Wilson, Rev. William Bird 1871-1961

WILSON, MANSFIELD, MUSTARD, LAVES, ALMY

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 7/5/2014 at 09:53:25

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
Monday, January 30, 1961

REV. WM. WILSON
SUCCUMBS SUNDAY,
RITES WEDNESDAY

The Rev. William Bird Wilson, 89, Grinnell, died Sunday morning at a local hospital after a short illness of about a week.

Rev. Wilson had held pastorates in Grinnell, Newburg and Chester churches.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Roland Wendell of the Newburg Congregational church officiating. Interment will be in Chester cemetery.

He was the son of Robert and Rebecca Mansfield Wilson and was born on Dec. 14th, 1871, in Decatur county, Ia. He attended and received his ministerial training at Drake University. After his schooling, he held pastorates in Moorehead and Delta.

In 1911, he moved to Grinnell where he held pastorates in the South Broad Street Christian church. He also held pastorates for 14 years at Newburg and 10 years at Chester in the Congregational churches.

Rev. Wilson had been a member of the Elks Lodge and the Masonic Lodge. He had served the community in many ways, headed the social welfare service in its earlier days. Also, he served as secretary of the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce.

He was united in marriage to Clara Ella Mustard at Thurman, Iowa, on Dec. 29th, 1896, and to this union were born five children, four of whom survive: Walter Wilson of Chicago, Ill.; Mrs. Walter (Ruth) Laves of Bloomington, Ind.; Mrs. Frank (Myrtle) Almy of Rumford, R.I.; and Marion Wilson of Washington, D.C.

Rev. Wilson is survived by his wife and four children, as well as six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son, a brother and a sister.