The Wedgbury Family in the USA

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Mary Anna Wedgbury

(Minnie Zumwalt Lamb)

Mary Anna Wedgbury, usually known as “Minnie,” was born January 5^th, 1862, in her parents’ home in LaSalle County, Illinois. She was the seventh child born to William Wedgbury and Elizabeth Wheatland. At age two years old, her father moved the family to Livingston County, and then he moved the family to Stockland Township, Iroquois County, Illinois. Here she met Levi Zumwalt.

Levi Zumwalt was the son of Henry Zumwalt, born in Kentucky, and Nancy Davidson, born in Pennsylvania. Henry was a descendant of Prussian and Germanic immigrants who came to North America in colonial times. Henry and Nancy came to Tazewell County, Illinois, and raised eleven children—Levi was one of these. In 1880, Levi was farming with his brother Daniel Zumwalt in Stockland Township, Iroquois County, Illinois.

According to the Iroquois County ledger of marriages, Levi and “Minnie Anna” were married March 27, 1881, in Watseka, by J.P. Forsythe, Minister of the Gospel. He was 23; she was 20. It was the first marriage for both of them.

Four children were born to this marriage:

Maude Edna Zumwalt	January 15, 1882	Sheldon, Iroquois County, Illinois
Frances Elizabeth Zumwalt	July 1883	Illinois
Florence Pearl Zumwalt	October 27, 1885	Farmer City, De Witt County, Illinois
Carl Willard Zumwalt	October 1889	Illinois

In July of 1885, Minnie’s mother, Elizabeth Wheatland Wedgbury, passed away. The following is a letter from her saddened father regarding his grief and sense of loss but mixed with hope:

Sheldon, Sunday, July 19, 1885

My Dear Minnie,

It is Sunday. Wesley is down on the street, the girls are at Hannahs and I am up stairs over the store. Oh so lonely. Two weeks ago we laid dear Ma in her grave. It seems to me she must come back. It seems as though I must see her again. There is so much I want to say to her dear soul. I know she will not return to this weary world. God help us all to so live that we shall go to her in heaven.

What a comfort to know that poor dear mother after all her toil after her weary days and nights of anxious watching over her dear children, after all she has endured and suffered for our sakes now rests in Jesus. Can we wish her back to this wicked world—nay verily. Although I am well nigh crushed with grief and lonliness and at times completely overwhelmed with sorrow, yet believing in the goodness and wisdom of God I exclaim the Lord gave the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Dear Minnie read mothers bible as she did. Be good and you meet her and dear Irvilla and little Johnie and my first born Willie in the glory land. Oh what a happy day that will be when we all get home to heaven. What are a few years of toil and sorrow here compared to an eternity of bliss in the paradise of God. May God keep us all by his grace till our journey ends.

We are going to live over the store. I have it most ready. I think it will be very comfortable. The girls will come home next week. I long to have them back. It will not be so lonely. It seems that you all are more dear to me then ever now.

I have just got such a good letter from Mr. McSparron. His words in praise of Ma are so good. I will send it to you some day to read. He wishes to be remembered to you and all of the children. I will close for this time.

Oh yes, I found your plumes and a few other things but in moving got them mislaid again but will find them when we get fixed up next week and will send them.

Kind love to Levi and the dear little girls. Write soon.

The Lord Bless you Minnie,

Father

Levi can be found in the 1890 Tax Collector’s list in Sheldon Township, near Minnie’s father. In 1900, however, the Zumwalt family is living across the state line border in the town of Goodland, of Newton County, Indiana; Levi is listed as a landlord. Sometime between 1900 and 1910, Levi and Minnie were divorced. This is evidenced by the census entry for 1910 and 1920. In 1910, Levi is farming again with his brother-in-law George W. Akin (married to Emma Zumwalt); he is listed as “single.” In 1920, he lists himself as divorced, living as a hired hand of E. S. Round in Story County, Iowa. In 1930, he is in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, near where his son Carl lives. He died February 1, 1933, in Detroit, and was buried in the Grand Lawn Cemetery, in Detroit.

Family history states that Minnie remarried to a man with the last name of Lamb. This is supported by her listing in the 1930 census as Minnie Lamb, living with her son-in-law Clayton Payne (husband of daughter Florence); they are also in Detroit. We do not know the full name of her second husband, only that the marriage was brief due to Mr. Lamb’s demise. Minnie died December 31, 1949, in Williamsport, Warren County, Indiana, where her daughter Maude lived. She was the last of the William Wedgbury children to pass away. She was buried in Grand Lawn Cemetery, in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.

Descendants of Mary Anna Wedgbury

Mary Anna Wedgbury 1862 - 1949

Married 1^st: Levi Zumwalt 1858 - 1933

1. Maude Edna Zumwalt 1882 - 1981

Married 1^st: William S. McKinzie - 1906

Child:

a. Ruth E. McKinzie 1903 - 1987

Married: Charles Adrian Denny 1905 - 1969

Children:

i. son, living 1926 -

Married: Helen Louise Kowalski 1925 - 2002

Children: 2 sons & 1 daughter, all living

Married 2^nd: John Logan Hunt

No children in this marriage.

2. Frances Elizabeth Zumwalt 1883 - 1963

Married 1^st: Robert H. Kirts 1885 - 1916

Married 2^nd: Roy VanderMeer 1887 – 1965

No children in either marriage.

3. Florence Pearl Zumwalt 1885 - 1936

Married: Clayton Louis Payne 1884 – 1961

Children:

a. Thelma Pearl Payne 1911 - 1999

Married: Lawrence Edward Monnier 1910 - 1977

Children: 3 sons, living

b. Lorraine Frances Payne 1913 – 1978

Never married.

c. Lucille Mildred Payne 1918 - 1979

Married: James Oscar Hughson 1919 - 2007

Children: 2 daughters, living

4. Carl Willard Zumwalt 1889 - 1944

Married: Charlotte Blake 1894 – 1984

No children in this marriage.

Minnie Wedgbury Zumwalt

with daughter

Florence Pearl Zumwalt

Circa 1906-1908

Thelma, Lucille, and Lorraine Payne

Circa 1920

Resources:

Illinois State Archives housed at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases.html

Including:

Illinois Statewide Vital Records Databases

o Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900
An Ongoing Project of the Illinois State Archives & the Illinois State Genealogical Society

o Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre–1916
An Ongoing Project of the Illinois State Archives

o Illinois Statewide Death Index (1916–1950)
An index created by the Illinois Department of Public Health

Iroquois County, Illinois, Marriage Ledger, page 7a, #3420. Marriage of Levi Zumwalt to Minnie Anna Wedgbury, 1881. Copy of original ledger page in the possession of R. Renteria.

Social Security Death Index, sites.rootsweb.com

United States Federal Census Records: 1860 – 1930

Wedgbury, Michael K., A History of The Wedgbury Family: The Descendants of William Wedgbury. 1976,

Anchorage, Alaska.

Wedgbury, William, private letter to Minnie Wedgbury Zumwalt. July 19^th, 1885, Sheldon, Illinois. Copy of original letter in the possession of R. Renteria. Would like to know who has the original letter.

Information for personal/private use only, may not to be used for paper or electronic publication without written consent and citation.