WETZEL FAMILY - In the fall of 1865, the original Wetzell's of Hume Township (Daniel and Mary (Beidler) Wetzell), moved from Hopkins Township, Whiteside County, to Hume Township about 4 miles north of Tampico and lived for some time on the building site, where Harold and Marjorie Wetzell now live. Their family consisted of 6 children; Elizabeth Lee (Mildred Thome's great-grandmother); John H.; Catherine Scott (grandmother of Mrs. Raymond Scott Sr., Rock Falls); Margaret Rowland; Mary Ann Pope (grandmother of Myrtle Denison and Arthur Davis); Martha McCombs (Nora Egert's grandmother). Daniel Wetzell was born in Stark County, Ohio, in 1815 and passed away in Sterling, ill, in 1902. It was said of him politically that he was a staunch Republican, from the birth of the party, and he was member of the Methodist Church for years. In the fall of 1872, Mr. Wetzell's nephew Henry and his wife Catherine (Overholser) Wetzell moved to Hume Township from near Coleta. They settled in the house where Har- old & Marjorie Wetzell's daughter, Patricia and Dale Etheridge now reside. At that time, they had four children: James F., Rena, John L. and William H. While living in Hume they had the following children: Rebecca, Lloyd, Jennie, Oscar, charles C., Lillian, Harry L. and Lola. James F. married Lena Pollock and lived for some time where Raymond Kropf and his family now reside. They had six children: Earl (deceased), Darlene Johnson of Sterling, Lelia Gaumer of Sterling, Robert (deceased), Fremont and Ruth Adams both of Sterling. John L. married Mary Olds and they lived all of their married lives where his grandson, John A. and family now ILY HISTORY live. Their family consisted of John H. of Sterling, Paul D. of RR Tampico and Wilbur (Benny) (deceased). William married Gertrude Milligan and lived where his son Rupert now resides. They had three children: Gladys, who passed away in infancy; Rupert of RR Tampico; Donald L. (deceased). Rebecca married Henry Olds and they lived North of Coe Gaulrapp's and across the road. They had two children: Catherine Faulkner (deceased) and Henrietta Stout of Rock Island. Oscar married Orient Olds and they lived on the Old Home Place. Orient now resides in the Good Samaritan Home in Prophetstown. They have four children: Alice Olson of Tampico, Helen Andreas of Sterling, Esther Mae Hoover of Sterling and Harold of RR Tampico. One daughter, Harriet, passed away in infancy. Jennie married Frank Mihigan and lived for a while on the old Lawndale Farm west of Tampico, where the Mosher Boys farm. She passed away in the first or second year of her marriage, leaving no family. Lloyd and Harry never married and in 1912 purchased land near Drinkwater, Saskatchewan, Canada, and farmed there for a number of years. Rena and Lillian never married and lived in Rock Falls with their parents, assisting in their care in their old age. Charles C. passed away as a young man and Lola died at the age of three. Oscar operated a steam powered thresher and sheller for a good many years. Their father (Henry Wetzell) was a civil war veteran and the family has his honorable discharge certificate which is signed by Abraham Lincoln.

Transcribed from the Tampico Centennial Year Book 1875-1975