The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-03-10
Sudden Attack of Heart
Failure Ended His
Long Life
An Active and Interest
ing Career Is Now
Closed
He Was Present at the
Founding of This
Community
Came Here With P. K.
johnson; Is Last of
His Kind

William w IduuOCh, oHe vi 'pO
three hrst white men who Staked on.
Mankato. and one of the best known
residents OF the city, as well as one
of the Oldest, died suddenly at his
home i23 South Broad street, at six
o'clock last evening. His death was
due TO heart failure. He had not
been well all winter, seemingly suf-
fering from stomach trouble. Sun
day last he was good deal worse.
aud in the afternoon followed his
wifes advice and went to bed. He
insisted upon getting up again Mon
day morning, but in the afternoon
was obliged to retire again, and re-
manned in bed until yesterday after
noou. when he got up and went down
stairs and sat in his easy chair. lie
went down cellar to smoke as was
his custom, and before coming up
complained of being cold and put
more coal on the furnace, although
The temperature was seventy-six up
stairs. He then sat down again in his
chair in the parlor.
Death Came Suddenly.
Attorney II. f. Hunt, who boards
at the residence, arrived for supper.
accompanied by his father, DIR. F. n.
Hunt of Blue Earth, and DIR. Hunt
and Mr.. Paddock conversed a few
moments about being old settlers.
DR.. Hunt and son then sat down to
supper, but were interrupted in Il
few moments, for Mr.. Paddock sud-
denly lay back in his chair and be-
came unconscious, and the death rat
tie was heard in his throat DR..
Hunt ran to his side, and Mrs. Pad,
dock summoned DR.. J. S. Holbrook,
his family physician, who was just
driving up to his home d few doors
south in his automobile from trip
into the country.
AS Mr.. Paddock was unconscious
and dying, all that could be done
was to prop him up and give him
hypodermic injection, but this fail
ed to arouse him. He died inside Of
ten minutes from the time that he
lost consciousness, painlessly. and a:
one passing from slumber into death
Native of New York State.
William Wallace Paddock was bOrr
i'm the town of Mence, Cayuga cOun
ty, New York, November 4, 1928, ant
was the son of William ID. Paddock
and Mary nuskl Paddock, both New
Workers., who afterwards came t
Mankato and died in this city. He
moved in 1888, with his parents, t
Kcnosha county, Wisconsin. In 1874!
he caught the gold craze and crossed
the continent in prairie schooner
with a party of gold seekers to Cali
forna. Not realizing as great re
turns as he expected, he returned
via the isthmus of Panama, and wen
up the Mississippi river to st. Paul
There, in 1851, he Joined p. X. John
son and party and came up the Min
nesota river and debarked at thu
mouth of the Blue Earth to fOunt
the present city of MankatO. The
party arrived early in February, ant
built the first shanty, but Mr.. Pad
dock did not remain at this time. liz
returned in year or two and locat
ed here permanently and made tb
city his home ever since. With hin
came his parents, and their home wa
where ST. Johns Catholic church am
adjoining houses now stand.
For number of years, Mr.. Pad
dock was engaged in various mercan
tile occupations. conducting genera
store. buying grain, handling lumber
and later being engaged in the whole
sale cigar business. For some year
past he had retired from active bus
ness pursuits.
Held Many Positions.
Mr. Paddock at different time
held the positions of alderman an
chief of police of Mankato, for tw
terms respectively, and served o.
the board of county commissioner
for nearly ten years. He was al
pointed commissioner in 1897 to sue
coed Robert Roberts, upon the resis
Continued on Page Two.