The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-12-12
WANAMAKER,
MERCHANT
PRINCE, DIES
PostmaSt r-Ge ner al
Under Harrison
cBv United Press,

(By United RreSSJ
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. IL. - John
Wanamaker died here today. He was
S4 years old.
Wanamaker founder of the stores
bearing MS name in New York and
Philadelphia. and former postmaster
general, has been i'll for several weeks.
Within the last few days. however, he
took a turn for the better and the
end came suddenly after a relapse.
Wanamaker was taken i'll about two
months ago while staying at 'Lynden-
hurst" his summer estate near Jen-
kintown. He was brought to his
home in Philadelphia to be nearer
medical attention.
Though his malady was diagnosed
as a Severe cold" his advanced age
and its long duration made it serious.
Wanamaker, one of the merchant
pioneers of America, was born July
IL, 1888, in the county of Philadelphia.
little more than II years before It's
consolidation into the city. His
father, John Nelson Wanamaker, was
a bricklayer and his grandfather was
a farmer. Their ancestors came to
America at the time of the landing of
William Penn. His mother was Eliza
beth Kockerspeger, whose ancestors
were the Hugenots of France.
Wanamaker attended public school
until he was Il years old and then
obtained employment in a Philadel-
phia bookstore as an errand boy at
81 % a week.
Some time later his family moved
to Indiana but returned to Philadei-
phia in 1856
Gets $3.50 Week
Anxious to engage in business, Wan
amaker obtained a position in re-
tail cothing store at $50 a week,
from which he saved 800. This was
the foundation of his fortune. Con-
finement in the store caused i'll health
and in 1853 Wanamaker went to
Minnesota His health improved and
he returned to Philadelphia, the same
wear when he was elected the first
paid secretary of the Y. M. G. A,
which organization was then in its
infancy.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil war
he sought to enlist in the Union army
but was refused on account of his
physical condition.
On April II, 1861 the day Fort
Sumpter was cannonaded, he opened
a small clothing store. War paral-
yzed trade but by remarkable bust
ness tact. Wanamaker brought his
business through the turbulent times
and at the close of the war he was a
wealthy man.
Widens Operations. =.
AS years advanced Wanamaker be
came more prominent and he widened
his mercantile operations. Outside ot
business pursuits he engaged in re
ligious and social work. He organized
the famous Bethany Sunday Schoo
with 27 members and it now numbers
more than 5000. He was one of thf
originators of the christian Commis
sion" during the civil war and was
chairman of the General relief com
mittee during the Irish famine. He
served efficiently on the finance com
mittee of the Centennial exposition o
1876. Though an ardent Republican
worker. Wanamaker never sought po
litical office. In 1888 he took an &C
tive part in the presidential campaign
and was finally prevailed upon to ac
cept the position of postmaster gener
al in President Harrison's cabinet
After four years in public affairs
Wanamaker continued active work IL
independent Republican politics.
Decorated by France.
Wanamaker was the founder of tn,
First Penny Savings Bank, helped t
start numerous hospitals, founded
Wanamaker's Institute of Industries
and the Bethany Dispensary and hat
erected Y. NJ. C. A. and college build
ings in India, China, Japan and Korea
In 1912 he was decorated with the LIE
gion of Honor by the French govern
ment and in November, 1914 he char
tered two ships and sent food to tn
starving Belgians. Wanamaker nom
mated Fairbanks for Nice-President a
the Republican national convention il
1916 and in 1921 celebrated so year
of business life. AS father on tn
Centennial Exposition he suggeste
the Sequi Centennial Exposition TO
1926 to celebrate the 150th anniverss
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