Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Wigham, William 1837 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 18, 2006, 9:28 pm Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908) WILLIAM WIGHAM, of Adrian, is the oldest resident of that town, having been among the few who engaged in business in the little village in the fall of 1876. He is also one of the early settlers of the county, and has made his residence here since 1873. In Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 28, 1837, William Wigham was born, being the son of William and Catherine (Platt) Wigham. In the year 1850 the family moved west and settled in Iowa county, Wis. There the head of the family bought a farm, and on it the subject of this sketch was raised and made his home until 1862, when he entered the army. William Wigham was twenty-four years of age when he raised a company of infantry in his home county, which was designated company G, and was assigned to the 27th Wisconsin volunteer infantry. He was made captain of the company, his commission being dated Aug. 15, 1862, and served in that capacity until August, 1865, when he was mustered out of the service. Captain Wigham and his company were first sent into Kentucky and Tennessee, where for some time the troops were engaged in skirmishing. In May, 1863, they took part in the siege of Vicksburg, going up the Yazoo river and getting in the rear of the city. After the capitulation of the southern city, in August, 1863, Captain Wigham with his command was sent to Helena, Ark., where preparations were made for the Arkansas campaign. He took part in the capture of Little Rock, and during the fall and winter of 1863-64 participated in a number of small skirmishes. About the first of March, 1864, Captain Wigham started in the campaign to cooperate with General Banks under General Steele in the memorable Red River campaign. There was fighting and skirmishes nearly every day, one of the principle battles being at Prairie de Ann. After the union forces had captured Camden they learned of General Banks' defeat. The rebels, 30,000 strong, then were enabled to turn their attention to the forces to which Captain Wigham belonged. They swooped down upon the small force of union soldiers, who were forced into a disastrous retreat. All the equipment was lost and the soldiers were in sorry plight. At Jenkins Ferry, in the line of retreat, was fought one of the big battles of the campaign. The winter of 1864-65 was spent in scouting expeditions near Little Rock. In the spring of 1865 Captain Wigham's command went to Mobile and took part in the fighting there, where he was at the close of the war. After the war Captain Wigham returned to his old home in Wisconsin and engaged in farming until the fall of 1866. He was then elected sheriff of Iowa county, and served a two year term. For a short time he was judge of probate of the same county, having been appointed to complete an unexpired term. In 1871 he went to Solomon City, Kansas, where for two years he was engaged in the Texas cattle business. After a short time spent in his Wisconsin home, Captain Wigham came to Nobles county, arriving on the 30th day of May, 1873. He took a homestead on section 18, Little Rock township, and a tree claim on section 12, Grand Prairie township. He engaged in farming on his Little Rock township property until the fall of 1876. He then moved to Adrian village, which was just being founded, and engaged in the mercantile and grain business. He disposed of his business interests in Adrian in 1879, and in the spring of 1880 removed to his farm, where he resided until the spring of 1896. During nearly all of the time he resided on the farm he held township office, ranging from chairman of the board of supervisors down. On November 13, 1882, Captain Wigham was appointed judge of probate of Nobles county to complete an unexpired term caused by the resignation of L. S. Nelson. In the fall of 1883 he was elected county treasurer and served a three year term. Coming to Adrian in 1896, he has since lived a retired life. He has held the office of village assessor for the last eleven years. In 1894, when the Little Rock Mutual Fire Insurance company was organized, Captain Wigham was one of the principal stockholders, and for twelve years was president of the company. Captain Wigham was married at Dodgeville, Wis., Nov. 28, 1867, to Sybella E. Bishop. To them have been born eight children, of whom the following five are living: William M., register of deeds and newspaper man of Mahnomen, Minn.; Mary (Mrs. Chas. Wombill), of Mahnomen; Charles, of Westside township; Earl, of Mahnomen; Edith, of Adrian. His son Earl was the first male child born in the village of Adrian. Additional Comments: Extracted from: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY MINNESOTA BY ARTHUR P. ROSE NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA PUBLISHERS 1908 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/nobles/bios/wigham10gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 5.3 Kb