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1890 Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Story County, Iowa

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York; he was formerly a merchant, but is now following farming with marked success), Osman J. (married Miss Stella __________, and is now engaged in lumbering near Port Sarnia, in Western Canada), and Williard Frank (married to Miss Lightfoot, is a resident of New York). Orpheus W. Wilson attained his growth in his native State, obtaining his education at the classic school of Morristown, that State, Rev. Andrew Phillip, the author of the Analysis of the Bible, being the principal at that time. After leaving school he engaged in teaching, first in Missouri, then in Kansas, Wisconsin and Iowa, for a period of twenty-one terms. His marriage to Miss A. D. Stoddard was consummated on the 24th of November, 1870. She was born in New York on February 24, 1844, and was the daughter of Rev. John Stoddard, of the old Black River conference of New York, which included parts of four other conferences, and took in the northern portion of New York and a part of Canada. Their union was blessed in the birth of two children; H. E. (born on the 17th of January, 1871), and Jay Warren (born on January 7, 1880). The former received a good education, and is now fitting herself to be a teacher, it being her ambition to be a trainer of the little minds ; the latter is attending school. On July 28, 1862, Mr. Wilson enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Sixth New York Volunteers, and after being mustered into the United States service at Ogdensburg, N. Y. (the residence of United States Senator Preston King, who nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency, at Baltimore, Md.), in August, 1862, at Camp Wheeler the command was ordered to Pope's army, but Col. Judd was too drunk to obey orders, and it was sent to West Virginia, and there remained until just previous to the battle of Gettysburg. His regiment was actively engaged in the battles of Wapping Heights and Mine Run (after which it became identified as part of A. of P. ), the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, siege of Petersburg, Cold Harbor (in this battle the regiment lost 150 out of 400 men, including Lieut.-Col. Townsend, of the Albany Townsman), Sheridan's Valley campaign, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Ricket's Division Sixth Corps, then back with A. P. until Lee's surrender, and was finally discharged at Washington, D. C., on June 24, 1865, after having taken part in the grand review in that city. Immediately after his discharge, Mr. Wilson returned to his New York home, but remained there only for a short time, and then went to Wisconsin and engaged in business. This State continued to be his home for about three months, and then he disposed of his interests and went to Kansas, and subsequently to Missouri. After five years spent in this latter State, he returned to New York, and in 1870 he immigrated with his family to Story County, Iowa, where they have ever since resided. He has now been identified with the material interests of this county for nearly twenty years, and during this time he has made a good comfortable home for himself and family, and established a reputation for honesty, integrity and sterling worth that is unimpeached. He has always been identified with the Republican party, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and has held many local offices of trust, among them being that of justice of the peace, which office lie held for seven consecutive terms. He is connected with Jason Ferguson Post No. 31, G. A. R., at Nevada, the lodge numbering about eighty members in good standing, and lie also belongs to the Masonic fraternity. He is identified with the Farmers' Alliance, and affiliates with the Jefferson Alliance, with headquarters in Union Township. For the last twenty-five years he has been a worthy member of the Methodist

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