Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 129

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972

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WEBBER, William Rowland, although now liv- ing at Rockton in retirement from the activities of life, at one time was a very important factor in the agricultural life of Winnebago County, and still owns property in the township bearing the same name. He was born in Rockton Town- ship, November 26, 1864, a son of William and

Mary E. (Smith) Webber, the former of whom was born in Somersetshire, England, Septem- ber 20, 1834, and the latter was born August 13, 1842.

In October, 1849, William and Mary E. (Hake) Webber, the grandparents of William Rowland Webber, brought their eight children to Rockton Township, this county, to which, in 1838, had come Rowland C. and Margaret (Westlake) Smith, natives of New York State, and the ma- ternal grandparents of William Rowland Web- ber. The parents of the latter gentleman met in Rockton Township and were here married August 13, 1860, settling on a farm given Wil- liam Webber by his father, which was located in Rockton Township. This he conducted for many years, or until 1888, when he rented it and moved to Oregon, Ill. In 1891 he disposed of his property and moved to Jerauld County, S. Dak., and investing in land, lived upon it with his wife, but now lives in Wesington Springs, S. Dak. He and his brothers invented a reaper and binder that proved very practical, and other implements now on the market. His children were as follows: Jennie E., who was born August 12, 1861, is Mrs. K. P. Avery of Rock- ton ; William Rowland ; Harry Smith, who was born December 30, 1869, resides in Jerauld County, S. Dak .; George Herman, who was born April 20, 1872, lives at Drumheller, Alberta, Canada ; and Bessie E., who was born September 20, 1876, is Mrs. E. W. Adams of Pine County, Minn.

When he was twenty years old William Row- land Webber went to live with an uncle, but a year later returned home and operated the farm for a year. Once more he joined his uncle, with whom he spent two years, and in 1888 went to Woonsocket, Sanborn County, S. Dak., where he was engaged in a butchering business, and when he returned to Rockton after a short stay, he continued in that line until 1889, when he went back to South Dakota, and resumed his butchering business there. In 1891 he began farming on the Charles Griffing farm in Rockton Township, and in 1894 moved on the farm owned by his aunt, which he afterwards bought. Eight years later he moved to the farm on which he had first begun his agricultural operations, buy- ing it, and continuing to conduct it until 1912, when he retired. This is a farm of 654 acres in Rockton Township known as the old Talcott farm. Mr. Webber owns considerable property in Rockton village,

On October 4, 18SS, Mr. Webber was married in Rockton Township, to Margaret S. Westlake, born at Chicago, Ill., March 31, 1870, a daughter of Henry and Anna E. (Coffee) Westlake, the former born in New York State. Mr. and Mrs. Webber became the parents of the following children : Dora E., who was born October 9, 1890. married November 15, 1911, Howard V. Gleasman ; Ruth Mae, who was born April 12, 1893, married September 18, 1912, Frank A. Reed of Beloit. Wis. The Webbers are members of the Methodist Church. and Mrs. Webber be- longs to the Ladies Aid Society of that church.

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A Republican, Mr. Webber has been called upon to fill several offices and served as road commis- sioner and assessor of Rockton Township, hold- ing both offices for two terms, and proving him- self a worthy official and excellent manager.

WELCH, Patrick W., now deceased, for many years associated with the business interests of Rockford, was born at Rockford, January 17, 1856, a son of Michael and Bridget (Hanlan) Welch, natives of Ballina, County Mayo, Ire- land. In 1851 they came to Montreal, Canada, and then to Brooklyn, N. Y. The father was employed at the latter place in mason work, and in 1855 came to Rockford where he continued to work as a mason until his death which occurred in about 1891. The mother died about 1905. Their children were as follows: Mary, who is deceased ; James C., who lives at Rockford ; John F., who is deceased; Michael, who is also deceased ; and Patrick.

When he was only eleven years old, Patrick W. Welch began earning his own living by work- ing in a tree nursery, and later for two years was employed by N. C. Thompson, manufacturer of reapers and binders. He then learned the blacksmithing trade, at which he worked for six years. Subsequently he was made assistant marshal of Rockford, and held that position for six years. Mr. Welch then went into business for himself and conducted his establishment for many years, leaving it to become a traveling man in 1912, so continuing until 1915, when he bought a barber shop and cigar store and a pool room which he operated until his death, March 16, 1916.

On October 27, 1881, Mr. Welchi was married to Mary E. Pendergast, born at Rockford, a daughter of Lawrence and Bridget ( Slattery) Pendergast, natives of County Tipperary, Ire- land, and early settlers of Rockford, where the father was engaged in working for the railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Welch became the parents of the following children : Mary Ellen, John A., Fran- ces, Lucile and Henry W., all of whom are at home. Mr. Welch was a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church of Rockford. He belonged to the Royal Arcanum, the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Royal Order of Moose, the Knights of Columbus. the I. C. M. A., and in politics he was a Republican. For twenty-five vears he served as drum major of the Rockford Military band, and joining the Rockford Rifles in 1878. was a valued member of that organiza- tion for many years.

WELDON, Lincoln S., whose activities along agricultural lines is not confined to Winnebago County, for he is a heavy landowner also in Wisconsin. is one of the substantial men of this section. He was born in Winnebago Township, on the eighty-acre farm he now owns, July 3, 1865. a son of Spencer S. and Agnes (Kelley) Weldon. Spencer S. Weldon was born at Keene, N. H., January 26, 1825, and was brought to Winnebago County, Ill., in 1836, by his parents. They came from Providence, R. I., when he was

nine years old, the family making a stay of two years at Ottawa, LaSalle County, then, in May, 1836, came to Winnebago County, His marriage took place April 26, 1854, to Agnes Kelley, born in Argyleshire, Scotland, June, 1825, and he and his wife became the parents of the following children : Mary L .; John E., of Florida; Sam- Uel, of Oregon; Peter W., of Wisconsin; Wil- liam G., of Rockford; Kate, who died in infancy ; Lincoln S .; and Marguerita E., deceased. The mother of this family died in February, 1901, but the father survives and lives on section 23, Winnebago Township. He is a member of the Congregational Church, and his wife belonged to the same faith.

Lincoln S. Weldon attended school in district 100, which he is now serving as director, having been elected on the Republican ticket. Mr. Weldon belongs to the Grange, and is interested in its work. In addition to his eighty-acre farm in Winnebago Township, Mr. Weldon owns 300 acres of land in Columbia County, Wis. For some years he has carried on general farming and stockraising and is very successful in his line of work. Mr. Weldon is unmarried.

WELTY, Bert James. With the increasing de- mand for pure milk only, comes an impetus in the dairy business and the men of Winnebago County who understand how to secure the right kind of milk, are gaining reputation and ma- terial prosperity from this line of business. One of them is Bert James Welty of Rockford Township. He was born in Ogle County, Ill., January 13, 1875, a son of Calvin and Trocelia M. (Dawson) Welty, he born in Pennsylvania and she at Belvidere, Ill.

Until his marriage, Bert James

Welty resided with his parents on their farm that lay on the edge of Rockford. Following that event he worked for his mother for a time and then bought a milk business that had been estab- lished in 1876 and since then he has been engaged in further extending it. Since the fall of 1914 he has been located on North Main street, having here a fine place of twenty acres, and owns his herd of fifty Durham and Jersey COWS.

On November 17, 1898, Mr. Welty was mar- ried to Nettie May Osborn, born in Winnebago County, Ill., a daughter of Vinal D. and Ellen E. (Folsom) Osborn, natives of Winnebago County, Ill. The grandparents, Daniels and Mary E. (White) Osborn, were born in one of the New England states, and Silas and Anna ( Warner) Folsom were also New Englanders. Vinal D. Osborn came to Rockford about 1835. locating on Rock River at a time when there were but two log cabins along the stream. He owned all the land on which the present village of Winnebago stands, and was its first depot agent, and at one time was one of the wealthiest men of the county. After their marriage Vinal D. and Ellen F. Osborn settled on a farm. He was agent for the Emerson binders in addition to working on his farm. He died in early life. Since his demise his widow has lived at Rock-

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ford. She reared their three children: Frank E., who lives at Rockford ; Daniel Howard, who lives at Beloit, Wis. ; and Mrs. Welty. Mr. and Mrs. Welty became the parents of the following children : Jamies Raymond, who was born No- vember 7, 1900; Birdena, who was born October 2, 1903; Robert, who was born September 4, 1905, died March 1, 1912; Dorothy May, who was born August 15. 1910; William Henry, who was born May 14. 1912; and Calvin, who was born August 2, 1914. Mr. Welty has had a practical business training as he attended busi- ness college in addition to his courses in the grade and high schools, and his wife was a stu- dent also in the last two. They belong to the Court Street Methodist Church. In politics Mr. Welty is a Republican.

WELTY, Calvin, formerly one of the substan- tial men of Winnebago County, and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in the town of Liberty, Tioga County, N. Y., December 2, 1836, a son of. John and Elizabeth ( Linehart) Welty, natives of Frederick, Md., and Switzerland, re- spectively. The grandparents, Jacob and Bar- bara (Plantz) Welty, were natives of Mary- land, while the maternal grandparents came . the United States in a sailing vessel, settling in Perry County, Pa., arriving there in 1817, when the mother of Calvin Welty was only seven years old, she having been born in 1810. Later the grandfather became a baker of Philadelphia. The parents of Calvin Welty in 1849, having decided upon a change, drove overland to Illin- ois from Pennsylvania where he had been en- gaged in saw-milling, and also as a driver of a stage both in New York and Pennsylvania. The paternal grandparents preceded them in 1845, locating in Du Page County, later going to Winnebago County and settling on the Kis- waukee River where Jacob Welty erected a mill and conducted it for many years.

In 1849 John Welty and his wife joined Jacob Welty and his wife at Naperville, Ill .. and in 1850 they all moved to Cherry Valley Township, Winnebago County, where they bought land and farmed. In 1872 John Welty retired to Rockford selling the farm and lived there until his death in 1882, aged seventy-two years. The mother died in 190S, she being ninety-eight years old. Their children were as follows: Mary who was Mrs. William Reed, died at the age of twenty-nine years ; Elizabeth who was Mrs. James Dawson, died at the age of seventy-seven years; Calvin ; Timothy who died in Pennsylvania at the age of ten years; Jefferson who still lives at Rock- ford at the age of seventy-five years; Erastus who died at the age of twenty-four years; Sarah who was Mrs. William Brown, died at the age of twenty-nine years; Alcetta who was Mrs. Jacob Cline, died at the age of twenty-six years.

Calvin Welty early learned to make himself useful and when a mere child drove horses to the Harrisburg, Pa. market, riding the leader horse over the mountains. He remained with his parents until his enlistment on October 1,

1861, in Company L., Eighth Illinois Cavalry for service during the Civil War, at St. Charles, Ill. He was in the following battles : Fair Oaks, Tur- key Creek, Malvern Hills, Poolsville, Barnstown, Cacoctin Pass, Middletown, South Mountain, Antietam, Martinsburg, under Capt. Dustin of Sycamore, Ill., and Gen, John Farnsworth. His horse was shot under him and he was taken prisoner at Martinsburg, but was at once pa- roled by Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and given a fur- lough of twenty days. He returned and was exchanged at Springfield. Ill., and was then in the following battles : Beverly Ford where 35,000 men were engaged on both sides, and he was made quartermaster-sergeant which rank he held until the close of the war; Kelly's Ford; Rapi- dan Station; second battle of Beverly Ford ; Upperville ; Fairfield ; Gettysburg ; Williamsport ; Boonsboro; Funkstown; Falling Waters; Ches- ter Gap; Culpepper ; Madison Courthouse ; Rac- coon Ford ; Stevensburg ; Brandy Station ; second battle of Bull Run; Bealton Station and Hazel River. He was honorably discarged in October, 1864, and re-enlisted in the same company and regiment and did garrison duty at Washington after which his regiment was sent after Mosby's men, a portion of whom were captured, and the balance driven out of Maryland. After the death of President Lincoln, he was one of the men sent in pursuit of Wilkes Booth, after whose capture, he was sent to St. Louis, Mo., where he was mustered out July 15, 1865, and from there went to Cincinnati, Ohio, by boat, and thence to Cairo, Ill., and up the Mississippi River on the steamer Olive. This boat struck a snag and sunk and four men were drowned and a number of horses were lost. Mr. Welty remained on the upper deck all night. He re- turned to his father's house, but soon there- after bought eighty acres of land in Ogle County just over the county line and lived on it until 1876, when he sold and bought 110 acres just east of Rockford, which property now joins the city limits, and on it he carried on general farm- ing and had a large dairy and conducted a milk route, being a useful member of society until his death April 3, 1912.

On October 17. 1867, Mr. Welty was married to Trocelia M. Dawson, born in Belvidere, Ill., a daughter of Robert and Cornelia (DeWitte) Dawson, natives of Toronto, Canada and Herki- mer County, N. Y. The grandparents, Francis and Tomisina (Tait) Dawson, were natives of Yorkshire, England, and Willard and Elizabeth (Mosier) DeWitte were natives of New York state. None of these grandparents came to Illinois, they locating in Twinsburg, Ohio. The parents of Mrs. Welty were married May 2, 1843, and came to Belvidere, Ill., walking a part of the distance, and coming the remainder of the distance in emigrant wagons. Mr. Daw- son entered 195 acres from the government, improved it and paid for it. He early served his community as a school director, and to- gether with Chandler Dunwell advanced the money to the district to build the schoolhouse in district 119 Cherry Valley Township. There

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was a time in the early days when Robert Daw- son drove the Fountain reaper which was put to a test against the John P. Manny reaper, and Mr. Dawson won the race. Mr. Dawson's useful life was cut short by an accident which caused his death Angust 2. 1856. His widow died in 1902, aged eiglity-two years. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Welty were as follows: Grace D. who is now Mrs. Clyde Sedgwick ; Genevieve L. ; Jolın Robert who died October 11, 1911, aged thirty-nine years; James E. who resides at Rockford, married Nettie Osborn, and they have five children : J. Raymond, Birdena, Robert D. who died at the age of six years, Dorothy, Wil- liam Henry and John Calvin.

James L. Dawson, brother of Mrs. Welty, died during the Civil War at Dufield Landing on the Mississippi River in Arkansas, September 14, 1864, being on the United States gunboat, Hast- ings. Jefferson Welty, brother of Calvin Welty, enlisted in the Eighth Illinois Cavary, January 1, 1864, and served with his regiment until the close of the Civil War, since which time he has made Rockford his place of residence, being engaged in looking after his realty holdings. Since 1912 he has lived with his brother's family.

In 1817 Mr. Welty's mother with her parents left their home in Switzerland in the month of June, and with a horse and wagon drove to Basel. There they spent the night and went across the mountains into France where they had to pay the exorbitant price of sixteen cents per pound for bread. They continued on their way 600 miles to Havre de Grace where they took passage on a sailing vessel bound for New York, being thirteen weeks on the ocean. They encountered some very severe storms including three whirlwinds which took every sail off the boat three times for three different days. Their supply of provisions was exhausted, and they were nearly starved. The boat drifted helplessly here and there to Theresa Island, where they secured bread, spending three days at that port. They finally landed at Philadelphia, Pa., on the first day of November. When seventeen years of age, Elizabetli Calvin Welty's inother learned dressmaking and tailoring, becoming an expert seamstress, for which labor she received seventy- five cents per week at a time when housemaids received but fifty cents per week. She became the wife ot John Welty in Pennsylvania. They drove with a wagon to Illinois in 1849, being five weeks on the way. Mr. Welty purchased 197 acres of land for which he paid $200. As his financial resources increased, John Welty kept on adding to his possessions until at one time he owned nearly 1,000 acres in Illinois, and 800 acres in Iowa. High German was Mrs. Welty's tongue, but she early mastered the English language, and spoke French fluently. At ninety-five years of age, still strong in intel- lect, she related in most interesting manner the incidents given in this sketch, concerning her childhood days in the old world and her early experiences in this country.

With the spirit of pioneers in his veins, Calvin

Welty carried on the various undertakings of liis lite. In politics he was strongly Republican, be- longed to Nevius Post No. 1. G. A. R. He served his community as a school director, but otherwise filled no jnblic offices, being a man devoted to the interests of his home. He became a member of the Cherry Valley lodge of Masons before the Civil War. He and his family were members of the Baptist Church. In March, 1895 he re- ceived a serious fall from which he never en- tirely recovered. After the death of Calvin Welty April 3, 1912, his widow Mrs. Trocelia M. Welty continued her residence at the farm home. In November, 1913 Mrs. Welty caused twenty-one acres of the homestead adjoining the city limits to be platted as Welty's First Long- view Addition. Mrs. Welty was among the early members of the Relief Corps. Before her mar- riage she taught six years in the schools of this county. Her worthy life was suddenly brought to a close in April, 1915. She was the victim of an accident caused by an automobile running into a carriage in which she was driv- ing. and she died at Rockford Hospital April 19, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Welty's lives exemplify the term "dignity of labor," for along honorable lines and through indefatigable industry they won their prosperity, their labor being so di- rected as to gain the highest esteem of their fellowmen.

WEST, Lucius M., page 708.

WETTERGREN, Edward A., city clerk of the city of Rockford, is a man of wide experience and broad vision, whose place in the government of his municipality gives added strength to the potency of the administration, and enables him to demonstrate his ability as a man and worth as a citizen. He was born at Rockford, June 30, 1872, a son of Jolin and Anna C. (Mellgren) Wettergren, natives of Skaraborg, Sweden. They came to the United States in 1869, and located at Rockford. The father had been reared on a farm, but after his arrival at Rock- ford, he began working in several of the imple- ment factories of Rockford, and so continued until his retirement many years later. His death occurred May 12, 1903. The mother died July 13, 1904, and both are buried in the Scan- dinavian cemetery. Rockford. They were the parents of five children, as follows: Frank A., who died, leaving a widow and two children, Raymond and Irene, the latter being Mrs. Walter LaForge of Beloit, Wis .; Alma and Mary, who are unmarried; Edward A .; and Henry, who resides at Rockford. The parents belonged to the First Swedish Lutheran Church of Rockford.

Edward A. Wettergren was educated in the grammar and high schools of Rockford, and Brown's Business College, being graduated from the latter institution in March, 18SS, having earned the money for this course by working as a delivery boy for a grocer. Following his com- pletion of his commercial course, he engaged with the real estate firm of Johnson & Gorham,

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with offices over the Third National Bank, but after a short experience as an office man, he' left to go with the Register Gazette, and for fourteen years, from 1893 to 1907, he served this paper as bookkeeper and cashier. Mr. Wetter- gren then was with Charles E. Jackson as a realty salesman until 1911. In the meanwhile he had come before the public as the successful candidate of his party for supervisor in 1905, and served one term. In 1911 he was elected city clerk, and succeeded himself to that office in 1913, and was elected again in 1915, and is one of the most efficient mnen the office has ever had. Fraternally he belongs to Rockford Lodge No. 120, A. F. & A. M., the Elks and Knights of Pythias, and not only passed all the chairs in the local lodge but represented it in the grand lodge in 1906 at Chicago. He also belongs to the Tribe of Ben Hur and the Royal Arcanum. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran Church.

On September 19, 1895, Mr. Wettergren was married to Amanda Kern, a daughter of John M. and Sophia (Nelson) Kern, and they have three children, namely : Edward Stanton, Wesley K. and Florence Marie, all of whom are attending the Rockford High school.

WHELAN, Mrs. Ellen (Knapp), one of the highly esteemed ladies of Owen Township, who belongs to one of the old established families of Winnebago County, has long been an honored resident of this section. She is a daughter of the late Rev. Jacob Knapp, whose services in the ministry of the Baptist Church will never be forgotten, and was reared and attended school at Rockford and later the old Cortland Academy, in Cortland, N. Y., for one year, and tor three years was a student in Miss Anna P. Sill's Seminary, now Rockford College.

After growing up into useful womanhood, Miss Knapp was married to Matthew Whelan. He was born in Ireland, August 10, 1834, but was brought to the United States by his parents when ten years old. These parents located in New York state and there engaged in farming. There Matthew Whelan remained until he attained his majority, when he came to Rock- ford, and here he was married, as above stated, to Ellen Knapp. Her father gave her 220 acres of land in Owen Township, and on it they commenced their married life. They continued to reside on this property until two years prior to Mr. Whelan's death, when they retired to No. 1120 Ridge avenue, Rockford, and there Mr. Whelan died in 1910, and after his death Mrs. Whelan returned to her farm where she now resides. He was a Democrat in politics.

Mr. and Mrs. Whelan had the following chil- dren : Florence Scott, Phelina. Mary L., Nellie W., Matthew. George (2), Frederick Francis and Electa, surviving, and another son, George, who died in infancy. George is operating the farmi for his widowed mother. Mrs. Whelan is still the owner of the Rockford residence which she rents to tenants. Althoughi seventy-five years old, she is in possession of all her facul-

ties and remembers distinctly many interesting incidents of the early days at Rockford, and of her distinguished father's ministry.

WHEAT, Charles H. Winnebago County num- bers among its most responsible and respected citizens the men who when their country needed assistance to preserve the integrity of the Union, did not tail to respond to the call in defense of the flag, and among the veterans of the Civil war now living within its confines is Charles H. Wheat, of Rockford. He was born at Owego, Tioga County, N. Y., September 2, 1840, a son of James and Ermina (Hall) Wheat, natives of New York state.

In 1855 Charles H. Wheat, who had been educated in the district schools of his native place, came to Rockford, Ill., and lived with his grandfather, Osee Hall, a farmer, for two years. His parents then came and located on a farm south of Rockford. In September, 1862, Charles H. Wheat enlisted for service in the Civil war, in Company D, Seventy-fourth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, and the regiment was sent to Lonisville, Ky. Subsequently it was under Gen- eral Sherman at the battle of Perryville and was in other engagements, including the cam- paign around Nashville. Here Mr. Wheat was taken ill and confined to the hospital for about five months, when he was moved to Gallatin, Tenn .. and there discharged for disability, Janu- ary 12, 1863. He then returned to Rockford and spent five years learning house painting, and decorating and paper hanging, after which he went to Nebraska where a brother had located, and spent two years in that state, which is the only time he has been away from Rockford since coming back from his military service. After returning from Nebraska, Mr. Wheat en- tered upon a general painting and decorating contracting business, and still carries it on with considerable profit.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 129

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 972

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972