New York University - Violet Yearbook (New York, NY)

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T0 William A. Wheelock Who, by his loyalty, has proven his love for his Alma Mater . . The Class of Nineteen-Three Respectfully Dedicates this Volume.

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William A. Wheelock. N ILLIAM ALMY WHIQELOCK, wl1o llZlS kindly accepted tl1e dedication of this volume, has a notable - record i11l1is relation to New York University. linteriixg its lfreslinian Class in 1839 at fourteen years of age, l1e graduated in 1843, a11d was made a Master of Arts i11 1846, when only twenty-one. .N In the meantime he had been honored by the University witl1 an instructorship i11 the grammar gilt! school, which was then under its control. For tl1e next quarter of a century he held 110 relation to tl1e University, save that of a loyal alu11111us who 111et with his class every year, to keep alive aca- .f' demic associations. 'A From Dr. Sihler's sketch in Universities and their Sonsf' we quote the following summary I of Mr. Wheelock's business career : At nineteen he e11tered as clerk the jobbing house of Merritt, lily X Company, serving two years without compensation in order to lear11 tl1e business. Three years later he became a partner of the hrm. I11 ISSO he married Harriet, daughter of lilijah ll. lifner, of Buffalo, of what was then one of the oldest families ol' that city. From ISSOYISSS he acted as plll'Cll25G1' for his firm Cnow changed to Merritt, Bliss X Companyj at Manchester, lingland, Slllfl there both of his children were bor11. Having retired from this business in 1863, he became Director, in 1865, of the Central Natio11al Bank, and in 1866 President, which post he held to lS8I,WllCl1 l1e resigned. Mr. Wheelock has been associated with tl1e American Surety Company as Chairman of its Execu- tive Committee, the Equitable Life as 0116 of its Finance Committee, the New York, Lake Erie Elllfl Western Rail- road Company, the Gold and Stock Telegraph Company and the Central National Bank. He is a member of the Union League a11d of the Lawyers' Club. He has served in the adn1i11istratio11 of the American Tract Society, and has been an Elder of tl1e Presbyterian Church, at Xiashington Heights, for 11ea1'ly forty years : also a lllelll' ber ofthe Church lixtension COlllll1ltlCC of the Presbytery of New York. In 187 1, at forty-six years of age, Mr. Wheelock accepted a seat in the University Council g tl1e Silllle year he became Treasurer, continuing, however, for Ollly two years in office. But in 1881 he consented to 1'6Sllllle tl1e Treasurership, a11d held ofhee for ten years. All this while he served also upon the Finance Committee, of which he still remains the Chairman. In 1898 he was elected President of the Council, which oilice he holds at this time. 3