Endicott - William
WILLIAM ENDICOTT
Source: of Montgomery County, Indiana (Indianapolis: AW Bowen, 1913) p 908
We rarely find two persons in everyday life who attribute their success in their different spheres to similar qualities. Hard work and plodding industry paved the way for one, good judgment and a keen sense of value for another, intuition and a well balanced mind for a third. An admixture of some of the qualities above named, emphasized by hard work, has been responsible for the success of William ENDICOTT, the popular and widely known restuarant proprietor of Crawfordsville, in his battle for the spoils of victory, those winning attributes having descended from a sterling ancestry who played no inconspicuous part in the early history of Montgomery County, having done their share of the rough work necessary to redeem the fertile fields fromt he wild state in which the first settlers found them and it is to such as these that we of today are greatly indebted for the good farms, the thriving towns and the good schools and churches to be found in every community.
William Endicott was born in Franklin Twp, Montgomery County, Indiana and is a son of George and Amanda Endicott, a highly respected family who lived on a farm in that locality, and there the subject grew to manhood, assisted with the general work about the place when a boy and received a common school education. At an early age it became necessary for him to shift for himself. This early responsibililty proved to be the making of him, although at the time somewhat severe, but it fostered in him sel-reliance, fortitude, courage and perseverance. He first started to learn the machinist's trade and with this end in view began working in Lyle & Smith's Foundry, crawfordsville later security employment at the City Bottling Works. He then became a waiter in a restaurant at Crawfordsville junction. He was enthusiastic over the work and made rapid progress. He later worked at the union Depot in Terre Haute, then returned to Crawfordsville Junction in the same capacity, working for Charles Smith. He had by this time determined upon the restaurant business for his life work and had not only mastered the ins and outs of the same but had saved his money and was thus enabled to purchase, on Jan 18, 1893, what was known as the Big Four Restaurant, at the corner of Plum & Frankling Streets, Crawfordsville. He and Mr. Smith buying the same in partnership, they continued to manage it successfully until 1904, when Mr. Endicott obtained charge of all dining cars between Columbus, Ohio and Peoria, Illinois, taking active charge of the same on Dec 31, 1904, and he remained in that capacity until Nov 31, 1906, having made a financial success of the proposition and winning the hearty approbation of the traveling public.
In Jan 1906, he opened a restaurant on Main Street, Crawfordsville, now known as the Northern Cafe. This is regarded as the principal and most popular restaurant in this city, Mr. Endicott having made a gerat success here where others failed. He makes a speciality of game and sea foods in season, and his motto is cleanliness and prompt service. Everything about the place is sanitary, inviting, systematic and up-to-date, in fact, this well patronized care would be a credit to cities much larger than Crawfordsville. He is desrving of a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished in the face of obstacles, and he is well liked by all who know him. Mr. Endicott, although a very busy man, takes an abiding interset in public affairs, and during the recent national campaign was a prime factor, locally, in the Progressive Movement, and he had the distinction of servingh as a delegate to the national convention in Chicago. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Lodge No. 493; Loyal Order of Moose; Tribe of Ben Hur; Eagles and Owls. Mr. Endicott was married March 21, 1893 to Minnie A. DOYLE, a native of Montgomery County, her birt having occurred in Union Twp, where her parents were well and favorably known, and where she grew to womanhood and was educated. To this union, two children were born: Herman and Darrell, both in school. The website management appreciates all the contributions provided for use here. - typed by kbz