934
HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
and be in 1869. They reared a family of five boys and two girls, on a farm which the senior Weld had improved on land bought from the Government. Three of the chilren are still living-two in Elgin and one in Chicago. Salem E. Weld was educated in the public schools of Elgin and Batavia, and trained to a farmer's life. Later, however, he studied medicine and engaged in the drug trade in Elgin, in which for twenty-three years he was engaged as a member of the firm of R. & S. E. Weld, one of the most noted in this part of the State They began business in 1867 and continued it until 1890, when they retired from the drug trade, and Salem E. Weld turned his attention to real estate, dealing largely in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin lands. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Gail Borden Public Library of Elgin, and has served as Coroner of Kane County, and as Alderman of Elgin. In 1862 he enlisted, and was mustered into the One Hundred Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, during the first year of his service was Hospital Steward, and for two years following was in charge of the field hospital of the Second Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps, and for his marked ability in that position was honorably mentioned by the Surgeon-General. Mr. Weld was mustered out in June, 1865, in Washington, his experiences in the army having much to do with his subsequent successful business career. He has taken much interest in preserving the early history of Kane County, and is Secretary of the Kane County Old Settlers' Association. In 1885 he was married to Miss Mary E. Hoag, daughter of James and Mary (Bradford) Hoag, of St. Charles Township, Kane County.
ANDREW WELSH, merchant. Aurora, Ill., horn at Iroquois, Province of Ontario, Canada, July 9, 1844; enlisted in the One Hundred Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1864, and was mustered out of the service in January, 1866, when he returned to Yorkville, Ill., where he had resided previous to his enlistment. He engaged in the sale of carriages, wagons and agricultural implements at the latter place, and followed this occupation for thirty-nine years, but since 1886 has conducted the business in Aurora. Mr. Welsh served two terms in the State Legislature, and in 1885 was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue for the Second Illinois District by President Cleveland.
He was married in 1872 to Miss Lizzie E. Sheppard, of Yorkville, Ill.
HARRY F. WERLE, Geneva, City Clerk of Geneva, was born in Sterling, Ill., June 15, 1877, and was reared and educated in his native city, where he added to the educational training received in the public schools a special course of study in the Sterling Business College. For a time he was employed as stenographer in Chicago, and then came to Geneva, to take a position with the Appleton Manufacturing Company, then one of the leading industries of that city. In 1899 Mr. Werle opened a gentlemen's furnishing goods store in Geneva, which he conducted until Feb. 1, 1903. In April, 1901, he was elected City Clerk of Geneva, and in 1903 was still serving in that position. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic and the Odd Fellow fraternities. Politically he is an active Republican.
CHARLES WHEATON, attorney, Aurora, born in Warren, R. I., May 29, 1829, graduated from the literary department of Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., in 1849, and studied law in the office of B. F. Thomas, Worcester, Mass., being admitted to the bar Sept. 7, 1851. He began his practice in Worcester, but came to Batavia, II!.,
