Bio revised 06/07/2018 by Cynthia Rush, author of the book Money, Methodism and Madness, privately published:
JW Bain's father appears to have been an abolitionist whose barn was burned down (arson, according to a 19th century news clipping), probably for housing escaped Africans. JW himself was married twice . He had two children by the first wife, who died soon after the birth of her daughter.
(There were two John Bains of similar age both living in the same area. The other was probably a cousin. The John Bain who married Mary Monnett distinguished himself from the other by calling himself JW.)
As a wealthy widower JW married Mary Monnett, who helped him raise his two children and gave him two more. The daughter from the earlier marriage died in childhood. Mary Monnett was an heiress whose fate was manipulated by Rev. Leonard B. Gurley, a powerful community leader who had become a mentor to Mary after the deaths of all her family members in rapid succession, due to typhoid. Mary had a heart condition and was emotionally fragile, leaving her vulnerable to Rev. Gurley's plans.
Gurley broke up Mary's romance with a then-budding evangelist, CC McCabe, soon to become the Billy Graham of his era. McCabe later said he had loved the ground Mary walked on but that her minister (Gurley) had told her to end her relationship with McCabe, who was then poor. Mary's wealth would make McCabe appear to be a gold digger. Gurley soon found a wealthy young man he seemed to feel was a better match: JW Bain, who sat on the Ohio Wesleyan University governing board along with Gurley.
Gurley probably coerced Mary into feeling she should tithe 10% of her inheritance to Ohio Wesleyan which she did, although after marrying Bain, he controlled her payments and did not deliver as she had promised. Some Monnetts felt Bain swindled Mary out of her money. In the footnoted book, Money, Methodism and Madness, written by me, I outline the documented information about Mary's life. It appears the ministers (board of directors) of Ohio Wesleyan who started the (now long dead) women's college called Monnett Hall "invested" her money for her and lost most of it. After she and Bain married in 1860, they began living a life of luxury in New York and elsewhere. After their financial devastation, Bain got a job repairing or selling a newfangled machine called a typewriter. They relocated and began living near a mental hospital in Philadelphia. Mary commented to someone (I don't remember the reference on this) that she no longer fit in with her wealthy Monnett relatives back in Ohio. It appears her near-adult children began caring for her around this time. (Her stepson, who was older, had married and moved out.)
Soon after this period, Bain died in New York at the home of a woman. Perhaps the fatigue of being caregiver to a wife with fragile emotional and physical health had caused him to find solace elsewhere. Land of Mary's soon was sold by her children. The Marion County deed (for Kansas land - I don't remember the details) states that she was then "an insane person." The Monnett-Bain children felt such warmth toward their elder half-brother (affection which was described in the highly-unusual deed) that they split the proceeds with him.
When McCabe later found Mary in an insane asylum in Kansas, she told him the story of why Rev. Gurley had felt she should end their love affair (i.e., McCabe had a bright future, so long as he was not married to her.). She had never explained it to McCabe until that time, decades later. By then, McCabe had a family of his own and Mary was ruined.
After being committed to the Kansas insane asylum, Mary and JW's children lived with relatives of JW's first wife, Julia Hall - people who were not at all related to them. Apparently JW had good taste in wives. His late wife's family was rich in kindness. They lived in a town near the insane asylum.
One of Mary's and JW's two children died childless (Abraham Monnett Bain) . The other child (their daughter) did not share anything about her mother with the children she had. When I tracked down the great-great grandchildren of Mary Monnett Bain, they had no idea their ancestor's inheritance had helped build a female college that had liberated generations of 19th century women whose families may have been living in log cabins.
Sadly, no known photos of JW Bain were handed down. I was unable to find images of him even after contacting the Marion, Ohio historical society where he is listed as an important early community leader. Streets there are named for him and his family members.
My information shows the following:
JW Bain was the son of William Bain (1789-1856) and Mary Lain (1793-18750). JW's first wife was Julia Hall (1824-1858). Since Julia did not die until 1858, clearly, any children born as early as 1852 were children of Julia's, not Mary's.
JW's earlier children, by my records, were WA Bain (1852-death date unknown) and Mamie (1853-1860). Mary and JW's children were Abraham Monnett Bain (1861-1935) and Minerva Rockwell (Minnie) Bain Davis (1866-death date unknown).
JW Bain's father appears to have been an abolitionist whose barn was burned down (arson, according to a 19th century news clipping), probably for housing escaped Africans. JW himself was married twice . He had two children by the first wife, who died soon after the birth of her daughter.
(There were two John Bains of similar age both living in the same area. The other was probably a cousin. The John Bain who married Mary Monnett distinguished himself from the other by calling himself JW.)
As a wealthy widower JW married Mary Monnett, who helped him raise his two children and gave him two more. The daughter from the earlier marriage died in childhood. Mary Monnett was an heiress whose fate was manipulated by Rev. Leonard B. Gurley, a powerful community leader who had become a mentor to Mary after the deaths of all her family members in rapid succession, due to typhoid. Mary had a heart condition and was emotionally fragile, leaving her vulnerable to Rev. Gurley's plans.
Gurley broke up Mary's romance with a then-budding evangelist, CC McCabe, soon to become the Billy Graham of his era. McCabe later said he had loved the ground Mary walked on but that her minister (Gurley) had told her to end her relationship with McCabe, who was then poor. Mary's wealth would make McCabe appear to be a gold digger. Gurley soon found a wealthy young man he seemed to feel was a better match: JW Bain, who sat on the Ohio Wesleyan University governing board along with Gurley.
Gurley probably coerced Mary into feeling she should tithe 10% of her inheritance to Ohio Wesleyan which she did, although after marrying Bain, he controlled her payments and did not deliver as she had promised. Some Monnetts felt Bain swindled Mary out of her money. In the footnoted book, Money, Methodism and Madness, written by me, I outline the documented information about Mary's life. It appears the ministers (board of directors) of Ohio Wesleyan who started the (now long dead) women's college called Monnett Hall "invested" her money for her and lost most of it. After she and Bain married in 1860, they began living a life of luxury in New York and elsewhere. After their financial devastation, Bain got a job repairing or selling a newfangled machine called a typewriter. They relocated and began living near a mental hospital in Philadelphia. Mary commented to someone (I don't remember the reference on this) that she no longer fit in with her wealthy Monnett relatives back in Ohio. It appears her near-adult children began caring for her around this time. (Her stepson, who was older, had married and moved out.)
Soon after this period, Bain died in New York at the home of a woman. Perhaps the fatigue of being caregiver to a wife with fragile emotional and physical health had caused him to find solace elsewhere. Land of Mary's soon was sold by her children. The Marion County deed (for Kansas land - I don't remember the details) states that she was then "an insane person." The Monnett-Bain children felt such warmth toward their elder half-brother (affection which was described in the highly-unusual deed) that they split the proceeds with him.
When McCabe later found Mary in an insane asylum in Kansas, she told him the story of why Rev. Gurley had felt she should end their love affair (i.e., McCabe had a bright future, so long as he was not married to her.). She had never explained it to McCabe until that time, decades later. By then, McCabe had a family of his own and Mary was ruined.
After being committed to the Kansas insane asylum, Mary and JW's children lived with relatives of JW's first wife, Julia Hall - people who were not at all related to them. Apparently JW had good taste in wives. His late wife's family was rich in kindness. They lived in a town near the insane asylum.
One of Mary's and JW's two children died childless (Abraham Monnett Bain) . The other child (their daughter) did not share anything about her mother with the children she had. When I tracked down the great-great grandchildren of Mary Monnett Bain, they had no idea their ancestor's inheritance had helped build a female college that had liberated generations of 19th century women whose families may have been living in log cabins.
Sadly, no known photos of JW Bain were handed down. I was unable to find images of him even after contacting the Marion, Ohio historical society where he is listed as an important early community leader. Streets there are named for him and his family members.
My information shows the following:
JW Bain was the son of William Bain (1789-1856) and Mary Lain (1793-18750). JW's first wife was Julia Hall (1824-1858). Since Julia did not die until 1858, clearly, any children born as early as 1852 were children of Julia's, not Mary's.
JW's earlier children, by my records, were WA Bain (1852-death date unknown) and Mamie (1853-1860). Mary and JW's children were Abraham Monnett Bain (1861-1935) and Minerva Rockwell (Minnie) Bain Davis (1866-death date unknown).
Bio revised 06/07/2018 by Cynthia Rush, author of the book Money, Methodism and Madness, privately published:
JW Bain's father appears to have been an abolitionist whose barn was burned down (arson, according to a 19th century news clipping), probably for housing escaped Africans. JW himself was married twice . He had two children by the first wife, who died soon after the birth of her daughter.
(There were two John Bains of similar age both living in the same area. The other was probably a cousin. The John Bain who married Mary Monnett distinguished himself from the other by calling himself JW.)
As a wealthy widower JW married Mary Monnett, who helped him raise his two children and gave him two more. The daughter from the earlier marriage died in childhood. Mary Monnett was an heiress whose fate was manipulated by Rev. Leonard B. Gurley, a powerful community leader who had become a mentor to Mary after the deaths of all her family members in rapid succession, due to typhoid. Mary had a heart condition and was emotionally fragile, leaving her vulnerable to Rev. Gurley's plans.
Gurley broke up Mary's romance with a then-budding evangelist, CC McCabe, soon to become the Billy Graham of his era. McCabe later said he had loved the ground Mary walked on but that her minister (Gurley) had told her to end her relationship with McCabe, who was then poor. Mary's wealth would make McCabe appear to be a gold digger. Gurley soon found a wealthy young man he seemed to feel was a better match: JW Bain, who sat on the Ohio Wesleyan University governing board along with Gurley.
Gurley probably coerced Mary into feeling she should tithe 10% of her inheritance to Ohio Wesleyan which she did, although after marrying Bain, he controlled her payments and did not deliver as she had promised. Some Monnetts felt Bain swindled Mary out of her money. In the footnoted book, Money, Methodism and Madness, written by me, I outline the documented information about Mary's life. It appears the ministers (board of directors) of Ohio Wesleyan who started the (now long dead) women's college called Monnett Hall "invested" her money for her and lost most of it. After she and Bain married in 1860, they began living a life of luxury in New York and elsewhere. After their financial devastation, Bain got a job repairing or selling a newfangled machine called a typewriter. They relocated and began living near a mental hospital in Philadelphia. Mary commented to someone (I don't remember the reference on this) that she no longer fit in with her wealthy Monnett relatives back in Ohio. It appears her near-adult children began caring for her around this time. (Her stepson, who was older, had married and moved out.)
Soon after this period, Bain died in New York at the home of a woman. Perhaps the fatigue of being caregiver to a wife with fragile emotional and physical health had caused him to find solace elsewhere. Land of Mary's soon was sold by her children. The Marion County deed (for Kansas land - I don't remember the details) states that she was then "an insane person." The Monnett-Bain children felt such warmth toward their elder half-brother (affection which was described in the highly-unusual deed) that they split the proceeds with him.
When McCabe later found Mary in an insane asylum in Kansas, she told him the story of why Rev. Gurley had felt she should end their love affair (i.e., McCabe had a bright future, so long as he was not married to her.). She had never explained it to McCabe until that time, decades later. By then, McCabe had a family of his own and Mary was ruined.
After being committed to the Kansas insane asylum, Mary and JW's children lived with relatives of JW's first wife, Julia Hall - people who were not at all related to them. Apparently JW had good taste in wives. His late wife's family was rich in kindness. They lived in a town near the insane asylum.
One of Mary's and JW's two children died childless (Abraham Monnett Bain) . The other child (their daughter) did not share anything about her mother with the children she had. When I tracked down the great-great grandchildren of Mary Monnett Bain, they had no idea their ancestor's inheritance had helped build a female college that had liberated generations of 19th century women whose families may have been living in log cabins.
Sadly, no known photos of JW Bain were handed down. I was unable to find images of him even after contacting the Marion, Ohio historical society where he is listed as an important early community leader. Streets there are named for him and his family members.
My information shows the following:
JW Bain was the son of William Bain (1789-1856) and Mary Lain (1793-18750). JW's first wife was Julia Hall (1824-1858). Since Julia did not die until 1858, clearly, any children born as early as 1852 were children of Julia's, not Mary's.
JW's earlier children, by my records, were WA Bain (1852-death date unknown) and Mamie (1853-1860). Mary and JW's children were Abraham Monnett Bain (1861-1935) and Minerva Rockwell (Minnie) Bain Davis (1866-death date unknown).
JW Bain's father appears to have been an abolitionist whose barn was burned down (arson, according to a 19th century news clipping), probably for housing escaped Africans. JW himself was married twice . He had two children by the first wife, who died soon after the birth of her daughter.
(There were two John Bains of similar age both living in the same area. The other was probably a cousin. The John Bain who married Mary Monnett distinguished himself from the other by calling himself JW.)
As a wealthy widower JW married Mary Monnett, who helped him raise his two children and gave him two more. The daughter from the earlier marriage died in childhood. Mary Monnett was an heiress whose fate was manipulated by Rev. Leonard B. Gurley, a powerful community leader who had become a mentor to Mary after the deaths of all her family members in rapid succession, due to typhoid. Mary had a heart condition and was emotionally fragile, leaving her vulnerable to Rev. Gurley's plans.
Gurley broke up Mary's romance with a then-budding evangelist, CC McCabe, soon to become the Billy Graham of his era. McCabe later said he had loved the ground Mary walked on but that her minister (Gurley) had told her to end her relationship with McCabe, who was then poor. Mary's wealth would make McCabe appear to be a gold digger. Gurley soon found a wealthy young man he seemed to feel was a better match: JW Bain, who sat on the Ohio Wesleyan University governing board along with Gurley.
Gurley probably coerced Mary into feeling she should tithe 10% of her inheritance to Ohio Wesleyan which she did, although after marrying Bain, he controlled her payments and did not deliver as she had promised. Some Monnetts felt Bain swindled Mary out of her money. In the footnoted book, Money, Methodism and Madness, written by me, I outline the documented information about Mary's life. It appears the ministers (board of directors) of Ohio Wesleyan who started the (now long dead) women's college called Monnett Hall "invested" her money for her and lost most of it. After she and Bain married in 1860, they began living a life of luxury in New York and elsewhere. After their financial devastation, Bain got a job repairing or selling a newfangled machine called a typewriter. They relocated and began living near a mental hospital in Philadelphia. Mary commented to someone (I don't remember the reference on this) that she no longer fit in with her wealthy Monnett relatives back in Ohio. It appears her near-adult children began caring for her around this time. (Her stepson, who was older, had married and moved out.)
Soon after this period, Bain died in New York at the home of a woman. Perhaps the fatigue of being caregiver to a wife with fragile emotional and physical health had caused him to find solace elsewhere. Land of Mary's soon was sold by her children. The Marion County deed (for Kansas land - I don't remember the details) states that she was then "an insane person." The Monnett-Bain children felt such warmth toward their elder half-brother (affection which was described in the highly-unusual deed) that they split the proceeds with him.
When McCabe later found Mary in an insane asylum in Kansas, she told him the story of why Rev. Gurley had felt she should end their love affair (i.e., McCabe had a bright future, so long as he was not married to her.). She had never explained it to McCabe until that time, decades later. By then, McCabe had a family of his own and Mary was ruined.
After being committed to the Kansas insane asylum, Mary and JW's children lived with relatives of JW's first wife, Julia Hall - people who were not at all related to them. Apparently JW had good taste in wives. His late wife's family was rich in kindness. They lived in a town near the insane asylum.
One of Mary's and JW's two children died childless (Abraham Monnett Bain) . The other child (their daughter) did not share anything about her mother with the children she had. When I tracked down the great-great grandchildren of Mary Monnett Bain, they had no idea their ancestor's inheritance had helped build a female college that had liberated generations of 19th century women whose families may have been living in log cabins.
Sadly, no known photos of JW Bain were handed down. I was unable to find images of him even after contacting the Marion, Ohio historical society where he is listed as an important early community leader. Streets there are named for him and his family members.
My information shows the following:
JW Bain was the son of William Bain (1789-1856) and Mary Lain (1793-18750). JW's first wife was Julia Hall (1824-1858). Since Julia did not die until 1858, clearly, any children born as early as 1852 were children of Julia's, not Mary's.
JW's earlier children, by my records, were WA Bain (1852-death date unknown) and Mamie (1853-1860). Mary and JW's children were Abraham Monnett Bain (1861-1935) and Minerva Rockwell (Minnie) Bain Davis (1866-death date unknown).
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