Wilson, Frank 1860-1925

WILSON, OWENS, GATES, BOLT, MCCORD

Posted By: Richard Lesses
Date: 5/15/2005 at 16:25:03

Newton Daily News December 25, 1925
County Clerk, Dies Suddenly
End Comes In His Office, As He was Closing His Books For The Day.
Death Came as he Often Had Wished "While he Was at Work and Quickly"
Was Best Beloved County Official

Frank Wilson

As Frank Wilson, clerk of the court, was finishing his last entries and preparing to close his books to enjoy the Christmas holiday, his heart, which has caused him much trouble for two years, gave out, and he died shortly after 8 o'clock in his office. Death came as he wished. He wanted to die working and he wanted to die quick.

For 18 years, Frank Wilson has served the public of Jasper county and he served it well. Every book in his office and every entry was indexed in his mind. He had two loves, his family and his office, and he loved them both. Perhaps no other public official in Jasper county or in the state has been conceded an election as often as Mr. Wilson.

In spite of the fact that Jasper county is 'republican,' Mr. Wilson was an avowed Democrat and held his office. Party lines meant nothing to his friends for they realized that he was the one man in the county who knew his work and made it second to nothing. For this reason, for the past several elections he has had no opposition.

Two years ago last August, Mr. Wilson suffered his first heart attack and since that time he has been ill a number of times. A couple of weeks ago, his condition was considered serious but he rallied and the first place he went was his office.

In August, Mr. Wilson¹s brother, James Wilson, died in Seattle, Wash. His death, too, came quickly. Mr. Wilson¹s daughter, Mrs. Barbara Wilson Owens, died several years ago of heart trouble. She retired for the night in apparently good health, and during the night was taken ill and died before a physician could be summoned. The death of his daughter, Barbara, affected Mr. Wilson deeply.

Sixty-five years ago, Mr. Wilson was born on a farm five miles out of Newton and with the exception of four years spent in Galesburg, Ill., when a young man, he has lived in Newton.

His father, General Frank [sic] Wilson, was one of the pioneers of the Jasper county and one of the most respected men in Newton. For many years he and his family lived in the house now the home of Robert Martin on Fourth Street Northeast, It was one of the show places of the early day and is now located on one of the prettiest locations in the city.

Trees that grow around the house were planted by Frank Wilson and the huge lilac bush which is one of the largest and prettiest of any in the city was also planted by Mr. Wilson and every year Mr. Martin has invited him when the lilacs are in bloom to help himself. His love of flowers and animals gives the best sketch of his character possible.

He was devoted to Mrs. Wilson and his children and he was one man who kept a pace with the times. His mind was keen and alert and all of the modern customs were accepted by Mr. Wilson as necessary and all right.

People who knew him best are going to miss him. Courthouse attaches will especially grieve at the loss of one of the best friends and co-workers. People of the Presbyterian church, too, will feel the loss of one of the most sincere members and followers of the faith. If Mr. Wilson believed a thing, he believed it with all his heart. His ideal was President Woodrow Wilson and he heralded praise constantly.

Mr. Wilson, too, will be missed in Masonic circles where he held the title of Past Worshipful Master.

Besides his widow, who was his constant companion, he leaves his children: Mrs. Kate Gates of Los Angeles, Calif.; Mrs. Margaret Bolt of Marshalltown, Miss Mildred Wilson of Des Moines and Richard Wilson, a student at the Iowa State College at Ames and James Wilson of Omaha.

Miss Wilson and Richard had both arrived home to spend Christmas with their parents and were anticipating a happy day.

No funeral arrangements have been announced, for the family is still waiting for word from Mrs. Gates, for they think that she may be able to attend.

Burial will be made in the Newton cemetery.

From Newton Daily News, December 28, 1925.
Many Attend Funeral for Frank Wilson

One of the largest attended funerals held in Newton for some time took place at the Presbyterian church Sun-day afternoon, when Rev. W. R. Moore conducted the last rites for Frank Wilson, who was for 16 years clerk of the district court here.

Members of the Jasper county bar association, the Masonic lodge, court-house officials and a delegation from the Kiwanis club attended the funeral in a body. Masonic services at the church in charge of Rev. J. H. Wilcock, rector of St. Stephens church.

A quartet composed of Mrs. B. O. Korf, Miss Ruth Campbell, Roscoe Brandt and Vern Meredith sang "Beulah Land." Robert McGregor, who was much admired by Mr. Wilson, played the funeral music, his numbers being "Largo" from the New World symphony and "Evening Star" from Tannhauser.

Pall bearers were A. M. Hough, Harve Gribben, A. H. Bergman, Ed Finch, M. R. Hammer Jr. and E. P. Malmberg. Masonic ceremonies were held at the Newton cemetery where interment was made.

Transcribed by Richard Lesses, January 17, 1996.

Obituary
Frank Wilson, the third son of General James Wilson was born on a farm five miles east of Newton on February 29, 1860, where he spent his boyhood. When the family of James Wilson moved to Newton the Jasper County Bank was formed with General Wilson as president and his son Frank as clerk. Upon the death of his father, Frank Wilson was made cashier and served in that capacity for several years.

On December 11, 1883, Mr. Wilson and Miss Emily E. McCord were united in marriage, to which union have been born four girls and three boys. Mr. Wilson was the last member of an organization of young men, called the ³Mystic Five² whose other members were Milt Carrier, Adolph Salmon, Nay Russell and Frank Wyan.

Mr. Wilson spent several years of his early youth in Nebraska and Wyoming, as an engineer with a surveying party under the direction of James Wilson his older brother who died recently in Seattle, Washington. Wyoming at that time was a harsh uncultivated country and lines were being laid for the building of railroads.

Frank Wilson left the Jasper County Bank and went into the employ of the Bergmans Implement company, a now extinct company, and from there went to Galesburg, Illinois, where he was four years engaged in a truck and dairy farm near Lombard College. It was at this juncture that he received an offer from Patsy Clark, county clerk of Jasper county to become his assistant in the clerk's office. Mr. Wilson served as deputy for four years and was elected county clerk, which office he has secured by election for the past sixteen years.

His interests in literature and especially poetry led him to collaborate with A. M. Hough in securing for Newton its first public library situated on the corner where the Miller Hotel now is. At about this time the first Newton Business Mens association was formed and Mr. Wilson was one of the first members.

A Democrat by choice but a progressive in his thinking, Mr. Wilson was a staunch supporter of William Jennings Bryan in the days when that man was the country¹s Robert La Follette. In later years his faith was attached to the late Woodrow Wilson.

Although Jasper County has been famous for its republican tendencies, Mr. Wilson gathered in Democratic and Republican votes alike and party lines failed to hold when his name was on the ticket.

An active Mason in his younger days, Mr. Wilson was past worshipful master of the lodge, and his friends were many in masonic circles.

Since the establishment of the Kiwanis club in Newton, he has been an active member and until the later days of his life was present at all of the noon luncheons and Kiwanis festivities.

Mr. Wilson was born an Episcopalian but after his marriage became affiliated with the Presbyterian church.

Originally submitted on October 25, 1997 by
Richard Lesses