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WILLIAM W. WICK.
But few men of early Indiana were better known than
William Watson Wick. He came to the State in 1820,
being the first lawyer to locate in Connersville, and from
that time until 1857 he was almost continuously in public
life. He was a man of marked peculiarities. He
had a sunny disposition, was of a genial nature, thoroughly
understanding human nature, and knowing just what to do to
maintain his hold upon the people. I can not give a
better summary of his life, up to 1848, than the following
letter written to a Texas gentleman named Payne.
Payne had read one of Judge Wick's
congressional speeches, and was so impressed with its quaint
humor and ready wit that he wrote to Hon. D. S. Kauffman,
then in Congress, asking about Judge Wick, and saying
he would like "to know all about him." Mr. Kauffman
gave Judge Wick the letter, and under date of June
12, 1848, the Judge sent Payne the following
autobiography:
"William W. Wick is a full-blooded Yankee,
though born in Cannonsburg, Washington county, Pennsylvania,
Feb. 23, 1796. In 1800 W's father, a
Presbyterian preacher, settled in the woods in the poorest
township in the Western Reserve of Ohio, adjoining the
Pennsylvania State line. Here W. lived, going
to school, toiling at ordinary labor, and indulging in
daydreams till the time of his father's death in 1814.
He then renounced all interest in his father's estate (which
was only some $3,000), and took himself off. Till
spring, 1816, he essayed to teach the young idea how to
shoot' in Washington county, Pennsylvania, when he descended
at the Monongahela and Ohio in a 'broad-horn' to Cincinnati.
He taught school and studied, first medicine and then law,
till December, 1849; read chemistry principally by the light
of log-heaps in a clearing, and law of nights and Sundays
(wrong so far as Sunday is concerned). December, 1819,
settled in Connersville, Indiana, as a lawyer, and made and
sent his mother a deed for his interest in his father's real
and personal estate. December, 1820, was chosen clerk
of the House of Representatives of Indiana, and served till
January, 1822, when he was chosen judge of a new circuit,
just formed, and removed to Indianapolis, where he has ever
since resided. In three yeas he resigned the judgeship
because it was starving him, and was chosen Secretary of
State, served four years, then chosen circuit prosecuting
attorney, then judge again. He has also figured as
quartermaster-general, and is a now a brigadier. He
has committed much folly in holding offices, and only
escapes the condemnation of his own judgment in
consideration of the fact that he was never green enough to
accept a seat in the State Legislature. In 1835 W.
changed his politics; his party did not leave him - he left
it. [In this he differs from most great men.] In
1839 he was chosen an M. C. as a Democrat, and as successor
to Col. Kinnard, who died from the blowing up of a
steamboat when on his way to Washington. [Colonel K.
had been in Congress for some years.] In 1843 and 1847
W. was nominated and elected to Congress. He
was a candidate for Congress in 1831, and got beat.
Right. He was once a Clay candidate for
elector, and got beat. Right. He was once a
Clay candidate for elector, and got beat. Right.
In 1844 was a Democratic candidate for elector - successful.
Right.
"In the intervals of the above engagements he practiced
law; never made much at that; did not know how to scare and
skin a client. In 1821 he married a wife, who died in
1832. He has a son and daughter married, and five
grandchildren living. His youngest boy (a third child
and all), went last year 'to see the elephant' as a private
in the Illinois volunteer regiment - then he was near
seventeen years of age. He went without leave, but
(good boy) he wrote for and got leave after he was gone.
He has acquired Spanish enough to write a good Spanish
letter, and unassisted by W.'s name, has worked his
way. He is now clerk to the depot quartermaster at the
city of Mexico. Says the climate in Mexico is better
than in Indiana, and that the boys killed themselves
drinking spirits, eating Mexican fruits, and 'cavorting.'
"Wick has committed much folly in his time - the
principal of which has been holding offices, writing rhymes,
playing cards for money, and paying other people's debts -
all which he abandoned about the time he became a Democrat.
"At this present writing W. is fifty-two years
of age; fair, a little fat, having increased since 1833 from
146 to 214 pounds - six feet and one inch high, good
complexion, portly - has been called the best looking man
about town - but that was ten years ago - not to be sneezed
at now - a little gray - has had chills and fever, bilious
attacks, and dyspepsia enough to kill a dozen common men,
and has passed through misfortunes sufficient to humble a
score of ordinary specimens of human nature. His
system being sluggish, he takes a sarsaparilla bitter, or
some No. 6, in the morning, and takes a glass of two of wine
(if good) at dinner when he can get it. He has
acquired a good deal of Miscellaneous knowledge, loves fun,
looks serious, rises early, works much, and has a decided
penchant for light diet, humor, reading, business, the
drama, music, a fine horse, his gun, and the woods.
W. owes nothing, and were he to die to-day his estate
would inventory eight or nine hundred dollars. He
saves nothing of his per diem and mileage, and yet has no
vices to run away with money. He takes no thought for
to-morrow.' but relies upon the same good Providence to
which he is debtor for all.
"W. would advise young men to fear and trust
God, to cheat rogues, and deceive intriguers by being
perfectly honest (this mode misleads such cattle
effectually), to touch the glass lightly, to eschew security
and debt, tobacco, betting, hypocrisy and federalism, to
rather believe, or fall in with new philosophical and moral
humbugs, and to love woman too well to injure her.
They will thus be happy now, and will secure serenity at
fifty-two years of age, and thence onward.
This paper exhibits
Judge Wick as he was - war hearted, humorous
and improvident. He truly said he took no thought for
the morrow.
In 1853 President Pierce appointed Judge Wick
postmaster at Indianapolis. He served a full term of
four years, and in 1857 was superseded by John M. Talbott.
He was an applicant for reappointment, and he took his
defeat sorely to heart. In a letter to a friend, under
date of May 8, 1858, he thus speaks of his retirement from
office.
"I suppose my selfish interests in politics are closed,
and closed forever. My health, activity and physical
energies are much impaired by the wear and tear of the last
few months. It is the first time in my life that I hae
been constrained to feel a consciousness of exceeding wrong,
neglect and injustice, accompanied by fraud and dishonor.
It came upon me unexpectedly, and it hurt badly. But
no measure of age, ill-health or disgust could make me
careless of the fate of the Democratic party."
After leaving the
postoffice Judge Wick resumed the practice of the
law. Like most men who forsake the law for public
office, he found it hard to get back his legal business.
Others had taken his clients, and now when he sought to
regain them they would not come. But if the law was
measurably closed to him, the political field was open, and
as he had always loved politics he did not particularly
grieve at the want of clients, but entered actively into
political work.
The Thirty-fifth Congress was the most exciting one
that had ever convened up to that time. The Kansas and
Nebraska bill had passed, and the bill to admit Kansas under
the Lecomption constitution which was before the House,
aroused the fiercest passions of the people. The
Democratic party, then in control of the government, was
divided upon the bill, and the two wings fought each other
with intense fury. There were in that Congress six
Democrats from Indiana, and the six were equally divided in
sentiment upon the bill. Messrs. Niblack, Hughes
and Gregg favored the measure, and Messrs.
English, Foley and Davis opposed it.
Judge Wick was bitterly hostile to the bill, and by
speech and by letter did what he could to defeat it.
In a letter to Hon. W. H. English, then in Congress,
dated Feb. 8, 1858, he says: "I am opposed to Kansas's
admission on the Lecompton constitution solely on the point
of honor." He proceeds at some length to show that the
honor of the Democratic party demands the submission of the
constitution to the people, and closes by saying: "the
most foolish thing a politician can do is to grow desperate
and risk his all on a single question." He begs of
Mr. English not to "risk his all" by voting for a
bill whose passage would bring dishonor upon his party.
Writing to Mr. English under date of Feb. 21, 1858,
he says:
" 'The wise man
forseeth the evil and hideth himself; the fool passes on and
is published.' I would not expect you to be a fool,
but on the contrary would expect your wariness,
clear-sightedness and high sense of honor to save you from
ministering to the ambitious plans of others, by
surrendering yourself to be led blindfold into the pit, and
I see it is likely that I shall not be deceived. I
congratulate you."
Further on he thus refers to the bill introduced by
Mr. English for the settlement of the Kansas question:
"Had I been at
your elbow, I would have whispered these things to you, and
said: 'Now mind your compromise. It will do no public
good, and may be to the Jews (anti-Lecompton men) a
stumbling-block, and to the Greeks (Lecompton men)
foolishness, and so bring you little honor or profit.' "
When the campaign of 1860 opened, Judge Wick
took the stump as an advocate of the election of Douglas.
He made speeches in several places in Central Indiana, and
with much effect, for he was a very popular stumper.
He was not particularly logical as a speaker, but his humor,
his wit and pleasantries supplied the place of argument with
many and made him a great favorite upon the hustlings.
Had Judge Douglas been elected Judge Wick
would undoubtedly have been rewarded for his devotion to the
fortunes of that remarkable man, but as he was defeated all
hopes of Judge Wick for political preferment
disappeared. In a short time after the campaign closed
he left Indianapolis, which for so long had been his home,
and took up his abode at Franklin, with his daughter,
Mrs. William H. Overstreet. He died at her house,
May 19, 1868, and was buried in the Franklin cemetery.
William and Henry Wick, Judge Wick's
father and uncle, settled at Youngstown, Ohio, i n1801.
As previously stated, William was a Presbyterian
preacher. He came to the then far West as a
missionary, and labored zealously in his calling. In
speaking of the location of his father and uncle at
Youngstown, Judge Wick once said: "One chose piety
and poverty, and the other merchandizing and money-getting,
and they both succeeded." One laid up treasures in
heaven, the other on earth, and verily they both had their
reward.
Judge Wick's father intended him for a
Presbyterian minister, but the boy grew up doubting the
truth of Calvinism and refused to become an organ for its
propagation. He studied medicine, as stated in his
autobiography, but soon abandoned it, giving as a reason
that he did not like to be always contemplating the miseries
of mankind. Law and politics were more congenial to
his nature, hence he embraced them and became a good lawyer
and very astute politician.
Judge Wick, like Yorick, was "a fellow of
infinite jest, of most excellent fancy." His exuberant
humor often "set the table in a roar," making him one of the
best and most jolly of companions. Fun and hilarity
abounded wherever he was, not even leaving him when on the
bench. The lawyers joked with him and played cards
with him, often for money. He was once indicted by the
grand jury of Bartholomew county for gambling, was tried
before his associate judges, found guilty and fined. A
few days after this one Job Gardner, who had been
indicted for gambling with the Judge, was brought to trial,
and, on being asked if he was guilty, replied: "Guilty, as
Your Honor well knows." "You are fined $5 and costs,"
responded Judge Wick, whereupon Gardner cried
out, "Have mercy, Judge, have mercy." "You will have
to appeal to a higher court for mercy," said the Judge, with
a twinkle in his eye, as he proceeded to call the next case
upon the docket.
Judge Wick, like most of the public men of early
Indiana, loved a social glass. Oliver H. Smith,
in his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches," tells this
story:
"We started in fine spirits from Greensburg after
breakfast. The day was cloudy, dark and drizzling.
There was no road cut out between Greensburg and
Shelbyville; there were neighborhood paths only in the
direction between them. Judge Wick rode a
spirited animal, and at once took the lead. Away we
went at a rapid traveling gait. All at once the Judge
stopped at a little log cabin at the forks of the paths,
upon the gate-post of which hung a rough board with the word
'whisky' marked upon it with chalk. The Judge hallooed
at the top of his voice, then the door opened, and out came
the woman of the cabin. The Judge: 'Have you got any
whisky?' 'Yes, plenty; but we have no license to sell,
and we will be prosecuted if we sell by the small. You
can have a gallon.' 'A gallon! I don't want a
gallon. A tin-cupful, with some sugar, will do.'
'You can't have it.' 'Fetch it out. I am the
president judge of the Circuit Court, and this is Mr.
Smith. He can quash any indictment these woods
prosecuting attorneys can find against you. Fetch it
out; there is no danger of prosecution.' Thus assured,
the old woman returned, brought out the whisky and sugar,
the Judge took the lion's part, and away he went on his
journey."
Judge Wick
was kind and affectionate to his family. His youngest
daughter was accidentally burned when a child, and when the
wound healed it left a bad scar upon her face. While
she was from home, at the house of a friend of the family, a
thoughtless companion twitted her with the cicatrix.
in her mortification and grief she wrote her father, asking
to be brought home. In reply, he sent her the
following touching and beautiful letter:
"INDIANAPOLIS, November 1, 1862.
"DEAR ALLY- I am delighted to hear from you. I
was not uneasy about you, but I did want to see my little
one - my beloved child. But, now I know you are well,
all is well. I am truly glad that you are learning not
to be afraid of the darkness, which is one of the follishest
things in the world.
"Nobody has slighted you because of your scars, I
known, who was worth minding. I hope my little girl
will remember that as she will never be very pretty there is
so much more reason for her to be good. A pretty face
may recommend one to light-hearted and foolish people, but
it is goodness and talent and education which recommend one
to the better sort of people, whose good opinion is
valuable. Be ever good and innocent and sincere, as
you are now, and you will find enough people to love you, in
spite of the burns. Perhaps they may, like your old
father, love you all the more for the scars. I long to
see my baby, but do not wish to say a word about your coming
home, but leave that to fix itself. Be good and
obedient and obliging, and your pa will not be ashamed of
you. Dear Ally, good buy.
W. W. Wick."
This child, now
an intelligent and thoughtful woman, in a note to the author
of this sketch, thus speaks of her father:
"After my
father's first stroke of paralysis, when it was with great
difficulty that he walked, we had in our household a canine
called 'Dainty,' for which I had a great fancy, but the rest
of the family a very decided dislike. I fear 'Dainty'
must have been a serious trouble to my father, owing to his
unfortunate faculty for always being in the way. But
my dear father bore very patiently with the dog and his many
pranks, for his 'baby's' sake, and one day crowned all by an
act which was much to me then, but more to me now, that I
can better appreciate the loving thoughtfulness that
prompted it. I was away from home, and 'Dainty,'
taking advantage of my absence, took to the street for a
frolic. But, alas! with his usual readiness, he got in
the way of a heavy wagon, and thus ended his somewhat active
career. My father, hearing of the accident, and
knowing what a sad catastrophe it would be to me, went out
into the street, and bringing in the poor little body, laid
it down in a shady part of our yard, and then waiting my
return, told me that poor little 'Dainty' was no more, but
that there was a happy hunting-ground where all good dogs
were supposed to go.
"And so it was always; his children's troubles were
always his troubles, too. They were never so small but
he could and did understand them, and relieve them, too,
when relief was possible. Many a time has he stroked
my head, saying: 'Never mind, baby, it will all come right.'
And so it did, or was forgotten, which was about the same
thing to my mind in those days."
A son of Judge
Wick, now living at Springfield, Ohio, gives this
incident in his father's career:
"I remember when
a lad, during one of his canvasses for Congress, going to
the old Court-house where he was making a speech. My
boy eyes were wide open taking in the scene. The room
was literally packed, and I noticed that by his eloquence
his audience were affected to tears, and then by his wit and
humor were convulsed with laughter. At the close of
the speech two stalwart Clay Whigs gathered him upon
their shoulders, and went out of the Court-house yard and
down Washington street, hurrahing for Billy Wick."
Judge Wick's
first wife was Laura Finch, a sister of Hon.
Fabius M. Finch, of Indianapolis. As stated in the
Judge's autobiography, Mrs. Wick died in 1832, and in
1839 he married Isabella Barbee. The issue of
this marriage was two daughters, the youngest of whom is
living, and is connected with the Indianapolis Public
Library. The second Mrs. Wick survived her
husband.
Judge Wick wrote well and
correctly. His manuscript was a pattern of neatness
and grammatical accuracy. It could be printed as
written, something that can not be done with the
compositions of most of our public men.
Judge Wick's grave is
without even a headstone to mark it. It is several
inches lower than the cemetery's level, otherwise there
would be nothing to show that the ground where his ashes lie
was ever disturbed. A foot or so from the head of the
grave stands a monument erected to one who, though one of
the best of men,* was unknown outside his neighborhood, and
at its foot runs a roadway. On either side are
monuments commemorating the virtues of those who exercised
but little influence upon their kind, and whom the State's
history will never mention. Amid such surroundings is
the final resting-place of the genial pioneer, with nothing
to mark it save an indentation in the ground. Some
members of the Franklin bar have talked of putting a stone
at the head of the grave, but nothing further has been done,
and unless some one moves in the matter before long the last
resting place of the first judge of the "New Purchase" will
be unknown. Standing by it a thoughtful man must
realize the instability of worldly honor and human
greatness. Alas, how transient and fleeting they are!
Source: Biographical
and
Historical Sketches
of Early Indiana -
Publ. by Hammond & Co. -
1883 - Page 252 - 261
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* The author's father. |
