The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-07-03
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
Incidents in the Life of Hon. William
Reddick.

in examining large collection Of miscella-
neous papers, the accumulation Of half q
centurys busy life in various enterprises in
which the late Mr.. Reddick had been en-
gagged. The object of the executor was to
discover titles to lands and lots, moneys and
oredts-property Of any sort, belonging to
the estate. While our duty was to help to
that end, yet the reporters habit and natu-
raj instinct for news led us to scrutinize
every paper for ''items" interesting to the
public.
The papers before US were a promiscuous
heap of all varieties Of manuscripts, except
sermons and poetry. These documents were
yellow with age, and gave out the very odor
of decay and death, for they, like the sub
jects and persons they spoke Of were dead and
forgotten, oil but the places of their graves,
and we, the ghouls who came to dig them
up, instead of living, breathing, intellectual
creatures, found in most cases only grinning,
CHASTITY skeletons. Among them were many
letters on business, politics, temperance, re-
ligion, few dunning letters, for in the early
days Of Mr.. Reddick's career he had to
struggle as had other beginners, struggling
pedestrians on life's rugged uphill road.
There were also begging letters, and bor-
rowing ones, much the same in rosy prom.
Uses and thorny failure of performance as
those of our day; and among them all one
solitary love letter, from Il "lone, lone wild.
der at Washington, d. c., who was willing
to marry any wealthy man, especially Mr..
Reddick, whom, as the boys trade jack
knives, she would take 'unsight unseen," or
on the principle Of sight draft or parcel
received sc. o. D." per express. We found
enormous stacks Of bills paid by the de-
ceased, for, as previously stated, he had
many sorts Of business enterprises on hand
during his whole career in Ottawa since
1884. His books and papers show that he
has paid out to the citizens of Ottawa vast
sums of money-thoAsands of dollars annu-
ally, and without doubt far mere than any
ether person who has ever resided in this
city
To 60 back to his record, we find that his
father, James Readick, came to this country
with his family from the county Down, Ire
land, where he was born, arriving il New
York July 14th, 1916. He settled in Bed
ford county, Penn. Our first record of the
subject of this sketch is the original "Arti-
cles of Indenture' or apprenticeship to
Vim. r. Campbell, of Brownsville, Pa, do
ted New. 10th, 1923, which bound william
to serve his master two years, two months
and twenty-one days, to learn the cart and
mystery of blowing and fattening glass
This paper provided, in quGAt language:
"Said William shall ehey and serve faithful
y his master" and he lat cards, dice or
other unlawful games shall not play )"
"taverns or ale houses he shall not fire.
quent y "matrimony he shall not contract"
The boy served out his time and became
man, 81 years old, departing with his free
papers aud certificate on the back thereof
by Mr.. Can pbsll stating that William Red
dick has served his master true and fathfsl,"
that she is good, morl man, and a sober
young man and good workman He left
for the west, and after prospecting while
took up claim in the town of Otter Creek,
a few miles east of the ancient and histoii
cal hamlet bnown as 'nardscrabble, now
sreator. There, being industrious, frugal
and sober, he soon made farm and won the
title thereto. Previous to his coming here he
was united in marriage with Eliza Collins,
who proved NEST faithful helpmate, and
by her industry, excellent judgment and
kindly qualities won hosts Of friends for
both, and did her full share in acquiring
their vast wealth.
In 1888 the democracy, casting about for
candidate for the office of sheriff, were at
loss to find suitable person as a candi
date In those days houses were few and far
DeJWSeu, anu tae means OF communication
very slow and uncertain. La Sale county
at that time composed all of Grundy and
two thirds of Kendall, all Of Will, as we'll
as its own ample territory. A letter sent
from transferable" might get to Lisbon or
Ysrkville in tie course Of d. year, and often
er never. Geo w. Armstrong, thon con.
aaetor. suilain. two miles of the canal at
UTICA, who had become acquainted with
young Reddick two years previously and
was struck with his frank manliness Of
character and abundant good sense, c6nclu-
aed that Mr.. Reddick was the MAJ Tor the
place. Accordingly, taking buggy, he and
his b:5.her, VIM. f., since deceased, went to
otter Creek, where they found the future
senator blowing corn barefsoted, and his
wife, equally independent of footgear, hoe
ing cabbage some distance away. Mr.. r.
greeted the proposition to become a sheriff
with derision--as an ;mpossibility, but after
wards, owing to the epquence of his friends,
consented to "see about the concern" 10
favorite expression of his He made the