Anson Wilson

WILSON, STINSON, HENRY, HOOPER, PECK, SCALES, WRIGHT, MALLARD, KIRKPATRICK, BURLESON, HANSON

Posted By: LuAnn Goeke (email)
Date: 1/29/2009 at 15:31:00

ANSON H. WILSON, farmer, Sec. 25; P. O. Maquoketa; is a native of Canada, and was born within a few miles of Niagara Falls May 27, 1816; he grew up to manhood there; in the spring of 1839, he started on foot for the West; there were four others with him; when they reached the Mississippi River at Savanna, Mr. Wilson was anxious to cross the river; he and the ferryman and a horse crossed in a skiff; the horse was led in the skiff, which was only large enough for him to stand; Mr. Wilson was in the bow of the skiff holding the head of the horse; the ferryman, who was seated right in front of the fore legs of the horse, warned Mr. Wilson that if the horse should raise one of his feet, over they would go, and that they must cling to the boat; they rode about three miles and crossed safely. An Irishman, who was watching the small boat and its curious cargo in amazement, when they reached the west bank of the river, said Gabriel must have blown his trumpet, or they never would have crossed the river in that way. It was a perilous ride and one that Mr. Wilson never desired to repeat. He reached Maquoketa in June, 1839; at that early day, claims were made to the land near Maquoketa, but Mr. Wilson, one night while attending a claim suit, heard Joe Henry, agent for Hooper, Peck & Scales, of Galena, testify that the claim where Mr. Wilson now lives was not taken up. The latter slipped quickly out of the crowd, and, though it was after 11 o'clock, he got a team and a load of rails and started to make the claim; upon reaching the land, he found another man had got a little the start of him, having reached the same place just ahead of him and was unloading rails; Mr. Wilson paid him $10 and took the claim and has lived there ever since; he began making a farm and engaged in farming; in 1840, he and Mr. Goodenow began breaking prairie. There are very few men who have the courage and determination to go through what Mr. Wilson experienced in breaking prairie with oxen and sleeping among snakes. The first flag that was raised in this county or in this part of it, he bought the cloth in Dubuque and he and Thomas Wright painted it, and it was hoisted on the Fred Mallard place, just east of Buck Horn, July 4, 1841. Scott Kirkpatrick was the orator of the day. One of the first suits that Mr. Wilson ever attended, he and Shade Burleson pleaded the case in which there was half a bushel of corn involved. There are very few men living in Jackson Co. who have endured more and can interest and relate of the early incidents and happenings as well as he and Shade Burleson. He owns a good farm near town and has held office of Town Trustee and other town and school offices. Mr. Wilson was married, Feb. 15, 1841, to Miss Martha Stinson, from New York State; she died April 21, 1847; they had four children, none of whom are living. On the 23d of December, 1849, he married Miss M. Hanson, from New York State; she came to Jackson Co. in August, 1838; they have two children—one son, Volney, and one daughter, Laura A., both living at home. - 1879 History of Jackson County Iowa, pg 649-650.