"CAINE, ALEXANDER C., commercial traveler, was born in the year 1849, in Somerset, Ohio. His father, Isaiah Caine, was born in the same township, and had three brothers, John, Lewis and James. His grandfather, John Caine, Deceased at Zaleski, Ohio, at the advanced age of eighty years. His mother's maiden name was Campbell, a sister of Samuel C. Campbell, of Effingham, Illinois, deceased in 1880, leaving Alexander C., Samuel, John L., Frank and Wallace, and an only sister, Cora. John L. is united in marriage to Miss Emma Law, and resides in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Samuel to Sophia Exner, and resides in Somerset. The other brothers and sister are single. A brother, Henry B., was wounded at Mission Ridge, and died at Nashville, in January, 1863. Alexander C., at the age of twelve years, went with Captain L. Jackson, of the 31st Regiment, O. V. I., and afterwards went with his uncle, Samuel C. Campbell, who was sutler of the 90th Regiment.
After six months service there he returned home, and entered the union school of his native town. He afterward entered the drug store of F. Moeller, in Somerset, where he remained three years. He then clerked for H. C. Filler, dry goods merchant, of Somerset, and from here he went to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he served as clerk for the firm of William Glenn & Co. From there he went to Pekin, Illinois, where he served as clerk in a hotel, and after one year's service, went to Butler, Bates county, Missouri, and took the management of the store of W. T. Smith & Co., where he remained four years. From there he went to Kansas City, Missouri, and became commercial traveler for J. M. Shelly & Co., in which capacity he served eighteen months. He then returned to Ohio in 1874, and clerked for Thomas Drake, dry goods, Somerset; afterwards for Benjamin Whitmer, grocer, and from here he went to Shawnee, Ohio, where he took charge of the mercantile business of William Shields & Co., afterward J. C. Hamilton & Co., making all purchases, and carrying a business amounting to as high as $150,000 a year, and in this capacity the business flourished for over five years. He is now connected as commercial traveler for the wholesale house of Miller & Hustons, Columbus, Ohio.
His political career was marked with eminent success as a manager of campaigns. He was chairman of the Republican convention which first nominated John H. Kelly for Probate Judge, and Henry Martin for Sheriff, both successful in a county which had been giving six hundred Democratic majorities. He was a delegate to the state convention that first nominated Charles Foster for Governor. He was the only Blaine delegate to the state convention from the Twelfth Congressional District, against a bitter and powerful opposition. He nominated W. T. Shriver, first and last, for Treasurer of the county, and H. C. Greiner, the last time he was elected, in 1881, for Representative. All these acts exhibited his keen sagacity as a Republican leader, the majority of the opposing party sinking as his tactics advanced to the front."
(This bio is reprinted from “ History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Ohio. Compiled by A. A. Graham. W.H. Beers & Co. 1883. Thank you to Timothy E. Fisher for permission to copy this from his website.)
Alexander Clinton Caine was born in Somerset, Perry county, Ohio, December 9 1849. He received his education in the common schools of his native village. During the first year of the rebellion he volunteered in the Thirty-first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and in September, 1862, he re-enlisted in the Ninetieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served his country with that regiment until June, 1864. At the close of the war he engaged in commercial pursuits until January 1886, when he was appointed by General Axline a clerk in the office of the adjutant general of Ohio, where he remained until January, 1888. Mr. Caine was then appointed by Hon. E. W. Poe land clerk in the office of the auditor of state, which position he retained until January, 1892, when he was elected chief clerk of the Ohio state senate. He was re-elected without opposition for the Seventy-first general assembly, and again chosen chief clerk of the senate for the Seventy-second general assembly, beginning January, 1896. Mr. Caine has always been an active republican, and he has served as a member of the state central and state executive committees. He was married June 25, 1890, to Miss Julia Smithnight, of Cleveland, Ohio. They have a son, Louis Smithnight Caine. Mr. Caine is a Mason, Knight Templar, Shriner, and a Knight of Pythias.