Bartholomew Wilson

As printed in 1897

ARTHOLOMEW WILSON, one of the oldest business men and farmers of Wayne township, Montgomery county, Ohio, was born here, on his father’s farm, July 26, 1826, and is of remote Scottish extraction.

Israel Wilson, father of Bartholomew, was born in Loudoun county, Va., May 24, 1798, but at the age of three years was left an orphan and was bound out to Moses Miller, of the same county. In 1812, when Israel was fourteen years of age, Mr. Miller came to Ohio, bringing with him his family, young Wilson included, and settled in the woods of Wayne township. Israel here began learning blacksmithing under Mr. Miller, but, disliking the trade, was permitted to learn millwrighting under a Mr. Staley. In March, 1824, Mr. Wilson married, in Wayne township, Miss Elizabeth Booher, who was born in Washington county, Pa., August 16, 1804, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Crull*) Booher. John Booher was a native of Washington county, Md., whence he moved to Pennsylvania, and in 1807 brought his family to Wayne township, Montgomery county, Ohio, and settled on a tract of 160 acres, the title to which he received from the government in 1814. His children were named John, Margaret, Catherine, Samuel, Elizabeth, Bartholomew, Mary, Daniel, Anna, Sarah and Levi. Mr. Booher died on his farm at the age of eighty-six years, a member of the German Baptist church; his widow lived to reach the great age of ninety-three years and seven months, and died at the residence of her son Daniel, in Harrison township, her descendants numbering eleven children, eighty-six grandchildren, 118 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

After his marriage Mr. Wilson settled on seventy acres of wooded land in Wayne township, and this farm he increased to 201 acres. He and his wife were members of the United

Brethren church, of which he was a steward and trustee for many years. In politics he was at first a whig and then became a republican, and for several years served as township treasurer. His death took place January 16, 1874, in his seventy-sixth year, and he left behind him a spotless name. The children born to Israel Wilson and wife were named Bartholomew, John, Ephraim, Isaiah and Mary J. The mother of this family died August 17, 1872, at the age of sixty-eight years, and was a woman of many estimable qualities.

Bartholomew Wilson, at the age of twenty years, in 1846, began burning lime on his father’s farm. He furnished lime for the old stone court house in Dayton and for many other large buildings in the city and elsewhere, and carried on the business for forty-eight years, when he retired with a competency. October 25, 1846, he married Miss Margaret A. Brenner, who was born in Wayne township June 2, 1828, a daughter of Jacob S. and Sarah A. (Mathews) Brenner, and went to housekeeping on the Wilson homestead, where they lived for three years. They then moved to a farm three miles south of the Miami river, where they lived seven years, when Mr. Wilson bought a farm in company with John L. Brenner, at present a member of congress from the Dayton district. This farm contained 163 acres, and here Mr. Wilson lived for three years, when he built the first house in Sulphur Grove, where he resided for ten years. In 1880 he moved to Dayton, where he made his home until 1893, when he retired to his present place. The marriage of Mr. Wilson was blessed with six children, viz: Henry, Sarah E., Dr. Isaiah B., Levina, Laura and Mary. Mrs. Wilson was called from earth April 3, 1893, in the faith of the United Brethren church, and on December 7, 1895, Mr. Wilson married Miss Catherine Brenner, who was born in Wayne township October 10, 1846, a daughter of Elias and Barbara (Detrick) Brenner. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of the United Brethren church, in which Mr. Wilson has served as steward, choir leader and trustee. In politics he is a republican, and served as township treasurer for ten years from 1860; fraternally he is a member of Osborn lodge, No. 414, I. O. O. F. Mr. Wilson is a man of enterprise, liberality and public spirit, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of the entire community. He has done much toward the development of Wayne township, and the product of his industry is scattered throughout the county as a component part of many a substantial building.

As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.