Mini Bios of People of Scots Descent
Charles Weddell Biography

CHARLES WEDDELL, an esteemed citizen of Bon Homme county, engaged in the pursuit of agriculture, was born in Aurora, Illinois, February 11, 1848. Andrew Weddell, his father, a native of Scotland, came to the United States when young and lived for some time in Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked at the blacksmith trade. He married in this country, Louisa ________, a native of England, and later they moved to Aurora, Illinois, where they both spent the remainder of their days. Andrew and Louisa Weddell were the parents of seven children, two of whom died in early childhood; those growing to maturity were William: Abbie, now Mrs. Frank Campbell, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Bell, Robert and Charles, of which number Bell, William and Robert are deceased. 

The early life of Charles Weddell was spent in his native state and after receiving a good practical education in the public schools, he entered his father's shop to learn blacksmithing. On attaining his majority he left home and in 1870 came to Vermillion county, South Dakota, where in due time he became a driver on the Hedge Stage line, later accepting a similar position with Cheny & Haskall. While thus employed Mr. Weddell drove as far as Ft. Randall and other distant points, managing a four-horse team and a large stage, which carried both passengers and express matter, and his experiences during the seven years in which followed this kind of free out-door life were interesting and at times thrilling and adventurous. 

Resigning his position at the end of the period noted, Mr. Weddell entered the employ of the government at the Yankton agency and spent two years at that place, during the greater part of which time he rode the range and looked after the cattle and other live stock belonging to the post. At the expiration of his term of service he took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Bon Homme county, the same on which he has since lived, and. addressing himself to the task of its improvement, he soon had a goodly part of his land under cultivation, besides erecting substantial buildings and making a number of other improvements. His farm is now regarded one of the best in the township and as a tiller of the soil he has been uniformly successful, ranking at this time with the leading agriculturists in his part of the country. Like the great majority of progressive men throughout the west, he does not only rely entirely upon crops for his livelihood and income, but devotes a great deal of attention to live stock, raising cattle, good hogs and horses, being familiar with everything relating to the breeding and proper care of all kinds of domestic animals. 

Although a man of domestic tastes and greatly attached to his family, Mr. Weddell has not been neglectful of his duties as a citizen nor of his obligations to the public. He manifests a lively interest in politics, voting the Republican ticket, but has never asked for office nor sought recognition as a party leader. 

Mr. Weddell, in the year 1886, took to himself a wife and helpmate in the person of Miss Kate Quatier, a native of Germany, but of Russian descent, the marriage being blessed with seven sons, whose names in order of birth are as follows: Henry, Andrew, William, Charles, Joseph, John and Benjamin, all living.