The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-10-08
In Mercantile Business
in Canton.
A CITIZEN 60 YEARS
A Sketch of the Life and Busi-
ness Career Of the Old
Cantonian, Martin
Wikidal.
(oLD LANDMARK, NO. 4e.)

GOLD LANDMARK, NO. 46.)
Having been disappointed in getting
a picture of the house that was intend
ed to be used as our "old landmark"
for this month; we have chosen for this
occasion a sketch of an old Canton
merchant, who was one of our best cit
izens, and as "a good name is rather
to be chosen than great riches, 1--WE
can dispense with the picture this
week.
Martin Wikidal came to Canton in
1888 and was in business in our city
for a half century. In 1896, /, q boy
13 years old, went into Mr. WikidaIs
store, and remained with him four
years, and during that time boarded
with the family, and learned to love
them very much. always found Mr.
Wikidal
STRICTLY HONEST,
and just as careful to pay every cent
he owed, as to collect from others what
might be his dues. Mrs. Wikidal was
most excellent woman, and help
meet for her husband; she was the
sister of the late Louis Schafer, and
when i first went into the store Mr..
Schafer was the chief clerk in Mr.. WIKI
idal's store, but in few years there
after he quit the store and entered up-
on the study of law, and was quite sue
cessful.
At the time was in the Wikidal
store Mrs. Wikidal would often assist
in the selling of goods, and was very
expert at it. In those days there were
no lady clerks, and therefore to many
1t appeared quite odd to see woman
behind the counter; finally girls began
to be employed in dry goods stores,
and now they are the principal clerks
in most of our dry goods stores.
Martin Wikidal was born in 1900 and
was therefore 33 years old when he
came to Canton; he died in 1893 being,
at the time of his death SO years old,
and having been citizen of Canton 60
years. He was native of Moravia,
Empire of Austria. He
WAS WELL EDUCATED
in the German and French languages,
and very soon acquired the English, so
that he was fully prepared to deal with
all the principal languages then spoken
in this vicinity. The German and
French trade he had was quite extern
sive. I soon got to speaking consider
ably in the German, but never tried to
master the French, although / heard
so much of it, that understood most
all that was said.
When Martin WilSIdal first came 10
Canton he opened small store on the
corner of Seventh and Market square,
on the same lot where the Durbin &.
Wright,s drug store now is; at that
time a two-story frame house stood
there, and the corner room was the
store room, the same that was origin
ally used by James Begges AS store.
After a a few years Martin Wikidal
bought out Joseph Shorb, who owned a
two-story frame building that stood on
the center of the present court house
lot, the building facing on north pub
lie square. Mr. Wikidal had been mar
ried but short time before the pur-
chase was made, and he then convert
ed SO much of the building ais was not
needed for his store. into residence
rooms, and there is where he lived the
four years l was in his employ. Most
of Mr.. Wikidal's life in Canton was
spent in the mercantile business. He
had been
QUITE SUCCESSFUL
and the latter part Of his life, he with
Isaac Harter, p. p. Trump and Julius
Whiting were quite successful in the
banking business.
In 1S47 Martin Wikidal built fine
three-story brick building on the cen
ter lot of the present court house
block; 1t was called the Farmers
block" and had three good store rooms
on the first floor, while the two upper
stories were used for offices, lodges and
hall. This new building was never
used for residence purposes. Mr.. WiE-
idal bought the old VIM. Fogle prop
erty, which was two-story brick
building standing where the Folwel
building now stands on the northwest
corner of the public square and after
refitting this building, made that theil
residence while they lived. Both Mr.
and Mrs. Wikidal died there.
The great principle OF Martin Wiki