Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 656] conductor on the Pennsylvania R. R., residing at 366 State Street, New Castle, was born in St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 2, 1859, where he lived the first two years of his life. His grandfather, John Cain, came to America from Ireland in 1827, and settled in Sugar Grove, Warren Co., Pa., where he died in 1888, aged eighty-two Years; he was engaged in agricultural pursuits during the latter years of his life. His son, Frederick Cain, came with him to this country in 1827, and followed mining as an occupation; he was killed in a mine accident in the west Jan. 10, 1861. He married Jane Johnson, a sister of George W. Johnson, one of the leading manufacturers and limestone dealers in the county, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. The grandfather of our subject's mother, John Johnson, Sr., was a prosperous farmer of Pennsylvania, of which State he was a native. Her father, John Johnson, Jr., was born and raised on the homestead in Mercer County, and followed farming and mining for a livelihood. Of his seven children, Jane was the eldest, and George W. the next in order of birth. After her husband's death our subject's mother returned to Pennsylvania from St. Louis, and lived four years at Hoytdale, where she married Frank Robinson. From there the family moved to West Middlesex, where our subject, who was the elder child born to his parents, the younger being his sister, Myrtle W., lived until seventeen years of age, attending the schools of that place. He then learned the blacksmiths trade, at which he worked two years, and then came to New Castle, where he worked one year for his uncle, George W. Johnson, in his quarries. Throughout the following year, he was fireman on the quarry locomotive. About this time John W. Cain took a business trip to the west to his native city and to Belleville, Iowa, and on his return to New Castle worked for the J. P. Witherow Co. two years in their boiler works. He then secured employment as brakeman on the Pennsylvania Co.'s lines, and in one year was advanced to the post of conductor, which he held three years. Since August, 1891, he has been yard conductor and car inspector for the same company.
He was joined in marriage Feb. 2, 1886, in New Castle, to Sarah Hammond, daughter of James and Nancy (Nealey) Hammond; her father was born in Allegheny Co., Pa., at Woods Run, near Pittsburg, and followed the occupation of a farmer, living to be 75 or 76 years of age. He was a veteran of the late war, and served in Co. I, 140th Reg. Pa. Vol. Inf., taking part in the battles of Bull Run and Gettysburg. Mrs. Cain is a sister of Harvey C. Hammond, a yard conductor on the Pennsylvania R. R., whose personal history may be found elsewhere in this volume. Our subject and wife attend the M. E. Church. Mr. Cain is a Democrat in his political attachments, and is a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 27 Jul 2001