, 1986. Mitchell died April 29, 1989.

In 1959, Sedolia was working as a laundress for the County Child Welfare Board and living at 325 Washington Avenue. 

Sedolia died in Gahanna, Ohio on September 26, 1996. 

On August 6, 1976, the Hafeez A. and Naima Hafeez bought the house.

Woodland Christian Church purchased the property on March 21, 1978.

The church sold the house to Arthur T. and Manasseh A. Miller on June 6, 1983.

213 Woodland Avenue, April 2014

Bergin & Brady bottle label, circa 1905

Neal Caren Hasbrook, circa 1929

Commodore M. Reid, circa 1920

The Ohio State News, July 14, 1951