Caroline Murray Wedgbury

Caroline Murray Wedgbury was born on August 11, 1870, near Pontiac, Livingston County, Illinois.  She was the last child of William Wedgbury and Elizabeth Wheatland.  Her middle name is believed to have come from the Murrays, a family that William and Elizabeth stayed with during the start of their married life.  Caroline, also known as Carrie, lived with her family in Livingston County and in Stockland Township, Iroquois County.  On September 12, 1889, she married Winfield S. Taylor in Sheldon, Iroquois County, Illinois.

Winfield S. Taylor was the son of Reverend George L. Taylor (born in New York) and Frances C. Mellen(?) of Illinois.  He spent born in Penn township of Stark County, Illinois, and was raised in LaSalle County, Illinois.

To this marriage was born a little girl whom they named Vera M. Taylor, in 1890.

Sadly, Carrie only lived two more years, until April 25, 1892, where she died in Sheldon.  It is unknown why she died.  There have been no pictures or mementos of her life found.  She was laid to rest next to her mother in the Sheldon Cemetery.

Winfield married again in 1896, to a woman listed as Mary.  In February of 1897, they gave little Vera a brother whom they named Raymond.  But Vera did not get to grow up alongside her brother; a local Sheldon newspaper obituary had the following to say:

"End of a Life of Suffering"

       The following regarding the grand daughter of Mr. Wm. Wedgbury is taken from the Grand Ridge (Ill.) Enterprise:

       Never, in the history of this paper has it been called upon to chronicle the death of a more patient, more truly Christian sufferer, to whom death came as a pleasant messenger relieving her from pain and transplanting her young life into a brighter and better home, than now when it announces the death of Little Vera M. Taylor, grand daughter of Rev. and Mrs. G.L. Taylor, which occurred at 9:15 a.m., Monday.

       Almost from infancy she had been a constant sufferer, yet no complaining escaped her lips and her voice rose sweetest in song when her pain was the most sever.  Though but a child (eight years old and she appeared much younger) her knowledge of the bible and her love fore the Lord Jesus were wonderfully developed, and her bible and hymn book were her dearest companions.  She was rarely without them, and her prayers were simple, coming from her sweet, childish heart where faith in the Almighty held full sway.

       The last six or eight months of her life she was unable to be out of her bed and what pain she suffered no mortal man can ever tell.  Yet she bore it uncomplainingly, and her songs could be heard by passers by on the street.  Until her death she always had her bible and hymn book within reach, and even after the near approach of the grim reaper had almost blinded her poor little eyes and when her hands refused to hold it for her she asked to have her bible held before her that she might read.

       She suffered to the last, yet never questioned for a moment the works of her master.  Surely her life is a lesson for the living.  As she passed away, and as pain left the tired little body, hearts were wrung with sadness for a light that had gone out, mingled with that burst of grief came a sigh of relief that she had been released from her sufferings, and the knowledge that those eyes had closed to awaken in the city of peace gave place to sorrow.  Her death was a glorious triumph and her reward is rest.

       The funeral was held Wednesday, and the  church was crowded to the doors to accommodate the friends.  Rev. Joe Bell, the eloquent Streator divine preached a most excellent sermon and, and the remains were afterwards interred in the Grand Ridge cemetery.

       The casket was carried by four little girls, Misses Mable Parshall, Elta Anderson, Helen Pundstone and Gertrude Manly”

Little Vera M. Taylor, daughter of Carrie Wedgbury, was buried in Grand Ridge Cemetery, LaSalle County, Illinois.  Thus ends this line of the Wedgbury family.

Resources:

End Comes to Long and Honored Life, Sheldon, Iroquois County, Obituary clipping for William Wedgbury, (probably from local Sheldon paper).

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

United States Federal Census Records:  1860 – 1910 found at http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/census/search/basic

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

        Anchorage, Alaska.

©       2008, by Rebecca E. Renteria

Information for personal/private use only, may not to be used for publication without written consent.