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Collection
Willie Siple Collection
Title
The Willie Siple Collection
Object ID
MG0006
Date Range
1935-1962
  1 document  
Collection
Willie Siple Collection
Title
The Willie Siple Collection
Description
The Willie Siple Collection includes photographs, postcards, correspondence, and newspaper clippings about Siple and related to his business and boxing career.
Admin/Biographical History
Wilbur "Willie" Siple (1904-1966) was the operator of Siple's News Stand for many years. He was originally a professional boxer when he was younger, and he had a successful, but short, boxing career. During those six years, Willie fought in 131 exhibitions with 71 wins, 9 losses, 22 draws and 29 KO's. Willie was what was called a "flyweight," weighing only 102 pounds in his heyday. However, Willie's boxing career was cut short after a 1925 automobile accident. Although many people speculated that Willie's loss of his eyesight was because of his boxing career, Willie explained the accident to a local newspaper. According to a sports news article that can be found in the Willie Siple Collection here at LancasterHistory.org, Willie was attempting to fix a car when a car tire exploded in his face, damaging his eyesight beyond repair and blinding him.
However, despite this tragedy, Willie didn't let the accident and blindness take over his life. On September 28, 1935, during the Depression, Willie made a brave move and opened his news stand in the Lancaster City Post Office, and named it Siple's News Stand. Due to an act of Congress, the Rudolph-Sheppard Act of 1935, Willie became "one of the first blind operators to set up shop in Federal Buildings," according to an article in the Willie Siple collection. Willie's news stand featured free news and weather reports, and sold newspapers, magazines, and candy. Rare coins and stamps, a personal passion of Willie's, were also available for purchase. Willie would travel far and wide in order to acquire rare stamps to be sold to stamp collectors. Willie would travel to places like Washington, D.C. Princeton, New Jersey, and Philadelphia in order to buy what were then called "first day issues" of stamps. One newspaper article even calls him a "philatelist," or a stamp expert, much to Willie's surprise. Siple was also extremely passionate about coin collecting, and could identify and appraise coins without needing to see them. Willie also loved to travel, and had even traveled to Canada and all around Pennsylvania with the help of friends.
Willie then became a well-known public figure. He was known for his friendly, talkative personality, and his eye-catching and "loud" shirts. WDAC-FM radio, then a Christian radio station, featured an editorial on Willie, which was subtitled "the personification of good humor." In this editorial, Willie is said to have had a "flamboyant and winning personality," as well as a "belief in man's basic honesty." Despite the fact that Willie was often taken advantage of because of his blindness, and that he "was the victim of an average of $40 worth annually in pilfered stock or dishonest dealings," Willie held on to the belief in the goodness of mankind all his life. This is not to say that Willie was completely dependent on the honesty of his customers. He was able to read dollar bills with his hands, and could tell the difference between each, much to the wonder of skeptical customers, and probably to the dismay of the rare customer who would try and take advantage of him.
Willie became a well-loved figure in the community, and anyone looking through his collection will be able to see just that. Siple was a philanthropist who supported the Tuberculosis Society with the proceeds from sales of Christmas seals (or stamps) for their charity. Willie would also dress up like Santa Claus every year, and would visit infantile paralysis victims. There are also multiple thank-you notes from school classes and the local boys club for his generous gifts of candy.
Many of Willie's friends also willingly helped him with his business, helping him with bookkeeping, driving him to and from work, taking him to lunch, helping take over the stand during lunch, and much more. He called these people his "assistants," and most of them were local business men and women who would take time out of their days to help. These people were unpaid friends, just willing to give Willie a hand. Their kindness, as well as Willie's generosity, show the kinship and kindness in the community that surrounded him in Lancaster city.
written by Elizabeth McIlhenney, 2016
Date Range
1935-1962
Creation Date
1935-1962
Year Range From
1935
Year Range To
1962
Creator
Hauck, Johnny
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 01
People
Siple, Wilbur H. "Willie"
Moore, Archie
Subjects
Blind
Boxers (Sports)
Letters
Newspaper vendors
People with visual disabilities
Search Terms
Boxers (Sports)
Correspondence
Finding aids
Letters
Manuscript groups
Newspaper vendors
People with visual disabilities
Extent
1 box, 3 folders, 2 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0006
Related Item Notes
Johnny Hauck Collection, MG0063
Photograph Collection
Notes
This material was part of the Johnny Hauck Collection, MG-63. Because of the specific nature of the material, it was extracted to create a separate manuscript group.
Photographs transferred to the Photograph Collection, 3 November 2017.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-6
Classification
MG0006
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
This material was part of the Johnny Hauck Collection, MG-63. Because of the specific nature of the material, it was extracted to create a separate manuscript group.
Cataloged prior to July 1997; added to database 8 February 2018.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Johnny Hauck Collection
Title
Johnny Hauck Collection
Object ID
MG0063
Date Range
1909-1975
Collection
Johnny Hauck Collection
Title
Johnny Hauck Collection
Description
This collection contains materials of Johnny Hauck, a boxing historian and brother of Leo Houck (1888-1950), a championship boxer. Consists of personal papers, newspaper clippings, correspondence, drawings, and material on boxing matches and associations.
Date Range
1909-1975
Year Range From
1909
Year Range To
1975
Creator
Hauck, Johnny
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 02
People
Allmuth, Frank
Casola, Juan C.
Chuvalo, George
Collopy, Jack
Hauck, Johnny
Houck, Ed
Houck, Leo
Hubbard, Elbert
Kahl, Emory G.
Kreider, Bob
Leonard, Leo P.
Mantell, Frank
Quarry, Jerry
Rebman, Earl
Taylor, Floyd "Red"
Subjects
Boxing
Boxers (Sports)
Search Terms
Amateur Athletic Union
Andrews and Messier
Boxers (Sports)
Boxing
Correspondence
Drawings
Finding aids
Harry Waller's Physical Culture
Legal papers
Letters
Lists
Manuscript groups
Middle Atlantic Association
National Veteran Boxers Association
Nevin Campbell's Boxing Academy
Newspaper clippings
Old Time Boxers and Sportsmen's Association
Photographs
Poetry
Scrapbooks
Extent
11 boxes, 134 folders, 5.5 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0063
Related Item Notes
Photograph Collection
Curatorial Collection
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please contact Research Staff or Archives Staff with questions.
Credit
Johnny Hauck Collection (MG-63), Folder #, LancasterHistory.org
Classification
MG0063
Description Level
Fonds
Less detail
Collection
William J. Buch Papers
Title
William J. Buch Papers
Object ID
MG0658
Date Range
1917-1958
  1 document     5 images  
Collection
William J. Buch Papers
Title
William J. Buch Papers
Description
The William J. Buch Papers contains photographs, scrapbook pages, and personal letters to and from William J. Buch, also known as Joe. Several letters and items pertain to his likeness to Franklin D. Roosevelt, including correspondence with the White House and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. Other items include documents and photographs of his service in World War I, Lancaster County boxers, and his son's World War II service.
Admin/Biographical History
William "Joe" Buch served in World War I. He founded Buch's Pharmacy at the corner of Charlotte and King Streets in Lancaster, Pa. and later ventured into the sporting goods business. Mr. Buch was known as a Franklin D. Roosevelt double and wrote often to offer support to the President. Mr. Buch was very active in the local and state Democratic Party. He posed as Roosevelt's twin at many political events. More information is available in Folder 17.
Date Range
1917-1958
Year Range From
1917
Year Range To
1958
Date of Accumulation
1917-1958
Creator
Buch, Stanley Jay, 1924-2016
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 13
People
Bowman, Lester
Brodbeck, Andrew R.
Buch, Stanley Jay
Buch, William Joseph "Joe"
Cantor, Eddie
Gott, Peter
Graves, David Bibb
Hauck, Johnny
Nutt, Carl
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano
Smythe, J. Henry, Jr.
Wise, Robert P.
Other Creators
Buch, William Joseph, 1893-1962
Subjects
Boxers (Sports)
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Democratic Party (U.S.)
Drugstores
Letters
Lookalikes
Pharmacists
Scrapbooks
Veterans
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1939-1945
Search Terms
Boxers (Sports)
Buch's Drug Store
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Correspondence
Democratic Party
Drugstores
Finding aids
Letters
Manuscript groups
Newspaper clippings
Pharmacies
Pharmacists
Photographs
Veterans
World War I
World War II
WWI
WWII
Extent
2 boxes, 18 folders, 1 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0658
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images when available.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-658
Other Number
MG-658
Classification
MG0658
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Processed and finding aid prepared by KB, July 2014. Photographs transferred to the Photograph Collection, 6 October 2017.
Added to database 24 May 2021.
Images
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Estate Inventories
Object ID
Inv 1884 F001 D
Collection
Estate Inventories
Year
1884
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Container
Box 0027
People
Dague, Leonard
Subcategory
Need to Classify
Place
Salisbury Twp.
Object Name
Estate Inventory
Object ID
Inv 1884 F001 D
Box Number
027
Additional Notes
1 item, 2 pieces
Classification
RG-03-00-0133
Less detail
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Object ID
JH-03-01-46
  1 image  
Object Name
Negative
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Description
Unidentified group of men. Johnny Hauck is second from left.
Provenance
Photographs from MG-63, the Johnny Hauck Collection. Hauck was a local boxing historian and brother of noted local boxer Leo Hauck. The Haucks grew up in Lancaster's Cabbage Hill neighborhood and were known as all-around athletes.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Hauck, Johnny
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Search Terms
Boxing
Pugilism
Sports
Object Name
Negative
Print Size
4 x 5 inches
Object ID
JH-03-01-46
Images
Less detail
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Object ID
JH-03-09-66
  1 image  
Object Name
Negative
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Description
Johnny Hauck in football uniform.
Provenance
Photographs from MG-63, the Johnny Hauck Collection. Hauck was a local boxing historian and brother of noted local boxer Leo Hauck. The Haucks grew up in Lancaster's Cabbage Hill neighborhood and were known as all-around athletes.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Hauck, Johnny
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Search Terms
Football
Sports
Object Name
Negative
Print Size
2 x 4 inches
Object ID
JH-03-09-66
Images
Less detail
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Object ID
JH-04-03-04
  1 image  
Object Name
Negative
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Description
Two men sitting next to Blanche Nevin's lion sculpture at Reservoir Park. Man at left is Johnny Hauck.
Provenance
Photographs from MG-63, the Johnny Hauck Collection. Hauck was a local boxing historian and brother of noted local boxer Leo Hauck. The Haucks grew up in Lancaster's Cabbage Hill neighborhood and were known as all-around athletes.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Hauck, Johnny
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Search Terms
Parks
Sculptures
Reservoir Park
Object Name
Negative
Print Size
2 x 3 inches
Object ID
JH-04-03-04
Images
Less detail
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Object ID
JH-04-03-12
  1 image  
Object Name
Negative
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Description
Older woman holding baby, two young women and boy with her. Johnny Hauck is standing behind them.
Provenance
Photographs from MG-63, the Johnny Hauck Collection. Hauck was a local boxing historian and brother of noted local boxer Leo Hauck. The Haucks grew up in Lancaster's Cabbage Hill neighborhood and were known as all-around athletes.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Hauck, Johnny
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Object Name
Negative
Print Size
2 x 3 inches
Object ID
JH-04-03-12
Images
Less detail
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Object ID
JH-04-03-13
  1 image  
Object Name
Negative
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Description
Backyard boxing - young Johnny Hauck referees two young women. Greenhouses in background.
Provenance
Photographs from MG-63, the Johnny Hauck Collection. Hauck was a local boxing historian and brother of noted local boxer Leo Hauck. The Haucks grew up in Lancaster's Cabbage Hill neighborhood and were known as all-around athletes.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Hauck, Johnny
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Search Terms
Boxing
Pugilism
Sports
Greenhouses
Object Name
Negative
Print Size
2 x 3 inches
Object ID
JH-04-03-13
Images
Less detail
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Object ID
JH-04-03-14
  1 image  
Object Name
Negative
Collection
Johnny Hauck Photograph Collection
Description
Johnny Hauck and unidentified man
Provenance
Photographs from MG-63, the Johnny Hauck Collection. Hauck was a local boxing historian and brother of noted local boxer Leo Hauck. The Haucks grew up in Lancaster's Cabbage Hill neighborhood and were known as all-around athletes.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
People
Hauck, Johnny
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Object Name
Negative
Print Size
2 x 3 inches
Object ID
JH-04-03-14
Images
Less detail

318 records – page 1 of 32.