Samuel Wittkowsky

At age 18, Samuel Wittkowsky (1835-1911) came to New York from his native country of Prussia (now part of Poland). He traveled to Charleston, S.C., before settling in Charlotte. He worked as a store clerk, later formed several partnerships in retail businesses before becoming a forming a successful hat manufacturing firm in Statesville, NC.

By 1879, Samuel Wittkowsky was president of Charlotte's Chamber of Commerce. In 1883, he helped begin the Mechanics Perpetual Building & Loan Association, an organization that helped families finance the cost of building their homes. The Mechanics Perpetual Savings and Loan later became Home Federal Savings and Loan Association, which is still in operation. Samuel Wittkowsky was well known for his friendship with North Carolina Governor Zebulon Vance.

At the end of the Civil War, federal officers were ordered to arrest Vance. Wittkowsky intervened, and convinced the officers to let him deliver Vance to the train station, sparing Vance embarrassment.

Wittkowsky married Carrie Bauman in 1871. They had three children. The unusual Italianate-style house owned by Wittkowsky and his business partner, Jacob Rintels, stood on West Trade Street. It was moved to 1700 Queens Road where it still stands today.