Source: A History of Licking County, Ohio -- pg. 822
David Wyrick was a controversial figure in mid-19th century Ohio, as he was responsible for the discovery of what became known as The Newark Holy Stones. David Wyrick was born in 1804 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, the oldest child of John and Mary Wirick. John Wirick and his brother Henry and their respective families moved from Bedford County to Reading Township, Perry County, Ohio in 1819.
David attended school in Somerset, Ohio, and was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store there. For whatever reason, David was the only Wirick in Perry County to spell the last name WYRICK, and, of course, his descendents continue to do so. He married Nancy Huff on July 4, 1833 in Perry County, and they had 7 children.
Nancy died in 1843 shortly after giving birth to their last child, a daughter also named Nancy. The child died just two months later, and mother and daughter are buried next to each other at Somerset Methodist Cemetery, Somerset, Ohio.
He married Caroline Dodd in Perry County on July 14, 1844, and had at least two more children. He relocated to Newark, Licking County, Ohio, in the late 1840's, where he became the County Surveyor in 1850.
David suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis, and took a drug called laudanum for his condition. He was described by his good friend, supporter, and prominent local figure Charles Whittlesey, in this way: " He was physically disabled by rheumatism by which he suffered intensely: his fingers were swollen and distorted, and his feet so much enlarged as to render them almost useless....and that his appendages were so disfigured as scarcely to retain their human aspect, he was everywhere regarded with commiseration". He goes on to say: " Wyrick was wholly a self-taught man, in many respects possessed of genius....". After continually battling with his ailment, he retired as county surveyorabout 1859.
It was at this time, in a state of retirement, that he began his quest for excavating artifacts in the ancient burial grounds of The Moundbuilders at the Newark Earthworks, in Newark, Ohio. David Wyricks first real expedition into the Earthworks was in June of 1860, when he and a group of men unearthed what became known as the Keystone. It was an arrowhead shaped stone with four Hebrew inscriptions on it. The inscriptions read "The Holy of Holies", "King of the Earth", "The Law of God", and "The Word of God". Wyrick recieved both notoriety and criticism for his discovery, as some people believed the stone was real, while others believed it was fake.
[text deleted]
David Wyrick took his own life in April, 1864, by taking an overdose of laudanum. He is buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Newark, Ohio.
[text deleted]
1860 Census for Newark, Licking, Ohio -- living on the same page of the census as: Samuel & Elizabeth Wyrick
David Wyrick -- age 56, born in PA
Mrs. Caroline Wyrick -- age 32, born in Ohio (2nd wife?)
John Wyrick -- age 25, born in Ohio
Salin (Solan? male) - age 24, farmer, born in Ohio
Sarah -- age 20, seamstress, born in Ohio
Clarence -- age 10, born in Ohio
Fremont - age 2, born in Ohio
Excerpted from http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.wyrick/364.1
See the entry for his wife Nancy Huff Wirick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710427 and the entry for his daughter Nancy Wyrick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710453
On 07 Nov 2006 Jerry Gowins wrote: "Here is a bit more info on David Wyrick that I obtained from the cemetery office. He died on 4/13/1864. His funeral was on 4/15/1864. They have his mother's name as "Mary", no other names are listed. The plot was bought by a Elizabeth Wyrick. There are a total of four people buried there, Elizabeth, David, Samuel Wyrick and a Christopher Cott. David's headstone is the only one there still. They are in Section 4, plot 408."
David Wyrick was a controversial figure in mid-19th century Ohio, as he was responsible for the discovery of what became known as The Newark Holy Stones. David Wyrick was born in 1804 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, the oldest child of John and Mary Wirick. John Wirick and his brother Henry and their respective families moved from Bedford County to Reading Township, Perry County, Ohio in 1819.
David attended school in Somerset, Ohio, and was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store there. For whatever reason, David was the only Wirick in Perry County to spell the last name WYRICK, and, of course, his descendents continue to do so. He married Nancy Huff on July 4, 1833 in Perry County, and they had 7 children.
Nancy died in 1843 shortly after giving birth to their last child, a daughter also named Nancy. The child died just two months later, and mother and daughter are buried next to each other at Somerset Methodist Cemetery, Somerset, Ohio.
He married Caroline Dodd in Perry County on July 14, 1844, and had at least two more children. He relocated to Newark, Licking County, Ohio, in the late 1840's, where he became the County Surveyor in 1850.
David suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis, and took a drug called laudanum for his condition. He was described by his good friend, supporter, and prominent local figure Charles Whittlesey, in this way: " He was physically disabled by rheumatism by which he suffered intensely: his fingers were swollen and distorted, and his feet so much enlarged as to render them almost useless....and that his appendages were so disfigured as scarcely to retain their human aspect, he was everywhere regarded with commiseration". He goes on to say: " Wyrick was wholly a self-taught man, in many respects possessed of genius....". After continually battling with his ailment, he retired as county surveyorabout 1859.
It was at this time, in a state of retirement, that he began his quest for excavating artifacts in the ancient burial grounds of The Moundbuilders at the Newark Earthworks, in Newark, Ohio. David Wyricks first real expedition into the Earthworks was in June of 1860, when he and a group of men unearthed what became known as the Keystone. It was an arrowhead shaped stone with four Hebrew inscriptions on it. The inscriptions read "The Holy of Holies", "King of the Earth", "The Law of God", and "The Word of God". Wyrick recieved both notoriety and criticism for his discovery, as some people believed the stone was real, while others believed it was fake.
[text deleted]
David Wyrick took his own life in April, 1864, by taking an overdose of laudanum. He is buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Newark, Ohio.
[text deleted]
1860 Census for Newark, Licking, Ohio -- living on the same page of the census as: Samuel & Elizabeth Wyrick
David Wyrick -- age 56, born in PA
Mrs. Caroline Wyrick -- age 32, born in Ohio (2nd wife?)
John Wyrick -- age 25, born in Ohio
Salin (Solan? male) - age 24, farmer, born in Ohio
Sarah -- age 20, seamstress, born in Ohio
Clarence -- age 10, born in Ohio
Fremont - age 2, born in Ohio
Excerpted from http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.wyrick/364.1
See the entry for his wife Nancy Huff Wirick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710427 and the entry for his daughter Nancy Wyrick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710453
On 07 Nov 2006 Jerry Gowins wrote: "Here is a bit more info on David Wyrick that I obtained from the cemetery office. He died on 4/13/1864. His funeral was on 4/15/1864. They have his mother's name as "Mary", no other names are listed. The plot was bought by a Elizabeth Wyrick. There are a total of four people buried there, Elizabeth, David, Samuel Wyrick and a Christopher Cott. David's headstone is the only one there still. They are in Section 4, plot 408."
Source: A History of Licking County, Ohio -- pg. 822
David Wyrick was a controversial figure in mid-19th century Ohio, as he was responsible for the discovery of what became known as The Newark Holy Stones. David Wyrick was born in 1804 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, the oldest child of John and Mary Wirick. John Wirick and his brother Henry and their respective families moved from Bedford County to Reading Township, Perry County, Ohio in 1819.
David attended school in Somerset, Ohio, and was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store there. For whatever reason, David was the only Wirick in Perry County to spell the last name WYRICK, and, of course, his descendents continue to do so. He married Nancy Huff on July 4, 1833 in Perry County, and they had 7 children.
Nancy died in 1843 shortly after giving birth to their last child, a daughter also named Nancy. The child died just two months later, and mother and daughter are buried next to each other at Somerset Methodist Cemetery, Somerset, Ohio.
He married Caroline Dodd in Perry County on July 14, 1844, and had at least two more children. He relocated to Newark, Licking County, Ohio, in the late 1840's, where he became the County Surveyor in 1850.
David suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis, and took a drug called laudanum for his condition. He was described by his good friend, supporter, and prominent local figure Charles Whittlesey, in this way: " He was physically disabled by rheumatism by which he suffered intensely: his fingers were swollen and distorted, and his feet so much enlarged as to render them almost useless....and that his appendages were so disfigured as scarcely to retain their human aspect, he was everywhere regarded with commiseration". He goes on to say: " Wyrick was wholly a self-taught man, in many respects possessed of genius....". After continually battling with his ailment, he retired as county surveyorabout 1859.
It was at this time, in a state of retirement, that he began his quest for excavating artifacts in the ancient burial grounds of The Moundbuilders at the Newark Earthworks, in Newark, Ohio. David Wyricks first real expedition into the Earthworks was in June of 1860, when he and a group of men unearthed what became known as the Keystone. It was an arrowhead shaped stone with four Hebrew inscriptions on it. The inscriptions read "The Holy of Holies", "King of the Earth", "The Law of God", and "The Word of God". Wyrick recieved both notoriety and criticism for his discovery, as some people believed the stone was real, while others believed it was fake.
[text deleted]
David Wyrick took his own life in April, 1864, by taking an overdose of laudanum. He is buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Newark, Ohio.
[text deleted]
1860 Census for Newark, Licking, Ohio -- living on the same page of the census as: Samuel & Elizabeth Wyrick
David Wyrick -- age 56, born in PA
Mrs. Caroline Wyrick -- age 32, born in Ohio (2nd wife?)
John Wyrick -- age 25, born in Ohio
Salin (Solan? male) - age 24, farmer, born in Ohio
Sarah -- age 20, seamstress, born in Ohio
Clarence -- age 10, born in Ohio
Fremont - age 2, born in Ohio
Excerpted from http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.wyrick/364.1
See the entry for his wife Nancy Huff Wirick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710427 and the entry for his daughter Nancy Wyrick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710453
On 07 Nov 2006 Jerry Gowins wrote: "Here is a bit more info on David Wyrick that I obtained from the cemetery office. He died on 4/13/1864. His funeral was on 4/15/1864. They have his mother's name as "Mary", no other names are listed. The plot was bought by a Elizabeth Wyrick. There are a total of four people buried there, Elizabeth, David, Samuel Wyrick and a Christopher Cott. David's headstone is the only one there still. They are in Section 4, plot 408."
David Wyrick was a controversial figure in mid-19th century Ohio, as he was responsible for the discovery of what became known as The Newark Holy Stones. David Wyrick was born in 1804 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, the oldest child of John and Mary Wirick. John Wirick and his brother Henry and their respective families moved from Bedford County to Reading Township, Perry County, Ohio in 1819.
David attended school in Somerset, Ohio, and was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store there. For whatever reason, David was the only Wirick in Perry County to spell the last name WYRICK, and, of course, his descendents continue to do so. He married Nancy Huff on July 4, 1833 in Perry County, and they had 7 children.
Nancy died in 1843 shortly after giving birth to their last child, a daughter also named Nancy. The child died just two months later, and mother and daughter are buried next to each other at Somerset Methodist Cemetery, Somerset, Ohio.
He married Caroline Dodd in Perry County on July 14, 1844, and had at least two more children. He relocated to Newark, Licking County, Ohio, in the late 1840's, where he became the County Surveyor in 1850.
David suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis, and took a drug called laudanum for his condition. He was described by his good friend, supporter, and prominent local figure Charles Whittlesey, in this way: " He was physically disabled by rheumatism by which he suffered intensely: his fingers were swollen and distorted, and his feet so much enlarged as to render them almost useless....and that his appendages were so disfigured as scarcely to retain their human aspect, he was everywhere regarded with commiseration". He goes on to say: " Wyrick was wholly a self-taught man, in many respects possessed of genius....". After continually battling with his ailment, he retired as county surveyorabout 1859.
It was at this time, in a state of retirement, that he began his quest for excavating artifacts in the ancient burial grounds of The Moundbuilders at the Newark Earthworks, in Newark, Ohio. David Wyricks first real expedition into the Earthworks was in June of 1860, when he and a group of men unearthed what became known as the Keystone. It was an arrowhead shaped stone with four Hebrew inscriptions on it. The inscriptions read "The Holy of Holies", "King of the Earth", "The Law of God", and "The Word of God". Wyrick recieved both notoriety and criticism for his discovery, as some people believed the stone was real, while others believed it was fake.
[text deleted]
David Wyrick took his own life in April, 1864, by taking an overdose of laudanum. He is buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Newark, Ohio.
[text deleted]
1860 Census for Newark, Licking, Ohio -- living on the same page of the census as: Samuel & Elizabeth Wyrick
David Wyrick -- age 56, born in PA
Mrs. Caroline Wyrick -- age 32, born in Ohio (2nd wife?)
John Wyrick -- age 25, born in Ohio
Salin (Solan? male) - age 24, farmer, born in Ohio
Sarah -- age 20, seamstress, born in Ohio
Clarence -- age 10, born in Ohio
Fremont - age 2, born in Ohio
Excerpted from http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.wyrick/364.1
See the entry for his wife Nancy Huff Wirick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710427 and the entry for his daughter Nancy Wyrick at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15710453
On 07 Nov 2006 Jerry Gowins wrote: "Here is a bit more info on David Wyrick that I obtained from the cemetery office. He died on 4/13/1864. His funeral was on 4/15/1864. They have his mother's name as "Mary", no other names are listed. The plot was bought by a Elizabeth Wyrick. There are a total of four people buried there, Elizabeth, David, Samuel Wyrick and a Christopher Cott. David's headstone is the only one there still. They are in Section 4, plot 408."
Gravesite Details
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.wyrick/364.1
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