C. L. Wilson

As printed in 1910

C. L. WILSON.

No history of the leading citizens of Lafayette county would be complete without prominent mention of the genial manager of the Diamond Coal Company of Corder, a man who has made many friends wherever people know him and who, by his many virtues, fully merits the friendship and confidence which he possesses.

C. L. Wilson was born in Dover township, Lafayette county, Missouri, September i8, 1865, the son of John and Eliza Ann (HoUings worth) Wilson, his father a native of Bury, England, his mother of Dover, this county. John Wilson's parents came to America in 1843, when he was thirteen years old, and located on a farm in Dover township, which is still in the family. His father farmer until his death. John obtained what education he got in England and farmer on the place his father had entered, operating two hundred acres. He was a very strong and active Democrat, and he and his wife were members of the Christian church at Dover, the first church of any kind in the state, and they took a prominent part in church work. He also took a strong part in the Grange. He and his wife, who are now dead, were the parents of fourteen children.

C. L. Wilson's maternal grandfather came from Virginia in the early thirties to Dover, where he located as a carpenter and builder. In 1849 he crossed the plains to California, and there died.

C. L. Wilson was educated at the district schools, the Central Business College and the Northwestern Normal at Stanberry, Missouri. He taught school in Carroll and Lafayette counties for five years, then after his marriage he farmer five years, at the expiration of which time he came to Corder to act as the manager of the Diamond Coal Company, which position he has since satisfactorily and ably filled.

On March 22, 1892, Mr. Wilson was married to Roberta L. Corder, daughter of George W. and Bettie (Wall) Corder, her father a native of Virginia, her mother of North Carolina. Her father came with his parents, Nathan and Nancy Corder, to this county early, and they entered government, land south of the site of Corder, owning several sections. Her father lived in this county until his death, at the age of sixty-five years, in 1890. He was a farmer, owning and operating a section of land where Corder was laid out and built and named after him. George W. Corder served throughout the war with General Shelby. He was a Democrat, active in politics, but not aspiring to office, a Methodist and a Freemason, and had a wide influence in this part of the county. His wife was the daughter of William Wall, a pioneer of Henry county. They were the parents of three sons and three daughters.

Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Wilson are the parents of the following children: Elizabeth, Leslie, William, Roberta and Katherine. Mr. Wilson has always been an active Democrat, and at this writing (August 2, 1910) was nominated by his party for county collector. He and his family are consistent members of the Methodist church. The Masons, in which he is a past master, and the Modern Woodmen claim him as an active member. In 1905 he erected his present comfortable home, which is the equal of any residence of its size in the county.

Mr. Wilson is a man of great activity and makes his presence felt in whatever he undertakes. Such men as he are a great credit to any community, and Corder is rightly glad to have Mr. Wilson as one of her citizens.

As printed in Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.