From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 692 - 695
 
WALTER EDWARD LEDGER.  The enterprise of Walter Edward LEDGER, well known 
farmer and stock raiser of Linn township, Walworth county, has been crowned by 
success, as a result of rightly applied principles which  never fail in their 
ultimate effect when coupled with integrity, uprightness and a congenial 
disposition, as they have been done in the present instance, judging from the 
high standing of the subject among his fellow citizens, whose undivided esteem 
he has justly won and retained.  He is the scion of one of the early families 
of this township, members of which have lived to take a more or less 
conspicuous part in the transformation of the same from the wilderness of a 
half century ago to the present, with its fine farms and pleasant homes, and 
they have not only aided in the material development, but have also done their 
full share in promoting the civic and moral welfare of the community, being 
known as advocates of wholesome living both in public and private life, and the 
many admirable characteristics of the elder LEDGERS seem to be fostered in the 
subject.
 
Mr. LEDGER was born on the farm where he now lives in Linn township, Walworth 
county, Wisconsin, on October 29, 1868.  He is the son of Thomas and Fannie 
(SHEPHERD) LEDGER, both natives of England, the father born in Lincolnshire, 
and there they spent the earlier years of their lives.  It was about 1850 when 
Thomas LEDGER emigrated to America.  He visited many parts of the country 
before settling permanently, and he spent considerable time in Michigan, also 
came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, for a while, then returned to England about 
three years after his arrival on our shores, and while on this trip he and 
Fannie SHEPHERD were married.  Soon afterwards they returned to the United 
States and purchased forty acres, the northwest quarter of the northwest 
quarter of section 23, Linn township, comprising the farm where his son, Walter 
E., of this sketch, now resides, and here he established his home and spent the 
rest of his life, engaged in general farming, in which he prospered from the 
first, and he added to his original purchase until he became the owner of two 
hundred and forty acres of excellent land.
Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas LEDGER, namely: John William 
lived in Linn township, south of the LEDGER homestead and owned a farm of one 
hundred acres, and here his death occurred on September 27, 1890, leaving a 
wife and two children: Nellie married A. G. PALMER and they live in Geneva 
township, this county; Maria, who married Henry M. TURNER and lived in 
Illinois, just across the state line south from her home, died in April 1886; 
David owns and operates a large farm in the southwestern part of Geneva 
township; Susan, who married T. H. SPEAKER, lives in Richmond, Illinois; 
Charles lives in Rockford, Illinois; Frances, who married Frank BREWSTER and 
lived in Geneva township, this county, is deceased, as is also her husband; 
Walter Edward, of this sketch, was the youngest of the family.  
 
Politically Thomas LEDGER, the father, was a Republican, and he took an active 
interest in public affairs, and at one time he was a member of the township 
board of supervisors.  His death occurred in April 1908, at an advanced age, 
his wife having preceded him to the grave in September 1898.
 
Walter M. LEDGER grew up on the home farm and he received his education in the 
common schools of his district.  He early turned his attention to agricultural 
pursuits and he has spent his life on the homestead, which he has managed with 
a skill little less than his able father before him, keeping the land well 
tilled and improved so that it has increased in value rather than been depleted.
 
Mr. LEDGER was married to Eva C. WETER on October 18, 1893.  She was born in 
Linn township, this county, and is the daughter of Mahlon Eber WETER and 
Cordelia (MICKLE) WETER.  Both parents came from Oneida county, New York.  Mrs. 
LEDGER's paternal grandparents, Palmer and Jane (PALMER) WETER, were also 
natives of the East, and her father, Mahlon WETER, came to Wisconsin with his 
father and step-mother when he was nine years old, his own mother having died 
in New York.  The WETER family came here probably as early as 1845 and located 
in section 23, in the south part of Linn township, and there the WETER home 
remained for many years.  Palmer WETER remained there until late in life, then 
moved to the village of Sharon, where he spent the rest of his days.  There 
Mahlon Eber WETER grew to manhood and was married to Cordelia MICKLE.  She was 
the daughter of John and Polly (NUTT) MICKLE.  She was born in Oneida county, 
New York, and she came here with her parents about the same time the WETERS 
came here.  The MICKLE family located in section 31, in the southwestern part 
of Linn township and there established the permanent home of the family.  Upon 
their arrival they had an opportunity to locate on Bloom Prairie, but, like 
most pioneers, they selected a place where timber and water were plentiful, but 
it was in the hills and rougher land, similar to what they had been used to in 
the state of New.  After Eber WETER was married he bought a farm adjoining his 
father's in sections 32 and 33, a little of it across the line in Illinois, 
owning one hundred and twenty acres there, and this place continued to be his 
place of abode until 1903, when he moved to the village of Hebron, Illinois.
 
Mrs. LEDGER was one of a family of six children, namely: Emma, wife of Howard 
CORNUE, lives just across the line in Illinois, just south of Zenda; David 
lives near Hebron, Illinois; Eva, wife of Walter E. LEDGER; Albert lives in 
Illinois, near his father's farm; Palmer lives on the old homestead; Alice is 
at home with her parents.
 
After his marriage Walter E. LEDGER, of this sketch, continued farming on the 
old home place, as he had done for two or three years previously and he has 
continued farming.  He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock 
raiser, always keeping a good grade of live stock, and he is making a specialty 
of dairying, for which he is exceptionally well equipped.
 
Politically, Mr. LEDGER is a Republican and he is more or less active in 
political affairs.  He is a member of the township board of supervisors and is 
also treasurer of the school board.
 
Besides his farming and dairying interests, Mr. LEDGER is a director in the 
Farmers National Bank of Lake Geneva and a director of the Mutual Fire 
Insurance Company of the town of Geneva, a company doing business in Geneva, 
Lyons, Linn, Bloomfield, and Delavan townships.
 
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. LEDGER, named as follows: Albert 
William, Walter Mahlon, Maria Cordelia, and Eunice Mary, all attending school, 
two in the Lake Geneva high school.
 
Fraternally, Mr. LEDGER is a member of the Masonic order, the Royal Neighbors 
and the Modern Woodmen.  He and his wife belong to the Linn and Hebron 
Presbyterian church.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)