WEIK, Frances - Putnam

The Woman’s Club of this town, the second oldest organization of its kind in the US – held a meeting Saturday afternoon which was a memorial to one of its ablest and most prominent members, the late Mrs. Jesse W. Weik. Mrs. Joseph P. Allen, Sr. delivered a very touching eulogy and Miss Martha Ridpath read a beautiful and appropriate poem of her own composition. One of the interesting and unique features of the occasion was the reading by Miss Elizabeth Ames of a manuscript found on Mrs. Weik’s desk after her death and on which she was engaged at the time of her fatal illness overtook her. It was her last bit of writing, being the opening chapter of an original story intended to have been read at a future meeting of the club and related to the adventures and experiences of two poor but ambitious Jewish families named Mayer and Kiser who emigrated from Germany early in the 60s and land in the history old town of Ft. Recover, Ohio in which place Mrs. Weik herself was born.  The writer’s papers before the club have always been interesting and refreshing and although this was only a portion of the contemplated sketch it was nevertheless an exquisite piece of literary portraiture, delicately drawn with a strong commingling of humor and pathos.  Although not so stated in the paper yet it is known that the two families described therein afterward moved to Indianapolis, where they soon made themselves felt in the business and social life of the capital city.  They are now represented in the banking house of Mayer & Kiser and in other lines of commercial activity.

Source: Greencastle Star-Democrat 24 March 1911 p 1

Frances Weik, wife of Jesse W. Weik, was born at Fort Recovery, Ohio on October 16, 1864.  With her parents she came to Indiana in 1870 and her young girlhood was spent in the town of Portland. There she received her secondary education and in this vicinity of Portland she taught her first school when some 16 years of age. With money saved from her salary she came to DePauw University where she remained for three years, being compelled to return home at last by the illness of her mother. Death came to Mrs. Weik after a lingering sickness of several weeks duration caused by a stroke of paralysis. At first there were hopes of recovery, but the formation of a second blood clot upon the brain following a few days after the first made recovery impossible, and death a relief.  The deceased leaves Mr. Weik two children, John 15 years of age and Mary 13; two sisters, Mrs. ID Weist of Indianapolis and Mrs. SW Haynes of Portland and a brother John Hays of Indianapolis. - kbz

Note: Have a sneaky suspicion that Frances helped her husband write the Putnam County Weik's history :)  Sure would love to know