Bio of Wedge, Henry D. (b.1840) Wabasha Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge ========================================================================= This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884. Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some of the bios on her pages. Wedge, Henry D., was born in Warren, Litchfield county, Connecticut, June 21, 1840. His father is Horatio Wedge, of Waupun, Wisconsin. The family removed from Connecticut to Wisconsin when Henry was in his fifth year, locating in the town of Chester, Dodge county. His education was obtained at a country school and at the Waupun high school. He has taught school four terms, three of them in Minnesota. Soon after reaching his majority he went to Missouri, where he spent two years, but being still anxious to roam, he returned home and took a fresh start, this second time coming to Minnesota, where his father owned considerable real estate, situate on the rich and fertile Greenwood prairie. It was in the spring of 1866 that he took up his permanent residence on a portion of these paternal acres, on section 19, in the township of Plainview. He has been prospered in his chosen calling, and is now one of the wealthiest farmers in Wabasha county, owning about seven hundred acres of land, besides village property. Mr. Wedge resides on his farm in a fine brick house, erected in 1879, at a cost of three thousand dollars. Near him are located two brothers, George and James, and a sister, wife of Mr. Mallory. Mr. Wedge is at present chairman of the township board of supervisors, is a republican in politics, and represented the people of the southern part of his county in the state legislature, in the session of 1879. He was married to Miss Helen L. Loveland, daughter of C. L. Loveland, of Dodge county, Wisconsin, January 23, 1863. Five children have been born to them: Eugene, Eddy, Herbert, Winnie and Minnie. War of Rebellion (Civil War) ========================================================================= This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920. Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some of the bios on her pages. Wedge, Henry D. (page 304), for many years one of the leading agriculturists of Greenwood Prairie, was a man whose life is inseparably woven into the warp and woof of the story of the material progress of the southern part of Wabasha County. Descended from sturdy stock, possessed of an excellent education, and endowed with a capacity for hard work coupled with a full measure of good judgment and shrewdness, he easily took a commanding position among his fellow men, and richly deserved the full measure of success that fell to his lot. Agricultural pursuits were to him a labor of love as well as a means of livelihood. He loved his broad acres, he gave understanding care to his stock, he took delight in growing things, his home was his pride, and the streams and forests, with their fish and wild life, had for him a never-diminishing attraction. He was rich in friendships and in the respect of his associates, and his loss to the community was one that will not readily be filled. Henry Dwight Wedge was born in Warren, Litchfield County, Conn., June 21, 1839, a son of Horatio and Lovisa (Smalley) Wedge. He was but five years of age when his parents came to Wisconsin, locating in the Town of Chester, in Dodge County. There he was reared to agricultural pursuits. After passing through the rural schools, he took advanced courses in the Waupon high school, thus preparing himself for the occupation of teacher which he followed successfully for several terms. Soon after reaching his majority he spent several years in Missouri. In the meantime his father had acquired considerable land on Greenwood Prairie, in this county. Upon a portion of this land, in section 19, Plainview Township, Mr. Wedge took up his permanent home in 1861. Here he lived and labored and wrought for many years, acquiring in time 700 acres of some of the best land on the Prairie. In 1879 he erected a beautiful brick residence, which has since remained as one of the landmarks of the township. In 1892 after a worthy life of hard work, he retired from the more arduous duties of farm labor, and moved to the City of Plainview, there to spend the afternoon of life surrounded by the comforts which his decades of strenuous effort so richly deserved. Here he was able to indulge to the full his enjoyment of the companionship of friends and his love for the out of doors, spending much of his time in the open amid the scenes of nature which he loved so well. He died May 12, 1918, and his death was sincerely mourned as a distinct loss to the community. In public, as well as in private life, he had done his full duty as a man and as a citizen. For many years he had given freely of his time and ability as a public official of the township, and in the session of 1879 he did good service to the state as a member of the Minnesota Legislature. He had also served on numerous delegations and committees, and throughout his life here stood for everything that was for intelligent progress and the public welfare. Mr. Wedge was married January 23, 1863, to Helen L. Loveland, daughter of C. L. Loveland, of Dodge County, Wis. Of the children of this union, there are now living three: Eugene, Herbert and Minnie. Eugene lives in Plainview; Herbert lives in Wessington, S. D.; and Minnie is the wife of M. E. Callender, of Seattle, Wash. Mrs. Helen L. Wedge died April 20, 1892. March 11, 1894, Mr. Wedge married Mrs. Effie (Freer) Hibner, who was born at Plainview, June 21, 1857, daughter of Warner Whitney and Lucy Maria (Bowman) Freer. She makes her home in the family residence in Plainview. Mr. Wedge was a Past Master of the Masonic lodge and was buried with the rites of that body.