Carl was born in Gloglau, Posen,Prussia.
When Carl was 7, he spent his free time exploring along the shore of Lake Huron, picking up white porous stones with which he carved animal figures. Then, when working in the lumber camps, a few years later, he would amuse himself by whittling figures out of a piece of pine. To improve his financial situation Carl engaged in fur trapping, welling the cured pelts to a Bay City furrier. The furrier impressed with his carvings displayed them in his shop window. A wealthy lady visitor from New York became interested in Carl's work and purchased one of his sculptures which he entitled "Norwegian Fighting Polar Bear". When she returned to New York, she showed the work to her close friend America's renowned sculptor Henry Kirk Brown, who at once declared it the work of a genius and asked that Carl come east to New York and join Brown's apprenticeship program at his studies at Newburg on the Hudson. That was the winter of 1865/56. Carl was just 17. He would study and learn his craft with HK Brown Studios for the next 8 years.
One of the best works done by Carl during his apprenticeship was a statue of a Lexington colt, modeled from life. Many hundreds of copies of this piece were made in plaster and could be seen throughout America. Carl spent a winter at Washington, D.C.'s world famous Cacorian Art Gallery arranging and grouping special exhibitions. This was the time of the U.S. Grant presidency and it is rumored that Carl had made the acquaintance of Nellie Grant. Carl was awarded the distinct privilege to design and execute the colossal equestrian of "Old Fuss and Feathers", General of the army Winfield Scott. During this period Carl again met the President (and Nellie) as Grant was particularly interested in the project, being a personal friend of Scott's. The placement of the Scott memorial was at the circle intersection of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Avenues, a short six blocks from the White House.
Now, at age of 25, Carl was ready to leave the confines of H.K. Brown and compete in the competitive world for commissions on his own.
His first adventure was to New York City, working with J.Q.A. Ward, the famous American sculptor whose genius ran mostly to the production of equestrian statues. While in New York, he heard the news that Michigan was in the process of building a new State Capitol in Lansing and sculptors were needed. He had been in east 10 years and longed to return home. He sent off his resume and was invited to Lansing for a interview. He was successful in being awarded the sculpturing required in the main east pediment.
He moved to Lansing in the fall of 1875. The title given to the east pediment was "The Rise and Progress of Michigan" and was to emulate that spirit. Carl took advantage of his notoriety and in September 1876 opened up a studio in the Woodworth block. Carl kept busy with additional sculpture projects as word of his expertise spread through the professional and political ranks in the Capitol. In 1877 a fire destroyed his studio. In 1878 he returned to H.K. Brown Studios. In 1886 H.K.Brown passed away. His widow and son sought new directions. Carl decided his future would be better served by returning to Michigan to live permanently. In 1887 he opened his studio at 26 Seitz block in downtown Detroit.
In the year 1888/89 he met a Canadian girl, 19 years his junior, by the name of Annie Haslett. Annie was an accomplished artist and teacher. They were married on June 19, 1889, in the city of her birth, London, Ontario. Their marriage certificate lists Carl as 41 and Annie as 22. Annie's parents were Benjamin and Emma Salter Haslett both born in Sussex, England. They returned to Detroit. Early 1907, Annie took sick.
Carl continued his work. He rented what was a perfect building for lodging and a studio combined in a carriage house at 43 Davenport just off Woodward Ave. It was here he met Edwin Burch. They became close friends. One of his faults was that when he had money, after being paid for a completed sculpture, the money would be gone in a short time. He was just too much of a soft touch when it came to helping a friend down on his luck. Edwin then offered to Carl the upper level of a large carriage house on his back property at 91 Davenport, at no cost. In the fall of 1921 Ed invited Carl to spend a few days at his summer home in Memphis, MI. One day after lunch, Carl decided to take a stroll downtown to a barber shop. While sitting in the barber chair, Carl began to get stomach pains which became so excruciating that he passed out. Carl never regained consciousness and died at 5:30 p.m. The cause of death is listed as "Acute Indigestion". His daughter Freide went to the funeral home and they would not let her see her father, which made her suspicious. Later Ed Burch said that the color of his skin was so dark and discolored that he was sure she would not want to remember her father looking like that. Freide described the condition to a doctor friend and he said that it sounded like food poisoning. To Freide there was no doubt who may have had something to do with her fathers death and that was none other than the 2nd Mrs. Burch. The 2nd Mrs. Burch never liked Carl. Nothing ever came of it, no autopsy. Ed was a true friend to the last. He purchased a number of grave sites for the Burch family and offered one of them for Carl's final resting place. It was not until 1992 that Carl's grave site was marked with a stone. His grandson had one prepared which simply says "Carl Herman Wehner" Artist-Sculptor, May 6, 1848, October 21, 1921.
When Carl was 7, he spent his free time exploring along the shore of Lake Huron, picking up white porous stones with which he carved animal figures. Then, when working in the lumber camps, a few years later, he would amuse himself by whittling figures out of a piece of pine. To improve his financial situation Carl engaged in fur trapping, welling the cured pelts to a Bay City furrier. The furrier impressed with his carvings displayed them in his shop window. A wealthy lady visitor from New York became interested in Carl's work and purchased one of his sculptures which he entitled "Norwegian Fighting Polar Bear". When she returned to New York, she showed the work to her close friend America's renowned sculptor Henry Kirk Brown, who at once declared it the work of a genius and asked that Carl come east to New York and join Brown's apprenticeship program at his studies at Newburg on the Hudson. That was the winter of 1865/56. Carl was just 17. He would study and learn his craft with HK Brown Studios for the next 8 years.
One of the best works done by Carl during his apprenticeship was a statue of a Lexington colt, modeled from life. Many hundreds of copies of this piece were made in plaster and could be seen throughout America. Carl spent a winter at Washington, D.C.'s world famous Cacorian Art Gallery arranging and grouping special exhibitions. This was the time of the U.S. Grant presidency and it is rumored that Carl had made the acquaintance of Nellie Grant. Carl was awarded the distinct privilege to design and execute the colossal equestrian of "Old Fuss and Feathers", General of the army Winfield Scott. During this period Carl again met the President (and Nellie) as Grant was particularly interested in the project, being a personal friend of Scott's. The placement of the Scott memorial was at the circle intersection of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Avenues, a short six blocks from the White House.
Now, at age of 25, Carl was ready to leave the confines of H.K. Brown and compete in the competitive world for commissions on his own.
His first adventure was to New York City, working with J.Q.A. Ward, the famous American sculptor whose genius ran mostly to the production of equestrian statues. While in New York, he heard the news that Michigan was in the process of building a new State Capitol in Lansing and sculptors were needed. He had been in east 10 years and longed to return home. He sent off his resume and was invited to Lansing for a interview. He was successful in being awarded the sculpturing required in the main east pediment.
He moved to Lansing in the fall of 1875. The title given to the east pediment was "The Rise and Progress of Michigan" and was to emulate that spirit. Carl took advantage of his notoriety and in September 1876 opened up a studio in the Woodworth block. Carl kept busy with additional sculpture projects as word of his expertise spread through the professional and political ranks in the Capitol. In 1877 a fire destroyed his studio. In 1878 he returned to H.K. Brown Studios. In 1886 H.K.Brown passed away. His widow and son sought new directions. Carl decided his future would be better served by returning to Michigan to live permanently. In 1887 he opened his studio at 26 Seitz block in downtown Detroit.
In the year 1888/89 he met a Canadian girl, 19 years his junior, by the name of Annie Haslett. Annie was an accomplished artist and teacher. They were married on June 19, 1889, in the city of her birth, London, Ontario. Their marriage certificate lists Carl as 41 and Annie as 22. Annie's parents were Benjamin and Emma Salter Haslett both born in Sussex, England. They returned to Detroit. Early 1907, Annie took sick.
Carl continued his work. He rented what was a perfect building for lodging and a studio combined in a carriage house at 43 Davenport just off Woodward Ave. It was here he met Edwin Burch. They became close friends. One of his faults was that when he had money, after being paid for a completed sculpture, the money would be gone in a short time. He was just too much of a soft touch when it came to helping a friend down on his luck. Edwin then offered to Carl the upper level of a large carriage house on his back property at 91 Davenport, at no cost. In the fall of 1921 Ed invited Carl to spend a few days at his summer home in Memphis, MI. One day after lunch, Carl decided to take a stroll downtown to a barber shop. While sitting in the barber chair, Carl began to get stomach pains which became so excruciating that he passed out. Carl never regained consciousness and died at 5:30 p.m. The cause of death is listed as "Acute Indigestion". His daughter Freide went to the funeral home and they would not let her see her father, which made her suspicious. Later Ed Burch said that the color of his skin was so dark and discolored that he was sure she would not want to remember her father looking like that. Freide described the condition to a doctor friend and he said that it sounded like food poisoning. To Freide there was no doubt who may have had something to do with her fathers death and that was none other than the 2nd Mrs. Burch. The 2nd Mrs. Burch never liked Carl. Nothing ever came of it, no autopsy. Ed was a true friend to the last. He purchased a number of grave sites for the Burch family and offered one of them for Carl's final resting place. It was not until 1992 that Carl's grave site was marked with a stone. His grandson had one prepared which simply says "Carl Herman Wehner" Artist-Sculptor, May 6, 1848, October 21, 1921.
Carl was born in Gloglau, Posen,Prussia.
When Carl was 7, he spent his free time exploring along the shore of Lake Huron, picking up white porous stones with which he carved animal figures. Then, when working in the lumber camps, a few years later, he would amuse himself by whittling figures out of a piece of pine. To improve his financial situation Carl engaged in fur trapping, welling the cured pelts to a Bay City furrier. The furrier impressed with his carvings displayed them in his shop window. A wealthy lady visitor from New York became interested in Carl's work and purchased one of his sculptures which he entitled "Norwegian Fighting Polar Bear". When she returned to New York, she showed the work to her close friend America's renowned sculptor Henry Kirk Brown, who at once declared it the work of a genius and asked that Carl come east to New York and join Brown's apprenticeship program at his studies at Newburg on the Hudson. That was the winter of 1865/56. Carl was just 17. He would study and learn his craft with HK Brown Studios for the next 8 years.
One of the best works done by Carl during his apprenticeship was a statue of a Lexington colt, modeled from life. Many hundreds of copies of this piece were made in plaster and could be seen throughout America. Carl spent a winter at Washington, D.C.'s world famous Cacorian Art Gallery arranging and grouping special exhibitions. This was the time of the U.S. Grant presidency and it is rumored that Carl had made the acquaintance of Nellie Grant. Carl was awarded the distinct privilege to design and execute the colossal equestrian of "Old Fuss and Feathers", General of the army Winfield Scott. During this period Carl again met the President (and Nellie) as Grant was particularly interested in the project, being a personal friend of Scott's. The placement of the Scott memorial was at the circle intersection of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Avenues, a short six blocks from the White House.
Now, at age of 25, Carl was ready to leave the confines of H.K. Brown and compete in the competitive world for commissions on his own.
His first adventure was to New York City, working with J.Q.A. Ward, the famous American sculptor whose genius ran mostly to the production of equestrian statues. While in New York, he heard the news that Michigan was in the process of building a new State Capitol in Lansing and sculptors were needed. He had been in east 10 years and longed to return home. He sent off his resume and was invited to Lansing for a interview. He was successful in being awarded the sculpturing required in the main east pediment.
He moved to Lansing in the fall of 1875. The title given to the east pediment was "The Rise and Progress of Michigan" and was to emulate that spirit. Carl took advantage of his notoriety and in September 1876 opened up a studio in the Woodworth block. Carl kept busy with additional sculpture projects as word of his expertise spread through the professional and political ranks in the Capitol. In 1877 a fire destroyed his studio. In 1878 he returned to H.K. Brown Studios. In 1886 H.K.Brown passed away. His widow and son sought new directions. Carl decided his future would be better served by returning to Michigan to live permanently. In 1887 he opened his studio at 26 Seitz block in downtown Detroit.
In the year 1888/89 he met a Canadian girl, 19 years his junior, by the name of Annie Haslett. Annie was an accomplished artist and teacher. They were married on June 19, 1889, in the city of her birth, London, Ontario. Their marriage certificate lists Carl as 41 and Annie as 22. Annie's parents were Benjamin and Emma Salter Haslett both born in Sussex, England. They returned to Detroit. Early 1907, Annie took sick.
Carl continued his work. He rented what was a perfect building for lodging and a studio combined in a carriage house at 43 Davenport just off Woodward Ave. It was here he met Edwin Burch. They became close friends. One of his faults was that when he had money, after being paid for a completed sculpture, the money would be gone in a short time. He was just too much of a soft touch when it came to helping a friend down on his luck. Edwin then offered to Carl the upper level of a large carriage house on his back property at 91 Davenport, at no cost. In the fall of 1921 Ed invited Carl to spend a few days at his summer home in Memphis, MI. One day after lunch, Carl decided to take a stroll downtown to a barber shop. While sitting in the barber chair, Carl began to get stomach pains which became so excruciating that he passed out. Carl never regained consciousness and died at 5:30 p.m. The cause of death is listed as "Acute Indigestion". His daughter Freide went to the funeral home and they would not let her see her father, which made her suspicious. Later Ed Burch said that the color of his skin was so dark and discolored that he was sure she would not want to remember her father looking like that. Freide described the condition to a doctor friend and he said that it sounded like food poisoning. To Freide there was no doubt who may have had something to do with her fathers death and that was none other than the 2nd Mrs. Burch. The 2nd Mrs. Burch never liked Carl. Nothing ever came of it, no autopsy. Ed was a true friend to the last. He purchased a number of grave sites for the Burch family and offered one of them for Carl's final resting place. It was not until 1992 that Carl's grave site was marked with a stone. His grandson had one prepared which simply says "Carl Herman Wehner" Artist-Sculptor, May 6, 1848, October 21, 1921.
When Carl was 7, he spent his free time exploring along the shore of Lake Huron, picking up white porous stones with which he carved animal figures. Then, when working in the lumber camps, a few years later, he would amuse himself by whittling figures out of a piece of pine. To improve his financial situation Carl engaged in fur trapping, welling the cured pelts to a Bay City furrier. The furrier impressed with his carvings displayed them in his shop window. A wealthy lady visitor from New York became interested in Carl's work and purchased one of his sculptures which he entitled "Norwegian Fighting Polar Bear". When she returned to New York, she showed the work to her close friend America's renowned sculptor Henry Kirk Brown, who at once declared it the work of a genius and asked that Carl come east to New York and join Brown's apprenticeship program at his studies at Newburg on the Hudson. That was the winter of 1865/56. Carl was just 17. He would study and learn his craft with HK Brown Studios for the next 8 years.
One of the best works done by Carl during his apprenticeship was a statue of a Lexington colt, modeled from life. Many hundreds of copies of this piece were made in plaster and could be seen throughout America. Carl spent a winter at Washington, D.C.'s world famous Cacorian Art Gallery arranging and grouping special exhibitions. This was the time of the U.S. Grant presidency and it is rumored that Carl had made the acquaintance of Nellie Grant. Carl was awarded the distinct privilege to design and execute the colossal equestrian of "Old Fuss and Feathers", General of the army Winfield Scott. During this period Carl again met the President (and Nellie) as Grant was particularly interested in the project, being a personal friend of Scott's. The placement of the Scott memorial was at the circle intersection of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Avenues, a short six blocks from the White House.
Now, at age of 25, Carl was ready to leave the confines of H.K. Brown and compete in the competitive world for commissions on his own.
His first adventure was to New York City, working with J.Q.A. Ward, the famous American sculptor whose genius ran mostly to the production of equestrian statues. While in New York, he heard the news that Michigan was in the process of building a new State Capitol in Lansing and sculptors were needed. He had been in east 10 years and longed to return home. He sent off his resume and was invited to Lansing for a interview. He was successful in being awarded the sculpturing required in the main east pediment.
He moved to Lansing in the fall of 1875. The title given to the east pediment was "The Rise and Progress of Michigan" and was to emulate that spirit. Carl took advantage of his notoriety and in September 1876 opened up a studio in the Woodworth block. Carl kept busy with additional sculpture projects as word of his expertise spread through the professional and political ranks in the Capitol. In 1877 a fire destroyed his studio. In 1878 he returned to H.K. Brown Studios. In 1886 H.K.Brown passed away. His widow and son sought new directions. Carl decided his future would be better served by returning to Michigan to live permanently. In 1887 he opened his studio at 26 Seitz block in downtown Detroit.
In the year 1888/89 he met a Canadian girl, 19 years his junior, by the name of Annie Haslett. Annie was an accomplished artist and teacher. They were married on June 19, 1889, in the city of her birth, London, Ontario. Their marriage certificate lists Carl as 41 and Annie as 22. Annie's parents were Benjamin and Emma Salter Haslett both born in Sussex, England. They returned to Detroit. Early 1907, Annie took sick.
Carl continued his work. He rented what was a perfect building for lodging and a studio combined in a carriage house at 43 Davenport just off Woodward Ave. It was here he met Edwin Burch. They became close friends. One of his faults was that when he had money, after being paid for a completed sculpture, the money would be gone in a short time. He was just too much of a soft touch when it came to helping a friend down on his luck. Edwin then offered to Carl the upper level of a large carriage house on his back property at 91 Davenport, at no cost. In the fall of 1921 Ed invited Carl to spend a few days at his summer home in Memphis, MI. One day after lunch, Carl decided to take a stroll downtown to a barber shop. While sitting in the barber chair, Carl began to get stomach pains which became so excruciating that he passed out. Carl never regained consciousness and died at 5:30 p.m. The cause of death is listed as "Acute Indigestion". His daughter Freide went to the funeral home and they would not let her see her father, which made her suspicious. Later Ed Burch said that the color of his skin was so dark and discolored that he was sure she would not want to remember her father looking like that. Freide described the condition to a doctor friend and he said that it sounded like food poisoning. To Freide there was no doubt who may have had something to do with her fathers death and that was none other than the 2nd Mrs. Burch. The 2nd Mrs. Burch never liked Carl. Nothing ever came of it, no autopsy. Ed was a true friend to the last. He purchased a number of grave sites for the Burch family and offered one of them for Carl's final resting place. It was not until 1992 that Carl's grave site was marked with a stone. His grandson had one prepared which simply says "Carl Herman Wehner" Artist-Sculptor, May 6, 1848, October 21, 1921.
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