CHARLES B. WILSON

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         Charles B. Wilson, who is one of the prominent agriculturists of Morning Sun township, was born on the farm where he now resides on the 19th of February, 1861, being the youngest living child of James and Martha E. (Miller) Wilson. The father was born in New York city on the 24th of July, 1815, but the following year his parents removed to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where they resided until 1825. They then went to Preble county, Ohio, where they spent the winter, and the following spring they removed to Union county, Indiana, where James Wilson grew to manhood. He continued to reside in that state until 1840, at which time he went west for the purpose of looking up a new location, and being well pleased with Louisa county, Iowa, filed on a tract of government land. Subsequently he returned to Indiana, where he remained for a time, and then took up his permanent residence in Louisa county. After locating here he established a brickyard and kiln, being the first person to engage in the manufacture of brick in this county.

         On the 1st of June, 1843, he was united in marriage to Miss Martha E. Miller, a native of Pennsylvania, and they began their domestic life in a brick residence which Mr. Wilson had erected on his forty acre farm. This was among the first brick houses in the county, and was the birthplace of their children. They had four sons and four daughters, who in order of birth were as follows: John W.; Mary E., who became the wife of George M. Simpson, a resident of Kansas, and died February 15, 1910; Margaret J., the widow of John W. Wilson and a resident of Pasadena, California; Cynthia E., who has been a missionary teacher in India since 1876; George B.; William G.; Rosana T., who has also been a missionary teacher in India since 1886; and Charles B. The father passed away on the 18th of December, 1891, but his wife survived him until the 26th of March, 1896, being laid to rest in Brown cemetery.

         After the completion of his preliminary education, which was acquired in the common schools of Louisa county, Charles B. Wilson pursued a business course in a commercial college. He remained under the parental roof until he . . .

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. . . had attained his majority when he rented the old homestead, which he cultivated for ten years. At the end of that time he purchased it and has since added to his holdings until he now owns three hundred and seventy-five acres on sections 28 and 29, Morning Sun township. In addition to the cultivation of his land Mr. Wilson makes a specialty of raising and feeding stock. He has made a success of his undertakings and now owns one of the valuable properties of the township, his farm being well improved and under a high state of cultivation.

         Mr. Wilson was married on the 22d of December, 1885, to Miss Anna J. Willson, who was born in Des Moines county on the 7th of August, 1861, a daughter of James R. and Myrilla (Reed) Willson. Her father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, came to this county in 1850 and here her parents were married at the home of her uncle, David Robinson, February 16, 1853. They began their domestic life upon a farm in Des Moines county, where Mr. Willson had preempted land, and they continued to reside there until he retired from active labor and removed to Morning Sun, in 1896. He is still a resident of that city, but his wife died there on the 26th of October, 1909. She was born in Ohio and in early life accompanied her married sister on the latter’s removal to Des Moines county, Iowa. For about three years she engaged in teaching school in Louisa county, having charge of the same school that her grandchildren—the children of Mrs. C. B. Wilson—now attend.

         Unto Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Wilson were born the following children: Ella M., who was born on the 20th of February, 1894, and died five days later; E. Raymond, who was born on the 20th of September, 1896, and is now attending high school; G. Russell, born on the 22d of February, 1898; James Ralph, born on the 7th of May, 1903; and Ethel Myrilla, whose birth occurred on the 9th of August, 1906.

         Mr. Wilson’s political support is given such men and measures as he deems best adapted to meet the exigencies of the situation. Although he is a public spirited citizen and takes an active interest in governmental matters he has never identified himself with any party. For the past six years he has been serving as assessor in this township and has been a member of the school board for twenty years, educational matters always having interested him very much. Mr. Wilson and his family are highly regarded in the township where they reside and among its citizens they number many friends.