SOURCE: History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. (Chicago, IL: Lewis, 1893), p. 335-337.
He was born in Morgan county, Alabama, December 26, 1819. His parents were William B. Wilson and Margaret Tollet, the father a native of North Carolina, and the mother a native of Virginia. Both parents were reared in Tennessee, to which State they were brought when young. They were married in Bledsoe county, that State, and shortly afterward – about 1817 or 1818 – moved to Alabama, where they lived till their removal to Texas.
William B. Wilson made his first visit to this State in the spring of 1833, and remained here nearly three years, during which time he was prospecting and scouting in various parts of the country. He sometime served in a small band of adventurous spirits like himself, and again under regular authority of the provisional government. He continued on the frontier in this capacity until the Mexicans had been expelled by [Gen. Sam] Houston, and a stable government instituted, when he returned to Alabama and got his family, flocks, herds and negroes, and brought them out and settled near old Wheelock in Robertson county, then the frontier post along that line of travel. This was in December, 1839.
Four years later – 1846 – he died, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His life was thus spent on the frontier, and he was a typical pioneer, impatient of the restraints of society, fond of adventure, bold, active, alert, a great hunter, skilled in woodcraft, generous and hospitable. His widow survived him many years, dying in 1871, in the eighty-first year of her age. She was a woman of many excellent qualities of head and heart, and left a lasting impress upon the lives and character of her children. Of these there were eight who reached maturity: William Suel Goodhue Wilson, whose name heads this sketch; Temperance Wilson who was twice married, first to John Waites of Tennessee, and secondly to William Eichelberger of this State; Margaret Wilson who married L. P. Standifer; Greenberry J. Wilson; Thomas Benton Wilson; and Nancy Wilson who was first the wife of James Sampson, and then of B. F. Ackerman.
After the family was settled in Robertson county Mr. Wilson was busily employed looking after the stock, crop and negroes. He came with the family to Milam county in 1842, and settled on the homestead which his father had selected. The death of his father soon afterward threw upon him the exclusive management of the place with the additional task of assisting his mother in the rearing of his younger brothers and sisters. He met his obligations in this capacity in a most becoming manner, denying himself many pleasures which were natural and proper for his age in order that he might the more faithfully discharge his duties to those around him and dependent on him.
August 9, 1859, he married, taking an helpmate in the person of Lizzie Ledbetter, a daughter of Isaac and Julia Ledbetter, then of Milam county but originally from Rutherford county, Tennessee. Mrs. Wilson's parents moved to Texas in 1853 and took up their residence in this county. She was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, as were also her parents – her father in 1814, and her mother in 1824. These died in Milam county, the father on March 14, 1861, and the mother on July 20, 1863. Mrs. Wilson is one of eleven children, seven of whom became grown, she being the eldest of the number.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have never had any children of their own, but have raised and educated five. They reside upon their farm, which adjoins the old Wilson homestead about three and a half or four miles southwest of Cameron, where they have made their home for thirty-three years. They have a pleasant place and a valuable one, consisting of about 3,000 acres. Their residence is a typical old-style farm mansion - large, commodious and complete in its appointments as a country place, surrounded by spacious grounds, well cultivated fields, and open woodlands, the latter being maintained in all their original beauty and picturesqueness. Blessed with plenty, health, friends and the retrospect of long lives filled with deeds of usefulness and kindness, they could hardly be more happily situated to spend their declining years.
He was born in Morgan county, Alabama, December 26, 1819. His parents were William B. Wilson and Margaret Tollet, the father a native of North Carolina, and the mother a native of Virginia. Both parents were reared in Tennessee, to which State they were brought when young. They were married in Bledsoe county, that State, and shortly afterward – about 1817 or 1818 – moved to Alabama, where they lived till their removal to Texas.
William B. Wilson made his first visit to this State in the spring of 1833, and remained here nearly three years, during which time he was prospecting and scouting in various parts of the country. He sometime served in a small band of adventurous spirits like himself, and again under regular authority of the provisional government. He continued on the frontier in this capacity until the Mexicans had been expelled by [Gen. Sam] Houston, and a stable government instituted, when he returned to Alabama and got his family, flocks, herds and negroes, and brought them out and settled near old Wheelock in Robertson county, then the frontier post along that line of travel. This was in December, 1839.
Four years later – 1846 – he died, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His life was thus spent on the frontier, and he was a typical pioneer, impatient of the restraints of society, fond of adventure, bold, active, alert, a great hunter, skilled in woodcraft, generous and hospitable. His widow survived him many years, dying in 1871, in the eighty-first year of her age. She was a woman of many excellent qualities of head and heart, and left a lasting impress upon the lives and character of her children. Of these there were eight who reached maturity: William Suel Goodhue Wilson, whose name heads this sketch; Temperance Wilson who was twice married, first to John Waites of Tennessee, and secondly to William Eichelberger of this State; Margaret Wilson who married L. P. Standifer; Greenberry J. Wilson; Thomas Benton Wilson; and Nancy Wilson who was first the wife of James Sampson, and then of B. F. Ackerman.
After the family was settled in Robertson county Mr. Wilson was busily employed looking after the stock, crop and negroes. He came with the family to Milam county in 1842, and settled on the homestead which his father had selected. The death of his father soon afterward threw upon him the exclusive management of the place with the additional task of assisting his mother in the rearing of his younger brothers and sisters. He met his obligations in this capacity in a most becoming manner, denying himself many pleasures which were natural and proper for his age in order that he might the more faithfully discharge his duties to those around him and dependent on him.
August 9, 1859, he married, taking an helpmate in the person of Lizzie Ledbetter, a daughter of Isaac and Julia Ledbetter, then of Milam county but originally from Rutherford county, Tennessee. Mrs. Wilson's parents moved to Texas in 1853 and took up their residence in this county. She was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, as were also her parents – her father in 1814, and her mother in 1824. These died in Milam county, the father on March 14, 1861, and the mother on July 20, 1863. Mrs. Wilson is one of eleven children, seven of whom became grown, she being the eldest of the number.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have never had any children of their own, but have raised and educated five. They reside upon their farm, which adjoins the old Wilson homestead about three and a half or four miles southwest of Cameron, where they have made their home for thirty-three years. They have a pleasant place and a valuable one, consisting of about 3,000 acres. Their residence is a typical old-style farm mansion - large, commodious and complete in its appointments as a country place, surrounded by spacious grounds, well cultivated fields, and open woodlands, the latter being maintained in all their original beauty and picturesqueness. Blessed with plenty, health, friends and the retrospect of long lives filled with deeds of usefulness and kindness, they could hardly be more happily situated to spend their declining years.
SOURCE: History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. (Chicago, IL: Lewis, 1893), p. 335-337.
He was born in Morgan county, Alabama, December 26, 1819. His parents were William B. Wilson and Margaret Tollet, the father a native of North Carolina, and the mother a native of Virginia. Both parents were reared in Tennessee, to which State they were brought when young. They were married in Bledsoe county, that State, and shortly afterward – about 1817 or 1818 – moved to Alabama, where they lived till their removal to Texas.
William B. Wilson made his first visit to this State in the spring of 1833, and remained here nearly three years, during which time he was prospecting and scouting in various parts of the country. He sometime served in a small band of adventurous spirits like himself, and again under regular authority of the provisional government. He continued on the frontier in this capacity until the Mexicans had been expelled by [Gen. Sam] Houston, and a stable government instituted, when he returned to Alabama and got his family, flocks, herds and negroes, and brought them out and settled near old Wheelock in Robertson county, then the frontier post along that line of travel. This was in December, 1839.
Four years later – 1846 – he died, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His life was thus spent on the frontier, and he was a typical pioneer, impatient of the restraints of society, fond of adventure, bold, active, alert, a great hunter, skilled in woodcraft, generous and hospitable. His widow survived him many years, dying in 1871, in the eighty-first year of her age. She was a woman of many excellent qualities of head and heart, and left a lasting impress upon the lives and character of her children. Of these there were eight who reached maturity: William Suel Goodhue Wilson, whose name heads this sketch; Temperance Wilson who was twice married, first to John Waites of Tennessee, and secondly to William Eichelberger of this State; Margaret Wilson who married L. P. Standifer; Greenberry J. Wilson; Thomas Benton Wilson; and Nancy Wilson who was first the wife of James Sampson, and then of B. F. Ackerman.
After the family was settled in Robertson county Mr. Wilson was busily employed looking after the stock, crop and negroes. He came with the family to Milam county in 1842, and settled on the homestead which his father had selected. The death of his father soon afterward threw upon him the exclusive management of the place with the additional task of assisting his mother in the rearing of his younger brothers and sisters. He met his obligations in this capacity in a most becoming manner, denying himself many pleasures which were natural and proper for his age in order that he might the more faithfully discharge his duties to those around him and dependent on him.
August 9, 1859, he married, taking an helpmate in the person of Lizzie Ledbetter, a daughter of Isaac and Julia Ledbetter, then of Milam county but originally from Rutherford county, Tennessee. Mrs. Wilson's parents moved to Texas in 1853 and took up their residence in this county. She was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, as were also her parents – her father in 1814, and her mother in 1824. These died in Milam county, the father on March 14, 1861, and the mother on July 20, 1863. Mrs. Wilson is one of eleven children, seven of whom became grown, she being the eldest of the number.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have never had any children of their own, but have raised and educated five. They reside upon their farm, which adjoins the old Wilson homestead about three and a half or four miles southwest of Cameron, where they have made their home for thirty-three years. They have a pleasant place and a valuable one, consisting of about 3,000 acres. Their residence is a typical old-style farm mansion - large, commodious and complete in its appointments as a country place, surrounded by spacious grounds, well cultivated fields, and open woodlands, the latter being maintained in all their original beauty and picturesqueness. Blessed with plenty, health, friends and the retrospect of long lives filled with deeds of usefulness and kindness, they could hardly be more happily situated to spend their declining years.
He was born in Morgan county, Alabama, December 26, 1819. His parents were William B. Wilson and Margaret Tollet, the father a native of North Carolina, and the mother a native of Virginia. Both parents were reared in Tennessee, to which State they were brought when young. They were married in Bledsoe county, that State, and shortly afterward – about 1817 or 1818 – moved to Alabama, where they lived till their removal to Texas.
William B. Wilson made his first visit to this State in the spring of 1833, and remained here nearly three years, during which time he was prospecting and scouting in various parts of the country. He sometime served in a small band of adventurous spirits like himself, and again under regular authority of the provisional government. He continued on the frontier in this capacity until the Mexicans had been expelled by [Gen. Sam] Houston, and a stable government instituted, when he returned to Alabama and got his family, flocks, herds and negroes, and brought them out and settled near old Wheelock in Robertson county, then the frontier post along that line of travel. This was in December, 1839.
Four years later – 1846 – he died, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His life was thus spent on the frontier, and he was a typical pioneer, impatient of the restraints of society, fond of adventure, bold, active, alert, a great hunter, skilled in woodcraft, generous and hospitable. His widow survived him many years, dying in 1871, in the eighty-first year of her age. She was a woman of many excellent qualities of head and heart, and left a lasting impress upon the lives and character of her children. Of these there were eight who reached maturity: William Suel Goodhue Wilson, whose name heads this sketch; Temperance Wilson who was twice married, first to John Waites of Tennessee, and secondly to William Eichelberger of this State; Margaret Wilson who married L. P. Standifer; Greenberry J. Wilson; Thomas Benton Wilson; and Nancy Wilson who was first the wife of James Sampson, and then of B. F. Ackerman.
After the family was settled in Robertson county Mr. Wilson was busily employed looking after the stock, crop and negroes. He came with the family to Milam county in 1842, and settled on the homestead which his father had selected. The death of his father soon afterward threw upon him the exclusive management of the place with the additional task of assisting his mother in the rearing of his younger brothers and sisters. He met his obligations in this capacity in a most becoming manner, denying himself many pleasures which were natural and proper for his age in order that he might the more faithfully discharge his duties to those around him and dependent on him.
August 9, 1859, he married, taking an helpmate in the person of Lizzie Ledbetter, a daughter of Isaac and Julia Ledbetter, then of Milam county but originally from Rutherford county, Tennessee. Mrs. Wilson's parents moved to Texas in 1853 and took up their residence in this county. She was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, as were also her parents – her father in 1814, and her mother in 1824. These died in Milam county, the father on March 14, 1861, and the mother on July 20, 1863. Mrs. Wilson is one of eleven children, seven of whom became grown, she being the eldest of the number.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have never had any children of their own, but have raised and educated five. They reside upon their farm, which adjoins the old Wilson homestead about three and a half or four miles southwest of Cameron, where they have made their home for thirty-three years. They have a pleasant place and a valuable one, consisting of about 3,000 acres. Their residence is a typical old-style farm mansion - large, commodious and complete in its appointments as a country place, surrounded by spacious grounds, well cultivated fields, and open woodlands, the latter being maintained in all their original beauty and picturesqueness. Blessed with plenty, health, friends and the retrospect of long lives filled with deeds of usefulness and kindness, they could hardly be more happily situated to spend their declining years.
Gravesite Details
Born in Fayette Co ALA and died in Milam Co TX. Married Lizzie Ledbetter Aug 9, 1859 in Milam Co TX
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