239. Harry Lewis Remembers, "Wicks" Opens (1950s)

RCHS Blog Post Number 239. 

Harry Lewis Remembers, "Wicks" Opens (1950s)

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Harry Lewis Remembers

Published in the Journal Herald on January 21, 1954. 

    The name 'Harry (H. Kay) Lewis' undoubtedly brings back memories to a number of Randolph countians. A vaudeville entertainer for a great many years, Mr. Lewis was born and reared in the old "Mull" (Lickskillet) community northwest of Winchester. For the past several years he has lived in the west and with his wife still travels the showman's circuit around the country.

  In a recent letter to Mrs. Grace Fisher of Winchester, written in answer to one from her, Mr. Lewis tells of his family, recollections of old friends in Randolph county and his current activities in show business. The letter follows;

  "Dear old time friend Grace- Your very nice and welcome letter read, glad to hear from you with such an informative batch of news all at one time.

  You pardon me please for being so neglectful in my old days to not write to you more often.

  I presume when one is getting up around three score and ten years, we are not so thoughtful as we once were.

  Don't expect such a fine long letter as you are able to write about the old home news.

  We are about as when you last saw us, just Berdie and I left to do our show, but we sure been doing it the past two years with our own personal business agent to make dates for us to play. And we have been very busy and successful for which we are very thankful. In fact, there very few of the oldtimers left in our business with a record of over fifty years on the road. This is forty-six years Berdie and I have been together in our profession. Suppose we may die on the road somewhere if not lucky enough to make it to a home port.

  As I see it the good Lord has been very good to us, for which we are very thankful again,and to whom we give all praise and credit. You realize all of us do not see alike, the same as the different religions of the many peoples.

  We are now spending the holidays with the daughter and family. She has the one girl, four years old. Our son, Thayer and family, live in Fort Sill, Okla. He is at the air base there doing his job of entertaining the servicemen with his radio and television work. He has one boy 10 years old and an adopted boy 15 years.

  It sure has been lovely here this fall, just like Indiana in June but we may get it colder later on in the winter.

  We just completed a year tour of 30 states, 21,000 miles. Leaving about January 10 for an eastern and southern tour this year. We hope to see all our good friends and relatives once again as we go through Indiana.

  The oldtimers of our generation are getting very few so I see by the papers and what you wrote.

  The papers from Farmland I just got from May Williams, who used to be May McGuire, John McGuire's girl. We went to school together at old No. 7.  May is 73 years. She lives here, also Mary Borther's nephew. Delmas Dull is here only a few blocks away.

  I wanted to write you this letter while everything was fresh in my mind before getting busy on the job. Will try to keep in touch with you, for we enjoy your nice long letters.

  Berdie joins with kind regards to all old friends and relatives and our best personal love and best wishes to you and yours.

  As ever, your old friend, Sincerely Harry Lewis."

  Mr. and Mrs. Lewis now live at 980 East Second Street, San Bernardino, Cal.

New Eating Establishment

Published in the Journal Herald in April 1957. 

  A new restaurant for Winchester is "Wicks," located at 209 South Main street.

  It is owned by Duane and Ruby Wickersham, the latter being manager.

  There are a special noon lunch, short orders, sandwiches, soups and soda fountain. A feature is the home made bakery department.  

  

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Notes from RCHS Volunteer Thursa.

Wick’s Pies is a county destination for many folks for breakfast, lunch, and the discount pie area where you stock up for a gift of food or for holiday meals.

Sugar Cream Pie is the official state pie of Indiana. And it’s thanks to the hard work of Wick’s.

The couple behind the business are laid to rest facing north with a view of the historic sections of Fountain Park Cemetery in Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana.

Where the factory offices are is what was the funeral slipper factory for the McCamish Family who have the large white column monument in the distance for the Kitselman-McCamish family if now tge offices of Wicks Pies.

The Kitselman brothers are well known for working hard for their fortune manufacturing a woven fence business in Muncie. The family was born and raised in the Ridgeville area. Their parents are buried at the base of the columns. Their sister and her family are there also, The McCamish family.

The two businesses are also tied in their product was an extremely profitable business from the women of the family.

Strong women with husbands who helped with the product and marketing to build empires in their market niche. In eras where women are often spoken of as being at home morally supporting their husbands, these women were the power couples.

And as Wicks’s says… when you are in the area, ‘don’t forget to try the pie.’ 

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Randolph County, Indiana 1818-1990
Commonly referred to as "The Red History Book"
Compiled by the Randolph County Historical Society, 1991, Second reprint 2003.

Read page 129-140 to read "Death Records And Cemetery History." Page 131article titled "Franklin Township Cemeteries: 1. Race Street" has a very brief description.

Read page 446 to read the family history of Joab Addington which was submitted by Joanne Moulton.

To obtain your own copy of "The Red History Book" stop in at The RCHS Museum Shop or send an email to arrange placing a mail order.

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