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John Wesley Painter

Birth	:	9 Sep 1821 Zane Township, Logan County, Ohio, USA
Death	:	16 Jul 1874 Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Shaul Cemetery, Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate	:	40.9953003, -92.4492035
Inscription	:	JOHN W. PAINTER BORN SEP. 9, 1821 DIED JULY 15, 1875
Description	:	Methodist missionary and abolitionist. John Wesley Painter, a son of Mary (née Bland) and the Rev. Joshua Painter, was born on 9 September 1821 in Zane Township, Logan County, Ohio, where Joshua Painter was enumerated in 1820 and 1830. John Wesley Painter's mother died in 1828, when he was nearly 7; his father in 1835, when he was 14. Afterwards, he may have lived with his step-mother Lydia Painter. A son's biography states that John Wesley Painter went to Iowa Territory as a Methodist missionary about 1839. "He was an ardent abolitionist and in the... Read More	Methodist missionary and abolitionist. John Wesley Painter, a son of Mary (née Bland) and the Rev. Joshua Painter, was born on 9 September 1821 in Zane Township, Logan County, Ohio, where Joshua Painter was enumerated in 1820 and 1830. John Wesley Painter's mother died in 1828, when he was nearly 7; his father in 1835, when he was 14. Afterwards, he may have lived with his step-mother Lydia Painter. A son's biography states that John Wesley Painter went to Iowa Territory as a Methodist missionary about 1839. "He was an ardent abolitionist and in the early days was one of the conductors on the Underground Railway, his log barn being one of the stations on that route."* John W. Painter and Kerrilla Berry Miller married on 28 March 1844 in Van Buren County, Iowa Territory. (The bride's name appears as "Corila Miller" on the marriage record.) The couple were the parents of five sons, all born near Pittsburgh, Van Buren County, including: • Robert Miller Painter, b. 4 Jul 1845, d. 31 Mar 1925 • Joshua Soule Painter, b. 22 Mar 1848, d. 17 Jul 1898 • Joseph Emery Painter, b. 23 May 1850, d. 16 Jul 1851 • William McKendree Painter, b. 27 Mar 1852, d. 29 Aug 1852 • Francis Porter Painter, b. 9 Oct 1853, d. 26 Aug 1857 Only Robert and Joshua lived to maturity, and only Robert married. Kerrilla B. Painter recorded in her Bible the names and dates of birth of her sons—and the dates of death of the three who died in infancy. John W. Painter appears to have been, like his father, a Methodist local preacher, permitted to lead worship and minister to his community, but not administer the Sacraments. He was resident in Van Buren County from the 1840s until at least 1860, where he worked as a farmer, and in 1870 he was enumerated as a tailor in Wapello County, Iowa. Notes According to the family record in Kerrilla B. Painter's Bible, John W. Painter was born on 9 Sep 1821. "John W. Painter husband of K. B. Painter departed this life on the 16th day of July 1874 in the 53'd year of his age." Headstone inscribed with 15 Jul 1875 as date of death. * Captain Robert Miller Painter's "grandfather was Rev. Mr. [Joshua] Painter, a Methodist minister, who did some pioneer work for that church in Ohio. He died about 1825. "Captain Painter's father was Rev. John Wesley Painter, who was born in Champaign County, Ohio, in 1821. He spent his life in the ministry and about 1839 moved into Southwestern Iowa find carried on the work of a missionary over a large section of that state. He was a member of the Southeastern Iowa Conference until late in life, when he represented the Methodist Book Concern of Cincinnati. He died in Wapello County, Iowa, in July, 1874. He was an ardent abolitionist and in the early days was one of the conductors on the Underground Railway, his log barn being one of the stations on that route. In politics he began voting as a whig, afterwards was a know-nothing, and finally assisted in organizing the republican party in his section of Iowa. He married in Van Buren County, that state, Kerrilla B. Miller, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Hunter) Miller, the former a native of the north of Ireland and the latter of Roanoke County, Virginia. Mrs. J. W. Painter died in Montgomery County, Kansas, in 1885. Of her children the oldest is Capt. Robert M. [Another son,] Joshua spent some years in the West with Captain Painter and died while practicing law at Chicago, unmarried. The other children all died in infancy." (Bio. of Capt. Robert Miller Painter in: William E. Connelley, A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, vol. 4 (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1919), p. [check the 1919 edition].) The account of the Painter family's Irish origins and gunsmithing is incorrect. "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJ4R-NTY: accessed 14 Sep 2013), John W. Painter and Corila Miller, 28 Mar 1844. 1847 Iowa state census, Van Buren Co. John W. Painter (3 persons). • Father-in-law Thomas Miller on same page. 1850 U.S. Census, Van Buren Twp., Van Buren Co., Iowa; dwellings 23-24, families 23-24, lines 3-11 and 12-16, p. 271B (printed), 21 Oct 1850. 3. Thomas Miller, 55, farmer ($1,000), Va. 4. Jane, 53, Va. [...] 12. John Painter, 30, farmer (-0-), O [Ohio]. 13. Carilla, 23, O. 14. Robert, 6, Iowa. 15. Joshua, 3, Iowa. 16. Joseph, 3/12, Iowa. • The Millers were the parents of Kerrilla Painter. 1852 Iowa state census, Van Buren Twp., Van Buren Co.; p. 49 (written). [12.] Thos. Miller. [13.] John Painter (4 males, 1 female). 1856 Iowa state census, Van Buren Co.; dwelling 17, family 211, pp. 80-81. [24.] John W. Painter, 36, Ohio, farmer. [25.] "Kerilla" B. Painter, 28, Ohio. [26.] Robert Painter, 10, Iowa. [27.] Joshua Painter, 8, Iowa. [28] Francis P. Painter, 2, Iowa. • Both John W. and Kerrilla B. Painter had been Iowa residents for 16 years. 1860 U.S. Census, Van Buren Twp., Van Buren Co., Iowa; dwelling 2083, family 2088, lines 2-5, p. 285 (written), 24 Jul 1860. 2. J. W. Painter, 38, farmer ($1,800; $275), O [Ohio]. 3. Kerrilla -----, 33, O. 4. Robert -----, 15, Iowa. 5. Joshua -----, 12, Iowa. 1870 U.S. Census, Center Twp., Wapello Co., Iowa; dwelling 43, family 43, lines 2-6, p. 50B (printed) p. 6 (written), 20 Jun 1870. (Post Office: Ottumwa) 2. Painter, John W., 48, tailor (-0-; $500), Ohio. 3. ----- Kerrilla B., 33, keeping house ($2,000; $250), Ohio. 4. ----- Robert M., 24, farmer ($2,200; $600), Iowa, married in Jan. 5. ----- Emily H., 24, keeping house, Iowa, married in Jan. 6. ----- Joshua S., 22, school teaching, Iowa. • Emily was the former Miss Emily H. Hackworth. Sons' names Son Robert Miller Painter was named after his mother's paternal grandfather. Son Joshua Soule Painter after a Methodist Episcopal bishop. William McKendree Painter after his father's half-brother, who, in turn, was named after the first American-born Methodist Episcopal bishop. John Emory, another Methodist Episcopal bishop, may have inspired the name for son Joseph Emery Painter. No obit. or notice found in the Ottumwa Weekly Courier during July 1874. Pen-and-ink drawing of John Wesley Painter, about 1844, provided by descendant A. Montemurro. Reviewed 8 December 2021.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John Wesley Painter's memorial?
John Wesley Painter's memorial is located at: Shaul Cemetery, Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA.
When did John Wesley Painter death?
John Wesley Painter death on 16 Jul 1874 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the John Wesley Painter's memorial?
Latitude: 40.9953003
Longitude: -92.4492035

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Siblings

Jacob Painter

(1825 - 1914)

Elizabeth Painter Wallingsford

(1828 - 1909)

Children

Joshua Soule Painter

(1848 - 1898)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Shaul Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9953003, -92.4492035

2. Wilkenson Farm Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9527862, -92.4418455

3. McIntire Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9646988, -92.4005966

4. Zion Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9448000, -92.4615000

5. Ottumwa Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0346985, -92.4049988

6. Calvary Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0261002, -92.3897018

7. Ottumwa Jewish Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0362000, -92.4009000

8. Brooks Cemetery
Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0038986, -92.5346985

9. Wapello County Care Facility Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0274420, -92.3728750

10. Dexter Farm Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9333425, -92.4168449

11. Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9333000, -92.4856033

12. Mount Olivet Cemetery
Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0471992, -92.3902969

13. Point Isabel Cemetery
Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9258003, -92.4617004

14. Harris Cemetery
Chillicothe, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0694574, -92.4779650

15. Bowen Cemetery
Chillicothe, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0416718, -92.5335147

16. Burns Cemetery
Chillicothe, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0708008, -92.4867020

17. Ralston Cemetery
Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9750000, -92.5530000

18. Memorial Lawn Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0699997, -92.4068985

19. Dahlonega Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0540000, -92.3700000

20. Ormanville Cemetery
Ormanville, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9136009, -92.4824982

21. Wellman Cemetery
Ottumwa, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9495900, -92.5483450

22. Chisman Cemetery
Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0231018, -92.5610962

23. Kitterman Cemetery
Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0412000, -92.3430000

24. Round Point Cemetery
Agency, Wapello County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0190000, -92.3270000