JOHN E. WILSON.

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         The activities of John E. Wilson are concentrated upon the development of his farm, containing three hundred and fourteen acres of excellent land in Wapello township. He was born in Northfield, Des Moines county, Iowa, on the 22d of November, 1856, and is the eldest child of John and Nancy (Elliott) Wilson, natives of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. The father has passed away, but the mother still survives and now makes her home in Morning Sun. They were the parents of five children, four of whom are living, those beside our subject being: Rachel N., who is the second in order of birth and the wife of J. A. Reid, of Morning Sun; Samuel O., who is living in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; and Margaret, the wife of J. O. Gloss, of Homestead, Pennsylvania. The third in order of birth passed away in infancy.

         After he had completed his education, which was acquired in the district school of Des Moines county, John E. Wilson assisted his father in the culti- . . .

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. . . vation of the old homestead until he was thirty-one. After the demise of his father he rented the farm for four years, and then disposing of it he removed to Morning Sun. During the next twelve years he worked at the carpenter’s trade, but at the expiration of that period he rented one hundred and twenty acres of land in Des Moines county, Iowa. He cultivated this for two years and then rented four hundred and eighty acres of S. E. Gates, of Oakville, Iowa, which he operated for seven years. Subsequently he purchased his homestead on section 14, Wapello township, and there he engages in general farming and stock-raising.

         Mr. Wilson was married on the 2d of February, 1887, to Miss Nancy Ann Edgar, who was born on the 1st of the November, 1866. She is a daughter of David and Martha (McElhinny) Edgar, to whom were born the following children: James L., who is a resident of Glenwood, Minnesota; Samuel E., living in Morning Sun; William J., of Crawfordsville, Iowa; Thomas, deceased; Nancy Ann, now Mrs. Wilson; Robert M., deceased; Elizabeth, the wife of George R. Thompson, of Pennsylvania; and Martha J., who married E. W. Hensleigh, of Blanchard.

         After the death of his first wife Mr. Edgar married Miss Julia Wells, and of their union there were born five children: George G., who is living in Seattle, Washington; Melville, a resident of the same place; Emma L. and Ellen E., twins, the former the wife of Samuel Hartzell, of Pennsylvania, and the latter the wife of Alfred Killpatrick, of Des Moines county; and Charles F., who married Agnes Hartzell and is living in Pennsylvania.

         Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have seven children, six sons and one daughter, the order of their birth being as follows: Oliver L., who was born in the 7th of May, 1888; Ewert, born on the 15th of October, 1889; John E., born on the 26th of March, 1892; Armour M., born on the 22d of November, 1895; Martha E., born on the 5th of July, 1899; Robert Z., born on the 10th of March, 1901; and Samuel E., whose birth occurred on the 20th of July, 1907.

         The family attend the services of the Reformed Presbyterian church, of which the parents are earnest and active members. A man of energy and enterprise Mr. Wilson has always so capably directed his transactions as to be recognized as one of the competent business men and highly regarded citizens of Wapello township.