Pg 289

         JAMES H. WILSON, one of the pioneers of Louisa County, Iowa, was born in New York City, July 24, 1815, and is the son of John and Margaret (Clyde) Wilson. Shortly after his birth his parents moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where his mother died in 1816. He was then taken to Washington County, Pa., where he lived on a farm with a family by the name of Toner until he reached his tenth year, and there received most of his education. In the fall of 1824 he accompanied his father to Preble County, Ohio, where they spent the winter. While living there his father married Miss Jane McMillen. Of their family of five children but one is now living, Archibald, a resident of Liberty, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. The former departed this life in Louisa County, Iowa, in 1856, and the latter died at Liberty, Ind., some years later.

In the spring of 1825 the family settled in Union County, Ind., where our subject grew to manhood. In 1840 he came West for the purpose of looking up a location, and being well pleased with Louisa County he made a claim. Returning to Indiana he again shortly afterward came to this county and began brickmaking, manufacturing the first brick in this county. On the 1st of June, 1843, he was united in marriage with Miss Martha E. Miller, a daughter of John Miller, who was a native of Pennsylvania. In the following spring Mr. Wilson brought his young wife to the wilds of Iowa, where he had made a claim of forty acres, on which he built a brick house, being among the first that was built in the county, and there he lived for forty-two years. To the original forty acres he has since added until he now has a fine farm of 207 acres, most of which is under a high state of cultivation.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson has been blessed with eight children: John W., of Talma, Republic Co., Kan., was a soldier in the late Rebellion, serving in the 19th Iowa Infantry; Mary E., wife of George M. Simpson, of Cloud County, Kan.; Margaret J., wife of John J. Wilson, a soldier of the late war, who died in 1875, is a resident of Louisa County; Cynthia E., is a graduate of Monmouth College, Monmouth, Ill. In 1875 she was sent as a missionary to India, being appointed by the church, and in August, 1886, returned to her old home, but again went back to her work Oct. 20, 1887. She has become familiar with the Hindoo language, and is a teacher among the native people of India. George B. is a graduate of the commercial department of Monmouth College, and is now employed in a life insurance company, his headquarters being at Rock Island, Ill.; William G. is engaged in farming in this county; Rosanna T., who was also educated in Monmouth College, is a teacher in India, where she went in 1886; Charles B. has charge of the old home farm. Politically Mr. Wilson is a Republican, being well posted on all affairs of the country, and no man is a greater friend to education than he. Mr. . . .

Pg 290

. . . Wilson and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church, of Morning Sun, and have always taken their part in the work and in keeping up the expenses. They came to this county with nothing but a strong determination to succeed, but immediately went to work, and by good management have accumulated a comfortable competency, and to-day are resting from their hard labor, living a retired life in Morning Sun.