JAMES REYNOLDS WILLSON.

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         James Reynolds Willson, who for more than fifty years has been a resident of Iowa, during the last sixteen of which he has been living retired in Morning Sun, was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, on the 23d of July, 1823. He is a son of John Z. and Nancy (McConnell) Willson, both natives of the Keystone state, where the mother also passed away. The father remained in his native state until 1852 when he removed to Iowa, locating on a farm in Des Moines county, where he was residing at the time of his demise on the 7th of February, 1871. He had reached the venerable age of eighty-seven years at the time of his death, his natal day having been the 31st of January, 1784. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Willson were born ten children, all of whom attained maturity and three of whom are still living. They were reared in Pennsylvania and they were all unmarried when they located in Iowa. Every few years they hold a reunion of the family, whose members now number over one hundred, all the direct descendants of John Z. and Nancy Willson.

         The first twenty-eight years of the life of J. R. Willson were spent in the rural district of Pennsylvania, his education being acquired in the common . . .

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. . . schools. He remained at home until he was twenty-one, then he rented a farm which he cultivated until 1851, in which year he came west and located in Des Moines county. Here he entered one hundred and sixty acres of government land, which he cultivated until 1895. He then rented his farm to one of his sons and retired to Morning Sun, where he owns a very pleasant residence, and has ever since continuously lived.

         Mr. Willson was united in marriage February 16, 1853, to Miss Myrilla Reid, who was born in Greene county, Ohio. Her parents, James and Elizabeth (Robinson) Reid, were also natives of the Buckeye state and came to Iowa in 1849, settling in Des Moines county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Willson were born thirteen children, seven of whom are deceased. Those surviving are: John Z., who is living on the old homestead; Mary E., who taught in the missionary schools for several years and engaged in missionary work in Oklahoma, but is now keeping house for her father; Anna J., who married C. B. Wilson of this county; A. M., who is living in Colorado; Mattie A., who married Charles Wickertsheimer, now a resident of Idaho; and Lois S., the wife of M. C. Honeyman, of Emerson, Iowa. Mrs. Willson passed away on the 27th of October, 1909, and was laid to rest in the Sharon cemetery in Des Moines county.

         Mr. Willson and his family are all affiliated with the Reformed Presbyterian church, of which the mother was also a member, and they take an earnest and active interest in all the work of the various departments and societies connected with the organization. A man of strong character and determination of purpose Mr. Willson has always striven to direct his life in accordance with the highest Christian principles in both his public and private relations.