- Born: September 3, 1836, Pennsylvania, probably Somerset County
- Died: March 1, 1892, Lockington, Shelby County, Ohio
- Relationship: My second great-granduncle
Jonathan George Wegley was my second great-granduncle and a son of Joseph William Wegley and Eve Berkebile. He was born on September 3, 1836, in Pennsylvania and eventually left the Somerset County area, where he spent his childhood, to establish a large family of his own in Ohio.
Jonathan’s life matters to the larger Wegley family story because two of his sons eventually traveled much farther west. One, Joseph “Joe” Wegley, became mayor of Williston, North Dakota, while another, Frederick Wegley, became caught up in a highly publicized dispute over illegal liquor sales in the same city.
Born in Pennsylvania
Jonathan’s gravestone provides unusually precise evidence for his birth date. It states that he died on March 1, 1892, aged 55 years, 5 months, and 28 days, which calculates back to September 3, 1836.
The exact birthplace is less certain. Some family-tree information has listed Piqua, Miami County, Ohio, but the evidence currently available points more strongly toward Pennsylvania.
Jonathan appears as a fourteen-year-old in the 1850 household of Joseph and Eve Wegley in Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The household included Jonathan, his parents, several siblings, and his maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Berkebile.
Jonathan’s son Joseph later reported on his own death certificate that his father had been born in Pennsylvania. Taken together, the evidence supports Pennsylvania as Jonathan’s birthplace, although I would describe Somerset County as probable rather than proven until a birth, baptismal, or other contemporary record is located.
Growing Up in the Joseph Wegley Household
The 1850 United States census provides the first detailed snapshot of Jonathan’s childhood household. Joseph and Eve were living in Shade Township with seven of their children and Eve’s mother, Elizabeth Berkebile.
Jonathan was recorded as fourteen years old. His siblings in the household included Theresa, Josiah, Susanna, Frederick, Adeline, and Amanda, while Elizabeth Berkebile was sixty-one.
This record is important because it independently places Jonathan within the family of Joseph William Wegley and Eve Berkebile. Later family research also follows this same Jonathan into Ohio, where he married Sarah Circle and established his own branch of the family.
Here is a copy of the actual 1880 US Federal Census, which gives us more invaluable information about Joseph and his family.
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Census | 1880 United States Federal Census |
| Enumeration date | June 9, 1880 |
| Township | Washington Township |
| County | Shelby County |
| State | Ohio |
| Supervisor’s District | 2 |
| Enumeration District | 220 |
| Dwelling number | 53 |
| Family number | 57 |
| Head of household | Jonathan Wegley |
| Jonathan’s race | White |
| Jonathan’s sex | Male |
| Jonathan’s age | 43 |
| Jonathan’s marital status | Married |
| Jonathan’s occupation | Farmer |
| Jonathan’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Jonathan’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Jonathan’s mother’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Wife | Sarah Wegley |
| Sarah’s race | White |
| Sarah’s sex | Female |
| Sarah’s age | 38 |
| Sarah’s relationship to Jonathan | Wife |
| Sarah’s occupation | Keeping house |
| Sarah’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Sarah’s father’s birthplace | Virginia |
| Sarah’s mother’s birthplace | Virginia |
| Son | James Wegley |
| James’s age | 19 |
| James’s occupation | Works in saw mill |
| James’s birthplace | Ohio |
| James’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| James’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Daughter | Mary C. Wegley |
| Mary’s age | 17 |
| Mary’s occupation | At home |
| Mary’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Mary’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Mary’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Son | Emanuel Wegley |
| Emanuel’s age | 16 |
| Emanuel’s occupation | Works on farm |
| Emanuel’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Emanuel’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Emanuel’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Son | Frederick Wegley |
| Frederick’s age | 14 |
| Frederick’s occupation/status | At school |
| Frederick’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Frederick’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Frederick’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Son | Joseph Wegley |
| Joseph’s age | 13 |
| Joseph’s occupation/status | At school |
| Joseph’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Joseph’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Joseph’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Daughter | Eva Jane Wegley |
| Eva Jane’s age | 11 |
| Eva Jane’s occupation/status | At school |
| Eva Jane’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Eva Jane’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Eva Jane’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Daughter | Sarah H. Wegley, as the name appears on the census |
| Sarah H.’s age | 9 |
| Sarah H.’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Sarah H.’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Sarah H.’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Daughter | Daisy May Wegley |
| Daisy’s age | 4 |
| Daisy’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Daisy’s father’s birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Daisy’s mother’s birthplace | Ohio |
| Total people in household | 10 |
| Children living at home | 8 |
| Important evidence about Jonathan’s birthplace | This census directly records Jonathan as born in Pennsylvania, with both of his parents also born in Pennsylvania |
| Important evidence about Sarah’s origins | Sarah was born in Ohio, while both of her parents were recorded as born in Virginia |
| Important evidence about the children | Every child in the household was recorded as born in Ohio, with a Pennsylvania-born father and Ohio-born mother |
| Not yet in household | Olive Alta Wegley, born in 1884, had not yet been born |
Marriage to Sarah Circle
Jonathan married Sarah A. Circle in Ohio in 1857. The original marriage record corrects two details that have appeared incorrectly in older versions of this page.
The marriage did not take place on November 21, and the surviving record is from Muskingum County, not Mercer County. The license was issued on November 11, 1857, and the marriage ceremony took place the following day, November 12, 1857.
The record states that Zephaniah Shinpuff solemnized the marriage of “Mr. Jonathan Megley and Miss Sarah Circle.” The marriage was subsequently filed on December 24, 1857. Jonathan was about twenty-one years old at the time.
The records also indicate that Sarah’s father, James Circle, consented to the marriage. That detail provides another useful connection between Sarah and her Circle family and suggests that she was still legally young enough for parental consent to be required.
The Wegley Name Appears as “Megley”
One small but interesting detail in the marriage record is the spelling of Jonathan’s surname. The officiant recorded him as Jonathan Megley, rather than Wegley.
This is not unusual within this family. Wegley, Weigley, Weighley, Weagley, and other forms appear repeatedly across nineteenth-century records, and handwriting or clerical interpretation could introduce still more variations. The “Megley” spelling should therefore be treated as another documentary variation rather than evidence of a different family.
Jonathan and Sarah’s Children
Jonathan and Sarah had a large family. Current research supports at least eleven children:
- George Wegley, 1859-1862
- James E. Wegley, 1860-1937
- Mary C. Wegley, 1863-1932
- Emanuel Wegley, 1864-1936
- Frederick Wegley, born about 1866, died 1951
- Joseph Wegley, born in the 1860s, died 1946
- Eva Jane Wegley, 1869-1939
- Infant Wegley, 1870-1870
- Adeline “Sarah” Wegley, 1871-1948
- Daisy May Wegley, 1876-1940
- Olive Alta Wegley, 1884-1960
Surviving records strongly support Jonathan and Sarah as this family’s parents. For example, their son Frederick’s Texas death certificate names his father as Jonathan Wegley and his mother as Sarah Circle.
A Birth-Date Problem With Frederick and Joseph
One family-history problem should remain openly unresolved. The death certificates of Jonathan’s sons Frederick and Joseph give birth dates that cannot both be correct. Frederick’s 1951 Texas death certificate records his birth as:
- February 28, 1866, Piqua, Ohio
- Joseph’s 1946 North Dakota death certificate records his birth as:
- March 29, 1866, Mercer County, Ohio
Those dates are only twenty-nine days apart. If both men were biological children of Jonathan and Sarah, they obviously could not both have been born to Sarah in 1866. Both records are internally persuasive because each man’s stated age at death agrees closely with the birth date recorded on his certificate. Nevertheless, one birth date or birth year must be incorrect.
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Document type | Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death |
| Full name | Frederick Wegley |
| Sex | Male |
| Race | White |
| Marital status | Widowed |
| Date of birth | February 28, 1866 |
| Age at death | 85 years, 0 months, 2 days |
| Birthplace | Piqua, Ohio |
| Usual occupation | Produce man, retired |
| Kind of business or industry | Own business |
| Father’s name | Johnathan Wegley, as written |
| Father’s birthplace | Unknown |
| Mother’s maiden name | Sarah Circle |
| Mother’s birthplace | Unknown |
| Social Security number | Not recorded |
| U.S. Armed Forces veteran | No information entered |
| Informant | Appears to be Mrs. John M. Taylor, but the handwritten name is somewhat difficult to read |
| State of residence | Texas |
| County of residence | Bexar County |
| City of residence | San Antonio |
| Street address | 114 Bowers Walk |
| County of death | Bexar County, Texas |
| City of death | San Antonio, Texas |
| Place of death | Elm Grove Rest Home |
| Length of residence in San Antonio/place of death community | Appears to be 40 years |
| Date of death | March 2, 1951 |
| Time of death | 6:55 a.m. |
| Immediate cause of death | Coronary occlusion |
| Antecedent cause | Appears to read arteriosclerosis, generalized |
| Underlying cause | Appears to read arteriosclerotic heart disease |
| Other significant conditions | None entered |
| Operation performed | None recorded |
| Autopsy performed | No |
| Accident, suicide, or homicide | Not applicable |
| Physician’s attendance period | Handwritten dates are difficult to read confidently |
| Last seen alive by physician | Appears to be March 2, 1951 |
| Certifying physician | Handwritten name difficult to read confidently |
| Physician’s address | 205 Camden Street, San Antonio, Texas |
| Certificate signed | March 2, 1951 |
| Disposition | Burial |
| Burial date | March 3, 1951 |
| Cemetery | Odd Fellows Cemetery |
| Cemetery location | San Antonio, Texas |
| Funeral home | Riebe Funeral Home, Ltd. |
| Funeral director’s signature | Handwritten signature difficult to read confidently |
| Local registrar received certificate | March 3, 1951 |
| Registrar’s file number | Appears to be 8116 |
| Texas Department of Health received certificate | April 10, 1951 |
| State file number | 11294 |
Frederick Wegley’s Death Certificate Confirms the Family
Jonathan’s son Frederick Wegley died in San Antonio, Texas, on March 2, 1951. His death certificate identifies his father as Jonathan Wegley and his mother as Sarah Circle.
That is especially valuable because it provides twentieth-century vital-record evidence connecting Frederick back to Jonathan and Sarah. Frederick was recorded as a retired produce man who had operated his own business.
The certificate also places Frederick’s birth in Piqua, Ohio. That fact may explain why Piqua later became attached to Jonathan in some family trees, even though current evidence indicates Jonathan was born in Pennsylvania.
A Family That Moved West
Jonathan’s own migration from Pennsylvania into Ohio was only the beginning of the family’s westward movement. Several of his children eventually went much farther. His son Joseph Wegley settled in Williston, North Dakota. Joseph became a farmer and rancher and eventually entered local politics, becoming one of Williston’s early mayors.
Joseph’s death certificate provides another valuable link to Jonathan. It names his father as Jonathan Wegley and states that Jonathan was born in Pennsylvania, further supporting the conclusion that Jonathan himself was not born in Piqua.
Joseph Wegley Becomes Mayor
Joseph’s life eventually became one of the more colorful stories among Jonathan’s descendants. He was elected mayor of Williston and developed a reputation for attempting to eliminate illegal drinking establishments known as “blind pigs.”
A surviving newspaper report records Joseph winning another term as mayor by 137 votes to 90. His entire political ticket was reported elected along with him. Joseph’s political career became even more interesting because another of Jonathan’s sons soon found himself on the opposite side of Williston’s liquor controversy.
“Wegley’s Pig”
Jonathan’s son Fred Wegley was accused in 1907 of illegally selling intoxicating liquor in Williston. A newspaper described the alleged establishment as “Wegley’s Pig,” located in the lower portion of a concrete building on East Broadway.
The accusation was politically explosive because Fred’s brother Joseph had developed a reputation as the mayor who cleared Williston of blind pigs. Opponents accused Joseph of enforcing the law against others while allowing his brother to operate his own establishment.
Fred denied the allegations.
He was tried repeatedly. According to a 1909 report, Fred had been tried three times before justices of the peace and found not guilty each time, after which he was indicted by a grand jury.
That case also ended in acquittal. The jury reportedly deliberated for only three minutes before returning a verdict of not guilty.
Supporters of the Wegley brothers argued that the prosecutions had been politically motivated and designed to damage Joseph’s administration. Whether that interpretation was correct cannot be proven merely from the newspaper account, but Fred’s repeated acquittals are part of the documented record.
The Mayor Who Came Before Joseph
Joseph “Joe” Wegley entered Williston politics during a turbulent period. The city’s first mayor, William H. Denny, became embroiled in accusations involving stolen horses and was ultimately convicted in 1906 of selling stolen horses.
The conviction was later overturned, and a retrial did not occur after important evidence disappeared. Denny eventually left the mayor’s office, creating the political circumstances in which Joseph Wegley emerged as one of Williston’s early mayors.
This story belongs primarily on Joseph’s own page rather than Jonathan’s. On Jonathan’s biography, I would keep it brief because its importance here is what it tells us about the remarkable lives of two of Jonathan’s sons.
Jonathan’s Death
Jonathan George Wegley died on March 1, 1892, in Lockington, Shelby County, Ohio. He was fifty-five years old. His gravestone preserves both his death date and his exact age, allowing us to reconstruct his September 3, 1836 birth date with unusual precision. For a man born before Pennsylvania routinely issued civil birth certificates, that inscription is particularly valuable.
The original image is hard to read, but basically what it tells us is that he died on March 1, 1892, when he was exactly 55 years, 5 months, and 28 days old, and that his wife Sarah died on November 3, 1911, when she was 70 years, 7 months, and 19 days old.
I tried to clean up the image so you can see the information more clearly. Please keep in mind the image below has been digitally manipulated to clarify the text in the original image above.
We also happen to have additional documents about his death. In this case, his probate records. It gives us something his gravestone cannot: his legal residence immediately before his death, which was Cynthian Township in Shelby County. It also shows that his widow, Sarah, handled his estate within eight days of his death.
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Document type | Record of Administrators’ Bonds and Letters |
| Record jurisdiction | Probate Court, Shelby County, Ohio |
| Probate court location | Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio |
| Record page | 577 |
| Deceased | Jonathan Wegley |
| Status of Jonathan | Deceased |
| Jonathan’s residence at death | Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio |
| Date of probate bond | March 9, 1892 |
| Date letters of administration granted | March 9, 1892 |
| Administratrix | Sarah Wegley |
| Sarah’s legal role | Administrator of Jonathan Wegley’s estate |
| What this establishes about Sarah | Sarah survived Jonathan and was appointed to administer his estate |
| Principal on administration bond | Sarah Wegley |
| First surety on bond | James A. [surname difficult to read confidently] |
| Second surety on bond | William A. Graham |
| Bond amount | $26,000 |
| Meaning of $26,000 amount | This was the penal sum of the administrator’s bond, not necessarily the value of Jonathan’s estate |
| Estate covered by administration | Jonathan’s goods, chattels, rights, credits, and estate |
| Inventory requirement | Sarah was required to make and return an inventory of Jonathan’s personal property within three months |
| Real estate inventory | The court could also require an inventory of Jonathan’s real estate |
| Debt-payment authority | Sarah was authorized to administer the estate according to law and use estate assets or proceeds from real estate, when permitted, to pay Jonathan’s debts |
| Accounting requirement | Sarah was required to provide a just and true account of her administration within eighteen months, or when otherwise required by the court |
| Remaining estate funds | Any balance remaining after settlement was to be paid or distributed as directed by the court or law |
| Will provision | If a will was later proved and allowed, Sarah was required to return the letters of administration to the court |
| Appraisers appointed | Jonas Kaufman, Thomas Wiley, and William Sanders |
| Role of appraisers | They were appointed as three disinterested persons to inventory and appraise Jonathan’s goods and chattels |
| Probate judge | Appears to be A. J. Rebstock, Probate Judge |
| Sarah’s signature | Sarah Wegley |
| William A. Graham’s signature | William A. Graham |
| Important genealogical conclusion | The record directly connects Sarah Wegley with the estate of Jonathan Wegley and places Jonathan in Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio, immediately before his death |
| Important timing detail | Jonathan died March 1, 1892, and Sarah received authority to administer his estate only eight days later, on March 9, 1892 |
| Does this prove Jonathan died without a will? | Not conclusively, but the appointment of an administratrix rather than an executor strongly suggests that no valid will had been admitted to probate at that time |
| Does this support Lockington as his death location? | It supports the broader area but adds an important distinction: the probate court specifically describes Jonathan as “late of Cynthian Township” in Shelby County. I would therefore investigate whether his exact death place should be recorded as Cynthian Township rather than simply Lockington. |
Jonathan’s Place in the Wegley Family
Jonathan represents an important transitional generation in this branch of the Wegley family. He was born into the large Pennsylvania household of Joseph William Wegley and Eve Berkebile, but as a young man he moved into Ohio, married Sarah Circle, and established an entirely new branch of the family.
His descendants spread still farther. One son became a North Dakota mayor, another became involved in one of that mayor’s most controversial political episodes, and other children established families across the country.
Jonathan himself may never have lived the sort of public life that brought his sons into newspaper headlines, but his place in the family is significant. Jonathan George Wegley helped carry the Wegley family from its Pennsylvania roots into Ohio, and his children helped carry it from there into the American West.