In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1915) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions (1915), The history of Madison County, Ohio (1883)
H. WILSON, farmer, P. O. London, was born in Madison County, June 6, 1852. He is a son of Eli and Atha (Prugh) Wilson, who were of English descent, and among the early settlers of this county. His father was one of the leading farmers of the county, and at the time of his death, in 1880, owned 900 acres of land, which he had made by his own industry. Our subject was educated in Oak Run Township, and adopted the occupation of farming, which he has since followed. He is the owner of 119 acres of good land, on which he resides. He was married in 1875, to Delia Wilson, a daughter of Jacob Wilson, and a native of Ohio, of English de cent. They have two children, Norman and Pearl. Mr. Wilson is a Republican in politics.
As printed in The history of Madison County, Ohio (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
HIRAM RUSSELL WILSON.
No citizen of Somerford township is more highly respected than Hiram Russell Wilson, a farmer at Tradersville in Madison county, Ohio. Ever since beginning life on his own responsibility, Mr. Wilson has been compelled to shift for himself, and the competence which he has accumulated in the passing years is the fruit of his own personal efforts.
Hiram Russell Wilson was born on September 24, 1852, in Mineral county. West Virginia, and at the age of nine years accompanied his parents, Peter and Louisa (Hull) Wilson, to Clark county, Ohio. Both of his parents were natives of West Virginia. Peter Wilson’s parents died in early life, and he was bound out to Alexander Riley. He grew to manhood as an apprentice. Hiram Russell Wilson grew to manhood In Clark county, Ohio, on a farm, and lived there until eighteen years old, when his parents removed to Fayette county. He accompanied them and lived at home until twenty-three years old. Still later his parents removed to Lilly Chapel, Madison county, and engaged in farming. After living in Madison county some eight or ten years, they returned to Clark county, a few miles from their son’s present residence, and there died, the father in September, 1886, at the age of sixty-five, and the mother about twenty years later in West Virginia. Peter Wilson was a poor man when he came to Ohio, and, after coming here, rented land from different persons. His son, Hiram, is the only member of the family now living in Madison county. William and George both returned to West Virginia, where George still lives. Another brother, John, was a practicing physician in Miami county, Indiana.
After leaving home at the age of twenty-three, Hiram R. Wulson learned the blacksmith’s trade at Lilly Chapel with George Wright. He followed the trade for twenty-two years in succession, working at Lilly Chapel, at Somerford and still later at Lafayette, operating shops of his own. In 1901 he removed to his present farm, known as the old Isaac Fox farm, at Tradersville. He now owns one hundred and nine acres of land. In the meantime he has remodeled the house and made out of it an attractive country home. Mr. Wilson keeps purebred Jersey cattle, which are all eligible to register. By separating the cream and selling it, he makes a very satisfactory profit from the farm. Mr. Wilson especially enjoys stock raising.
On November 6, 1882, Hiram Russell Wilson was married to Margaret A. Sidner, daughter of Philip and Minerva (Southern) Sidner. Mrs. Wilson’s father is a half-brother of Clark Sidner, whose sketch is presented elsewhere in this volume. Philip and Clark are sons of Jacob Sidner. Mrs. Wilson was born at Lilly Chapel. She and her husband were young people together. They have three children, Blanche, Ercel and Guy. Blanche is a graduate nurse and lives at home. Ercel is a student at the Evangelical Institute at Chicago, Illinois. Guy is operating the home farm. He attended the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, for some time, and expected to take an electrical engineering course, but has abandoned that for agriculture and will take an agricultural course.
Hiram Bussell Wilson is a thorough-going temperance man, and at the age of sixty-three years can truthfully say that he has never taken a drink of whisky, a chew of tobacco or a smoke in his life. His son is also a total abstainer. Neither does he know one card from another. In the community where he lives his Influence among the young and rising generation is regarded as of a most wholesome character. He is not a politician, and, while nominally identified with the Republican party, votes for the man rather than the party. Although he has served on the school board, generally speaking he has kept out of office and has never aspired to public place. Mr. Wilson is a most deserving and honorable citizen, and respected in the community where he Bros.
As printed in History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Jacob Sidner
The printed record stops around 1915. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.