Notes
Note N2946
Index
Graduated from St. Viateur, a small Catholic college at Bourbonnais, Ill, in 1889. He never married. He at one time was an avid traveler, but his recent years were spent largely in the Library of Congress where he had a study room and the Army and Navy Club where he lived. He moved to the Potomac area and bought a house on Gunston Neck below Mount Vernon about 1910 after a dozen years as a playwright. He wrote 11 plays, including "The Gay Deceiver," Washington 1897 and a dramatization of Anatole France's "Thais," New York. He wrote a number of local histories, including but not limited to "Mount Vernon, Washington's Home and the Nation's Shrine" and "Monticello". Served in the Navy as a Lt. Commander during World War I. He worte several books on Eruopean travel ande "Contributed extensively" to National Geographic, Atlantic Monthly and Scribner's. He edited the correspondence of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson and published it in book form. He was business manager for Richard Mansfield and wrote a book on the actor in 1908. In his later years he was a constant concert-goer and served as a member of the executive committee of the National Symphony Orchestra. Member of the Metropolitan Club and The Players Club. Some of the books include "Mount Vernon, Washington's home and the Nation's Shrine" in 1930, "Patriots off their pedestals" in 1927, "Potomac Landings" in 1921 and "Richard Mansfield, the Man and the Actor" in 1908.
Lived at 87 Cincinatti, LaFayette according to 1885-1886 city directories. Listed as a student in 1891 LaFayette city directory.
Notes
Note N2947
Index
Deceased at time of father's will.
Notes
Note N2948
Index
Mentioned in her father's will.
Notes
Note N2949
Index
Mentioned in father's will. Lived at 22 S Sixth Street, LaFayette, In according to 1885-1886 city directories. Dealt in second hand goods at 111 Columbia in LaFayette in 1887-1888 according to city directory. Listed as a druggist in 1891 directory.
Notes
Note N2950
Index
Computed from newspaper death notice.
Notes
Note N2951
Index
Philadelphia Daily Ledger Newspaper says "William P. Wilstach, Esq, ages 54 years. Funeral to take place on Wednesday afternoon, September 21,at 2 o'clock, from the residence of D. P. Bussier, 1630 Arch Street."
In the September 19 issue of the "Daily Ledger" ran the following obituary. DECEASE OF WILLIAM P. WILSTACH. A telegram from Saratoga to the editor of this journal announces the decease, at that place, of William P. Wilstach, Esq., of this city. Mr. Wilstach had been absent for a considerable time in Europe, until about a month ago, and going to Saratoga for a brief visit, was seized with the illness which terminated his life. He was a native of Philadelphia, born about the year 1816; was in business with the house of Craige, Holmes & Co., and in 1844 went into business on his own account, which he continued until 1867, when he retired with an ample fortune. Mr. Wilstach was an officer and an active promoter of the beneficial objects of the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Academy of Fine Arts and other similar institutions, devoted to the advantage and advancement of our city and its people. He was so widely known and warmly esteemed that the intelligence of his decease will cause general and deep regret.
Notes
Note N2952
Index
Presented the Library to Philadelphia. Appears in Philadelphia 1860 census, page 409. He and his wife presented a huge art collection to the Fairmont Park Commissioners, on the condition that the Commissioners erect a Museum to house the collection.
"Philadelphia is indebted to the thoughtful and munificent generosity of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Wilstach for the collection of art treasures herein catalogued. The former devoted a fortune, which he had gained in mercantile pursuits, to his own and his fellow-men's aesthetic cultivation, and during his busy life collected with much judgment and taste the paintings and statuary which form the nucleus of the Wilstach collection. The latter by economy and thrift so increased the fortune which she inherited from her husband as to enable her not merely to dedicate the collection to the perpetual enjoyment of her city, but also to afford it an endowment for its maintenance and increase such as few public galleries enjoy at the present time." -- From "Catalog of the W. P. Wilstach Collection".
"TOWN MEETING. The citizens of the city and county of Philadelphia, opposed to the removal of the Public Buildings to Penn Square, are requested to meet in Town Meeting at the County Court Room on Saturday evening, 17th inst. at seven o'clock....W.P. Wilstach...(among list of eligible attendees)."--16 Feb 1838, The (Philadelphia PA) National Gazette.
"REAL ESTATE--PRIVATGE SALE. Corner Property. Valuable BUSINESS STAND. All that lot or piece of ground situate at the S.W. corner of Vine and Delaware Second streets, containing in front on Second street 18 feet 9 inches, and in depth on Vine street 990 feet, on which are now erected THREE BRICK HOUSES. For particulars inquire of WM P. WILSTACH, No. 110 Market street."--22 Jun 1839, The (Philadelphia PA) Public Ledger
1860 Business Directory lists William P. Wilstach & Co in business of saddlery hardware at 18th and Market, also a location at 38 N 3rd.
Elected on 8 January 1867 to a position on a board of trustees of the building fund of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.
"WILSTACH.--At Saratoga, New York, September 17th, WILLIAM P. WILSTACH, Esq., aged 54 years. Funeral to take place on Wednesday afternoon, September 21, at 2 o'clock, from the residence of D.P. Bussier, No. 1630 Arch street."--19 Sep 1870, The (Philadelphia PA) Evening Telegraph
The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Death Certificate Index states that the place of death was Philadelphia.
"BEQUESTS.--The Will of the Late Williamm P. Wilstach. The will of William P. Wilstach, merchant, recently deceased, was admitted to probate yesterday in the Register of Wills' office. According to this document, the estate of the late Mr. Wilstach is valued at $1,000,000, and is bequeathed to his wife and daughter. In case the latter leaves no children surviving her, then the money is left in trust for the following purposes:--One-fourth part of the trusts to go to the Apprentices' Library Company,, to aid in the erection of a new building and for the increase of the library; one-fourth part to the city of Philadelphia, or to the State of Pennslvania, or which of them shall first form an organization to realize the object of the bequest, which is the erection of a building in Fairmont Park, or elsewhere in the city of Philadelphia, to be used as a public picture gallery, on a plan similar to the new building in which the pictures of the Dresden Gallery are now exhibited, in the city of Dresden, Saxony, if not on so large a scale as will admit of the extension without impairing the harmony or cause the destruction of any portion of the original building, and to enact laws for the founding of a permantent organization to take charge of said funds, and to locate and erect a suitable building, and whose further duty shall be to raise funds by voluntary subscription from the citizens for the purchase of such works of art as they may deem of sufficient importance to be held permanently, and to receive donations of any works of art that may be contributed to the gallery, reserving the right to dispose of any so received for the benefit of the funds, if they deem it advisable, and to further, by all honorable means, the collecting of a gallery of fine arts, and their exhibition to the public in the present advanced state of public feeling for the fine arts.
The testator then says in his will:--I would prefer the public to have admission at all times to the exhibition rooms at suitable hours,but think it will be necessary to charge a small fee for admission,, until in some way the managers have secured ample means to meet the current expenses. In case the city of State delay in accepting the bequest and trust, for the period of three years after its becoming operative, I then direct that the said trustees shall assign and convey the said fourth part of the respective trusts to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts; that they abandon the stock feature of their organization, and form a simple association whereby its property and its treasures will remain in perpetuity in the cityh of Philadelphia to be used by the directors so these organizated Academy of Fine Arts, as they shall deem best, for the erection of a new building or for the collection of a gallery of fine arts, or jointly to aid in both objects."
The testator then directs that in case the Academy of Fine Arts fail to carry out his idea, the bequest shall go to the Apprentices' Library Company of APhiladelphia,, to aid in the erection of a building, and for the increase of the library. He says: "Should it so happen that this fourth part be also paid to the Library Company, I trust that its managers and directors may be enabled to make it a public library of importance, and with further aid from the citizens of Philadelphia, it will take rank beside the public library in the city of Boston."
The remaining fourth part of said trust Mr. Wilstach bequeaths to some relatives..."--5 Oct 1870, The (Philadelphia PA) Evening Telegraph.
Named in grandmother's will.
"THE CANDIDATE.--A Brief Biography of Mr. Conrad B. Day. Conrad B. Day, the Democratic candidate for State Treasurer, was born in the Eleventh ward of Philadelphia,, then a part of the old District of Kensington, in 1832. He was educated in the common schools of that city, and graduated from the Boys' High School in July, 1847. Directly thereafter he entered the wholesale and retail saddlery and carriage materials trade with W.P. Wilstach, and in 1861 was admitted to partnership in the firm. W.P. Wilstach established the present house in 1845; in 1855 it was known as Wilstach & Co.; in 1867 it was known as Scott and Day; and in 1877, and ever since as Conrad B. Day & Co...."28 Aug 1885, The (Wilkes-Barre, PA) Union Leader.