Person:George Wardwell (20)

Living on Cook Street in Cincinnati at 1900 Census and in Cincinnati again at 1920 Census. Living in Pleasant Ridge, OH at 1910 census.

Biographical Sketch from the Sycamore Messenger, Thursday, Cctober 5, 1950 Magazine Section

For a man who never saw any silver money until he was 16, and who was once out of work for twelve and a half months out of fifteen, George Wardwell, who will be 90 years old this coming November 8th has still lived a prosperous and eventful life. Every day he's down in his shop sharpening lawn mowers, scissors, and filing saws. Then after the day's work is done he piles the completed work in his Nash station wagon and delivers the tools to their owners, picking up new work on the way. He lives with his wife at 4149 Amity Road in Deer Park. Mr. Wardwell, who is a large man, being 6 foot 2 inches in height and weighing well over 200 pounds, says he is very seldom sick and looks forward to each day with the same enthusiasm as 50 years ago. Born in Gratiot county, Michigan in 1860, one of the first events he remembers is the return of an elder half-brother for a furlough from the Civil War. When asked if he ever smoked he said that at the age of two and a half years someone taught him to smoke a pipe but when he was 6 or 7 years of age his mother hired him to quit for 75 cents and then borrowed the money back from him. He does remember, too, the last time he smoked. A friend visited him on March 25th, 1887 and offered him a cigar as they went down to the train. He said it took him two weeks to get over the effects of that cigar and he's never attempted one since. As a lad of 13 he remembers cutting corn up in Michigan. His father hired him out at 75 cents a day and his employers said he could cut as much corn as any man. The First electric lights he saw was in a shop in St. Johns Michigan in 1889 where he worked as a woodworker making extension tables. In three and a half months he made enough tables, at least his part of the table, that had they been placed end to end would have extended eleven and three-quarter miles. His pay for this work was $8 for 60 hours time. In contrast to the low prices we've read about in years past, Mr. Wardwell said that prices were high on scarce or imported items. Back then tea was $2.50 per pound and calico was 50 cents a yard. There seems to have been a great shortage of money after the Civil Jar. Mr. Wardwell said he didn't see silver money until he was 16 years old. Even five-cents paper money was used and for purchases under five cents, change was given in postage stamps. About 1894 he built a sailboat and sailed it on a lake up near Muskegon. The only person he could find who was brave enough to sail with him was a young lady, 15 years his junior, whom he married in the same year. That same year panic hit the country and he went down into North Carolina to help a man put up a lumber mill. After building it, he himself constructed a mill in Moore County, North Carolina and operated it for five years. In 1900 he came to Cincinnati and lived on McClain Street, now part of Springgrove Avenue about half block south of Harrison Avenue. He remembers one of the first self-propelled vehicles to operate on the streets. It was powered by steam and was used as a grocery truck. The operator was Willie Wagner, father of Congressman Earl Wagner. He said the first Wardwell came to America in 1639. He remembers reading in the Times-Star a few years ago about three generations of a family voting for every president since Thomas Jefferson. He's not quite sure whether his grandfather voted for George Washington when he ran for the second term, but he is sure that his grandfather was past 21 at that time since his grandfather was born in 1771, and his father in 1812. Optometrists would have pretty tough sledding if all followed Mr. Wardwell's example. He said, "You may also say that I file saws and read the Sycamore Messenger without glasses." He and his wife are parents of five sons and a daughter. His second son, Wayne, has served in India for 15 years as a missionary. He has a doctor of philosophy degree from Ohio State and at present is teaching at the University. Mr. Wardwell is remarkably preserved for his age, looking and as active as a man of 70. When asked to what he attributed his long life, he said, "Well, I don't worry. It's time enough to worry after things happen. I work hard and take things as they come"

GEORGE WARDWELL DIES; REMAINED ACTIVE AT 91 Pioneer Family Member Declared He "Loved Life"

George Wardwell, member of a pioneer family which settled in America in 1639, died Monday morning at Christ Hospital. He was 91. He was active in his basement workshop, sharpening saws and lawnmowers for his Deer Park neighbors until a few weeks before his death. He was proud of the fact that at 91 he still had eyes sharp enough to read the daily newspaper and do a full day's work. "I love life," he said a few days before his death. "I've never regretted a minute of it." He and his wife, Mrs. Anna Wardwell, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1944 at their home at 4149 Amity Road. They were childhood friends in Gratiot County, Mich., where both were born. Their romance began in 1894 when Mr. Wardwell built a boat to sail on a lake near Muskegon. Mrs. Wardwell, who was then 18, was the only one brave enough to go sailing in the home-made boat with him. They were married that year and moved to Cincinnati in 1900. He leaves his widow, five sons, and one daughter, including Dr. Wayne Wardwell, a former missionary in India who is on the faculty at Ohio State University. Mr. Wardwell was intensely interested in American History. He kept a family recording indicating that members of his family had voted for every president since Thomas Jefferson. He said that it was quite possible that his grandfather, who was born in 1771, voted for George Washington when he ran for a second term.

Letter From Georg Wardwell to Annie Wardwell Nov. 20, 1894 Elm Hall, Mich

Dearest Annie:

I reached home last night about nine o'clock. I found Mother feeling better than I expected. She don't cough as bad as she did when I was at home in June, but she looks a great deal older. The others here are all as well as usual. I walked sixteen miles yesterday morning. I guess it was a little bit cold, I don't no (sic). There was ice enough in my mustash to have made ice cream for two. That is if they didn't want too much. Well, Annie, I am sleepy, I guess just a little. I went to bed earlier Friday than I have any night since, so you can perhaps make up your mind that I haven't slept any more than I needed.

So far as business is concerned. Every thing has went very favorable so far. Well, Annie, I must close my letter and I shall hope for an answer before I leave here and if I don't get it I will keep you shivering some night longer than I did last Friday night. Please give my love to all of the folks at home. So now, good-bye from your own true true love and worthless scalawag.

Geo.

Letter from Highpoint, NC to Cincinnati, 25 March 1900:

My Dearest Wife

I just received your letter this afternoon. You will never know how glad I was to hear from you. I haven't done a tap of work yet and it has rained steady all day today. It seems a year since I saw you. I wish you would write as often as you can for it is awful lonesome without you. One of the stockholders went north last Thursday to get a superintendent and expected to be back today, but 1 don't know if he came or not. Now, Nanny, I want you to be careful of yourself for if anything goes wrong with you there is nothing on earth for me then. Well, I will have to close, Nanny, in order to get this off in the next mail. Kiss the babies for me. Give my love to all the folks. So, goodby, Dear Wife from your poor good for nothing old Hub.

High Point, N.C. Mar. 28, 1900 Dear Nanny:

It is now seven days since we said good by, but it seems as though it was years and years ago. Well, I am idle yet. I went down to start in at another shop where they wanted a few days turning done, but they won't be ready for me till noon. I hope time will go a little better when I get to work. I got a letter from Valentine last night. He said that the lumber in the Mill yard all burned Mar. 19. I also got a letter from Emma which I will enclose herewith. We are in hopes of knowing today when the Piedmont Table works will start, but I t tell you one thing: This child is going to make things rattle when I do get a chance to work. Well, kiss the boys for me and give yourself a good big hug. Mind that you don't let anyone else do it though. Give my love to the rest of the folks. Well, Nanny, be a good girl and don't forget the poor old codger you left behind. Well, good by, dearest wife. Geo.

High Point, N.C. April 2, 1990 My Dearest Wife:

Well, Nanny, I haven't got any letter today. I hope you are all right. Well, I am tired tonight. I turned 161 legs today. Well, I am glad you are getting fat, but you will have to fat pretty fast to even things up for me. I have only lost 8 lbs in the last 12 days that I have been here, now. I am getting so thin that my face aches. I got a letter from the sewing machine company today. They want the whole amount on the machine. I am gong to write them a letter tonight and see if I can't pacify them for a time. If I can't, they will have to take the machine if they can find it. Well, be a good girl, Nan, and don't forget the poor old codger you left behind you. Well, kiss the babies for me, and I will close with My best to you. Goodby Geo.

High Point, N.C. April 4, 1900 Dearest Wife Nanny:

Well, Nanny, I had expected to write to you tonight and tell you to come here, but instead I write to tell you that I will start for Cincinnati some time, next week. Don't know yet just what time, but likely about the middle. I expect I will have to come on my wheel but will sell it if I can. They haven't got a Superintendent yet. They have been after me for a day or two, but I asked them for a $100 a month and they wouldn't give but $75. So we couldn't make dicker. Well, I won't write much tonight as it is only about 7 hours since I wrote you before, and the room feels as though the thermometer would stand about 4 below zero. Well, kiss the babies for me. Well, goodby Dearest Nanny from your loving husband. Geo.

High Point, N.C.April 16, 1900 My Dearest Nannie:

Well, Nannie, I just got a letter from you after looking 3 days for it. I was glad to get it you can just bet, but I had about made up my mind what the reason was, so I wasn't worrying so bad about it. Well, I was bothered over half the day today, but you bet I made things fly when I had a chance. There is likely to be a strike here among the hands in the furniture factories by and by. They are getting organized just as fast as they can. I think they will make a big failure of it too. Well, Nannie, I am sorry you had to be disappointed in my not getting there for Sunday, but you see I didn't have money enough left after paying out what I had to, to take me even to Salisbury, but I will have it now in a short time if they will only let me work a part of the time. So keep up good courage and don't worry about me. I am feeling better than I did and I don't loose flesh near so fast as I did at first. Well, kiss the boys for me and take good care of yourself. From your loving husband Geo.

High Point, N.C.13, 1900 My Dearest Nannie:

I just received your letter of the 16th. I am glad you had a good time at the theater. You can tell your mother that those children are mine and that I shall whip them when I please and she had best not interfere. If she don't want it done in her house, I can take them and get out and when I am out I stay out, but I had best stop as I am in no condition to write a letter. Only you had best to tell her straight not to interfere with my business. Well, Nanny, I will try to get there before long, but can't say just how long, but I don't think you will be there more than Sunday without me if I can help it. Well, kiss the boys for me. From, your loving husband Geo.

1. ↑ jeanne andriot <jandriot@@erols.com>.
2. ↑ jeanne andriot <jandriot@@erols.com>.