Harry Wade was born in Bristol, England, on August 25, 1883. He was 16 when the Boer War broke out in South Africa in October 1899. He enlisted in the British army and because of his young age, was made a valet of the British general. He was decorated for valor and service. Harry returned to England in 1902 and a year later he came to the U.S., settling in Kewanee, Illinois. There he organized a Boy’s Brigade patterned after the Baden-Powell troops in Africa. It consisted of 25 boys and is thought to be the first such organization in the U.S. Harry married Enid L. Lathan on July 7, 1906, in Beloit.

They returned to Kewanee but in 1908 they came back to Beloit with their first son. Harry was employed at the Gardner machine Company as a pattern maker for 10 years. He then became a supervisor at Fairbanks Morse and continued to work there until he retired. Mr. Wade was associated with the Beloit YMCA. In 1908 he organized a Boy’s Brigade in Beloit, which did much hiking, camping, swimming, other out-of-doors activities and frequently marched in patriotic parades. Membership was some-times as many as sixty. John Wade, the oldest son, and Douglas, who was born in 1909, frequently accompanied their father and his unit on many excursions. Mr. Wade continued his interest in the YMCA where he assisted with circuses and held classes in the art of make-up and clowning.

He is credited as the originator of the Gold Star Service Flag, having suggested the idea to the U.S. War Department in 1918. Though Mr. Wade was not Scottish, he and his brother from Rockford often attended gatherings and picnics of the Scottish clans. The two would demonstrate a Scottish dance; with the help of some young ladies in Highland garb they would dance over crossed swords while sons John and Douglas held a Union Jack on poles to form a background. Harry Wade became very proficient in the use of swords. In 1914 the first official Boy Scout troop was organized at the Second Congregational Church in Beloit. The Wades were Presbyterian and helped in the development of Troop 10 at their church where John became a scout and Lathan, the third and youngest son, served as a scoutmaster for a time.

As the threat of World War I grew the Brigade boys gradually became leaders of other Beloit troops. Harry Wade continued his work with boys at the YMCA, at his church and in the Boy Scout organization as a teacher and counselor. Harry died on April 16, 1967, at the age of 83 years.