Jesse Clinton Wiley (1869 - 1930)

Born 22 May 1869 in Irving, Montgomery County, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Died 1930 at about age 60 in Del Norte, Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States

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Biography

Del Norte Prospector dated Sept. 5, 1930

Judge Jesse C. Wiley, 61, passed away Thursday morning at his home after an illness of several months. Mr. Wiley was born at Irvington, Montgomery County, Illinois, May 22, 1869 and came to Colorado in 1896 from Springfield, Ohio where he had taken a law course at Wittenberg College. Upon his arrival here he taught school at what is known as the Swede Land schoolhouse east of Del Norte and continued his law studies in the offices of Judge Bloomfield of Monte Vista. He was admitted to the bar in 1897 and opened his law office in Del Norte, which practice he continued until 1914. In August, 1914, he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Judge Holbrook, then judge of the 12th district. In November of that year, at the general election, he was elected judge of the 12th district and has served on the bench continuously since.

On June 29, 1898, he was married to Mary B. Bingel, who, with six children, survive. The children are Forrest of Pagosa Springs; Sam, Earl, Robert and John at home, and a daughter, Mrs. Bernice Hersch of Pagosa Springs; also four brothers, Arthur of Monte Vista; Will of Chillicothe, Missouri; Scott of Champaign, Illinois; and Earl, of Grand Junction; also one sister, Mrs. Rose Romaine of Taos, New Mexico.

Jesse was a 33d degree Mason; a charter member of the Del Norte Lodge No. 105, A.F. & A.M.; a Past Master of this lodge in 1924 and Grand Master of the Colorado Lodge A.F. & A.M.; a Knight Templar; member of Shrine and Pueblo Consistory No. 3; member of Knights of Pythias; W.O.W.; Del Norte Rotary Club and Del Norte Chamber of Commerce. In June, 1926, Mr. Wiley formed a partnership with Jack Pickens and leased a large number of mining claims at Summitville, and in that year, they took a fortune from the Little Annie claim.

Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon Sept. 7, from the Del Norte Masonic Temple. Rev. Harvey Laurence of the Denver Lutheran Church, a former classmate of Judge Wiley and a brother member of Wittenberg College Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, will assist with the services. Burial will be in the Del Norte cemetery.

~Courtesy of Rosalind Weaver

Freemasonry

He was elected as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Colorado in 1923.

Sources

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80801089/jesse_clinton-wiley: accessed February 22, 2024), memorial page for Judge Jesse Clinton Wiley (22 May 1869–1930), Find a Grave Memorial ID 80801089, citing Del Norte Cemetery, Del Norte, Rio Grande County, Colorado, USA; Maintained by Polly Cox (contributor 47181251).
  • Plot: AF&AM 1 sp 2