ANSON H WILSON, b 27 May 1816

WILSON, KINNARD, STIMSON, HANSEN, HIGGINS, GREEN, BURKE, HARRIS

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/28/2005 at 17:59:32

Anson H. Wilson was one of the early pioneers of Jackson County, coming here in the spring of 1839, and thus for half a century has been closely connected with its farming interests. He still owns the old homestead in South Fork Township, which he took up shortly after arriving here, and which, through years of hard toil, he has reclaimed from the wild prairies and developed into a valuable farm, amply supplied with neat and comfortable buildings, including a commodious stone house and a large frame barn, and all the necessary machinery and appliances for cultivating the land to advantage. Mr. Wilson is classed among our self-made men, who, while striving to build up comfortable homes for themselves and families, have been instrumental in developing the vast resources of the county where they settled in the vigor of early manhood. He is an intelligent, well-informed man, and his graphic accounts of pioneer times are very interesting, and we are pleased to incorporate some of the experiences of his early life in this biography.

The subject of this sketch was born near Niagara Falls, on the Canadian side, May 27, 1816. His father, John Wilson, a Revolutionary patriot, was a native of the same State, and before the War of 1812 he removed from there to Canada. He bought wild land, cleared a farm, and there passed the remainder of his life. The father of our subject was young when his father removed to Canada, and after his marriage he bought land in Crowland, near Niagara Falls. It was heavily timbered, and after erecting a log house, he commenced to clear away the tall old trees of the forest, and there made his home until 1844. In that year he returned to the United States, and, coming to Iowa, bought land in South Fork Township, improved a farm, and resided there until his death. The maiden name of his wife was Hannah Kinnard. She was born in Philadelphia, Pa., a daughter of Abraham Kinnard, and spent her last years with our subject. She and her husband were people of excellent character and great worth, and were held in high estimation wheresoever they were known.

The subject of this sketch was reared in his native country to the life of a farmer. He remained at home with his parents until 1838, and then he started out into the world to make his own way in life. He proceeded to Michigan, and thence to Kalamazoo, in that State, where he spent the summer of 1838, on a farm in Kalamazoo and Berrien Counties. In the spring of 1839, he started with four others to explore the West and met with many adventures. The party had but one horse between them, on which they packed their baggage. After exploring Northern Indiana they journeyed to Chicago, then a small place, and there passed the night. The next day it rained very hard, and the wind blew violently; but our subject, and his friends were anxious to proceed, and at 4 o'clock p.m. they all started for a place known as Whiskey Point, five miles distant, facing the sleet, with the water knee deep. Mr. Wilson, putting his blanket over his head, was the first one to sally forth, and he soon distanced his companions, and at six o'clock arrived at his destination. One of his friends arrived there at 9 o'clock, while the three others got lost, had to stay out all night, and did not arrive at Whisky Point until 11 o'clock the next day. From there they proceeded to Rockford and other points in Northern Illinois, which was at that time unsettled, except in places where a few claims had been made. The young men finally arrived at Savanna, on the banks of the Mississippi River, and determined to cross the stream into the Territory of Iowa. The ferry-boat at that place was out of repair; but the man who had charge of it told our subject and his friends that if they could get the horse into the skiff he would take them over. The horse went into the boat all right, and it fell to the lot of Mr. Wilson to sit in the bow and hold the animal while the boat was propelled across, as any movement of the horse might upset the boat. They landed safely, however, and the ferryman returned after the remainder of the party, and they then started for the interior. When they arrived at Deep Creek they found no bridge, and the horse refused to go into the water. They tried to push him in, but did not succeed in that until they obtained a stout pole, when the four of them managed to get him over the brink into the creek, and Jesse Wilson, brother of our subject, mounted the steed to guide him across. Both horse and rider sank out of sight, but came up all right and made for the other bank, and the other boys, having crossed the stream on a log, put a rope around the neck of the horse and pulled him out of the water. They then proceeded to the present site of Maquoketa, where they found Mr. J.E. Goodenow, the founder of the city, living in the only house within its present limits. The following day our subject and his comrades started out to explore the country in search of vacant claims. Three of his companions soon returned to their old home; but he and Mr. Current were determined to stay, being favorably impressed with what they had seen of the country. Mr. Wilson, who had previously dug some wells, proposed to dig one for Mr. Goodenow, who had none at that time. A start was made, and soon some contrivance was found necessary to bring the loosened dirt up to the surface, and a windlass was constructed, in which log chains were used instead of ropes. A nice flow of water was struck at a depth of forty feet, and after inserting a box in the bottom of the well, Mr. Wilson got into the tub and gave the signal to his co-workers to raise it. Mr. Current was managing the windlass, and our subject came up all right until his head reached the surface, when one of the hooks struck the windlass, and, in the extra effort required to raise the tub higher, the lever broke, one end striking Mr. Current in the stomach, and sending him sprawling some feet away, while Mr. Wilson quickly descended to the bottom of the well in the tub. But strange to say he was not much injured by his rapid descent. Mr. Current soon gathered himself up, and, repairing to the well, he looked down, half expecting to see the mangled corpse of his friend at the bottom, and shouted, "Are you killed, Ans?" Thus ended the history of the digging of the first well in Maquoketa. In the meantime our subject had made a claim west of the present site of Delmar, in Clinton County. All the land near that place had been claimed by various parties, many of them holding large tracts. Among them was a man named Henry, who was holding large tracts in the interest of parties in Galena. A court was being held one night in that vicinity, and this man was called as a witness in some case. He took the stand at about 11 o'clock, and while giving his testimony he said he had not claimed the west half of the southwest quarter of section 25, township 84, range 2. Mr. Wilson hearing this, shortly after left the court room, ran to a neighbor's, harnessed his horses, and, putting a few rails in the wagon, started for the highest point on the tract in question. On his arrival he found another man there, who had come on the same errand. Both had arrived at the same time, so each had equal rights there; but each was fairly disposed toward the other, and the man offered to relinquish his claim on the land for $10, or give Mr. Wilson the same amount to yield the claim to him.

Mr. Wilson gladly acceded to so reasonable an offer, and gave the man the required sum, and secured the claim, and when the land came into the market in 1846 he entered it from the Government. The land is still in his possession. He first built a hewed log house to shelter his family, and in after years replaced it by his present substantial stone dwelling. When our subject first came to Iowa he was unmarried, and at first boarded at Mr. Goodenow's; but he soon secured the use of a vacant log-cabin on section 25, and kept a bachelor's establishment. While living there religious services were held in his dwelling. Dubuque and Galena were then the nearest markets, and it took three or four days to make the round trip. Later, Lyons and Davenport became market towns, and, when the railway was extended to De Witt, the market was thought to be quite near. In September, 1839, after the capital of the Territory had been located at Iowa City, the sale of lots at that point took place, and our subject was the only man from these parts in attendance. He ate a breakfast of mush and milk, and then started on foot for the capital. He walked all day through a lonely country without passing a house, and reached the Wapse River just before dark. He did not attempt to wade the stream, but, without any supper, laid down on the sand to rest. He could not sleep there, so he found a large log, which he used as a couch, and, lying on that face down, he slumbered peacefully. The next morning was a fine one, and he arose refreshed but hungry, and, starting on, found a cabin, where he secured some bread and meat for breakfast. When he came to Cedar River, there being no ferry, he waited for a team to come along, and presently a man came with a team and wagon. The water being deep, the body was lashed on, and the stranger and our subject stood on the seat while the horses swam across, and drew the wagon. Mrs. Wilson arrived at Iowa city on the fifth day of his journey, and found there but one building, a long board shanty, for the accommodation of those who should attend the sale; and sixty people slept there in one bed. While attending the land sale Mr. Wilson held the end board of a wagon, while Gov. Lucas used it for a desk on which to write his proclamation.

Mr. Wilson has been three times married. His first marriage occurred March 15, 1841, when he was united to Miss Martha Stimson, a native of Connecticut; she died in 1847. In December, 1849, he was wedded to Marum Hansen, a native of New York. She died Oct. 4, 1885, leaving two children - Volney and Laura A. Volney married Lizzie Higgins, and resides on the homestead. Laura married Dr. J.E. Green, of Milford, Iowa. Mr. Wilson was married to his present wife, formerly Mrs. Elizabeth Burke, Dec. 5, 1888. Mrs. Wilson was a native of Canada, and a daughter of John J. Harris.

Mr. Wilson has passed the seventy-third milestone that marks the years of a life well spent, and it is the united testimony of those about him who have long known him, that he is a man of solid worth, and one who is in every way deserving of the high regard in which he is held by the entire community.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)

Anson Wilson
 

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