Bio of Wording, Hon. William Edward (b.1812) Wabasha Co., MN
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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.

Wording, Hon. William Edward, banker, Plainview, Minnesota, was born in
Castine, Maine, January 21, 1812. In 1836 he graduated from Colby
University, and the same year became professor of Greek and Latin in the
Hampton Literary and Theological Institute, which position he occupied
toll 1841, when he went to South Carolina and accepted the principalship
of the Chersaw high school. While residing in Chersaw he read law and was
admitted to the bar in 1845, and practiced there for two years. In 1847 he
removed to Racine, Wisconsin, and opened a law office. From 1850 to 1863
he was judge of the Racine county court. From 1862 to 1870 Judge Wording
was one of the commissioners appointed under the act of congress, approved
June 7, 1862, entitled "An act for the collection of direct taxes in
insurrectionary districts within the United States, and for other
purposes;" and under its provisions and the instructions of President
Lincoln, dated September 16, 1863, besides selling to soldiers and sailors
in the army and navy of the United States, as well as civilians, many
tracts and parcels of land, bid in by the United States for the
non-payment of the direct taxes assessed upon them under said act, in
conjunction with his colleagues, assigned homesteads at the nominal price
of one dollar and a half per acre, to twenty-five hundred heads of
families of the African race, and set apart a large number of plantations
to be rented for the support of schools; which last-named lands, under a
subsequent act of congress, were sold and the proceeds invested in
government bonds for the same purpose. The title of the government under
the original tax sales of course was contested after the war by the former
owners, but the same was finally confirmed by the Supreme Court of the
United States. (See case of De Keville vs. Small, 98 U.S. Reports, page
517.) Of course it is not the place here to discuss the policy of these
acts, but it may be remarked, nevertheless, that upon the abolition of
serfdom in Russia not only was provision made for schools among the serfs,
but homestead lands were also assigned them at a low price, and the wisdom
of such policy is now apparent in the results: vagrancy is almost actually
unknown there. Since July, 1880, Judge Wording has been connected with the
Plainview Bank, and has made Plainview his home. His matrimonial life
dates from July 17, 1839, when he espoused Catharine Lawrence, of Laconia,
New Hampshire.
War of Rebellion (Civil War)