Encyclopedia of Chicago

Wachter, Josephina	b ca. 1820, Bavaria, Germany.	Arrived in Hickory Hills in 1858.
Wachter, Mathias	b ca. 1808, Bavaria, Germany.	Farmer; arrived in Hickory Hills in 1858.
Wacker, Charles Henry	b Aug. 29, 1856, Chicago; d Oct. 31, 1929, Lake Geneva, WI.	Business executive; philanthropist; chairman of Chicago Plan Commission (1909–1926); namesake of Wacker Drive.
Wadsworth, Elisha	b May 10, 1813, New Hartford, CT; d Nov. 25, 1890, Clifton Springs, NY.	Dry-goods merchant; cofounded Wadsworth, Dyer & Chapin.
Wagoner, Henry O.	b Feb. 27, 1816, Hagerstown, MD; d Jan. 27, 1901, Denver, CO.	Businessman; abolitionist; participant in Underground Railroad.
Waite, George	active late 1870s.	Landowner; his land became Mount Greenwood Cemetery.
Walgreen, Charles Rudolph	b Oct. 9, 1873, Knox County, IL; d Aug. 20, 1971, Chicago.	Pharmacist; chain store executive; started first Walgreen drugstore in Chicago in 1901.
Walker, George Clarke	b Nov. 5, 1835, Burlington Flats, NY; d Apr. 12, 1905, Chicago.	President of Blue Island Land & Building Co.; donated library to Esmond Public School.
Walker, Jesse	b June 9, 1766, Buckingham County, VA; d Oct. 4, 1835, Leyden Township, IL.	Missionary; preacher; founded Methodist Episcopal Church in Illinois; held first Methodist services in Chicago.
Walker, M. O.	b June 9, 1809, Hubbardton, VT; d May 28, 1874, Chicago.	Brick manufacturer; omnibus entrepreneur.
Walker, Margaret [Margaret Walker Alexander]	b July 7, 1915, Birmingham AL; d Nov. 30, 1998, Chicago.	Writer; participant in Federal Writers' Project in Chicago; member of South Side Writers Group.
Walker, Ralph T.	b Nov. 27 or 28, 1889, Waterbury, CT; d Jan. 17, 1973, Chappaqua, NY.	Architect; member of Board of Design for Century of Progress Exposition.
Walker, Samuel J.	b Jan. 9, 1827, Dayton, KY; d Apr. 15, 1884, Chicago.	Real-estate developer on the Near West Side; renamed Ashland Avenue.
Walker, William Ernest	b Nov. 19, 1869, Covington, KY; d Dec. 26, 1918, Chicago.	Architect; built apartment buildings.
Walkup, Christopher	b 1785, Rockbridge County, VA; d 1869, Crystal Lake, IL.	Platted east shore village of Crystal Lake in 1840.
Waller, Edward Carson	b Nov. 21, 1845, Maysville, KY; d Jan. 13, 1931, River Forest, IL.	Real-estate developer; built Francisco Terrace, Chicago's first subsidized housing project.
Waller, Judith Cary	b Feb. 19, 1889, Oak Park, IL; d Oct. 28, 1973, Evanston, IL.	Radio broadcaster; first general manager of WMAQ radio station; produced Amos 'n' Andy Show.
Walley, John E.	b Feb. 2, 1910, Sheridan, WY; d June 9, 1974.	Mural painter; 1930s art at Lane Tech High School.
Walrath, Florence Dahl	b Aug. 18, 1877, Chicago; d Nov. 7, 1958, Evanston, IL.	Founder and director of Cradle Society adoption agency.
Walter, Charles	active 1850s.	Businessman; cofounded Chicago & North Western Railway system.
Walter, Little [Marion Walter Jacobs]	b May 1, 1923, Marksville, LA; d Feb. 15, 1968, Chicago.	Blues guitarist; harmonica player; played with Muddy Waters; recorded for Chess Records.
Walton, Seymour	b Feb. 15, 1846, New Orleans, LA; d June 26, 1920, Chicago.	Accountant; Northwestern Univ. faculty.
Wanamaker, Sam	b June 14, 1919, Chicago; d Dec. 18, 1993, London, England.	Actor; trained at Goodman School.
Waner, John L.	b Aug. 3, 1914; d June 21, 1994, Naperville, IL.	Regional director of HUD in Chicago; mayoral candidate (1967).
Ward, Aaron Montgomery	b Feb. 17, 1843 or 1844, Chatham, NJ; d Dec. 7, 1913, Highland Park, IL.	Merchant; founded A. Montgomery Ward mail-order business; lakefront preservation activist.
Ward, Archibald “Arch” Burdette	b Dec. 27, 1896, Irwin, IL; d July 9, 1955, Chicago.	Chicago Tribune sports writer; founded baseball All-Star Game, Chicago College All-Star Football Game, and the All-America Football Conference.
Warder, John Aston	b Jan. 19, 1812, Philadelphia, PA; d July 14, 1883, North Bend, OH.	Physician; early horticulturist.
Waring, Mary Fitzbutler	b Nov. 1, 1869, Louisville, KY; d Dec. 3, 1958, Chicago.	Physician; educator; headed National Association of Colored Women's Clubs.
Warren, Clinton J.	b 1858 or 1860; d 1938.	Architect; built elevator apartments around 1900.
Warren, Julius M.	b June 13, 1811, Fredonia, NY; d May 1, 1893, Warrenville, IL.	Platted town of Warrenville, IL; state legislator (1840-1843).
Washburne, Carleton	b Dec. 2, 1889, Chicago; d Nov. 26, 1968, Lansing, MI.	Educator; superintendent of Winnetka schools; progressive education leader.
Washburne, Hempstead	b Nov. 11, 1851, Galena, IL; d Apr. 13, 1918, Chicago.	Mayor of Chicago (1891–1893).
Washington, Dinah [Ruth Lee Jones]	b Aug. 29, 1924, Tuscaloosa, AL; d Dec. 14, 1963, Detroit, MI.	Blues and gospel singer; pianist.
Washington, Harold L.	b Apr. 15, 1922, Chicago; d Nov. 25, 1987, Chicago.	Mayor of Chicago (1983–1987), state legislator, congressman.
Watts, May Theilgaard	b May 1, 1893, Chicago; d Aug. 20, 1975, Naperville, IL.	Naturalist; teacher; associated with Morton Arboretum.
Way, W. Irving	b Feb. 24, 1853, Trenton, Ontario; d Oct. 19, 1931, Los Angeles, CA.	Book publisher and bookseller.
Weaver, George “Buck”	b Aug. 18, 1890, Pottstown, PA; d Jan. 31, 1956, Chicago.	White Sox baseball player; involved in “Black Sox” scandal; banned from baseball for life.
Webster, Maurice	b Sept. 20, 1892; d May 17, 1982, Evanston, IL.	Architect; designed terminal for Sky Harbor Airport (ca. 1929).
Webster, Milton Price	b ca. 1887 or 1888, Clarksville, TN; d Feb. 24, 1965, Bal Harbour, FL.	Porter; labor organizer; first international vice president of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
Webster, Roderick Sheldon	b Sept. 14, 1915; d July 31, 1997, Evanston, IL.	Curator at Adler Planetarium.
Weeghman, Charles H.	b Mar. 8, 1874, Richmond, IN; d Nov. 2, 1938, Chicago.	Restaurant owner; owned Chicago Cubs; built a chain of lunchrooms.
Weese, Harry Mohr	b June 30, 1915, Evanston, IL; d Oct. 29, 1998, Manteno, IL.	Architect; renovated Adler & Sullivan Auditorium, Field Museum, and Orchestra Hall.
Weidner, John B.	b Feb. 12, 1860, Buffalo Grove, IL; d Nov. 19, 1922, Buffalo Grove, IL.	Builder of cheese factory in Buffalo Grove around 1900.
Weimhoff, Henry	active 1970s.	Activist; organized Univ. of Chicago Gay Liberation Front in 1970s.
Weinstein, Jacob Joseph	b June 6, 1902, Stephin, Poland; d Nov. 2, 1974, San Francisco, CA.	Rabbi at Kehilath Anshe Mayriv Congregation (1939–1967); social reformer.
Weisenborn, Rudolph	b Oct. 31, 1881, Chicago; d Mar. 1974, Chicago.	Artist; abstract painter.
Weiss, Hymie [Earl Wojciechowski]	b ca. 1898, Chicago; d Oct. 11, 1926, Chicago.	Crime boss of O'Banion gang.
Weissmuller, Janos “Johnny”	b June 2, 1904, Freidorf, Romania; d Jan. 20, 1984, Acapulco, Mexico.	Olympic swimming champion; star of Tarzan movies; trained at the Illinois Athletic Club.
Weldon, Aldred F.	b June 14, 1862, Hartford, CT; d May 5, 1914, Chicago.	Composer; band-leader; conductor of Second Regiment Band in 1890s.
Wellington, Gertrude Gail	active late nineteenth century.	Physician; led campaign for public baths; president of the Free Bath and Sanitary League.
Wells, Absalom	active 1830s.	Built cabin in Chicago Heights around 1830s.
Wells, Ida Bell [Ida B. Wells-Barnett]	b July 16, 1862, Holly Springs, MS; d Mar. 25, 1931, Chicago.	Journalist; social reformer; suffrage and civil rights activist; headed NAACP founding meeting; established Alpha Suffrage Club.
Wells, William	b 1770, Jacob's Creek, PA; d Aug. 15, 1812, Fort Dearborn, Chicago.	Army scout; adopted by Miami Indians; mediated Indian-white relations.
Wells, William Harvey	b Feb. 27, 1812, Tolland, CT; d Jan. 21, 1885, Chicago.	Educator; superintendent of Chicago Public Schools (1956–1964).
Wentworth, “Long John”	b Mar. 5, 1815, Sandwich, NH; d Oct. 16, 1888, Chicago.	Mayor of Chicago (1857–1858; 1860–1861).
Westermann, Horace Clifford	b Dec. 11, 1922, Los Angeles, CA; d Nov. 3, 1981, Danbury, CT.	Artist; sculptor; worked in wood and metal.
Wetmore, Frances K.	b ca. 1873; d Jan. 25, 1949, Chicago.	Founded Americanization and adult education program in Chicago Public Schools.
Weydemeyer, Joseph	b ca. 1818, Westphalia,Rhenish Prussia; d Aug. 1866, St. Louis, MO.	Journalist; Civil War veteran; published Die Stimme des Volkes in Chicago.
Wheaton, Jesse C.	b May 27, 1813, Pomfret, CT; d 1895.	Farmer; cofounded Wheaton College.
Wheaton, Warren L.	b Mar. 6, 1812, Pomfret, CT; d 1903.	Cofounded Wheaton; first village president of Wheaton.
Wheeler, Charles Martin	b Sept. 24, 1854, Ferrisburg, VT.	In real-estate business with Albert Haentze.
Wheeler, Harry A.	b May 26, 1866, Brooklyn, NY; d Jan. 23, 1960, Altadena, CA.	Banker; civic leader; first president United States Chamber of Commerce (1912).
Whistler, John	b ca. 1756, Ulster, Ireland; d Sept. 3, 1829, Jefferson Barracks, MO.	Soldier; builder and first commander of Fort Dearborn.
White, Amarias M.	b Sept. 19, 1849, Avon Township, IL; d Feb. 9, 1928, Round Lake, IL.	Real-estate developer; landowner near Hainesville.
White, Charles	b Apr. 2, 1918, Chicago; d Oct. 3, 1979, Los Angeles, CA.	Painter; printmaker; muralist; taught at South Side Community Art Center.
White, Charles A.	active 1910s.	Illinois assemblyman; admitted being bribed for Lorimer Senate vote.
White, Horace	b Aug. 10, 1834, Colebrook, NH; d Sept. 16, 1916, New York, NY.	Journalist; editor-in-chief of Chicago Tribune.
White, Stanford	b Nov. 9, 1853, New York, NY; d June 25, 1906, New York, NY.	Architect; partner at McKim, Mead & White.
Whitehead, Richard F.	b Jan. 1, 1884, Fall River, MA; d Mar. 11, 1993, Chicago.	Naval officer; corporate executive; converted two merchant ships into aircraft carriers.
Whitlock, Brand	b Mar. 4, 1869, Urbana, OH; d May 24, 1934, Cannes, France.	Novelist; journalist at Chicago Herald; ambassador to Belgium during WWI.
Whyte, William H.	b Oct. 1, 1917, West Chester, PA; d Jan. 12, 1999, Manhattan, NY.	Journalist; wrote The Organization Man (1956; based on suburb of Park Forest).
Wieboldt, William A.	b Mar. 8, 1857, Altenbruch, Hanover, Germany; d Dec. 9, 1954, Evanston, IL.	Merchant; philanthropist; founded Wieboldt Stores.
Wiggins, Jeremiah	active 1830s.	Early settler; purchased land claim in 1835 and named it Wiggins Point (later Merrillville).
Wight, Peter Bonnett	b Aug. 1, 1838, New York, NY; d Sept. 8, 1925, Pasadena, CA.	Architect; prominent in rebuilding of Chicago after 1871 fire; employed Daniel Burnham.
Wilkerson, James Herbert	b Dec. 11, 1869, Savannah, MO; d Sept. 30, 1948, Evanston, IL.	Lawyer; federal judge; presiding judge at Al Capone trial.
Wilkie, Franc Bangs	b July 2, 1832, West Charlton, NY; d Apr. 12, 1892, Norwood, IL.	Journalist; wrote for Chicago Times for 25 years.
Will, Conrad	b June 1778 or 1779, Philadelphia, PA; d June 11, 1835, Brownsville, IL.	Physician; founded Brownsville, IL; Will County named for him.
Willard, Frances Elizabeth Caroline	b Sept. 28, 1839, Churchville, NY; d Feb. 17, 1898, NY.	Educator; lecturer; local, national, and international president of Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
Williams, Benezette	b Nov. 9, 1844, West Liberty, OH; d June 22, 1914, Western Springs, IL.	Engineer; first engineer of Chicago drainage canal.
Williams, Daniel Hale	b Jan. 18, 1856, Hollidaysburg, PA; d Aug. 4, 1931, Idlewild, MI.	Surgeon; hospital administrator; founded Provident Hospital (1891).
Williams, Edgar	b July 29, 1851, Sheboygan, WI; d Dec. 8, 1945, Western Springs, IL.	Engineer; built Western Springs waterworks system in 1890.
Williams, J. Mayo “Ink”	b July 25, 1894, Monmouth, IL; d Jan. 2, 1980, Chicago.	Jazz and blues record producer; manager of “Race Artist Series” for Paramount Records.
Williams, Lacey Kirk	b July 11, 1871, Eufaula, AL; d Oct. 29, 1940, Olivet, MI.	Clergyman; pastor of Olivet Baptist Church.
Williams, Sidney R.	b Mar. 7, 1909, Elloree, SC; d Mar. 21, 1992, Chicago.	Civil rights activist; executive director of Chicago Urban League (1947–1955).
Williamson, John Lee Curtis	b Mar. 30, 1914, Jackson, TN; d June 1, 1948, Chicago.	Blues harmonica player; songwriter; played in Chicago blues clubs; regular performer in Maxwell Street open-air market.
Williamson, Sonny Boy [Aleck Miller]	b Dec. 5, 1899? Glendora, MS; d May 25, 1965, Helena, AR.	Blues artist; recorded for Chess Records.
Willis, Benjamin C.	b Dec. 23, 1901, Baltimore, MD; d Aug. 27, 1988, Plantation, FL.	Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools; namesake of “Willis Wagons.”
Willmarth, Homer	b Mar. 5, 1807, North Adams, MA; d Mar. 29, 1882, Barrington, IL.	Farmer; Cook County Commissioner; justice of the peace.
Wilmarth, Mary H.	b May 21, 1837, New Bedford, MA; d Aug. 28, 1919, Lake Geneva, WI.	Social reformer; suffragist; member of first board of trustees at Hull House; president of the Fortnightly Club.
Wilson, Isaac G.	b June 25, 1780, Danby, VT; d Oct. 25, 1848, Batavia, IL.	Lawyer; circuit and appellate court judge; founded Batavia and named it after his hometown in New York.
Wilson, Jack “Jackie” Leroy	b June 9, 1934, Detroit, MI; d Jan. 21, 1984, Mount Holly, NJ.	Soul singer; musician.
Wilson, Lewis Robert “Hack”	b Apr. 26, 1900, Elwood City, PA; d Nov. 23, 1948, Baltimore, MD.	Baseball player, Chicago Cubs (1926–1931).
Wilson, Orlando W.	b May 15, 1900, Veblen, SD; d Oct. 18, 1972, Poway, CA.	Criminologist; police superintendent (1960–1967).
Wilson, Robert Rathbun	b Mar. 4, 1914, Frontier, WY; d Jan. 16, 2000, Ithaca, NY.	Physicist; designed Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory; worked on Manhattan Project.
Wilson, Thomas E.	b July 22, 1868, London, Ontario, Canada; d Aug. 4, 1958, Lake Forest, IL.	Meatpacking executive; chairman of Wilson & Co.
Winslow, Eugene	b Nov. 17, 1919, Dayton, OH; d July 7, 2001, Chicago.	Graphic designer; advertising executive; Tuskegee Airman.
Winslow, William Herman	b May 2, 1857, Brooklyn, NY; d Dec. 24, 1934, North Haven, MI.	Manufacturer; inventor; owned firm making ornamental bronze and iron work.
Wirt, William Albert	b Jan. 21, 1874, Markle, IN; d Mar. 11, 1938, Gary, IN.	Educator; superintendent of Gary, IN, schools; initiated “Gary System” in schools.
Wirth, Louis	b Aug. 28, 1897, Gemunden, Germany; d May 3, 1952, Buffalo, NY.	Sociologist; associated with Chicago School of Sociology; director of planning for Illinois Post War Planning Commission.
Wirtz, Arthur Michael	b Jan. 23, 1901, Chicago; d July 21, 1983, Chicago.	Sports and real estate executive; owned Chicago Stadium; formed International Boxing Club in 1949.
Witkowsky, Flora Mayer	b Nov. 2, 1869, Chicago; d Nov. 8, 1944, Chicago.	Leader of Jewish Chicago Woman's Aid; president of Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs.
Wolf, Jacob	b Aug. 13, 1784, Westmoreland County, PA; d Apr. 15, 1851, Porter, IN.	Farmer in Portage, IN, in late 1830s.
Wolff, Ludwig	b Mar. 11, 1836, MecklenburgSchwerin, Germany; d Apr. 14, 1911, Chicago.	Manufacturer; plumbing and coppersmith business.
Womer, Mary Louise	b Dec. 9, 1909, Springfield, MO; d Nov. 4, 1997, Valparaiso, IN.	Gallery owner; founded 57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park.
Wood, Diantha S. Boardman	b Sept. 10, 1811, Morristown, VT; d Sept. 24, 1865, Crete, IL.	Cofounded Crete.
Wood, Elizabeth	b Mar. 4, 1899; d Jan. 16, 1993.	Executive director of Chicago Housing Authority (1937–1954).
Wood, Robert Elkington	b June 13, 1879, Kansas City, MO; d Nov. 6, 1969, Lake Forest, IL.	Army officer; businessman; president of Sears, Roebuck & Co. for 26 years.
Wood, Willard	b Aug. 28, 1808, Randolph, VT; d Nov. 27, 1899, Crete, IL.	Lawyer; cofounded Crete; justice of the peace.
Woodbridge, William	active 1830s.	Arrived in Thornton area in 1834.
Woodman, William E.	b Oct. 1, 1932, New York, NY; d Dec. 19, 1995, New York, NY.	Artistic director of Goodman Theatre (1973–1978).
Woodworth, James H.	b Dec. 4, 1804, Greenwich, NY; d Mar. 26, 1869, Highland Park, IL.	Mayor of Chicago (1848–1850).
Wooldridge, Clifton Rodman	b ca. 1854; d Aug. 14, 1933, Chicago.	Police detective; writer; investigated fake fire insurance companies.
Wooley, Jedediah, Jr.	b 1781, Monmouth, NJ.	Mill owner on DuPage River in 1830s; county surveyor.
Woolley, Celia Parker	b June 14, 1848, Toledo, OH; d Mar. 9, 1918, Chicago.	Unitarian minister; writer; clubwoman; attended founding meeting of NAACP; president of Chicago Woman's Club; cofounded Chicago Political Equality League.
Work, Henry Clay	b Oct. 1, 1832, Middletown, CT; d June 8, 1884, Hartford, CT.	Composer; songwriter.
Worth, William Jenkins	b Mar. 1, 1794, Hudson, NY; d 1849, San Antonio, TX.	Army officer; fought in War of 1812; Mexican War general; namesake of Worth, IL.
Wrenn, John H.	b Sept. 11, 1841, Middletown, OH; d May 13, 1911, Los Angeles, CA.	Early Chicago Board of Trade operator; book collector.
Wright, Edward H.	b ca. 1867, NY; d Aug. 6, 1930, Rochester, MN.	Lawyer; politician; first president of Cook County Bar Association (1914).
Wright, Frank Lloyd	b June 8, 1867, Richland Center, WI; d Apr. 9, 1959, Phoenix, AZ.	Architect, student of Louis Sullivan; designed Robie House.
Wright, John Lloyd	b Dec. 12, 1892, Oak Park, IL; d Dec. 20, 1972, La Jolla, CA.	Architect; toy designer in Chicago; created Lincoln Logs toys.
Wright, John Stephen	b July 16, 1815, Sheffield, MA; d Sept. 26, 1874, Philadelphia, PA.	City promoter; editor of the Prairie Farmer.
Wright, Richard Nathaniel	b Sept. 4, 1908, Natchez, MS; d Nov. 28, 1960, Paris, France.	Writer; wrote Native Son (1940), Black Boy; worked for Federal Writers Project.
Wrigley, Philip Knight	b Dec. 5, 1904, Chicago; d Apr. 12, 1977, Elkhorn, WI.	Chewing gum manufacturer; owned Chicago Cubs baseball team.
Wrigley, William, Jr.	b Sept. 30, 1861, Philadelphia, PA; d Jan. 26, 1932, Phoenix, AZ.	Chewing gum manufacturer; founded Wrigley Chewing Gum Co.
Wyatt, Edith Franklin	b Sept. 14, 1873, Tomah, WI; d Oct. 1958.	Writer; wrote True Love.
Wynkoop, Archimedes	b ca. 1812, NY Farmer;	town court recorder; renamed settlement as Libertyville.
Wynn, Robert David	b Dec. 18, 1865, Shields Township, Lake County, IL; d Apr. 12, 1940, Jacksonville, FL.	Railroad entrepreneur; promoted building traction rail line in 1910.
Wynne, Madeline Y.	b Sept. 25, 1847, Newport, NY; d Jan. 4, 1918, Asheville, NC.	Writer; wrote The Little Room.