Bio: Herrick, Harrison E. (1923)

Contact: Ken Wood.

----Surnames: Herrick, Errick, Bray, King

----Source: History of Wood County, Wis. (1923) page 562

Harrison E. Herrick, popular proprietor of the Herrick House at Nekoosa, was born in Waushara County, Wis., Feb. 6, 1857, son of Jeries S. and Amanda Herrick, natives of Pennsylvania and Maine respectively. The Herrick family were descended from the Danish Ericks, who invaded Great Britain during the reign of Alfred. Azor Herrick, grandfather of Harrison, was the son of John Herrick and Elizabeth Bray, who settled in Poland, Maine, in 1772. Jeries Herrick, father of Harrison, was born and reared in Poland, Maine, residing there until 1851, when he came to Wis. and settled on a farm in Big Prairie, Waushara County, operating his farm and doing lumbering, and during the spring and summer rafting lumber to St. Louis. He later moved to Rudolph and was employed in a stave factory, and from there went to Merrill, this state, where he resided until his death, January 28, 1918, and where his widow still makes her home. They were the parents of three children. Harrison E. Herrick was raised on the farm, receiving his education in the district school. He remained at home assisting with the farm work until he was 18; during summer months he worked in the harvest fields, and during the winters, until he was 27, worked in the lumber woods. In 1884 he moved to Rudolph and was employed by the stave mill, and while there purchased 120 acres of wild land, which, after partly clearing, he sold, and again went into the woods, logging. In 1893 he came to Nekoosa and worked on the dam until September. His family having joined him there, on Sept. 20, 1893, they opened a boarding house, and in 1894 erected a substantial hotel building, which they have since conducted as the Herrick House. Mr. Herrick was married at Rudolph, March 9, 1883, to Mary King, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth King, who were old settlers of Rudolph. Mr. and Mrs. Herrick have two sons, Clyde and Charles, both living at Nekoosa. Besides his hotel interests Mr. Herrick is a stockholder in the Nekoosa State Bank. Fraternally he is a member of the Woodmen and the Equitable Fraternal Union.