Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-12-27
WILLIAM wADDINGHAM DEAD
a Large Property Holder in This City
Passes Away in East st. Louis
"A Remarkable Career.
No. 40.

Cb. Mar y lioblbuoS III A1aoo A9Ss'A-ooiof 4
H., where he had been suffering for
month on account of a paralytic |
stroke.
OF the death the st. Louis Globe
Democrat says: Mr.. Waddingham had !
been ailing for the past fifteen years.
About 1885, while on a hunting expe-
dition, he contracted rheumatism,
which made him practical invalid.
He attended to his business regularly, /
however, until about a month ago,
when he was stricken with paralysis
while looking over some Of his hold
ings on the East Side.
The funeral will take place from
Kurrus' undertaking rooms, Sl5 North !
Ninth Street, East st. Louis, Friday
afternoon at O'Clock. The body will
be buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery, |
st. Louis.
Mr.. Waddingham was one of the
characters Of East st. Louis. He was
born in st. Louis in June, 1925, and
with the exception Of few years had
lived in and about that city ever since,
His father moved to st. Louis from
Virginia about the time of the cession
of the Louisiana territory. He owned
the site of the Planters Hotel and
lived at and about the corner for
years. He also owned farm which
ran down to Twelfth Street, and when
the section was plated, he lived In
the neighborhood for years, The
elder Waddingham was engaged in
the transfer business and owned many
large ware houses on the Levee and In
the Levee section south of Vine
street. He also owned much real
estate further back in Missouri.
william Waddingham, who died on
Wednesday, was left fortune at the
death Of his father and spent the
minor portion Of his years In adding
to it. He purchased real estate In all
sections Of the country and his hold
Il ing included valuable tracts near
Mexico, Mo-, besides the original
acres left by his father, also farms and
ranches In Texas, Colorado and Hin
nois. His property in East st. Louis
and surrounding territory alone is
worth 100000. While man of
wealth and possessing an education
equal to the graduates of the best
Eastern colleges, the man had peculi-
arities which were very noticeable.
These peculiarities ran in the matri-
monial line, too.
When quite ue young fell in love
with a dashing belle of a southern
Texas city. He bestowed upon her all
the love Of his nature and the con-
tents Of his pocketbook. A son was
born and he dotted upon the child.
lAfterward it is claimed that he learn
led OF deception which had been
practiced by the woman in procuring
the marriage and he Immediately
commenced proceedings to have it
annulled. The inside history Of his
lease never came to the surface, ex-
Icept SO far as he informed people that
he had dissolved the contract between
himself and his pretty wife. The son
lnever lived with him and is now some
where in Canada, practicing attor-
Iney. The woman is dead.
| About l5-years ago Mr.. Wadding-
ham married the wife who survives
him. She was with him at the last
moment, and did all In her power to
lcomfort and console him. The lady
is prostrated with grief. All the Older
people of East st. Louis knew Mr..
Waddingham. An old reporter for q
st. Louis paper states that in the
halcyon days Mr.. Waddingham lived
| at the old Planters, and while few with
whom he associated ever received
slice of his generosity, the reporters
we're always made happy about
O'Clock in the morning, when they
called at the hotel just before leaving
for their homes. He was always ready
,, to give them a supper, in which The
, accessories would be wine Of the besi
quality. No other class was welcome
; and yet he would never permit lint
to be written about him by any Of hi
reporter friends.
Mr.. Waddingham was well know
to the older business men on the st
Louis side OF the river, who remembe
him as a peculiar character, who tool
but little interest in public matters o
business beyond looking after hi
: property, and although having larg
! circle of acquauotances he made yer
few intimate friends. He kept hi
! own counsel, was of an economics
disposition and took care of his proper
ty he inherited from his father. II
had a sister, who married Mr.. Gil
pin, who was engaged in the iron bus
tness here for long time, but sh
passed away many years ago. Nj
waddington owned some property o
North Main street, and WaddinghaI
street or alley, the thoroughfare rur
= ming Between Main and Second street
g northward from Lucas avenue, wa
y named for him. He owned block
y land in the heart Of the town Of Mex
ie co, Mo-, which he fenced in and plan
ed in trees, making it quite an attra
tive spot in the little city. He figure
in an extended divorce case in S
g Louis courts many years ago, in whit
70 the property rights Of himself an
ls wife were considered.
n Funeral services over the remains
4 VIM. Waddingham, formerly Of Me
Ie leo, were conducted from the East 5
o. Louis Presbyterian Church SatI
day. The remains were inferred
Bellefontaine Cemetery, st. Louis.
lpT The Illinois law calculated
he ar,la rantee eunnloves the right To