Wesley B. Harvey

Wesley Bradford Harvey was one of the earliest settlers in our area.  Arriving in Washington in 1828 at age 4 with his parents James and Mary Ann, there were only six or seven families settled here.  The Harveys and William Holland's family were the only charter members of the first Methodist Church in Washington, the first religious organization of any kind in Washington.  The family moved to Deer Creek township after just a few years here, becoming some of the first settlers in that area. However, Wesley moved back to Washington in 1858, where he lived the remainder of his life, and he became more than instrumental in the evolution of Washington.

Harvey served as Washington's Justice of the Peace for twenty years and Town Supervisor for ten years.  In 1880, Harvey was elected to the state House of Representatives as a Republican and would serve in state government for many years. He would also serve two terms as Washington's mayor from 1885-1888.  Under his mayoral tenure, the city's water system was first installed.

Beyond governmental roles, Harvey served on the Board of Trustees at Illinois Wesleyan University and for 47 years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Washington M.E. Church.

Harvey became incredibly wealthy throughout his life. During the winter, he would spend 4-5 months traveling the southern and western coasts of the United States.

When Harvey died in 1908, his estate was valued at over $300,000, which equates to over $10 million today. He bequeathed significant cash and real estate to several local educational institutions and many relatives. A large plot on the East end of Glendale Cemetery includes his wives, Elza (who died in 1891) and Nancy, and her first husband, Robert H. Sheppard. He generously bequeathed the City of Washington $500 (over $16,000 today) to tend to his gravesite.