The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-09
From tho Atlanta Journal. }

B (From tho Atlanta Journal.)
Robert Van Wyck, the first mayor
8pf Greater New York, ruler over a
SsA1ing dom in population and an en-
s&pire in wealth-selected over three
;ehhe distinguished candidates-by
sthe suffrages of the people-is today
Y national character. About hig,
four years, at least, the great
white light Of publicity will beat
tiefcely. Who he is &nd what he is
sss questions Of interest as absorb
ss8laaas "h"t heIs likely to be in this
new new plaaiGf4fa plaiG4a of almost unparalleled
Y ~ r5wer and Importance.
78'fS I'm his candidacy the forces of
Democracy have won their greatest
prize. From the very slough of de-
spond to the first dash of victory
and hope Of national restoration has
Democracy come through this
triumph, whore twelve months ago
was the enemy's strongest citadel.
Even now his name is mentioned
in connection with the Democratic
nomination for the Presidency. This
may or may not be anticipatory, but
if there is in him "the stulf," as his
friends and those who know him
we'll say there is, stranger things
might come to pass.
But this story is to deal with the
man Van Wyck, not with his politi-
cal future. That will take care of
itself.
The winner in Yesterdays great
contest once lived in Georgia. His
mother was born in South Carolina,
and by ties of sympathy and con-
sanguinity he is rs much South
erner as he is a representative of the
North
But to begin at the beginning.
The original Van Wyck came to this
country from Holland in 1900. He
came from the town of Wyck, whore
the family had been prominent, and
hence tho prefix Van, meaning of,
and which time has changed to Van.
The father of the present Judge Van
Wyck was William Van Wyck, a
prominent lawyer.
He married Miss Maverick, of
South Carolina, whom he met in
New York rs school girl.
The Mayer,ickl* family fam WIS a very cry;
'>*w'Sealthy ohe, and lived near Pendle-
ton, S. c., having large country
home adjoining that of John @. Cal
houn. The health of Judge Van
Wyck's father was poor, and shortly
after his marriage tho family moved
to South Carolina. The family had
plenty of money, and their children,
New York's first mayor among the
number, were raised in that ample,
if not luxurious, style common to
South Carolinians of that period.
Robert Van Wyck spent his boy
hood in South Carolina, and at the
ago Of Is was sent to school at Will
sons Academy, near Hillsboro, N. c.,
a famous boys school of that period.
When tho war came on the family
drifted back to New York. Mrs.
Van Wy ck's property, which consisted
largely Of slaves and land, was, of
course, nearly all swept away, but
enough was saved from the wreck
for tho mother to give to her son
Robert the sum of $4,000 to start
life on;
ANsnon tho war ended young Van
Wyck decided to return to the South,
and with n friend noar his own age
went to Savannah and opened a
Wholesale grocery house.
The two young mon did q tre-
merdous business--on credit-and
soon their goods and capital were
both gone. Van Wyck went to Cali
fornia and stayed few months, but
soon returned to New York, where
his mother and brothers were living.
He found his brothers were all doing
well, working hard, and he deter
mined to mako new start in life.
At tho age Of 81 he entered Co.
lumbia College, where he graduated
first in class Of 200, He was the
yaledictorian of his Class, and Charles