264 Woodland Avenue

264 Woodland Avenue
McCune House

Part of lot 5 of Nelson's Heirs

This house was probably completed in about 1908 for the McCunes. The McCunes lived at 156 Woodland Avenue from about 1897 to 1906. In 1907 they were living at the Hotel Lincoln, and in 1909 they were at 264 Woodland Avenue. It could be this was a new house on their old lot (explaining the hotel address during construction) with a new house number as Woodland Avenue filled in with a number of new homes around that time.

Edward Lumley McCune was born March 27, 1855 in Ohio, son of Jonas M. and Catherine Lumley McCune. He married Eva E. Black about 1877. Eva was born January 6, 1854 in Ohio, daughter of James and Sarah Lockwood Black.They had six children: Sarah C. (1877 - 1962), John (1878 - 1920), Edward L. Jr. (September 2, 1880 - October 29, 1949), Lillian (February 1886 - 1905), Margaret (January 1889 - 1916), and Robert M. (March 1896 - 1912).

Edward's father, Jonas' grand mansion Matsikoa Place was at 120 Woodland Avenue.

McCune was an attorney and real estate agent. He was became Columbus Director of Public Safety about 1904, a position he led at least through 1911. He was elected to the Board of Education in 1900. In 1910 the McCunes lived at 96 Lexington Avenue and later lived at 485 East Town Street.

Edward died December 1, 1926. He is buried at Greenlawn Cemetery. Eva died August 5, 1942.

On February 1, 1909, the McCunes sold the house to the Millers for $21,000, and the Millers assumed a mortgage of $6,000 on the property.

Frederick Augustus Miller was born in Columbus on October 14, 1879, son of William Augustus and Anna Maria Halbdel Miller. He married Roberta Black Miller on April 20, 1909 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Roberta was born April 6, 1891 in Terre Haute, Indiana, daughter of William H. and Emma Mancourt Miller. They had two children: Edward William (March 16, 1912-1979) and Frances Anne (November 11, 1915-1979).

Frederick Augustus Miller was Superintendent of Factory 1 of the H.C. Godman Shoe Co in 1901 and was made manager of its four factories in 1904. He became President of all the factories in 1921 after the death of his father William A. Miller. Frederick was also a Director of Ohio National Bank. He gave money to improve Miller Park in Lancaster, Ohio which opened in 1923.

Miller's father owned the house at 72 Woodland Avenue that is now the Mansion Day School.

The Millers sold this house when their new mansion, Broad Gables, at 2065 Barton Place was completed in 1916. Broad Gables was designed by architects Richards, McCarty and Bulford. Broad Gables was featured in Billy Ireland's cartoon, The Passing Show, in the Columbus Dispatch on September 10, 1916. Broad Gables was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Frederick died May 6, 1948 and is buried at Greenlawn Cemetery. Roberta died June 9, 1960 in New York.

Cartoonist Billy Ireland bought 264 Woodland Avenue from the Millers on June 27, 1916.

William Addison "Billy" Ireland was born January 8, 1880 in Chillicothe, Ohio, son of William W. and Elizabeth "Lizzie" D. Pearson Ireland. He married Florence Marie Sayre in Franklin County on June 27, 1906. Florence was born December 16, 1881 in Indiana, daughter of Joel Grover and Ruth Winters Sayre. They had two daughters, Ruth Winters (1911) and Elizabeth Pearson (1914).

A brick addition was made to the house in 1935.

Billy died at home in his sleep of coronary thrombosis on May 29, 1935. Florence died on March 24, 1962. They are buried at Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Florence Ireland sold the house to the Humphreys on June 15, 1954. The Humphreys were the first African American owners of the house.

Earvin Humphrey was born March 15, 1895 in Huntsville, Alabama son of Sherman and Charlotte (Lottie) Perkins Humphrey. He married his third wife Julia Kathryn Robinson in Licking County on September 17, 1945. Julia was born August 29, 1919 in Kentucky, daughter of Edward F. and Anna Belle Finnel Robinson.

Earvin was first married to Marcia Jackson, and they had a daughter, Janet (1933 - 2012). Earvin next married Evelyn C. Robinson (1921 - 1949) and they had three children: Shirley Elaine (May 1, 1940 - 2014), Larry Edward (July 17, 1943 - 2014) and Charles Earvin (1947).

In 1941 Humphrey lived in Springfield, Ohio. In October 1950 the Humphreys purchased 1577 Richmond Avenue and sold that house when they purchased 264 Woodland Avenue.

In 1954 Earvin was sexton at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Before that he is listed in the early 50s city directories as a janitor and a maintenance man.

Earvin died October 4, 1958. Buried at Greenlawn Cemetery. Julia died on April 29, 1996.

Julia sold the house on March 7, 1961 to Theresa B. Willis.

Henry Prince Willis was born April 8, 1908 in Atlanta, Georgia, son of Robert D. and Magnolia Thomas Willis. He married Theresa H. Burks in Licking County on April 8, 1933. Theresa was born May 20, 1904 in Roanoke, Virginia, daughter of James H. and Rosa A. Davis Burks. They had five children: Vivian A. (1934), Janet H. (1935), James R. (1937), Henry P. Jr. (1938) and Barbara (1939).

In 1920, Henry lived with his mother and siblings at 62 North Garfield Avenue. In 1933, Theresa lived in Newark, Ohio. In 1935 the Willises lived at 189 Jefferson Avenue, and Henry operated a filling station (probably Pure Oil) at the northwest corner of Mt. Vernon Avenue and North Champion Avenue. In 1940 they lived at the same house, and Henry was doing moving and hauling work.

Theresa died November 20, 1980. Henry died October 23, 1985.

The Willises sold the house to Pro-Coop, Inc. on December 23, 1968.

Pro-Coop (aka Procoop) was a corporation registered in Ohio on November 2, 1953 by three physicians: John D. White, Ernest Manley Newkirk and Watson H. Walker.

Dr. Walker's home is listed as 222 Parkwood Avenue in the 1953 City Directory. All three doctors are listed with at office at 254 Woodland Avenue in 1956. Presently 254 and 264 Woodland Avenue are still separate parcels..

Pro-Coop sold the building to William K. Nucklos on August 29, 1994.