For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 230
MATHIAS WILSON. At the age of seventy-six years, Mathias Wilson looks back on a long and active career which contributed materially to the welfare of others, and also provided himself with the means by which he now enjoys a well earned rest. Born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1834, he is the son of David and Abigail (Swern) Wilson. The father was also a native of the Keystone state and there spent a large part of his life. In 1856 he came to West Liberty, where he lived until called away in 1887. He was a farmer in the east and continued to follow that pursuit after coming to Iowa. The mother was born in New Jersey and was married to Mr. Wilson in Pennsylvania. She passed away in 1879, her remains and later, her husband's being laid in South Prairie cemetery. There were nine children in the family: Amanda, now deceased; Mathias, of this review; John, who died in 1856; Eli, who enlisted in the Twelfth Pennsylvania Volunteers and died in the service after having been wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg; Alexander, who was a member of Company I, Eleventh Iowa Volunteers, for three years, and is now living in Texas; William R., who served for three years in the Ninth Iowa Cavalry and is living in Adams county; Rebecca R., wife of Ben Herr, of South Prairie; Mary, deceased; and Lizzie F., now Mrs. Joseph Lane of Wapsinonoc township.Mathias Wilson was educated in the subscription schools of his native state, the public school system not then having been generally adopted. He came with the family to Iowa and began working for a farmer in Wapsinonoc township. By industry and economy he acquired a small capital, and in 1860 he purchased land in Cedar county just acrossed the line, but a year later he returned to Wapsinonoc township and bought land upon which he lived for forty years. In 1862, he offered his services to his country and became a member of Company B, Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry, serving in that regiment until the end of the war. He took part in the siege of Vicksburg and was present at Champion's Hill and many other important engagements, also participating in various movements of the Army of the West. After receiving his honorable discharge he returned to peaceful vocations and worked at the carpenter's trade in connection with farming, becoming quite successful financially. At one time he owned three hundred and twenty acres of well improved land, but he has disposed of all except forty acres. He also owns bank stock and a comfortable residence at West Liberty, in which he lives.
In 1858, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Ruth Mosher, a sister of L. O. Mosher, sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, and to them eight children were born: Harvey L., now living in Idaho; Mary Elsie, who died at the age of twenty-two years; Lizzie, wife of Ernest Egleston, of Post Falls, Idaho; John Henry, of Colorado; Edward Grant, on the home place; William Carl, who died at seventeen years of age; Esther Inez, now the wife of George Anderson, a clothier of West Liberty, Iowa; and Wilbur M., who is a draftsman for the Illinois Steel Works at Chicago, Illinois.
Mr. Wilson votes the republican ticket in national affairs, but locally, he votes independently, taking into consideration the character and ability of the various candidates. He cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont, and all of his sons are also ardent republicans. He has never desired public office, but for three years he served very acceptably to the people as trustee of Wapsinonoc township. A good soldier in his younger days, he has been a patriotic citizen and has contributed to the upbuilding of his township and county. Active, earnest and thoroughgoing, he is recognized as a man of the strictest integrity, who has never sought to advance his own interests to the injury of others. He is therefore justly honored by those who know him.
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