“The announcement yesterday forenoon that Charles Wickware was dead came like thunder from a clear sky and it might be truly said that the whole community was shocked when it was whispered from mouth to mouth.”

— Webster City Tribune, May 5, 1893

Charles Wickware was born in 1840 in Colchester, Vermont. A few months after the outbreak of the Civil War, Charles enlisted in Company I of the Sixth Vermont Infantry. He served as part of the renowned “Vermont Brigade” and saw action in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and The Wilderness.

A Vermont history of his regiment tells of him being shot through the body at Savage Station. He lay on the battlefield all night and fell into Confederate hands. He was taken to Libby Prison in Richmond where he was later exchanged. After this wound healed, he returned to the Sixth Vermont.

It was in The Wilderness battle that Wickware received a wound that cost him an arm. The date was May 5, 1864. Charles was discharged following his recovery and the end of the war a year later.

On September 20, 1868, Charles was married in Hopkinton, New York, to Francis Risden. Soon after, the newlyweds moved to Webster City where they resided for the remainder of their lives, having seven daughters and a son. In 1878, Charles was elected as Hamilton County auditor and held the office for a total of four terms. While serving in that office, Charles entered into the retail partnership of Scriven and Wickware, a grocery store located on Seneca Street.

Two years later, Charles opened his own store, again focusing on grocery items, though there are many notices in Webster City newspapers of the day listing a variety of other items.

One such listing shows that he was the contact person for the rental of Major Crossley’s house. Charles’ connection with other veterans involved the Grand Army of the Republic post here in Webster City, where he served several times as post commander. He was also among the most active members that first organized and oversaw the Memorial Day observance in Webster City from the start of that commemoration, when it was known as Decoration Day.

Charles was also involved in a multitude of other civic and business affairs. He was named as interim school superintendent when L. L. Estes had to be absent from the position for several months. Wickware was also elected and served as mayor of Webster City, choosing to refuse running for a second term.

As a businessman, it was written of his store, “to say that this house is doing a leading business is only doing justice to a worthy enterprise, and one that would do honor to the business circles of the largest city of the State.”

It’s no wonder that the suddenness of his death was a shock to the community; Charles was so active as a business owner, civic leader, father, husband. His youngest child, and only son, was four years old when Charles died.

The supposed cause of death looks to be directly related to the wound he sustained one day short of 30 years before his death. I agree with the remarkable things said about Charles Wickware: He lived a very active life, focusing on others even as his old battle wounds caught up with him.

Our Neighborhood is a column by Michael Eckers focusing on the men and women whose presence populates Graceland Cemetery in Webster City.