The Wilson Families of Madison County, Iowa

JERRY M. WILSON.

Jerry M. Wilson, who was born in Canaan, Indiana, July i6, 1842, was killed by lightning on the 25th of June, 1910, while a resident of Madison county. His father, Robert Wilson, was born on a plantation in Kentucky in 1803. Following his marriage he liberated his slaves and went to Indiana, where he took up his above about 1835, residing there upon a farm which he owned. In 1844, however, he came to Iowa, settling in Jefferson county, and in 1852 he made his way to Winterset and soon afterward took up his above upon a farm in Lincoln township, Madison county. There he entered into partnership with M. Banner for the operation of a sawmill on Middle river and in 1857 he removed to Adair county, where he owned land and engaged in farming until his death in 1869. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Catherine Salyers, was born in Kentucky in 1805 and died in 1890. They were married in their native state.

Jerry M. Wilson was the eighth in order of birth in his father's family. He attended a school taught by William Kivett. one of the earliest settlers of Madison county, the schoolhouse being located on land which Mr. W'wilson afterward owned. J. J. Hutchings was one of his teachers. He started out in the business world as a farm boy and was employed at farm labor and in a sawmill until the time of his enlistment for service in the Civil war. In 1862 he joined Company I of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, and lost the forefinger on his left hand through dropping a loaded revolver which was accidentally discharged. After the war he returned to his home and during the succeeding winter again attended the district school, then taught by Octavia Lee. The following spring he started with ox teams and provisions for Pike's Peak and after disposing of the provisions he engaged in hauling logs to a sawmill and then in hauling lumber into Denver. He remained in that country, however, for but a short time. On the trips west and back he had to watch all of his stuff" at night for fear of Indian raids. The white men traveled in large companies so as to protect themselves against the Indians.

At length Mr. Wilson returned home and the next spring began breaking prairie with ox teams for William Early. He led a most busy and active life and was willing to do any work that would yield him an honest living. At length he became the owner of some land which he fenced and built thereon a home. He continued breaking prairie and in the winter of 1868-9 hauled logs for James Bush from the sawmill on Middle river. He earned seven dollars per acre at breaking one hundred acres of brush land for Mr. Bush, and three dollars per acre for breaking prairie and in this way secured the money which enabled him to continue the improvement of his own farm. For many years he lived in Adair county and carried on general agricultural pursuits, bringing his land immer

ASTOR, LE;' TILDEN yOUo a high state of cuhivation and adding to it many modern improvements. He became the largest cattle feeder of his community and always raised good stock. He was also a stockholder, one of the directors and one of the first presidents of the Macksburg National Bank. In business affairs he displayed sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise, formulated his plans carefully and carried them forward to successful completion. As his financial resources increased he kept adding to his property until at one time he was the owner of thirteen hundred acres of land in Adair and Madison counties. He became one of the heaviest stockholders in the Winterset, Creston & Des Moines Railroad and after the company disbanded he was influential in effecting its reorganization. Of the first company he was the president and at the time of his death he was vice president of the new organization, called the Creston, Winterset & Des Moines Railroad. The Wilson family is largely responsible for the fact that a railroad has been extended into Macksburg.

In 1869 Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Laura M. Darby, who was born in Holmes county, Ohio, January 3, 1843. a daughter of John E. and Lucy A. (Tuttle) Darby, both of whom were natives of New York. The former was born at Catskill in 181 5 and died in 1890, while the mother, who was born at Rochester, New York, in 1821, passed away in 1849. In his boyhood days Mr. Darby went to Ohio and afterward engaged in teaching school there. They lived in Holmes county when that was a new country and he became principal of the schools of Berlin. Attracted by the opportunities of the growing west, he came overland to Winterset in 1855 and was employed as a teacher in the schools of the town, he and his daughter Almira both teaching in an unfinished building here. In 1856 he removed with his family to Cedar Creek in Union township, where he purchased land and engaged in farming. About 1858 he removed to Penn township, where he entered land on section 16. At once he began to improve and develop that property and continued to reside there until his death. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and took a most active and helpful part in its work. He became a preacher of the denomination and rode the circuit when Adair county was a mission district. Later he actively entered the ministry and for two years had charge of a church at Adel and for two years at De Soto but still maintained his residence ujxin his farm in Penn township. In politics he was very active as a stalwart republican and was known as the "old war horse" in his district. In the early days he was an ardent abolitionist and his home was a station on the memorial)le underground railroad, over which many a runaway slave was transported to freedom in the norlli. While living in Ohio he held membership in the Masonic lodge but did not become identified with the craft in Iowa. Having lost his first wife, he married again in Ohio.

Mrs. Wilson was the third of the si.x children in the Darby family. She did not come to Iowa with her father and the other children but reached this state in 1860. She became a teacher in the early schools of the county and for ten years continued teaching, following that work even after her marriage. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have always taken the keenest interest in the schools and their work in behalf of education has been far-reaching and beneficial. To them were born five children, as follows: Eugene, who is cashier of the First National Bank of Winterset and the present mayor of the town; Sibyl, the wife of E. B. Marsh, of Grand River township, by whom she has five children; Clarence, an

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

In his political views Mr. Wilson was an earnest advocate of republican principles, active in the work of the party, and in 1899 he was elected from Adair county as representative of the district in the state legislature. He was a very progressive man, interested in the welfare and development of the community, and his cooperation could always be counted upon to further plans and projects for the public good. He became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1895. He had previously given the land upon which the church edifice was erected and he served as church steward. He also held local political offices, acting as township trustee, as assessor and as a member of the county board of supervisors for six years. While returning to his home from Macksburg he was struck by lightning and his life was thus ended. He had a wide acquaintance and all who knew him recognized in him the possession of many sterling traits of heart and mind. Wherever he was known he was held in high esteem and most of all where he was best known, and his many good qualities endeared him to those with whom he came in contact.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EugCne Wilson, mayor of \Mnterset and a well known grain dealer and elevator man of this city, was born in Adair county, Iowa, near the line separating that county from Madison county, on the 12th of February, 1871. His parents were Jerry M. and Laura M. (Darby) Wilson, of whom mention is made on another page of this volume. He spent his boyhood upon the home farm and early became familiar with agricultural work. He was given more than usual educational advantages, as, following his completion of the public-school course, he entered Highland Park College of Des Moines Iowa. Upon leaving that institution he engaged in farming a one hundred and twenty acre tract, which his father gave him in Grand River township, this county. After a time, however, he leased the home place and continued to operate it until his father's death. The property was then divided among the heirs and Eugene Wilson inherited three hundred and twenty acres of excellent land. He carried on general farming and stock-raising until ic;o8, when he rented his land and came to Winterset. He then engaged in the real-estate business, which he had previously followed to a small extent, and about a year later concentrated his attention upon the settling up of his father's estate, of which he was administrator and which represented about two hundred thousand dollars. He next engaged in the automobile business but after about two years turned his attention to the buying and shi])ping of grain, in which he is still engaged. He has an excellent elevator and handles many carloads of grain annually. His business methods are above susi)tion and as he possesses excellent judgment and is energetic and aggressive the volume of his business is constantly increasing. He is president of the National Bank of Macksburg and is a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Winterset.

On the lath of December, 1907. Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Pearl Rowe. a native of this county and a daughter of Henry and.Almira (Johns) Rowe. Her father is a horse dealer, who is residing in Macksburg. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have been born two children: Winter Mamie and Wyman.

Mr. Wilson is a standpat republican, believing in the integrity and wisdom of the party that for so many years successfully governed the country and that still has so large a voice in the control of affairs. In the spring of 1913 he was elected mayor of 'interest and is still holding that office, proving an efficient and incorruptible official. For two terms he held the office of county surveyor of Adair county while living in that county. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons and the Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodges of those organizations at Macksburg. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and takes an active part in its work. He comes of a family that has long been honored in this county and is proving a worthy successor of his father and grandfather, manifesting marked business ability and at all times conforming his life to high ethical standards.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CLARENCE E. WILSON.

Clarence E. Wilson, of Penn township, is one of the most progressive and energetic of the farmers of that township, and his place on section 1 is as finely improved as any farm in the township. In addition to growing the usual crops he raises thoroughbred stock and finds that the two phases of agriculture can best be followed at the same time. He is a native of Penn township, born on the lath of December, 1871, of the marriage of Christopher and Martha (Newby) Wilson, both natives of Indiana. The father became a resident of Madison county, Iowa, before the day of the railroads and bought land in Penn township of the federal government. For many years he farmer there but the last four years of his life were spent in Earlham. He was successful to a marked degree and acquired almost six hundred acres of land. He passed away on the 26th of March, 1909, but his widow is still living and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Godby.

Clarence E. Wilson attended the public schools in the neighborhood of the family homestead and supplemented the education thus acquired by study in Earlham Academy and in Penn College at Oskaloosa, Iowa. When he reached his majority his father took him into partnership and he continued to remain with his parents until the demise of his father. He then purchased two hundred

ASTOi, L- TILDEN FC; and forty acres of land on section 1, Penn township, and has since utilized his energies in its cultivation and development. It is now splendidly improved, the fields are enclosed with durable fencing, the barns and outbuildings are well adapted for the storage of grain and the shelter of stock, and the fertility of the soil has been carefully conserved. His residence is attractive and commodious, and everything about the place is neat in appearance.

On the 4th of March. 1903, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wilson and Miss Myrtle Thomas, a daughter of Mark and Almeda (Barnett) Thomas, more detailed mention of whom is made in the sketch of E. M. Thomas, which appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have one child, Audrey M., who is in her first year.

Mr. Wilson is a republican and takes the interest in public aft'airs that he deems to be the duty of every good citizen. His religious faith is that of the Friends church. He is a stockholder in the Citizens Bank of Earlham but derives the greater part of his income from his agricultural and stock-raising interests. He raises nothing but thoroughbred stock, specializing in shorthorn cattle, Shropshire sheep and Poland China hogs. He has found farming a very profitable occupation and also a congenial one, as he prefers out-of-door work and as he values highly the independence of the agriculturist. He believes that the successful operation of a farm demands much expert knowledge and willingness to embody in practice the results of scientific investigators and that the management of the financial phases of agriculture affords ample scope for the exercise of sound business judgment and accordingly endeavors to keep informed as to the latest discoveries in the science of agriculture and to learn exactly the profit that he derives from the various phases of his work. His example is one that contributes in no small degree to the development of a scientific attitude toward farming.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.