Wesley Redhead (1825-1891) was one of Des Moines's most amazing residents. He was born in England, but the family moved to Canada when he was six. His parents died shortly thereafter, and Wesley lived with relatives in Cincinnati and in Vermont. In his early years, he worked many different jobs including a stint on the Erie Canal. He came to Iowa in 1844 and worked on the Iowa Capitol Reporter. In 1851, he moved to Des Moines and within a few years established a downtown book store with partner Richard Wellslager. About this time, he married Isabel Clark, a sister of Ezekiel Clark, a business partner with Samuel Kirkwood, later Iowa's governor. After her death in 1859, he married Anna Seymour, with whom he had eight children. She had been a ward of Judge William McHenry.
   Redhead made his main fortune in coal simply by drilling much further in the ground than other coal miners until he struck a vein of high quality coal. He formed the Des Moines Coal Company, the Black Diamond Coal Company, and several other coal companies. He also worked as an attorney, opened Aetna Fire Insurance Company, and served as vice-president of the Equitable of Iowa. Although originally a Democrat, he became a Republican during the Civil War and was elected to the 21st Iowa General Assembly in 1866. He also served on the school board, as an alderman in Des Moines, and as a Polk County Supervisor. He helped establish the Iowa State Fair permanently in Des Moines.  He was also a primary founder of Asbury Methodist Church with Isaac Brandt and others. 
   In 1866 Redhead built a home in the area near what is now East 17th Street and Dean Avenue. The residence was originally named Prairie View, but when it was enlarged in the late 1870s, it was renamed Seven Gables. The enlarged home included 20 rooms, 48 windows, 60 doorways, eight fireplaces, five porches, and nine stairways. The home was a center of Des Moines entertainment for many years.
   Among Redhead's various friends and associates were Benjamin F. Allen, Hoyt Sherman, William Vincent, William Phillips, John Teesdale, James W. Davis, Frank Butler, Edwin Sanford, Leander Davis, Joseph M. Griffiths, Ira Cook, George Sneer, George Savery, Phineas Casady, Jefferson Logan, L. W. Demus, and Charles Dawson.
   One out of state friend was Phineas Taylor Barnum who Redhead met in an interesting way. Barnum was taking his circus through Des Moines on his way to Kansas City and had an extra day on his schedule. He asked city authorities if he could set up his circus but was refused because his circus was deemed "riff-raff" entertainment. A local resident told him to contact Redhead. When he did so, Redhead told Barnum to set up the circus in his yard.  Barnum stayed with the Redheads that night at Seven Gables. Before departing in the morning, Barnum gave Redhead a mechanical toy elephant as a memento.