Mary Wilson’s Account of the Trip to Illinois
“When I was 8 years old, Father decided to sell his farm and move to Illinois—not abruptly, but after weeks and even months of consideration. The topic was discussed around the fireside of almost every evening, and whenever the married children came to visit. Then for a month before the date of leaving, everyone was very busy getting ready to go. Kind neighbors helped in every way they could and gave several farewell parties for us. When the day of our departure finally arrived, wagons were loaded and taken to the boat landing a few miles away, at Wheeling, W. Va., on the Ohio River. As we drew near, in sight of the boat, I could not imagine how such a large vessel could stay afloat, but what impressed me most were the large gilt letters on the side of it which read, ‘The John Quincy Adams.’
The Captain of the boat was a very kindly man. He invited all our friends who had accompanied us, to bid us goodbye, onto the boat to a very splendid dinner.
Our family, being so large, had to have two staterooms, as there were 8 children besides Father and Mother. Thomas and Hannah, with their families came with us on the same boat. They also had their staterooms so we were quite a party of Wilsons.
When the boat finally pulled away from the wharf, our older brothers and sisters wept a good deal. We younger children couldn’t imagine what there was to cry about for we were thrilled with the new experiences and excitements that lay ahead. But later we found out how much that was dear and familiar had been left behind.
One day when it was so stormy we could not play outside we children bothered the older people in the parlors a good bit, so the Captain took us down to the kitchen (the galley) where Jumbo and his family cooked the meals. Jumbo was a big, black 6 foot Negro and there was also his wife and two children. The Captain motioned us to seats and turning to Jumbo, says ‘Jumbo, you make these children some taffy candy.’ ‘Yes, Massa, soon’s I gits ma biscuits made.’ Then as the Captain left he told us to come to his cabin after dinner as he had something there for us. We set and watched Jumbo make the taffy. He went about it differently from the way Mother did, and when it was ready to pull he handled taffy for 30 people as if it were a big piece of rope. Not a bit awkward as you might think a big 6 foot man might be. He swung the candy over a big hook on the wall to help pull it and then wrapped each piece in greased paper before he handed it around. Afterward we had dinner in the Captain’s cabin where he told us stories and passed a basked of oranges, then an almost unknown delicacy to us.
One day, Oliver, then about 2 years old, was playing on the deck. He took off his new hat and dropped it over the railing into the river. He was fascinated watching it bob along on the waves. When Mother found him hatless and asked him where it was, he waved his arms and said, ‘In the weir.’ As the day was windy, she put Amos’ hat on him. It soon went the way of the other. Then she put my bonnet on him and tied the strings under his chin, but that too went ‘in the weir.’ In desperation she took one of Father’s larch handkerchiefs, knotted each corner, and fitted it like a skull cap. He thought that was so cute, he kept it on the rest of the day to show everyone.
We arrived in St. Louis after ten days on the John Quincy Adams. Here we changed steamers. It took 24 hours to transfer all our things. Then we went up the Illnois River to Hennepin; this took several days. Here Father hired wagons to take us to the neighborhood 12 miles away where we were to have the use of a brick house 2 miles N.W. of the village of Magnolia, till we could get possession of our farm and build our own dwelling on it.
Joseph Hoyle, one of the earliest settlers in the little Quaker community, and an old friend of Father’s, met us at Hennepin. He took Mother and some of us younger children home for the night while Father and the others got our things into the brick house to start a new home for the Wilsons in Illinois.”
[The farm was a 200 acre tract where Andrew and Edna Wolf lived in 1957. It continued to be known as the Wilson homestead.]
Contributor: Jean WilsoN
1850 Census recording the family of Name: Ann Wilson
Gender: Female, Age: 45, Birth Year: abt 1805, Birthplace: Ohio
Home in 1850: Richland, Belmont, Ohio, USA
Household Members:
Amos Wilson 56, Ann Wilson 45, Rebecca Wilson 19, Sarah Wilson 17, Elizabeth Wilson 15, Morris Wilson 12, Laura Wilson 9, Mary Wilson 6, Amos Wilson 4, Oliver Wilson 1.
Quarker Monthly Meeting. Name: Anna Morris
Event Type: Marriage Intention (Marriage)
Marriage Place: Belmont, Ohio, Residence Place: Belmont, Ohio
Spouse: Amos Wilson
Monthly Meeting: Plainfield, Ohio, Monthly Meeting
Historical Meeting Data: Search for this monthly meeting in the 'Quaker Monthly Meetings Index'
Religion Sect: Hicksite
Yearly Meeting: Ohio Yearly Meeting
Meeting State: Ohio, Meeting County: Belmont
“When I was 8 years old, Father decided to sell his farm and move to Illinois—not abruptly, but after weeks and even months of consideration. The topic was discussed around the fireside of almost every evening, and whenever the married children came to visit. Then for a month before the date of leaving, everyone was very busy getting ready to go. Kind neighbors helped in every way they could and gave several farewell parties for us. When the day of our departure finally arrived, wagons were loaded and taken to the boat landing a few miles away, at Wheeling, W. Va., on the Ohio River. As we drew near, in sight of the boat, I could not imagine how such a large vessel could stay afloat, but what impressed me most were the large gilt letters on the side of it which read, ‘The John Quincy Adams.’
The Captain of the boat was a very kindly man. He invited all our friends who had accompanied us, to bid us goodbye, onto the boat to a very splendid dinner.
Our family, being so large, had to have two staterooms, as there were 8 children besides Father and Mother. Thomas and Hannah, with their families came with us on the same boat. They also had their staterooms so we were quite a party of Wilsons.
When the boat finally pulled away from the wharf, our older brothers and sisters wept a good deal. We younger children couldn’t imagine what there was to cry about for we were thrilled with the new experiences and excitements that lay ahead. But later we found out how much that was dear and familiar had been left behind.
One day when it was so stormy we could not play outside we children bothered the older people in the parlors a good bit, so the Captain took us down to the kitchen (the galley) where Jumbo and his family cooked the meals. Jumbo was a big, black 6 foot Negro and there was also his wife and two children. The Captain motioned us to seats and turning to Jumbo, says ‘Jumbo, you make these children some taffy candy.’ ‘Yes, Massa, soon’s I gits ma biscuits made.’ Then as the Captain left he told us to come to his cabin after dinner as he had something there for us. We set and watched Jumbo make the taffy. He went about it differently from the way Mother did, and when it was ready to pull he handled taffy for 30 people as if it were a big piece of rope. Not a bit awkward as you might think a big 6 foot man might be. He swung the candy over a big hook on the wall to help pull it and then wrapped each piece in greased paper before he handed it around. Afterward we had dinner in the Captain’s cabin where he told us stories and passed a basked of oranges, then an almost unknown delicacy to us.
One day, Oliver, then about 2 years old, was playing on the deck. He took off his new hat and dropped it over the railing into the river. He was fascinated watching it bob along on the waves. When Mother found him hatless and asked him where it was, he waved his arms and said, ‘In the weir.’ As the day was windy, she put Amos’ hat on him. It soon went the way of the other. Then she put my bonnet on him and tied the strings under his chin, but that too went ‘in the weir.’ In desperation she took one of Father’s larch handkerchiefs, knotted each corner, and fitted it like a skull cap. He thought that was so cute, he kept it on the rest of the day to show everyone.
We arrived in St. Louis after ten days on the John Quincy Adams. Here we changed steamers. It took 24 hours to transfer all our things. Then we went up the Illnois River to Hennepin; this took several days. Here Father hired wagons to take us to the neighborhood 12 miles away where we were to have the use of a brick house 2 miles N.W. of the village of Magnolia, till we could get possession of our farm and build our own dwelling on it.
Joseph Hoyle, one of the earliest settlers in the little Quaker community, and an old friend of Father’s, met us at Hennepin. He took Mother and some of us younger children home for the night while Father and the others got our things into the brick house to start a new home for the Wilsons in Illinois.”
[The farm was a 200 acre tract where Andrew and Edna Wolf lived in 1957. It continued to be known as the Wilson homestead.]
Contributor: Jean WilsoN
1850 Census recording the family of Name: Ann Wilson
Gender: Female, Age: 45, Birth Year: abt 1805, Birthplace: Ohio
Home in 1850: Richland, Belmont, Ohio, USA
Household Members:
Amos Wilson 56, Ann Wilson 45, Rebecca Wilson 19, Sarah Wilson 17, Elizabeth Wilson 15, Morris Wilson 12, Laura Wilson 9, Mary Wilson 6, Amos Wilson 4, Oliver Wilson 1.
Quarker Monthly Meeting. Name: Anna Morris
Event Type: Marriage Intention (Marriage)
Marriage Place: Belmont, Ohio, Residence Place: Belmont, Ohio
Spouse: Amos Wilson
Monthly Meeting: Plainfield, Ohio, Monthly Meeting
Historical Meeting Data: Search for this monthly meeting in the 'Quaker Monthly Meetings Index'
Religion Sect: Hicksite
Yearly Meeting: Ohio Yearly Meeting
Meeting State: Ohio, Meeting County: Belmont
Mary Wilson’s Account of the Trip to Illinois
“When I was 8 years old, Father decided to sell his farm and move to Illinois—not abruptly, but after weeks and even months of consideration. The topic was discussed around the fireside of almost every evening, and whenever the married children came to visit. Then for a month before the date of leaving, everyone was very busy getting ready to go. Kind neighbors helped in every way they could and gave several farewell parties for us. When the day of our departure finally arrived, wagons were loaded and taken to the boat landing a few miles away, at Wheeling, W. Va., on the Ohio River. As we drew near, in sight of the boat, I could not imagine how such a large vessel could stay afloat, but what impressed me most were the large gilt letters on the side of it which read, ‘The John Quincy Adams.’
The Captain of the boat was a very kindly man. He invited all our friends who had accompanied us, to bid us goodbye, onto the boat to a very splendid dinner.
Our family, being so large, had to have two staterooms, as there were 8 children besides Father and Mother. Thomas and Hannah, with their families came with us on the same boat. They also had their staterooms so we were quite a party of Wilsons.
When the boat finally pulled away from the wharf, our older brothers and sisters wept a good deal. We younger children couldn’t imagine what there was to cry about for we were thrilled with the new experiences and excitements that lay ahead. But later we found out how much that was dear and familiar had been left behind.
One day when it was so stormy we could not play outside we children bothered the older people in the parlors a good bit, so the Captain took us down to the kitchen (the galley) where Jumbo and his family cooked the meals. Jumbo was a big, black 6 foot Negro and there was also his wife and two children. The Captain motioned us to seats and turning to Jumbo, says ‘Jumbo, you make these children some taffy candy.’ ‘Yes, Massa, soon’s I gits ma biscuits made.’ Then as the Captain left he told us to come to his cabin after dinner as he had something there for us. We set and watched Jumbo make the taffy. He went about it differently from the way Mother did, and when it was ready to pull he handled taffy for 30 people as if it were a big piece of rope. Not a bit awkward as you might think a big 6 foot man might be. He swung the candy over a big hook on the wall to help pull it and then wrapped each piece in greased paper before he handed it around. Afterward we had dinner in the Captain’s cabin where he told us stories and passed a basked of oranges, then an almost unknown delicacy to us.
One day, Oliver, then about 2 years old, was playing on the deck. He took off his new hat and dropped it over the railing into the river. He was fascinated watching it bob along on the waves. When Mother found him hatless and asked him where it was, he waved his arms and said, ‘In the weir.’ As the day was windy, she put Amos’ hat on him. It soon went the way of the other. Then she put my bonnet on him and tied the strings under his chin, but that too went ‘in the weir.’ In desperation she took one of Father’s larch handkerchiefs, knotted each corner, and fitted it like a skull cap. He thought that was so cute, he kept it on the rest of the day to show everyone.
We arrived in St. Louis after ten days on the John Quincy Adams. Here we changed steamers. It took 24 hours to transfer all our things. Then we went up the Illnois River to Hennepin; this took several days. Here Father hired wagons to take us to the neighborhood 12 miles away where we were to have the use of a brick house 2 miles N.W. of the village of Magnolia, till we could get possession of our farm and build our own dwelling on it.
Joseph Hoyle, one of the earliest settlers in the little Quaker community, and an old friend of Father’s, met us at Hennepin. He took Mother and some of us younger children home for the night while Father and the others got our things into the brick house to start a new home for the Wilsons in Illinois.”
[The farm was a 200 acre tract where Andrew and Edna Wolf lived in 1957. It continued to be known as the Wilson homestead.]
Contributor: Jean WilsoN
1850 Census recording the family of Name: Ann Wilson
Gender: Female, Age: 45, Birth Year: abt 1805, Birthplace: Ohio
Home in 1850: Richland, Belmont, Ohio, USA
Household Members:
Amos Wilson 56, Ann Wilson 45, Rebecca Wilson 19, Sarah Wilson 17, Elizabeth Wilson 15, Morris Wilson 12, Laura Wilson 9, Mary Wilson 6, Amos Wilson 4, Oliver Wilson 1.
Quarker Monthly Meeting. Name: Anna Morris
Event Type: Marriage Intention (Marriage)
Marriage Place: Belmont, Ohio, Residence Place: Belmont, Ohio
Spouse: Amos Wilson
Monthly Meeting: Plainfield, Ohio, Monthly Meeting
Historical Meeting Data: Search for this monthly meeting in the 'Quaker Monthly Meetings Index'
Religion Sect: Hicksite
Yearly Meeting: Ohio Yearly Meeting
Meeting State: Ohio, Meeting County: Belmont
“When I was 8 years old, Father decided to sell his farm and move to Illinois—not abruptly, but after weeks and even months of consideration. The topic was discussed around the fireside of almost every evening, and whenever the married children came to visit. Then for a month before the date of leaving, everyone was very busy getting ready to go. Kind neighbors helped in every way they could and gave several farewell parties for us. When the day of our departure finally arrived, wagons were loaded and taken to the boat landing a few miles away, at Wheeling, W. Va., on the Ohio River. As we drew near, in sight of the boat, I could not imagine how such a large vessel could stay afloat, but what impressed me most were the large gilt letters on the side of it which read, ‘The John Quincy Adams.’
The Captain of the boat was a very kindly man. He invited all our friends who had accompanied us, to bid us goodbye, onto the boat to a very splendid dinner.
Our family, being so large, had to have two staterooms, as there were 8 children besides Father and Mother. Thomas and Hannah, with their families came with us on the same boat. They also had their staterooms so we were quite a party of Wilsons.
When the boat finally pulled away from the wharf, our older brothers and sisters wept a good deal. We younger children couldn’t imagine what there was to cry about for we were thrilled with the new experiences and excitements that lay ahead. But later we found out how much that was dear and familiar had been left behind.
One day when it was so stormy we could not play outside we children bothered the older people in the parlors a good bit, so the Captain took us down to the kitchen (the galley) where Jumbo and his family cooked the meals. Jumbo was a big, black 6 foot Negro and there was also his wife and two children. The Captain motioned us to seats and turning to Jumbo, says ‘Jumbo, you make these children some taffy candy.’ ‘Yes, Massa, soon’s I gits ma biscuits made.’ Then as the Captain left he told us to come to his cabin after dinner as he had something there for us. We set and watched Jumbo make the taffy. He went about it differently from the way Mother did, and when it was ready to pull he handled taffy for 30 people as if it were a big piece of rope. Not a bit awkward as you might think a big 6 foot man might be. He swung the candy over a big hook on the wall to help pull it and then wrapped each piece in greased paper before he handed it around. Afterward we had dinner in the Captain’s cabin where he told us stories and passed a basked of oranges, then an almost unknown delicacy to us.
One day, Oliver, then about 2 years old, was playing on the deck. He took off his new hat and dropped it over the railing into the river. He was fascinated watching it bob along on the waves. When Mother found him hatless and asked him where it was, he waved his arms and said, ‘In the weir.’ As the day was windy, she put Amos’ hat on him. It soon went the way of the other. Then she put my bonnet on him and tied the strings under his chin, but that too went ‘in the weir.’ In desperation she took one of Father’s larch handkerchiefs, knotted each corner, and fitted it like a skull cap. He thought that was so cute, he kept it on the rest of the day to show everyone.
We arrived in St. Louis after ten days on the John Quincy Adams. Here we changed steamers. It took 24 hours to transfer all our things. Then we went up the Illnois River to Hennepin; this took several days. Here Father hired wagons to take us to the neighborhood 12 miles away where we were to have the use of a brick house 2 miles N.W. of the village of Magnolia, till we could get possession of our farm and build our own dwelling on it.
Joseph Hoyle, one of the earliest settlers in the little Quaker community, and an old friend of Father’s, met us at Hennepin. He took Mother and some of us younger children home for the night while Father and the others got our things into the brick house to start a new home for the Wilsons in Illinois.”
[The farm was a 200 acre tract where Andrew and Edna Wolf lived in 1957. It continued to be known as the Wilson homestead.]
Contributor: Jean WilsoN
1850 Census recording the family of Name: Ann Wilson
Gender: Female, Age: 45, Birth Year: abt 1805, Birthplace: Ohio
Home in 1850: Richland, Belmont, Ohio, USA
Household Members:
Amos Wilson 56, Ann Wilson 45, Rebecca Wilson 19, Sarah Wilson 17, Elizabeth Wilson 15, Morris Wilson 12, Laura Wilson 9, Mary Wilson 6, Amos Wilson 4, Oliver Wilson 1.
Quarker Monthly Meeting. Name: Anna Morris
Event Type: Marriage Intention (Marriage)
Marriage Place: Belmont, Ohio, Residence Place: Belmont, Ohio
Spouse: Amos Wilson
Monthly Meeting: Plainfield, Ohio, Monthly Meeting
Historical Meeting Data: Search for this monthly meeting in the 'Quaker Monthly Meetings Index'
Religion Sect: Hicksite
Yearly Meeting: Ohio Yearly Meeting
Meeting State: Ohio, Meeting County: Belmont
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