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From: "Susie Mundy" <>
Subject: [NCMECKLE-L] Samuel Wittkowsky - biography
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 11:17:16 -0400

Samuel Wittkowsky,
of Charlotte.

Youngest child of Jacob and Mindel Wittkowsky, born May 29th, 1835, in a
small place called Schwersenz, one mile from the city of Posen, eastern part
of Prussia. He received only a free school education. At one time his
parents were well to do, but lost all through sickness and bad investments,
and they were very poor when Samuel made his advent into the world. He had
few pleasures in his childhood days, as he had a hard struggle for
existence.

About 1853, a distant relative of his father's living in the country, sent
his father about $50, which enabled young Samuel to venture to America. He
took steerage passage on a sailing vessel and was 64 days out. There was
great distress on board of ship for food and water. On August 6th, 1853, he
arrived in New York harbor and was forced to lay in quarantine (never knew
why), but on payment of one dollar a passenger could land. All the worldly
possessions of Sam at that time amounted to three gold dollars and a few
clothes. He was therefore rich enough to land, and so engaged a boatman to
take him ashore. A fellow passenger with not a cent in his pocket stood by
with tears rolling down his cheeks, saying, if he only had a dollar to
enable him to leave the ship. Samuel loaned the fellow one of his gold
dollars, but up to the present time has never seen the man nor the dollar
since. So he landed in America with the enormous sum of one dollar in gold.
He had, however, well-to-do relatives in New York, from whom he expected
assistance. But they turned their backs on him. So he was left in a strange
land at the age of 18, poor, lonely and friendless, with not even a
language. He had a good cry! But he braced up and found a distant relative
of his father's who treated him kindly and gave him employment in his store
at $6 a month and board. He worked in that position for three months and
sent two-thirds of his income, $12, to his needy parents in Prussia: with
the remainder he went as steerage passenger to Charleston - landed again wit
h one dollar. Here he was engaged by relatives in a store for $12.50 a
month. From his first landing until the death of his parents, he gave all he
could spare from his wages for their support. In 1855, he accepted a
position with L. Drucker & Co., of Charlotte, arriving in the city the 4th
of July. He had saved at this time $100 which he put in the Charlotte Bank.
His solicitude for that bank was great. It was his morning and evening
thought. His spending money in Charlotte was 5 cents a week, and by close
economy he saved something and helped his poor parents. Mr. Rintels was a
fellow-clerk, and he and Wittkowsky formed a partnership in the fall of
1856 - firm, Rintels & Co., - joint capital $450. They opened store at
Ellendale, Alexander county, having a branch establishment in '57 in
Caldwell county, on the Yadkin River, which was superintended by Mr.
Wittkowsky. The Alexander branch was moved to Boone, Watauga county, under
Mr. Rintels' superintendence. In the spring of '58 he sold his interest to
Mr. Rintels and took a clerkship with Mr. S. Wolfe, in Winsboro, S.C. In the
following fall he returned to Charlotte, later formed partnership of
Koopman, Phelps & Co., at Concord. He became an active member in Masonry;
was elected Senior Deacon and represented his Lodge in Grand Lodge.

In 1861, he sold out. Went in again with Mr. Rintels; moved to Statesville.
Took an active part in Masonry; became Master of the Lodge and was
representative several years in the Grand Lodge.

The civil war coming on, Mr. Rintels went to New York, taking with him what
money he could gather up, as they reasoned that one side or the other must
lose; that the South, even if successful, would perforce of circumstances be
bankrupted; they were not willing to risk 'all their eggs in one basket."
Reasoning good. Result bad! Mr. Rintels lost every dollar of his own and Mr.
Wittkowsky's on Wall Street. After the war Mr. Wittkowsky had to send his
partner money to enable him and family to return. While at Statesville, Mr.
Wittkowsky went into manufacturing hats with one Saltzgiver, a refugee from
Maryland. It would be interesting to fully describe that enterprise. Hats
sold as high at $800 apiece and $5,000 a dozen. Sold out after the war and
moved to Charlotte, where the firm of Wittkowsky & Rintels was formed. They
rented a room in Irwin's corner 21 by 21 with 9 feet pitch. Bought old rough
planks, put up shelving themselves and covered with calico. Available assets
$3,000 (worth in to-day's currency $800). With that they commenced a
wholesale and retail trade, worked from 16 to 18 hours a day. Made money and
in '68 enlarged store to 75 feet deep. Business increased to $175,000 a year
in 1870, when Mrs. Osborne built a store for them 54 by 92, three floors.

In 1871, he was married to Miss Carrie Bauman, of New York. In 1874 the firm
rented the Brem store for retailing exclusively, retaining the other for
wholesale. Business increased to $700,000 in 1876, when Mr.. Rintels died
suddenly, June 21st.

In 1879, Mr. Wittkowsky formed partnership with Mr. Baruch, under name of
Wittkowsky & Baruch. Dissolved May 1st, 1887, Mr. Wittkowsky doing the
wholesale business himself.

Mr. Wittkowsky has never been in any financial embarrassment; has never been
a day behind in meeting any of his obligations.

He has identified himself with the progressive element of Charlotte and has
always been found eager in any cause for the public good.

He has in many ways received tokens from the public of the high esteem in
which he is held as a square business man and good citizen.

He was Alderman of Charlotte in 1878 and 1879. Has been Director in and
President of several Building and Loan Associations, and is now and has been
for five years President of the Mechanics' Perpetual Building and Loan
Association.

He was President of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, in 1881.

In Masonry he has held various positions to High Priest.

Sketches of Prominent Living North Carolinians
by Jerome Dowd.
Raleigh, N.C.: Edwards & Broughton, Printers and Binders, 1888.
pages 235-238

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ICQ: 10155185 AOL IM: alcachmi
Susan Mundy Mecklenburg county, NC coordinator
USGenWeb Project/ NCMECKLE-L mailing list owner

http://www.mindspring.com/~mmundy/mecklenburg.ht

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