In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1840, Clark County
From The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens (1882)
NELSON WILSON, farmer and retired merchant, has 130 acres of land in section 30. He was born in Clark County, Illinois, in 1840, and came to this state in 1865, commencing farming with his father, Reason Wilson, near Maryville. In 1872 he engaged in trade in Bridgewater, and continued the business there and in Arkoe, until 188 1, when he sold out. He then moved on to his farm, which he is improving for a home. He married Miss Martha E. Gaskill, in this county, in 1869. They have five children: Dora, Reason, Wesley, Theodore, and Jeannetta. He was postmaster at Bridgewater and Arkoe, for nine years. Reason Wilson, his father was born in Kentucky in 1805, and came to Missouri in 1865, and settled on a farm near Maryville, where he died in 1878. He married Sarah Clapp in Illinois. She was born in South Carolina, her parents being German. Of this marriage there are now living: Lewis, Alexander, Clarinda, Harriet, Perry, Elizabeth, Sarah and Reason. Mrs. Wilson is now living with her son in Nebraska.
As printed in The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.