Clyde Franklin Wilsey ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

Biography of Clyde Franklin Wilsey, page 125 / 126. History of Northeast Indiana; LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, and DeKalb Counties, Vol. II, under the editorial supervision of Ira Ford, Orville Stevens, William H. McEwen, and William H. McIntosh. The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago and New York, 1920.

Clyde Franklin Wilsey. The Wilsey name has been one of honored consideration in DeKalb County since 1848 and has many worthy representatives her at present, a well known one being Clyde Franklin Wilsey, and active and substantial citizen of Corunna and the owner of the Corunna Telephone Exchange. Mr. Wilsey was born in DeKalb County September 22, 1884.
The first Wilsey in DeKalb County was William H. Wilsey, a native of New York, who married Ursula Jane Haskins, a native of Vermont, January 25, 1843. Five years later they moved from New York to Indiana and entered land in Fairfield Township, DeKalb County, paying $1.25 an acre for the same. On that farm three generations of the Wilsey family were born. Henry E. Wilsey, father of Clyde F., was born here November 28, 1860, and on January 26, 1882, he was married to Mary L. Krum, who is a daughter of Jacob and Martha (Holden) Krum., old residents of Steuben County. There were five children in the Krum family, namely: Martha, Elizabeth, Eugene, Allen and Minerva, the last named being deceased. Two children were born to Henry E. Wilsey and his wife: Clyde Franklin and Grace, the latter of whom was married December 25, 1906, to Elmer E. Shipe, and they have one son, Ford. Henry E. Wilsey and wife reside at Hudson, Indiana.
Clyde Franklin Wilsey was educated in the public schools. On November 1, 1906, he bought the Corunna Telephone Exchange and has had charge ever since and many extensions have been made since that time, this exchange being now considered indispensable to both business and social life. For some years he was editor and publisher of the Corunna News. He has been active in community welfare effort, and example being his suggestions that a park, with shrubbery, park seats, swings and other forms of amusement, together with band concerts often given, providing an admirable opportunity for our door enjoyment. In this and other ways Mr. Wilsey has made himself very unselfishly popular, and evidence of this popularity being shown when he was elected constable on the democratic ticket, although he had always been a republican.
Only July 30, 1905, Mr. Wilsey was united in marriage to Miss Nettie A. Wilhelm who is a daughter of John and Mary (Cook) Wilhelm, who were married July 9, 1865, and resided at Elkhart, Indiana, their children being: William, John, Mary, Albert, Harrison, Clarissa, Rilla, Nettie and Cora. Mr. and Mrs. Wilsey have three children, the oldest born on the old homestead: Lester A., born May 15, 1906; Bernardine M., born October 29, 1911; and Robert L., born February 6, 1915; the last two born in Corunna. Mr. and Mrs. Wilsey have a charming summer place in Island Cottage on Story Lake, and when not stopping there themselves, they generously permit friends to use it.
On January 25, 1893, the grandparents of Mr. Wilsey celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. It had been the cherished ambition of the venerable grandmother to make the most of the preparations for this event with her own hands. It was an occasion never to be forgotten by her loving descendants, but these tender preparations probably overtaxed her strength, for she passed away ten days later and with her passed on of the noble pioneer women of DeKalb County. The grandfather lived six years longer, passing away December 6, 1899.
The early Wilsey family belonged to the United Brethren Church, while the Wilhelms were members of the Evangelical body. Clyde F. Wilsey and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Corunna. He is not active in fraternal life but as a prominent and responsible citizen constantly is in co-operation with others in laudable civic movements and in helpful enterprises here and elsewhere that relieve distress.

Submitted by: Arlene Goodwin Auburn, Indiana Agoodwin@ctlnet.com

Clyde married Nettie A. Wilhelm on 30 Jul 1905.