The gentleman whose biography is herewith presented belongs to the older class of citizens of Rock Springs, Wyoming, having been a resident of Sweetwater County since 1873. He has seen the city grow from an obscure mountain hamlet into one of the most enterprising and prosperous industrial centers of the west and, in a large measure, he has contributed to bring about results as they today exist. Edmund Clegg was born in England in 1830, and is the son of Jonathan and Hannah (Hancoper) Clegg, both also of English birth. The father followed coal mining for a livelihood, the greater part of the time being a superintendent of mines, dying at the advanced age of eighty-one years. He was also the son of Christopher and Sarah (Wood) Clegg, whose genealogy is traceable to a very early period in the history of the kingdom of England. Mrs. Hannah Clegg was a native of Yorkshire and lived to the advanced age of over seventy-five years. Edmund Clegg was reared to young manhood near the place of his birth, and, when twenty years old, began life for himself as the assistant superintendent under his father. He continued mining in various capacities in England until the early sixties when he came to America, and, for a number of years thereafter, he was similarly employed in different mining states. In 1873 he came to Rock Springs, Wyoming, at that an obscure village, and engaged in his chosen calling, serving different parties as superintendent, and earning the reputation of an able and conscientious manager. Mr. Clegg assisted in developing many of the rich mineral resources of Sweetwater County and his long experience as a mining expert caused his services to be much sought after. To him is due the credit of locating and developing a number of the best paying mining properties in this section of the state, and, as long as he remained in the business, his advice was eagerly solicited and his valuable practical knowledge utilized. Severing his connection with mining Mr. Clegg turned his attention to other vocations notable among them being that of dealing in water, which he followed for eighteen years with encouraging financial success. Being fortunate in acquiring a sufficiency of the world’s goods to place him in comfortable circumstances, he finally abandoned business pursuits and retired to private life, one reason for doing being the infirmities incident to advancing age. Mr. Clegg has taken an active interest and pardonable pride in the growth and development of Rock Springs, and during the last thirty years, his life and the history of the town have been very closely interwoven. Realizing the needs of the thriving little city he supplied them with generous hand, and, to the limit of his ability, aided all enterprises tended in any to improve the condition of society and advance the standard of its citizenship. He has been especially active in promoting the community’s intellectual and moral development, devoting much of his time and energy to the matter of public education, in which he has been deeply interested. Largely through his efforts the schools of the town have advanced in efficiency until the standard of education in Rock Springs is now as high as that of any other city in the state, or in any part of the West. In looking after this important and far reaching trust, Mr. Clegg has been truly a public benefactor, and the results of his earnest and self-denying efforts will long remain a monument to his interest in the people’s behave. Mr. Clegg has always been animated by an earnestness of purpose most admirable, and for him to recognize a duty is equivalent to his performance. He has strong convictions of right, faithfully and fearlessly discharges every trust confided to him, and in the line of his duty he is regardless alike of fear or favor. He has led a very active life, fraught with much good to his kind and the world certainly much better because of his presence. Mr. Clegg was married in 1871 to Mrs. Sarah Taylor, A native of Lancashire, England, and a daughter of Amber and Mary Ann Taylor, the union resulting in seven children, of whom are living, Emma, Elizabeth, Arthur and Hannah; the deceased being Jonathon, Sarah and Charley.
