REVEREND PETER WEDIN
The Reverend Peter Wedin was born in Agunnarya, Kronoberg, Sweden on March 1, 1835. He was the son of Jacob Mansson and Catrina Johannedotter of Agunnaryd, Sweden. He married Charlotta Marin of Agunnaryd, Kronoberg, Sweden. Charlotta was born on October 25, 1836. Peter and Charlotta were married on February 7, 1857 in Agunnaryd.
Peter Wedin was a child of a revival movement in Sweden and served as a preacher for six years in the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church. In the Spring of 1870, Peter and Charlotta Wedin came as immigrants to America and settled in Princeton, Illinois. Peter secured a position on the Union Pacific Railroad and used his spare time preaching. He was called to the Mission Church in Princeton, Illinois on January 1, 1873 where he served for four years. From 1877 to 1885, he was a traveling home missionary for the SYNOD. He toured the central states and his journeys took him to the East Coast and to California. In many states that he traveled to, he was the first mission preacher to the scattered Swedish settlers.
Peter and Charlotta Wedin had fourteen children, several of which were still born and were not recorded or baptized. Their children included:
1. Emelia born August 9, 1857 died in 1886
2. Ida B. born April 29, 1860 died in 1953
*3. John Peter born February 23, 1862 died February 21, 1923
4. Maria born January 24, 1864 died October 9, 1864
5. Claus born August 12, 1865 died July 12, 1896
6. Enoch born February 15, 1868 died August 24, 1940
7. Ester born May 15, 1870 died November 2, 1870
8. Cyrus born April 5, 1877 died September 21, 1965
9. Jehu born November 4, 1878
10. Eugenia born December 28, 1880 died young
11. Eber born June 12, 1885 died May 28, 1890
With the small salary Peter Wedin received as a traveling missionary, it is a marvel how he could provide for his large family. The Reverend Peter Wedin was an eminent theologian, an original preacher and a keen Bible student. The greater part of his sermons were made up of Bible quotations skillfully used and applied to his audience. His favorite themes were the old testament sacrifices and Christs atoning death. The Mission Church and friends were Lutheran as to their beliefs and Peter Wedin was an extreme Lutheran. He was a man of strong convictions and beliefs.
When the Mission SYNOD was organized in Keokuk, Iowa in 1873, Peter Wedin took an active part and was elected to the Executive Board and served the Board in many ways for the remainder of his life. From 1885 to 1888, he served as pastor of a church in Batavia, Illinois. From Batavia, he moved to a farm west of Aurora, Nebraska, and served as pastor in several Lutheran Churches. In 1891, he received a call to Stotler, Kansas, and worked and preached there faithfully for twelve years.
Peter Wedin ceased his active ministry and moved to Elkhart, Texas in 1903. Reverend C. P. Melgrin and Reverend Enoch Wedin succeeded him as co-pastors. From 1912 to 1924, another son, Cyrus Wedin served this church as pastor. It is rather unique that father and two sons served the same church in succession for so long.
The Swedish Evangelical Mission Association of America was organized in Chicago on June 6, 1903. This organization published a book called Echo in 1928. It listed eleven ministers and among them was Peter Wedin who had much to do with the organization and activities of the church group.
Peter and Charlotta Wedin moved back to Aurora, Nebraska in 1906 and resided with their daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. (Ida B.) A. J. Swanson. On April 11, 1907, Peter Wedin went to be with his Lord forever. He was laid to rest in the Monroe Free Church Cemetery in Aurora, Nebraska. Charlotta Wedin died on March 8, 1911 and is buried in the Monroe Free Church Cemetery in Aurora, Nebraska.
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