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William Miles Chick

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William Miles Chick
1870 posthumous portrait of Chick by George Caleb Bingham
1st postmaster of Kansas City, Missouri
In office
1845 – April 7, 1847
PrecedingPosition established
Preceded byWashington Henry Chick
Personal details
Born(1794-08-31)August 31, 1794
Lynchburg, Virginia, US
DiedApril 7, 1847(1847-04-07) (aged 52)
Kansas City, Missouri, US
RelationsNathan Scarritt (son-in-law)
William Chick Scarritt (grandson)
Dorothy McKibbin (great-granddaughter)
Children8
OccupationBusinessman, pioneer
Military service
RankColonel
WarWar of 1812
1870 posthumous portrait of Ann Eliza Smith Chick, Chick's wife, by George Caleb Bingham

William Miles Chick (August 31, 1794 – April 7, 1847) is an American businessman and pioneer, who was one of the earliest settlers and the first postmaster of Kansas City, Missouri.

Early life

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Chick was born on a tobacco farm near Lynchburg, Virginia, on August 31, 1794. He grew up working on the farm, and worked as a merchant in Alexandria. He served in the War of 1812, reaching the rank of colonel, but never fought a battle. In 1816, he married Ann Eliza Smith, having 8 children.[1]

Kansas City

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In 1822, Chick moved to Missouri and built a farm. When the Missouri River flooded in 1826, their farm was destroyed. He then moved to Howard County and spent a decade farming tobacco. In 1836, he moved to Kansas City and bought a 2-story log cabin from John Calvin McCoy. There, he operated a general store.[2]

In 1838, he and a group of investors founded the Town of Kansas. In 1843, he opened a riverfront warehouse to store fur.[1]

Death and legacy

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In 1845, Chick became the first postmaster of Kansas City, serving until his death of pneumonia on April 7, 1847.[3] After his death, his son Washington Henry Chick became the second postmaster of Kansas City.[2]

One of Chick's daughter's, Virginia Christiana Chick, married John Calvin McCoy on January 23, 1838.[4] Another daughter, Martha Matilda Chick, married Nathan Scarritt in 1850.[5] Their child and his grandson, William Chick Scarritt—who was named after him, was a prominent lawyer and owner of the William Chick Scarritt House.[6] Chick's great-granddaughter was Dorothy McKibbin, a manager of the Manhattan Project.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "William M. Chick – Kansas City Founder & Pioneer – Legends of America". www.legendsofamerica.com. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  2. ^ a b Coleman, Daniel (2008). "William Miles Chick". Kansas City Public Library. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  3. ^ "Col. William Miles Chick Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  4. ^ "PRELIMINARY INVENTORY K0296 (KA0590, KA1361) JOHN CALVIN MCCOY COLLECTION" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  5. ^ Worley, Kathryn; Worley, Bill (3 January 2004). "REV. NATHAN SCARRITT-PAST AND PRESENT". Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  6. ^ "William Chick Scarritt Residence". Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  7. ^ Steeper, Nancy Cook (2003). Gatekeeper to Los Alamos: Dorothy Scarritt McKibbin. Los Alamos, N.M: Los Alamos Historical Society. pp. 13–14. ISBN 978-0-941232-30-2.