Cletus Joseph Brady Sullivan was born February 21, 1896, in Payne, Ohio. He was the son of John Sullivan, born in June 1856 in Pennsylvania, and Ellen (Brady) Sullivan, born February 1858 in Ohio. John and Ellen were married February 24, 1884, in Paulding.
The couple were the parents of Michael Leo, born in 1889; Eugene C., born in 1892; Cletus, born in 1896; and Margaret, born in 1900. By 1900, the Sullivan family was living in Payne on Merrin Street. John’s father, Michael Sullivan, a widower, was also living with the family, as well as Anna Sullivan, John’s sister. Anna was a schoolteacher in the Payne school system and later started a dress shop in Payne.
By 1910, the Sullivan family was still living on Merrin Street in Payne. John was operating a hardware store. Anna had quit teaching and was running her dress shop. Sons Michael and Eugene were working as clerks at the hardware store, while Cletus and Margaret were attending school…