William Reddick (politician)
William Reddick | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | William Reddick October 31, 1812 Ballynahinch, County Down, Ireland |
| Died | March 8, 1885 (aged 72) Ottawa, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | Irish-American |
| Occupation(s) | Sheriff, state senator, businessman, farmer, landowner |
| Known for | Real estate, education, philanthropy |
William Reddick (October 31, 1812 – March 8, 1885) was an
Early life
Reddick was born in
Apprenticeships and education
In 1825, aged fourteen, Reddick served an apprenticeship as a glass blower in Wheeling, West Virginia, earning $4.00 per month.[3] Two years later, he relocated to Brownsville, Pennsylvania[1] and became an indentured apprentice to William R. Campbell to blow window glass.[4] This second apprenticeship concluded after a period of 2 years 2 months and 2 days.[1] Aged 18, in 1830 Reddick married Eliza Jane Collins of Brownsville.[5]
In 1832 the couple moved to Washington, D.C., Reddick continuing his trade as a glass blower.[1] During this time he saved up $1000 U.S. dollars.[3] While in Washington, Reddick devoted his free time to gaining an education by studying during both the evenings and during workplace break periods.[3] By 1834, the Reddicks moved back to Brownsville.[1] In 1835, using his savings, Reddick purchased 400 acres of land in Bruce Township,[1] LaSalle County, Illinois intending to become a farmer.[2]
Political career
In 1838, the county seat of LaSalle, Ottawa, Illinois was experiencing civil unrest.[1] Workmen hired to construct the nearby Illinois and Michigan Canal were described in historical documents as "a gang of troublemakers."[1] The citizenry met to select a county sheriff to restore order. Washington Armstrong, a local political leader, proposed that William Reddick should take up the post, as Reddick was described as "big, powerful, and fearless."[1][5]
After some initial reservations, Reddick accepted the offer and ran unopposed.[5] After being elected by a majority vote, he and Eliza moved to Ottawa.[1] Sworn statements made at the time suggest Reddick enjoyed popular support for his efforts as an honest and effective tax collector and law enforcer.[6] He was reelected to the position of sheriff for four consecutive two-year terms.[3] Reddick's time as sheriff ended when he was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1846.[2] He held that office until 1852.[1]
When he ran for the
Reddick successfully ran for a final two-year term as a state senator in 1870.[2] In 1872 Reddick pushed for a temperance law to limit the sale of liquor products in Illinois.[1] The bill was passed and became known as "Reddick’s Temperance Law."[5]
Reddick Mansion
Having no children of their own, in 1852 the Reddicks adopted a child, Elizabeth Barrier Funk.[2][1] In 1855 William Reddick hired architects William B. Olmstead and Peter A. Nicholson to build a large brick home in Ottawa Illinois.[2] Construction occurred 1855–1858 at a cost of $25,000.[7] The brick and stone mansion is in the Italianate style.[1] The house was completed in time for guests to view the first of the Lincoln–Douglas debates from the mansion's steps and balconies on August 21, 1858.[2] A lifelong Democrat, Reddick supported incumbent senator Stephen A. Douglas.[1] During the first of the debates, Reddick sat next to Douglas on the speakers’ platform.[7] Reddick Mansion is one of the largest surviving pre-Civil War homes in the state of Illinois.[1] It is part of the Washington Park Historic District which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[8]
In April 2019, Heritage Restoration and Design Studio was hired to perform a large scale restoration of the mansion's exterior. Some $1,200,000 has been budgeted to restore the windows, facades, and Italianate cornices.[9]
Support for public education
Due to his own lack of formal schooling, Reddick dedicated time and money to ensuring that the citizens of Ottawa had access to education.
Business
In 1854 Reddick opened a general goods store in Ottawa.[3] In 1868 Hugh B.J. Gillen joined the firm as a partner.[1] At the age of 60, Reddick sold his share in the store to Gillen and retired.[1] The majority of William Reddick's fortune came from real estate holdings.[3] He owned the land on which several large farms operated in LaSalle County.[1] His other business ventures included the chartering of a hotel for Ottawa,[3] the construction of toll bridges on the Fox and Illinois Rivers,[1] and the founding of the Ottawa Glass Works.[3] Reddick also assisted in the building and governance of the Kankakee Insane Asylum.[11]
Later life and death
By 1877, through his ownership of real estate and business ventures, Reddick's personal fortune was estimated at $300,000.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Sprague, Paul E.; Dring, William B. (1975). History, Significance, and Feasibility for Adaptive Use of the William Reddick Mansion at Ottawa, Illinois (PDF). The Trust and the Foundation. pp. 1–150.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j McCallister, Lorraine (2009). "The Reddick Family – William Reddick". Reddick Mansion Association. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l LaSalle County Genealogy Guild (August 2016). "LaSalle County Sheriff William Reddick". LaSalle County Illinois.
- ^ Campbell, William R. (1827). William Reddick Indenture Statement. Brownsville Pennsylvania. p. 1.
- ^ a b c d e Catlin, Betty (May 17, 1971). Reddick's Library (PDF). Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. pp. 3–8.
- ^ "July 1840 Election Arguments" (PDF). The Ottawa Free Trader. July 31, 1840. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
- ^ OCLC 1022985673.)
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ National Register of Historic Places (October 10, 1972). Illinois SP Washington Park Historic District. File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Illinois, 1964 – 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
{{cite book}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ Bader, Brent (February 27, 2019). "Reddick Mansion to begin $1.2M restoration in spring". www.mywebtimes.com. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
- ^ Turner, Jonathan (Fall 1851). "A plan for an industrial university for the state of Illinois, submitted to the farmers' convention at Granvile, held November 18, 1851". UIUC Library – via University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign.
- ^ ISBN 1234230615.