298 Woodland Avenue
Kanmacher House

This brick Victorian house sat on a large lot on the southeast corner of Greenway and Woodland Avenues. It was razed in 1941. Part of Lot 5, Nelson's Heirs (set off and assigned to Marsha L. Nelson). It was also at times numbered 290 and 296 Woodland Avenue.

The two parcels that made up this property were deeded to Willie L. Kanmacher. The first part was from Obed and Hannah M. Taylor for $650 on November 5, 1894. The second part was from Irenius A. and Sarah A. Geren for $4,500 (including assuming a mortgage of $2,000) on April 30, 1895. At the same time, Willie also purchased a number of lots in the northern part of Woodland Park. 

Irenius Augustus Geren was a brick contractor, and may have built this house in the 1890s.  

The Fire Association of Philadelphia acquired the property through a foreclosure action at sheriff's sale on two deeds, first on April 26, 1898 in recovery of a judgement against Willie L. Kanmacher for $7,975.54 and the second on May 24, 1898 in a judgement against J. Young Wheeler for $637.49. A news item in the Coshocton Demorcatic Standard of Mary 7, 1897 says, "The foreclosure suit of the Fire association against Willie L. Kanmacher which was filed Saturday is for property that is now owned by J.O. Sloan of Coshocton. Miss Kanmacher has no interest in the suit further than the fact that she was formerly owner of the property."

Wilhelmina Louise "Willie" Kanmacher was the daughter of George Henry Kanmacher. 

George Henry Kanmacher was born in Columbus on August 12, 1839, son of George and Mary Zimmerman Kanmacher. He first married Mary Timmers in Franklin County on March 1, 1860. Mary was born February 5, 1839. Their children were: Margaret Helen "Maggie" (June 1, 1860 - January 18, 1936), Sherman (August 24, 1865 - November 5, 1952), Herbert Lee (April 3, 1876 - July 13, 1940), Wilhelmina Louise "Willie" (December 22, 1861 - April 2, 1938), Samuel Houston (October 1, 1878 - May 29, 1955), and Grant (August 24, 1866 - February 10, 1939). 

In the 1880s the Kanmachers lived at 63 East Court Street. 

Margaret, Hubert, and Louise were all school teachers. 

In 1897 the Kanmachers are living at 290 Woodland Avenue. The 1898 City Directory lists George H. Kanmacher at the "e(ast) s(ide) of Woodland av 1 s(outh) of Mt. Vernon av." The others, Herbert, Louise and Samuel are listed at 290 Woodland Avenue. In 1900 the Kanmachers are living at 296 Woodland Avenue.

Louise married Edward J. Aston in Franklin County on June 14, 1900. 

George's grandson, Hubert Kanmacher (son of Grant), ran the pharmacy at the southwest corner of Mt. Vernon and Taylor Avenues in the late 1920s.

"Willie" bought the house at 1580 Granville Street on July 1, 1925. 

The Sheets purchased 289 Woodland Avenue on December 10, 1903 from the Fire Association of Philadelphia for $10,970.

John Marion Sheets was born May 26, 1854 in Columbus Grove, Ohio, son of John and Mohalath Saunders Sheets. He married Mary E. Scott on March 22, 1882. Mary was born January 23, 1856 in Ohio. They had five daughters: Nellie Florence (1883), Beatrice H. (1885), Alise A. (1887), Grace P. (1889), and Marjorie (1893).

The Sheets moved from Ottawa, Ohio in Putnam County about 1900. 

John "...attended Baldwin University, graduating in 1879 with a B.S. Degree, and University of Michigan with a B.L. Degree. 

"He began life as a teacher and later practiced law. He is General Counsel for the Columbus Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Vice President and Counsel for the Buckeye Window Glass Company.

"From 1894 to 1899 was Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and from 1900 to 1904 was Attorney General of Ohio." Columbus, the Capital City: Newspaper Reference Book by the Pen and Pencil Club, 1915.

John and Mary met while students at the University of Michigan. 

Sheets died December 29, 1940 in Palo Alto, California. Mary died April 15, 1948 in Santa Clara County, California. 

The Sheets sold the house the the Prentices on April 22, 1920. A wooden frame garage was built in 1921. 

Edwin Arthur Prentice was born February 25, 1874 in Lancaster, Ohio, son of Nathaniel and Laura E. Ruch Prentice. He married Bertha Laura Latham in Franklin County on October 14, 1896. Bertha was born January 31, 1877 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, daughter of Zachariah Taylor and Emily Jane Dennis Latham. They had two daughters; Martha P. (September 6, 1906 - November 17, 1994) and Bertha Laura "Billee" (October 15, 1910 - April 10, 1977).

"Until 1900 he was engaged with his father in painting and general contracting business in Lancaster, Ohio. Was in real estate business in Columbus until 1906, and later with Doddington Lumber Company in 1912. He then went into the business for himself at corner of Vine and Armstrong streets, doing lumber and mill work. The mill covers 40,000 square feet of floor space." Columbus, the Capital City: Newspaper Reference Book by the Pen and Pencil Club, 1915.

Edwin was owner of the Prentice Lumber Company. It was a planing and finishing mill. The May 20, 1922 issue of Southern Lumberman reported that the 10-year-old company, formerly a partnership, had been incorporated with a capital of $150,000 with Prentice as President, A.D. Rogers as Secretary-Treasurer and Vice-President. The article noted "about a year ago the company took over the old Hedge and Clark yard located at 451 Park street, which is practically adjoining and the business has been gradually expanded." 

In August 1924, the company was destroyed by a fire that started in a box of shavings. The loss was only 2/3 covered by insurance.

In 1926, the Prentices employed a live-in maid, Anna Nash.

The 1930 Census lists the Prentices here with a "foster daughter," Judith Mae "Julia" Cavalier, born November 27, 1909 (or 1913) in Nashville, Tennessee, daughter of James and Mary L. E. King Cavalier. Julia was working as a hospital nurse. (In the 1929 and 1930 City Directories, Julia is listed with the last name Prentice.) Martha was a public school music teacher and Billie was a saleslady in a "coat house." 

On June 15, 1930, Edwin committed suicide at his office, shooting himself in the head. Business worries were speculated to be the cause. His daughter Billee discovered the body, slumped to the floor, his revolver still in his hand. 

Prentice is buried at Forest Rose Cemetery in Lancaster, Ohio. Bertha died January 11, 1969 in San Antonio, Texas and is buried at Sunset Memorial Park there.

Martha married Henry Beecher Dierdorf in Cuyahoga County, Ohio on August 16, 1930. They lived at 298 Woodland in 1931. Beecher was born about 1908 in Columbus, son of Percy Cyrus and Florence Thomas Dierdorf. 

Bertha Keating then seems to have moved to California to join her daughter. From 1933 through 1935, the Baldwins rented the house. 

Edgar Douglas Baldwin was born January 20, 1876 in Zanesville, Ohio, son of Austin and Mary E. Phillips Baldwin.
He married Mahala A. Haines in Muskingum County on July 1, 1907. Mahala was born in Norwich, Ohio, on December 19, 1875, daughter of John D. Haines. They had a son, Richard S. (May 27, 1910).

In 1918, Edgar was a railroad agent for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In the 1930s he was in real estate. Edgar was a salesman for The Beggs Realty, Inc. Before moving to 298 Woodland Avenue the Baldwins lived at 326 Wilson Avenue.

Baldwin died in 1954. He is buried at Glen Rest Cemetery in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 

On June 2, 1936, Bertha Prentice sold the house to David T. Keating. Keating transferred it to The Columbus Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 10, 1936.

In 1941 the house and garage were demolished. 

On June 25, 1948, Robert J. Beatty purchased the property. It was transferred to Helen H. Beatty on January 8, 1952.

Helen Beatty sold the lot to Carl M. And Roberta Basnett on April 22, 1954. 

In 1966 the Basnetts sold the corner of the lot to Humble Oil who built a gas station. This is now 304 Woodland Avenue.

1922 Sanborn Fire Insurance map showing 289 Woodland Avenue (numbered 288 on this map).

1909 advertising blotter for Irenius A. Geren

Samuel H. Kanmacher, circa 1920

John M. Sheets, circa 1915

Bertha Laura "Billee" Prentice and Martha P. Prentice

Henry Beecher Dierdorf, circa 1931