Biographies Source:
History of Trumbull & Mahoning Counties, Ohio
with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches -
Vol. II
Cleveland - H. Z. Williams & Bro.
1882) Also See Individual Townships for
more short biographies.
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Caleb Wick |
COLONEL CALEB B. WICK.
The name of Wick has been
identified with Youngstown from a very early day. One of
the first, if not the first, minister of the gospel of any
denomination who held religious services in the infant
settlement, and was for many years afterwards pastor of the
Presbyterian church, and who there solemnized a marriage as
early as November, 1800, was Rev. William Wick, an uncle
of the subject of this memoir, and elder brother of his father,
Henry Wick who came in 1802 and was one of the earliest
merchants.
The family is of English origin. An early
ancestor in the United States was Job Wick, of
Southampton, Long Island, New York. He was married, as
appears by a family record, to Anna Cook Dec. 21,
1721. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom
Lemuel, born Apr. 16, 1743, was the ninth. Lemuel was
married to Deborah Lupton about 1763. They were the
parents of five children, of whom William, the pioneer
minister above named, born June 29, 1768, was the third, and
Henry, the pioneer merchant, born Mar. 19, 1771, was the
fourth.
Henry removed, while a young man, from
Southampton, Long Island, to Washington county, Pennsylvania,
and was there married Dec. 11, 1794, to Miss Hannah
Baldwin, daughter of Caleb Baldwin, of that
county. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom
Caleb Baldwin Wick, born Oct. 1, 1795, was
the eldest.
Henry Wick was engaged in mercantile
business in Washington county, Pennsylvania, after his removal
there. He first came to Youngstown in 1802, probably at
the instance of his father-in-law, Caleb Baldwin,
who removed there about 1799. A deed on record shows that
on Apr. 29, 1802, Henry Wick purchased of John
Young the square bounded on Main (now West Federal), Hill
(now Wood), Phelps, and Hazel streets, and a lot of thirty-seven
acres outside of the town plat for $235. He erected
buildings for residence and store, commenced mercantile removed
his family, then consisting of his wife and four children:
Caleb B., Thomas L., Betsey, and Lemonel, in
the spring of 1804 to Youngstown. He died November 4,
1845. Mrs. Hannah B. Wick, his widow, died Apr. 10,
1849.
Caleb B. Wick was in the ninth year of his age
when he came to Youngstown. The settlement at that time,
as he related in his after years, consisted of only a few
scattered log cabins. On the ground now occupied by the
main part of the city the timber had been burnt off by the
Indians, and there were only bushes and thick bunches of hazel.
Wild deer were frequently to be seen running where are now the
most populous and active business streets.
He received such an education in the ordinary branches
as was attainable in the schools of that day, and at times
assisted his father in his store and other business. In
the fall of 1815, in partnership with the late Dr. Henry
Manning, he commenced a country store, connecting with it a
drug store, the first in this part of the Reserve. This
store stood on the north side of West Federal street, next west
of the (present) large store building of E. M. McGillin &
Co., in a frame building now occupied by J. F. Hollingsworth
as a stove and hardware store. He continued in partnership
with Dr. Manning in this building about ten years.
He continued the mercantile business in another building, next
east of the present Excelsior block, part of the time without a
partner, and at times with different partners until 1848, when
having been a merchant for over thirty years he retired from
that business, being then the oldest merchant in business in
Youngstown.
During his active life he was honored, at different
times, by election and appointment to positions of public trust
and honor. On June 2, 1817, having been elected by the
company to the office, he was commissioned by Governor
Worthington, lieutenant of the Third company, First
battalion, First regiment, Fourth division Ohio militia, and
qualified by taking the official oath before Hon. George Tod,
judge of the common pleas. On Sept. 3, 1818, he was
commissioned captain of the same company. On Mar. 22,
1822, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the First
regiment, and in the fall of the same year colonel of the
regiment, which office he held for a few years.
In 1820 and again in 1824 he was elected township clerk
of Youngstown, and subsequently was elected trustee, and held
other township offices. During the exciting Presidential
campaign of 1840 Colonel Wick was an active supporter of
General Harrison, and on Nov. 17, 1841, was commissioned
postmaster of Youngstown, which office he held until Mar. 10,
1843, when, not being a supporter of President Tyler,
he was removed.
After retiring from mercantile business, in 1848, he
did not enter into any active business, but devoted his
attention to the care of his estate, which had become large.
He died June 30, 1865, aged nearly seventy years. At that
time he was, and since the death of Colonel William Rayen,
in April, 1854, he had been, the oldest citizen or resident of
Youngstown.
He was married, Jan. 1, 1816, to Miss Rachel
Kirtland, daughter of Jared Kirtland, of Poland,
Ohio. They were the parents of two children, one of whom,
Henry K., for some time a merchant of Youngstown, died at
about the age of twenty-two years; the other died in infancy.
His wife died in 1820. He was again married, Nov. 3, 1828,
to Miss Maria Adelia Griffith, of Youngstown, formerly of
Caledonia, Livingston county, New York. They were the
parents of ten children, seven of whom - Rachel K.,
intermarried with Robert W. Tayler, late first
comptroller of the United States Treasury; Hannah B.,
intermarried with Charles D. Arms, of Youngstown;
Laura E., Caleb B., Henry K., Charles E.,
and Eliza M. - are now living.
His character as a citizen and in his various
relations to the community is sketched in an obituary notice,
prepared shortly after his death, by one who knew him well, from
which we make extracts:
In social life, as a citizen, a neighbor, and a friend
Colonel Wick was liberal, kind, and warm-hearted.
In his house everyone felt at home, and his hospitality knew no
limit. Indulgent to his own family in social joys, and
cheerful to the last, he had great delight in the society of the
young as well as the old.
He united with the First Presbyterian church of
Youngstown, on profession of faith, on Apr. 6, 1835. For
more than thirty years he had been known as a Christian man,
devising liberal things for the church of his choice. He
had been an invalid for several years, but his end came
suddenly. and though it came with little warning, yet he
was awaiting the summons from on high and peacefully fell
asleep.
Source: 20th Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning Co., Ohio
and Representative Citizens - Vol. I - Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co. -
Chicago, Illinois
1907 - Page 438 |
James Williams
Almyra Williams |
JAMES WILLIAMS was among the pioneers of Canfield
township, and bore with fortitude the experiences of pioneer life.
He enlisted in the army during the War of 1812, immediately after Hull's surrender, and served at first lieutenant. He
married Mary Smith. The names of their children were James, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Banner, Nancy, and
Rachel.
Rebecca (deceased) married Jacob Bower; Elizabeth married
Almedius Scott, and resides in Canfield; Banner
married first Clarissa Lew, and second Margaret McDaniels,
and resides in Canfield; Banner married first
Clarissa Lew, and second Margaret McDaniels, and
resides in Canfield; Nancy the wife of Ormon Dean,
resides in Lordstown; Rachel married John Porter, and
resides in Palmyra, Portage county.
Source: 20th Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning Co., Ohio
and Representative Citizens - Vol. I - Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co. -
Chicago, Illinois
1907 - Page 109 |
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