Monday, March 18, 2019

JOHN EDWARD ADDICKS

1894 DELAWARE HISTORY
JOHN EDWARD ADDICKS

John Edward Addicks, born in Philadelphia 21 November, 1849, to
John Edward Charles Addicks, Sr, a Philadelphia merchant, and Margaret McLoud , became a millionaire, was, a suave, impudent, industrious , single minded person that managed to amass a fortune in the unregulated world of capitalism, to use to buy his way to a high political office.
With his big bank account an a bigger ego he came to Delaware and
announced he was a candidate for one of two available Senate seats. Addicks
won support of a number of Delaware politicians and literally bought the votes
of many citizens who were deep in dept by paying the dept. At that time a citizen could not vote if in dept. The African-Americans, unable to pay a voting tax ,
had the tax paid so they could vote. Addicks hired workers to 'assist' the black
voters and make sure he got what he paid for. He bought a strong base in Sussex
County.
Delaware and national newspapers were against Addicks and reported his
election would mean political damnation and a more serious moral turpitude.
Many of his supporters won election to the Delaware General Assembly but
he did not get elected. He was age 45 years.
After having failed to buy his way into the United States Senate his business suffered setbacks which sapped his funds, money stopped flowing,
his backers deserted. Creditors won a judgment against Addicks for four
million dollars that led to his disappearance in public view.
1919, at age 70, suave, impudent, industrious and single minded John Edward Addicks died in poverty in New York City, was survived by his first
wife , Ida Harvey Carr, and a daughter by his second wife , Laure Wattson Butcher, deceased 1867, by name of Florence Addicks, born 1866, died in 1942. Addicks also had five brothers and two sisters.
John Edward Addicks, Jr. is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


Abstract: Wednesday, September 2, 2015, Delaware Coast Press,
Michael Morgan's Delaware Diary.

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