The Wilson Families of Warren County, Ohio

AARON WILSON, retired farmer, Springboro; born in this township April 17, 1815; is a son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Mason) Wilson, natives of New Jersey. The grandparents were Savel and Susanna (Chew) Wilson, he a native of Ireland and she of England, but who emigrated to America prior to the Revolutionary war; were married in New Jersey, and lived and died in that State. The father of Susanna Chew purchased 5,000 acres of land on the Delaware River, where he settled, and which was known during the war as “ Chew’s Landing.” Savel Wilson, although not a soldier in the war, yet he was made a prisoner by the British for not giving certain information of the whereabouts of some of the American officers, and was kept a prisoner for three months, and then discharged on account of sickness. Jesse and family resided in New Jersey till the spring of 1805, then emigrated to Ohio and located in Clear Creek Township, Warren Co., on a farm still in possession of his son Aaron; this place was then all in the woods but a small piece, which had been deadened and a log cabin erected; here they commenced to make a home and a farm, and passed through the many hardships and trials of those pioneer days, and here they resided till their deaths; he died Nov. 6, 1849, aged 77 years; she died June 6, 1860, aged nearly 80 years; they had eight children — six sons and two daughters; four now survive — Rachel, now Widow Willis: Israel, now a practicing physician in Cincinnati; Mary, now Widow Davis; and Aaron. Mr. Wilson was a truly devoted member of the Society of Friends, a man who devoted himself closely to business, and of undoubted integrity; one who never sought or held office, but refused every offer of that kind; was a man of great energy and force of character, and always took great interest in the development and progress of the community; was the first in this vicinity to cultivate improved grafted fruit, and deserves, perhaps more than any other man, the credit of bringing this county to its present high reputation for good fruits; on his farm was one of the best orchards, noted for fine varieties of fruit, in this vicinity, the grafts for which he brought from New Jersey on horseback, in his saddle-bags. Mr. Wilson was a very prosperous farmer, and. by his industry and good management, accumulated a good competency, and furnished every one of his children with a farm and a good start in life. The subject of this sketch was raised to farm labor; was married, Oct. 20, 1842, to Sarah Jane, daughter of Jacob and Judith Brown, natives of Loudoun Co.. Va., who became residents of Greene Co., Ohio, in 1835, where they lived and died; they had eleven children; three now survive — George W.. Sarah Jane and Nixon G. Sarah Jane was born in Virginia June 22, 1820. Mr. Wilson and wife have had five children — Lucinda, bora Oct. 13. 1843, died Nov. 15. 1868; Israel, bora May 25, 1846, died Sept 5. 1849; Jesse E., born March 2, 1850, died July 8, 1851; Mary Emma, born Aug. 7, 1853; and Elmar, bora July 28, 1860, and died May 30, 1864. Mr. Wilson, after his marriage, located upon the home place of his father, where he resided till, the spring of 1870, he removed to Springboro, where he has since resided, living retired from all active business; he was a resident of the old home place where he was born for fifty-five years, and still owns the farm, which has now been in possession of the Wilson family for seventy-six years. Mr. Wilson, in his life and character, is much like his father; never holds or accepts office; is an excellent neighbor and citizen, and has made life a success; by industry and economy he has become well situated financially, and is now able to pass his later years in comfort and plenty; and, in the success and character of his life, stands as a worthy example to the rising generations.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ROBERT WILSON (deceased) was born in Rockbridge Co., Va., Nov. 10,,797, and came with his parents to Hopkinsville, Warren Co., Ohio, about the { yar A. D. 1808, when about 11 years of age. His parents being of limited fc eans, his boyhood was devoted to his own support and to obtaining such edition as the country schools of that day afforded. He taught the school at Hopkinsville and was, for a number of years, Justice of the Peace of Hamilton township. He was Assessor, and, for a number of years, Treasurer, of the county, and represented it one term in the Legislature. In 1843, he removed om Hopkinsville to a farm, purchased about that time, in Union Township, barren Co., about three miles south of Lebanon, where he resided until his,3ath, Nov. 15, 1854. He was an intelligent and progressive farmer, and was. nong the foremost to introduce the improvements in machinery and methods l culture, which have lightened the farmer’s toil and given it better reward, ad, as a means to this end, was active in the organization of the Warren county Agricultural Society. From his early manhood to his death, he was a member of the Associate Reformed Church, at Hopkinsville, and by his life, 3mmended industry, education, morality and religion. On the 25th of August, D. 1825, he was married to Martha Smith, daughter of James and Nancy mith, pioneers of Hamilton Township. Mrs. Wilson died at Lebanon July 9, 1881, aged nearly 80 years. They had eight children, of whom the following brief mention is made: Elizabeth H. Wilson, wife of Allison L. Scott, Esq., who died January, 1859. Jeremiah M. Wilson, attorney at law; admitted to ie bar at Lebanon, Ohio, Gen. Durbin Ward being his tutor; located at Conersville, Ind., and practiced his profession and served as Judge of the Circuit burt for a number of years, and represented his district two terms in Congress, and since then has followed his profession at Washington, D. C., wl he now resides. William W.

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

WILLIAM M. WILSON, farmer; P. O. Red Lion; was born mt he township his residence July 7, 1834. He is a son of Matthew and Eleanor (McClure) wilson, natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky; the father was born Sept. 18, 99, and the mother Sept. 19, 1795. Mr. Wilson came to this county with his rents in 1800; they settled near Red Lion, and, in 1802 removed near Dayu, where they lived till 1806, when they returned and purchased the farm our object now occupies. Mr. Wilson, the father of William, died April 9, 1881, d his mother died June 22, 1855; William, the subject of this sketch, was ared on his father’s farm. Jan. 11, 1865, he was joined in marriage to Minva E. Iddings, daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Iddings, born near Dayn June 18 1846; three children were added to this union; two are living — ary E., born May 5, 1867; and Edward I., born Oct. 8, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. wilson are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Wilson is a Republican, e owns 106 acres of the old homestead, and is engaged in agriculture and lock-raising.

JOHN WESLEY Jersey Sept. 14, 1812;

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