Wesley Henry Wedgbury

circa 1902

Earl & Clifford Wedgbury

circa 1892

Clayton Wedgbury

circa 1912

Wesley Henry Wedgbury was the third child of William Wedgbury and Elizabeth Wheatland.  He was born August 31, 1854, in LaSalle County, Illinois.  He lived there with his parents, siblings, and his mother’s grandparents until he was nine years old.  In 1863, his father William moved his family to Livingston County, Illinois.  While the family lived in Livingston, Wesley’s older brother William died due to accidental injury.  This left Wesley as the oldest son of a farmer, which increased his responsibility to his father and family.  In 1872, the family moved again, this time to the Sugar Creek area of Stockland Township, Iroquois County, Illinois.  Here, he would grow to maturity, and continue his father’s trade of farming.

On October 3^rd, 1887, Wesley married Mary Ellen Ferguson, daughter of Edward Ferguson and Ann Gingrich.  She was born March 15^th, 1870, in Pulaski County, Indiana.  It seems that she may have been briefly married to a Miles Smith just before her marriage to Wesley.  This may or may not be true, as the county recorder also listed Wesley down as William.  This is based on Illinois Marriage Archive Database information and needs to be substantiated by an actual certificate or copy of the ledger.  Regardless, Mary’s life before her marriage to Wesley is really unknown, but as his spouse, she was faithful and hardworking.

They made their home in the town of Sheldon in Iroquois County, Illinois; this is where all there children were born.  William Earl Wedgbury was born to Wesley and Mary on July 22^nd, 1888; the family called him Earl.  Almost two years later, Clifford Clinton Wedgbury was born to the family on June 14^th, 1890, also in Sheldon.  Another two years passed and Jeanetta Pearl Wedgbury was born on June 24^th, 1892; she was named after Wesley’s sister Jeanette, but the family called her “Nettie” all of her life.  Two years later when Hazel Elizabeth Wedgbury was born on June 7^th, 1894, Wesley and Mary felt that their family was complete.

Between farming and running a store or restaurant in Sheldon, the family made a fair living and did well.  It was a surprise, and a bit of an embarrassment to Wesley and Mary when a fifth child was born to them eighteen years after Hazel had “completed” the family.  Clayton Sheldon Wedgbury was born July 12, 1911.

Wesley and Mary were getting along in years.  Wesley especially was not strong as he developed heart problems in 1916 that required hospitalization.  Nettie and Hazel “mothered” their little brother quite a bit, and, when they started having families of their own, their children were quite close and dear friends to Clayton as he grew up.

Earl and Clifford grew up and married.  Earl raised his family in nearby Woodland, Illinois.  Clifford and his wife moved to Arkansas; they never had children, but were doting Uncle and Aunt to their nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Clayton remained with his aging parents.  His father Wesley died in his home in Sheldon on the first day of the year 1936.  His mother Mary died October 5^th, 1940.  Both were buried in the Sheldon Cemetery, and eventually, all of their children were laid to rest there too.

 The Wedgbury Family

Clayton, Clifford, Nettie, Earl, Mary, Hazel, Wesley

circa 1925

Mary Ellen Ferguson

circa 1887

Mary(Ferguson) Wedgbury

with

Nettie & Hazel

circa 1902

Earl & Ethelyn Wedgbury

circa 1909

Everett & Nettie Thompson

circa 1960

Golden Anniversary

Clayton & June Wedgbury

with sons

circa 1944

Descendants of Wesley Henry Wedgbury

Wesley Henry Wedgbury      1854 - 1936

 Married:  Mary Ellen Ferguson        1870 - 1940

I.  William Earl Wedgbury     1888 - 1952

      Married:  Ethelyn Gertrude Wilkinson          1887 - 1961

      Children:

        A.  Opal Helena Wedgbury          1909 - 1995

               Married:  George Gabriel Cross         1903 - 1963

               Child:           

                         George William Cross  1928 - 1995

                         Married (1):  Living Gossett     1938 -

                          Children:  5 sons, living

                           Married (2):  Connie Neuhaus 1941 -

         B.  William Earl Wedgbury, Jr.     1910 - 1940

               Married:  Dorothy Walker     1912 –

               Children:  2 daughters, 1 son, living

         C.  John Marvin Wedgbury          1912 - 1977

               Married:  Ethel Frances Tucker         

                Children:  1 daughter, living  

         D.  Thomas Wesley Wedgbury    1915 - 1985

                Married:  Anna E. Millet       1917 - 1972

                Children:

                1.  Karen Joyce Wedgbury   1938 - 1954

                2.  Living Daughter Wedgbury  1943 -

          E.  Hazel Gertrude Wedgbury     1915 -

                Married:  Louis DeFrank      1908 -

          F.  Frances Elizabeth Wedgbury  1918 - 1969

                Married:  Henry William Oestmann  1912 - 1994

                Children:  3 sons, living

II.  Clifford Clinton Wedgbury           1890 - 1962

      Married:  Ruth McNeally    1895 – 1967

      No children

III.  Jeanetta Pearl Wedgbury (“Nettie”)     1892 - 1975

       Married:  Everett Francis Thompson          1889 - 1968

       Children:

       A.  Maurice Everett Thompson      1913 - 1955

             Married:  June Marjorie Young  1915 -

        B.  Alvin Eugene Thompson          1920 - 1999

              Married:  Lola May Wilson  1921 - 2003

              Children:  2 daughters, 1 son, living    

IV.  Hazel Elizabeth Wedgbury         1894 - 1986

       Married:  Franz T. Lameck            1883 - 1947

       Children:

       A.  Thelma Pearl Lameck  1921 - 2001

             Married:  Frank Anthony Vicari           1914 - 2005

             Children:  2 daughters, 1 son, living

        B.  Joseph Raymond Lameck       1923 - 1999

              Married:  Veda Virginia Wilson           1932 -

         C.  William Lameck         1925 - 1925

V.  Clayton Sheldon Wedgbury         1911 - 2004

      Married (1):  Lois Maxine Buck      1918 – 1941

      No children from this marriage

       Married (2):  June Lois Swihart      1918 - 1991

       Children:

       A.  Michael Kay Wedgbury           1942 - 1996

             Married (1):  Living

             Children:  1 daughter, 1 son, living

             Married (2):  Living, no children

             Married (3):  Living, no children

        B.  Living Son  Wedgbury 1944 -

              Married (2):  Living

              Children:  1 son, living

Clifford & Ruth Wedgbury

circa 1913

Franz & Hazel Lameck

with Joseph & Thelma

circa 1930