Lemuel Wick, the father of Henry, was among the early settlers of
Youngstown. The Rev. William Wick, his uncle, preached from time to time
as a missionary of the Presbyterian church, in the settlements on the
border of Pennsylvania and Ohio, as early as 1779. Henry's father was a
merchant, in whose store be became a clerk at the age of fifteen. At
twenty-one he engaged in the project of a rolling-mill at Youngstown,
which proved successful. In company with a brother, his father's interest
in the store was purchased, and, having a successful future in prospect,
Mr. Wick married, about that time, Miss Mary Hine, of Youngstown, whose
father was a prominent lawyer of that place. In 1848, he became a citizen
of Cleveland, disposing of the rolling mill to Brown, Bonnell & Co., who
have since become leading iron men of the Mahoning Valley.
After a few years of mercantile business at Cleveland, the banking house
of Wick, Otis & Brownell was formed, and was successfully managed for two
years, when the brothers Wick purchased the interest of the other
partners, and continued together until 1857, when the firm name was
changed to Henry & A. H. Wick, father and son, and has thus continued
until the present time.
Mr. Wick is a man of more than ordinary business ability, and has,
throughout his long commercial life, so directed his talent as to preserve
an unsullied character, and enjoy the unlimited confidence of his fellow
citizens, in addition to a handsome competence. Speculations were always
avoided by him, because he believed that, in a young and healthy country
like this, men may accumulate property fast enough in the legitimate
channels of trade, coupled with frugality, temperance and industry. Many
of his employees, by following his example, have become eminently
successful in business.
Mr. Wick was born February 28, 1807, and, consequently, is in his
sixty-third year, although he has lost little of the elasticity of his
step or his business faculty.