This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website
Salick’s Jewelry Store
Joseph Salick and
Son
For over 140 years
1853 - 1995
1853 Founded
1855
01 11 Watch and Jewelry Store
Mr. J.
Salick, of this city, has one of the largest and best
stocks of watches, clocks, and jewelry, of all descriptions, in the state.
Being himself a skillful and experienced operator, he never allows any work to
go out of his shop that is not well done. His advertisement will be found in
this paper, and all who wish to purchase articles in his line, cannot do better
than give him a call. WD
1928
06 01 The Salick Jewelry Co. will observe its seventy-fifth
anniversary the week of June 3-10 (1928).
The history of this business is closely woven with that of the
city. WDT
1853, Founded
Joseph Salick
The
present Salick Jewelry Co. was founded in 1853 by
Joseph Salick who came to Watertown from Cincinnati
at a time when Watertown expansion was at its height. On
Figures
for the population of Watertown in 1853 vary from three to four thousand. There were many business houses here at the
time, however, including six dry goods stores, eleven grocery stores, two drug
stores, fifteen taverns, two bakeries, three meat markets, two book stores, six
cabinet shops, four tinshops, few factories, two
printing offices, six school houses, two select schools, and many churches and
one bank. The census of 1855 shows the
population to have been 8,512, an increase of 7,000 in ten years. In point of population Watertown was the
second city in Wisconsin.
First Store Opened
At
this time Mr. Salick established his first store in
Watertown. It was located on the site of
the present New York meat market 8 Main Street (1930
City Dir) ).
Another source states that the first Salick store was in the Werner building on the north side
of the Main Street bridge
The year
following he erected the building on the site of the present store
building. Later, when his son, Charles
J. Salick, was old enough to enter the business, his
father took him into partnership and with the gradual and steady expansion of
the business it was found necessary to build an addition to the store which is
now the building occupied by the company at 1 and 3 Main Street ,
next to the bridge.
1860
12 27 Joseph Salick,
Wholesale and Retail Dealer in Watches and Jewelry, takes pleasure to announce
to the citizens of Watertown and vicinity that he had removed [moved] his store
to his new brick building, at the [south]east corner of Main Street bridge,
where you will find a great variety of choice gold and silver watches of every
description, gold gent’s pins, gold ladies’ pins, bracelets, eardrops, rings,
chains, lockets, shirt buttons, pencils, silver and silver-plated spoons,
spectacles, knives, money purses, etc., etc.
And many other articles too numerous to mention. A great assortment of clocks of all kinds
will be sold at the lowest prices. Come
and See. Joseph Salick. WD
Salick Variety and Jewelry
Store, 3 and 1 E Main St (SE corner of bridge)
Far
right, Joseph Salick, c 1890. Others not identified
Note Salick-built timepiece (now at Octagon House) in window
behind Joseph
Gritzner Barber Shop located
in basement of Salicks
1894 Joseph retires, Charles
takes over
02 16 Notice is hereby given that the
co-partnership heretofore existing under the firm name of Jos. Salick & Son, dealer In musical Instruments and novelty
goods, has this day been dissolved by mutual consent, Mr. Jos. Salick retiring from the business. Hereafter the business will be conducted by
Chas. J. Salick.
All
accounts against the old firm will be settled by Chas. J. Salick,
and accounts due the firm collected by him.
The
jewelry business heretofore conducted by Jos. Salick will
hereafter be carried on by said Chas. J. Salick. All accounts against said firm will be
settled by Chas. J. Salick, and accounts due the firm
collected by him.
Thanking
our patrons for the past, we solicitude to their patronage for the future.
Jos. Salick, although retiring, will have charge of the repair
work and give it his strict attention, satisfaction guaranteed every time.
Parties
owing the firm are kindly requested to settle before March 1st. 1894 WG
______________________________________________________
August Salick,
Rev.
Charles Salick
John Salick
Upon
the elder Salick’s retirement his son, Charles J. Salick, assumed control and has since formed a
partnership with his son, John E. Salick, and the
firm is now known as Salick Jewelry Co.
Joseph
Salick has sold his two store buildings at the east
end of
It
would be impossible to describe the hardships and handicaps in the early
history of the Watertown store. One
change that has taken place in the business conditions since that time and the
present day is plainly indicated by the fact that working hours were from 7
a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Oil lamps supplied
light by which the watchmaker busied himself.
Store image 3
.
Salick store, right, c1910 postcard
Early Days Recalled
Mr.
Salick, in recalling earlier watch-making days, recalls them with the
statement: “In those days the work was
no cinch. We had to make almost every
part that was needed for repair and oftentimes the tools.”
There
are several clocks in the store which were made by the founder of the store and
every part was made out of material obtained in Watertown and which have given
accurate service all these years.
[ Ode “To Salick’s Clock” ]
The
anniversary about to be observed may well be regarded as most important because
it finds the Salick Jewelry Co. thoroughly seasoned and tempered by the past
traditions of achievement and ambition and with much to cause one to believe
that the coming years will continue to be happy and prosperous.
The
company plans “open house” for the week of June 3, and during this time they
have arranged for many interesting displays of the jeweler’s art and
craftsmanship. One of the items of
interest on display is a watch over 200 years old of the English verge type
which still keeps accurate time. The
firm will be pleased to have the people of Watertown and vicinity call and see
these displays.
Old Art
Unlike
a person, a jewelry business upon entering its seventy-fifth year cannot be
called old. From time immemorial the
jeweler has supplied to every home those gifts which outlive the generation in
which they are purchased. Once these things
have become the possession of the buyer they assume that priceless consideration
known as sentimental value.
The
heirloom of today seems but the purchase of yesterday. Precious stones, gold and sterling silver
have been a standard of value for centuries.
They have always gone hand in hand with confidence, confidence in the
merchants who sponsor it.
Today,
in spite of changed methods of merchandising, the same confidence marks every
sale of jewelry. And so, after
seventy-five years, Salick’s store marks the time during which the public has
expressed its confidence in them to correctly interpret their continuous demand
for the artistic.
_____________________________________________________
A
bicycle to be ridden by Archie Wurtzler, who claims the title of champion of Watertown,
may be seen in the show window of Joseph Salick & Son [ Watertown Daily Times, 03 03 1897 ]
_____________________________________________________
Joseph Salick was the first to commend electrical lights and signed a
contract for a substantial number of lights.
Most of the business men were indifferent but became convinced of its
feasibility as soon as a few were put in use.
Joseph Salick
St. Henry’s, First Trustee
The
Joseph Salick was one of the three first church council or trustee members of
St. Henry’s Parish of Watertown, assisting Father Conrad Beck, the first
residing priest.
Born
in Westphalia, Germany in 1824, Joseph Salick served in the German army during
the revolutionary period of 1848. In the
year 1853 Salick moved to Watertown. One
of his ten children, August, became a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Salick
was a prominent resident, devoted member of the parish and was a pioneer
jeweler and senior member of the firm of Joseph Salick & Son.
Salick
opened the first jewelry store in the community in 1853 and always lived in the
vicinity of the church; for a time his home was at 802 N. Fourth Street, one of the most
beautiful homes in the city, originally built by John W. Cole.
Cross Reference: Henry Fendt has
purchased the Joseph Salick residence property at 412 North Fifth Street and will occupy
it as his family residence. Watertown Gazette, 11 30 1911
He
worked at the jeweler’s bench up to his retirement at age 85, being at the time
the oldest jeweler in Wisconsin.
Salick
died in 1910. “One can truly say of him
he lived as near as possible to the golden rule. As in private and business affairs he had the
respect of all who came in contact with him.” (Watertown Daily Times, 10 17 1910)
At
4:30 o'clock last Friday afternoon, while blasting ice at Main street with
dynamite, a piece of gravel covering the dynamite was driven through a side
window of the Salick jewelry store and struck Jos. Salick over one of his eyes
and inflicted a severe wound. Though not
of a serious nature, Mr. Salick was considerably scared at the time. Watertown
Daily Times, March 30, 1904
Watertown Daily Times, 10 29 1953
The
Salick Jewelry Company,
Store closes after 142 years
Watertown Daily Times, 10 07 1995
A
downtown business with a colorful history will end with the closing of Salick
Jewelers, a Watertown landmark for over 140 years. Rowland and Terry Straka, who have owned and
operated the jewelry business on the corner of East Main and South Third
streets for the past seven years, are in the process of liquidating the
inventory in celebration of Rowland's retirement at age 65. Salick Jewelers is believed to be the oldest
jewelry store in Wisconsin. The business
was founded in 1853 by Joseph Salick, who had been a clock maker in Westphalia,
Germany. It was one of Watertown's
earliest retail businesses, starting just 17 years after the city's first white
settler, Timothy Johnson, arrived here. Over the years the business has sold a
countless number of diamond and wedding ring sets to generations of customers,
and also played a part in the evolution of the men's pocket watch to the now
traditional wristwatches for both men and women.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Letitia Marie Salick -
Sidney Frederick Eberle
Married
1909
Watertown Gazette, 07 30 1909
At high noon Wednesday,
July 28, 1909, a wedding of more
than usual interest took place at the home of Charles J. Salick and wife, Third
Street, the contracting parties being Miss Letitia
Marie Salick and Assistant
Postmaster Sidney Frederick Eberle.
The ceremony was performed by Rev. Father Hennessey, pastor of St.
Bernard’s Church.
For
several days the house had been in the hands of the members of a club to which
Miss Salick belonged and by the time appointed for the wedding it had been
transferred into a bower of beauty. The
parlor given up to the ceremony was done in white and green, the dining room in
sweet peas and smilax. To add to the
beauty of the scene the shades were drawn and the house lighted by many
candles.
Promptly
at high noon Miss Leona Brandt struck up the chords of Mendelssohn’s wedding
march. The ribbon bearers, Miss Elsa
Schempf and Miss Margaret Eberle, in gowns of pink and white, stretched the
ribbons for the bridal party. Miss Ida
McGough of Milwaukee, attired in white French organdie and pink silk, was maid
of honor, and she carried a large bouquet of pink sweet peas. Following came the
bride on the arm of her father. She was
gowned in white messaline trimmed with duchess lace and embroidered net and
wore the conventional veil. She carried
a shower bouquet of white sweet peas.
The
best man was Ralph Eberle, brother of the groom.
The
ceremony was followed by a breakfast of ten courses, covers being laid for
18. The servers were the Misses Della
Koenig, Selma and Della Hoermann, Elsa Baumann and Elvira Emmerling.
After
a tour of several weeks in Michigan the groom and his bride will make their
home at 317 North Montgomery Street, this city, and will be at home to their
friends after October 1st.
The
groom and his bride are two of Watertown’s most esteemed citizens and have
passed all their lives in our city, with the exception of a short time the
groom was employed in the west. They are
members of two of Watertown’s oldest and best families, the groom being a son
of Postmaster H. T. Eberle and wife, and the bride the eldest daughter of
Charles J. Salick and wife.
Their
friends are all who know them and they are known to nearly everybody in
Watertown, hence on entering married life they have the hearty good wishes of
all our people for a long, prosperous and happy life. The
Gazette joins their numerous friends in wishing that their fondest hopes of
matrimonial bliss will be fully realized.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Joseph A. Salick,
Jr.
1910 Died. Joseph A. Salick,
a son of Joseph Salick
06 10 After a lingering illness of several months Joseph A.
Salick died at his home at 208 West Main Street [?] on Tuesday, June 7,
1910. Deceased was a son of Joseph Salick, a pioneer jeweler of Watertown, and was born in
this city on April 26, 1855. He was
educated in the schools of this city and after leaving school learned the jewelry
trade in his father's store.
November 5, 1879, he was married to Miss Addie Cody,
daughter of the late Dr. James Cody, and shortly after he engaged in the
jewelry and music business at Appleton, having at one time one of the largest
stores in his line in the state. About
20 years ago he closed out his business at Appleton and removed to this city
and engaged in the optical and jewelry business, which he conducted up to a
short time before he died.
Mr. Salick was a genius in many ways, especially in
the mechanical and literary line. A few
years ago he published a work entitled "Telepah," a dramatic poem of
the Orient, foretelling the wonders of the electrical world. It was published in four volumes and had a
large sale.
His wife, two sons and five daughters survive him, his
children being James Salick of St Louis, Mabel, Laura, Ruth, Julia, Stella and
George of this city. Friday morning at 9
o'clock his funeral will take place from St. Henry's Catholic Church, and his
remains will be interred in St. Bernard's cemetery. WG
1910
11 11 A Handsome Store
Building
Chas. J. Salick has just had
his jewelry store building at the east end of Main Street bridge remodeled and fitted
out in fine shape. It is electric
lighted and heated throughout from basement to the second story, and has all
other modern improvements. The second
story is fitted out for office purposes and the first story and basement is
used for Mr. Salick's jewelry and novelty
business. The show windows are as fine
as any in the state and give Mr. Salick a fine
opportunity to display his large stock of goods therein. The Salick building
now looms up in fine shape, and Mr. Salick is
deserving of credit for this enterprising move on his part. WG
1920 Vigilance of clerks prevented a
considerable loss through forged check
1922 Otto T. Salick, Profile of
History of Milwaukee, City and County, Volume
2, William George
Bruce, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, Chicago, 1922.
Otto T. Salick engaged in the real estate and insurance business and
widely known as the president of the North Avenue Advancement Association was
born in Watertown, Wisconsin, April 10, 1877, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth
Hepp Salick, both of whom were natives of Germany, whence they came to the
United States in youth. They cast in
their lot with the pioneer settlers of Milwaukee where the father first engaged
in business as a watchmaker and jeweler.
He afterward removed to Watertown, Wisconsin, and there conducted a
jewelry business to the time of his death.
Both he and his wife have passed away.
Otto T. Salick was educated in the public and parochial schools of
Watertown and also attended Marquette University of Milwaukee. When his school days were over he started out
in the business world and was employed in various capacities. Later he engaged in the real estate business
and has built up an extensive trade in this connection at No 3610 North
Avenue. His residence in Milwaukee dates
from 1895 and through the intervening period he has steadily forged to the
front in business circles in this city.
He has negotiated many important realty transfers and through his
activity has contributed in considerable measure to the improvement and
progress of the northern section. He
also has a well organized insurance department and was one of the founders of
the North Avenue Advancement Association which was formed in March 1919 and has
steadily grown having on its list of members the leading business and
professional men of this section of the city.
Mr. Salick has taken a most deep and helpful interest in the movement
and the purposes underlying the society and recently contributed to the North
Avenue Star a most interesting article setting forth the history of North
Avenue and the development of this section of the city.
In 1902 Mr. Salick was married to Miss Mary Reiter of Milwaukee and they
have become the parents of eight children;
Olive fifteen years of age, Florence aged thirteen, Frances eleven,
Dorothy nine, John seven, Genevieve four, Ralph three, and Robert two.
Through the field of political activity Mr. Salick has also done much
for Milwaukee's benefit and progress. In
1903 he was appointed assessor of the twenty second ward holding the office
until 1912 or for a period of nine years.
During this time he was also a member of the board of review. Any project or plan put forward for the
benefit and upbuilding of the city receives his endorsement and loyal and
active support.
1986
04 01 Watertown police this morning said their investigation
has turned up little on the Good Friday robbery of Salick
Jewelers. About 600 rings, made of various
stones and in various stages of completion, were taken from Salick,
217 Main Street, when
two persons apparently distracted the clerks while others lifted the articles
from an unlocked backroom safe. Police
who originally listed the incident as “shoplifting” on their daily blotter,
said a “gypsy-type” man, who they described as having a dark complexion and a
Spanish accent, walked into the store at 11:15 a.m. and talked to a clerk about
purchasing some jewelry. WDT
Cross-References:
When he retired at age 85 he was the oldest active jeweler in the state;
Forty-Eighters leave their mark on Watertown
Joseph Salick
used to row his boat down the Rock River every morning
to near his Main Street store.
Construction of Salick Jewelry Store,
1-3 E Main, photo: Faces & Places - Watertown Area, Heritage House Publishing
(Marceline, MO), 1999, p 40.
Joseph Salick is buried in St.
Henry’s Cemetery; son John in St.
Bernard’s
Charles Salick
and John Salick had compiled
early weather reports on the city.
Dramatic
poem “Telepah," published by Joseph A.
Salick
1876,
U.S. centennial parade, Charles Salick led one section of the parade on
horseback
1911, Dr.
U. N. Barber, Dentist, located above Salicks
1895c, Gritzner Barber Shop
located in basement of Salicks
