Wick Family History

Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown — Henry K. Wick

/ rtrube54 / 3 Comments

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Henry Wick, noting the challenge of keeping the various Wicks straight, particularly when Henry had a cousin, Henry Kirtland, or H.K. Wick. Henry K. was born August 31, 1840, the son of Col. Caleb B. and Maria Wick. He had eight siblings plus a brother who died in infancy and two half siblings. His education was exclusively in the Youngstown schools. At sixteen, in 1856, he began working as a clerk at the Mahoning National Bank.

Like Henry, H.K pursued a number of business interests including a process of planishing iron, producing sheets with a high polish. He owned a mill near Niles the grew into a large concern which he sold to a group led by James Ward. He also had timber and mining interests as well as serving as a director for the P., Y., and A Railroad and for the Youngstown Dry Goods Company. He was also the first president of Republic Rubber. But his big interest was coal, essential for the growing iron and steel industry. and from 1869 on focused major efforts on the coal industry, forming the H.K. Coal Company, one of the leading coal companies in the country, making him a multi-millionaire. The business interests extended far and wide and some of the largest were headquartered in Buffalo.

He was known as a gregarious man who loved to entertain. In the early 1880’s, he and his brother Caleb built what was known as the Wick Log Cabin in what was then the wooded area that eventually became the Wick Park district.

Wick Log Cabin from an 1889 photograph.

H.K. married twice. He married Clara Wells in 1886. She passed in 1899. He then married Millicent Rathbone Clark in 1900, moving first to a stately home on Wick Avenue and later building a lavish estate, named Ainwick, on Logan Avenue in Liberty Township. It took four years to build, being completed in 1914. A seven page spread appeared in the February 22, 1914 edition of the Vindicator, including the photograph below.

H.K. Wick helped found the Memorial Presbyterian Church and the Mahoning Institute of Art, a predecessor of the Butler.

Sadly, H.K. did not get to enjoy his Ainwick home for very long. He had struggled with failing health but felt well enough to visit his Buffalo headquarters in March of 1916. He became ill upon arrival on a Tuesday. By Saturday, it was clear he was fighting a serious case of pneumonia and Mrs. Wick rushed to be at his side. He died on March 22, 1916, three months to the day after his cousin Henry’s death from the same cause. He was transported to Youngstown and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, as are many of the Wicks. Millicent lived until 1953 but the couple had no children.

It is my understanding that the Ursuline nuns came into possession of the house and estate, eventually selling it off for development, resulting in the demolition of the mansion. What a loss, both architecturally, and as visible evidence of the life of H.K. Wick.

To read other posts in the Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown series, just click “On Youngstown.” Enjoy!

Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown — Henry Wick

/ rtrube54 / 1 Comment
A picture of Henry Wick in his youth
A picture of a young Henry Wick

The Wick name is one of the most well known names in Youngstown. As it turns out there are a number of Wicks who rose to prominence in Youngstown. Perhaps it has already been done, but a genealogical work showing the family lines and relations of the various Wicks would be a great asset for anyone who writes about Youngstown.

Henry Wick is a case in point. He might easily be confused with Henry K. (H.K.) Wick. The two men were born six years apart. H.K. was born August 31, 1840, the son of Col. Caleb B. and Maria Wick. Henry Wick was born born May 13, 1846, a son of Hugh Bryson and Lucretia Winchell Wick. As it turns out, this part of the family tree is relatively easy. Caleb and Hugh were both sons of Henry and Hannah Baldwin Wick, who came to Youngstown in 1801, establish a mercantile business, making Henry and H.K. their grandchildren and cousins to each other.

Henry was educated in the Youngstown schools of the day and graduated from Western Reserve College. He began working as a coal operator in Youngstown and Pittsburgh, forming the Witch Hazel Coal Company, of which he was president most of his working life. This led to an interest in the growing iron business. He organized and ran the Youngstown Rolling Mill Company, an early successful company in the iron business. He then joined forces to incorporate The Ohio Iron and Steel Company, serving as its vice president for many years. He also organized the Ohio Steel Company, a pioneer in Bessemer steel in the valley. A few years later they merged with the National Steel Company, of which he became president. Later this company was absorbed by Carnegie, which in turn became U.S. Steel. He also bought and reorganized the Elyria Iron and Steel Company, supervising its operations until his death.

He also was engaged in mining, lumber, and ranching operations in the west as well as operating several large farms near Youngstown.

If that wasn’t enough, he was involved in several key financial institutions in the city beginning with his partnership in the Wick Brothers & Company, and as an officer in the Wick National Bank, which was the successor of that firm. He also served was a director with First National Bank, Dollar Savings and Trust, and Youngstown Sheet and Tube.

Joseph Butler, in History of Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley, Ohio – Vol. II, summarizes his portrait of Henry Wick:

“Henry Wick was a vital and compelling force.  He was a tireless worker and a natural leader of men.  He was a hater of sham and show, and a lover of truth and justice.  He was loyal to friends and just to every one.  He had a veritable passion for home and for the near ones who are the life of home.  His domestic life was one of peculiar charm and unusual happiness.  He was an active and influential member of the First Presbyterian Church, and an interested and liberal contributor to substantially all of the welfare agencies of his home city, and an active worker in many.“

Henry Wick died of pneumonia December 22, 1915. His wife, Mary Arms Wick, passed five days later. The Vindicator for December 23, 1915 published a story, “The Death of Henry Wick” which included this story, suggesting the character of the man:

“Speaking of how he stood steadfast to his principles, a close friend said that it was never better demonstrated than when several years ago he allied himself with a cause, in the winning of which he thought the community was to be bettered and benefitted. In support of the cause he gave unsparingly in money and indefatigable personal support. He was assailed by opponents but never faltered in the fight. The cause for which he battled went down in defeat, but he was never heard to criticise or complain. He fought for a principle and that it was not by the majority accepted may have caused him regret, but the defeat left no rancor with those he disagreed.”

How rare this is today! Perhaps this explains why he was so sought out to lead companies and sit on boards and enjoyed such success. His business interests included coal, iron, steel, mining, ranching, livestock and agriculture. One wonders how he crowded all this into one life. He is one of the reasons the Wick name enjoys such a reputation in Youngstown to this day.

To read other posts in the Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown series, just click “On Youngstown.” Enjoy!

Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown — Colonel George Dennick Wick

/ rtrube54 / 8 Comments

George_dennick_wick

Colonel George Dennick Wick, photo in the Public Domain

The Wick family is one of the prominent families in Youngstown history. Wicks were among the early settlers of the city, and have been prominent leaders in the steel, and banking and finance institutions of the city as well as in civic affairs. I am still learning about the family history but one thing I discovered very quickly is that it there is far more material than can be covered in a single blog post. So I thought I would start with one of the most interesting members of the family–one with two wives and a daughter named Mary, the founder of one of the major steel companies in the Valley, and a passenger on a fateful voyage.

Colonel Wick was the son of Paul and Susan Wick and born in Youngstown on June 24, 1854. His father was a banker. He was educated in Youngstown schools and then went to Williams College. On graduation, he began his career in the iron and steel industry with Wick, Bonnell and Company in Chicago. Later he moved to Cleveland, selling iron commodities. It was here he met prominent socialite Mary Caroline Chamberlain who he married in 1879.

They moved to Youngstown in 1882 where he was president first of Trumbull Iron Company, then in 1895 he and James A. Campbell formed the Mahoning Valley Iron Company which he also served as president. When Republic Iron and Steel took over the firm around 1900, Wick and Campbell resigned, and with a group of local investors formed Youngstown Sheet and Tube in 1901, of which Colonel Wick was the first president.

Wick was married twice, and both wives names were Mary. His first wife died in 1893. They had one daughter, Mary Natalie, born in 1880. After three years, Wick married fellow Youngstown native Mary Peebles Hitchcock. Their son, George Dennick Jr was born in 1897. In 1896, he served as aide de camp for Governor Asa Bushnell, which also made him a staff officer in the National Guard, and hence the rank of Colonel.

Due to ill health, Wick turned the presidency of Youngstown Sheet and Tube over to James A. Campbell in 1904. He never fully regained his health but did return to the company a few years before he died. It was ill health that led him to go to Europe in February of 1912 with his wife and daughter and a cousin’s daughter, Caroline Bonnell. They toured Italy, France, and London, before their return voyage home–on the Titanic.

The Wick party were in their first class cabins when they heard the tearing sound of the Titanic colliding with the iceberg. At first they were unconcerned believing the reports of the Titanic’s unsinkability. Eventually they were told to report to the A deck and Mrs Wick, Mary and Caroline Bonnell were boarded on a lifeboat. Colonel Wick, like other gentlemen of the time remained behind to take a later boat. Sadly, there were not enough boats, and Colonel Wick, was last seen waving to his wife and daughter from the ship’s railing. He went down with the ship and his body was never recovered.

A memorial service was held for George Dennick Wick on April 24, 1912. At 11 am, factories, schools, and businesses observed five minutes of silence. The family’s pew at First Presbyterian Church was roped off. Mary returned to Youngstown and lived until 1920. She is buried in lot 748 of Oak Hill Cemetery next to a monument for her husband.

The Wick Mansion where Mary lived until her death is now owned by Youngstown State University where it is a co-ed student residence, Wick House. In researching this post, I discovered several articles recounting stories of the house being haunted, perhaps by Mary’s ghost!

Colonel Wick was one of a group of civic leaders that led Youngstown to eminence in steel manufacturing. He served on numerous boards and was an active civic leader. He ended his life like so many others on that ship, courageously and a gentleman to the end.