Born Thomas Thornhill Willson to James Willson and Sarah Thornhill.
Farmer and Pony Express rider. He emigrated to America in 1853, accompanied by
his uncle John Willson I ( Findagrave memorial # 216501349) whose current home was Jamestown, New York, and who had returned to England for a visit. Thomas then lived in Jamestown with Uncle John before moving in 1855 to DeKalb County, Illinois. He worked on various farms in Illinois before going to Atchison, Kansas, for three years where he worked in a store. In 1861, and rode the first Pony Express route from Atchison to Seneca, Kansas, after the company moved the eastern terminus to Atchison from St. Joseph, Missouri because of civil unrest in Missouri.
In 1871 he had returned to Illinois and purchased a farm in DeKalb County about three miles from Victor township, near Leland of LaSalle County. He became a naturalized citizen on September 24, 1872. Thomas married Mary Ann Bend on May 3, 1877. During his time in Illinois, he dropped the second "L" in his name and was known as Wilson at the time of his death. Death was actually in Victor Township, DeKalb County, but nearest Post Office was Leland in LaSalle County.
Thomas Thornhill Willson/Wilson was born in Prickwillow near Ely, Cambridgeshire, England to James Willson (1805-1862) and Sarah Matilda Thornhill (1813-1876). His paternal grandparents were Mark Willson (1769-1855) and Susannah Topping (1722-1821) and his maternal grandparents were possibly Thomas Thornhill and Lydia. According to the final accounting record of the will for Thomas's father James Willson after wife Sarah's death in 1876, a George Thornhill was the trustee. It is thought this is a brother of Sarah.
There were 5 brothers and 4 sisters in the family:
------George Willson 1832-After 1891 in England;
------this Thomas Thornhill Willson 1834-1911 in Illinois and who had married Mary Ann Bend.
------Elizabeth (Betsy) Willson 1936-1891 in England. Married John Palmer and had 5 children. Their daughter Sarah Esther Palmer (Find A Grave Memorial# 21434701) came to America in 1903 with cousin John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544) married Henry Peter Vidricksen and remained in Kansas;
------Johnson Willson 1838-1904 in Luton, England. Married Elizabeth Wiles and had 6 children;
------Emma Willson 1839-after 1926 in Wisbech, England. (Emma was named as surviving Thomas Thornhill Willson in his 1911 obituary, and I think she was surviving her brother James in 1926, too.) Married Dan Barnes and had 6 children;
------James Willson 1842-1926 in Kansas. Findagrave Memorial # 51290136. He married Mary Jane Watson in England and they had no children;
------Esther Willson 1844-1859, buried in Ely Cemetery, Cambridgeshire;
------John Willson 1846-1890, Cambridgeshire, Engl. Married Ellen Ingram and later 3 others; He and Ellen had 7 children, three who moved to Kansas John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544), Thomas Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 263628631) Elizabeth Ellen (Nellie) Watson (Find A Grave Memorial# 65365887) and one to Ohio - Alfred Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 74192199); and
------Matilda Willson 1849-1880 in Southery, Norfolk, England. Matilda Sarah Willson Barton Find A Grave Memorial# 199753026. Married Al Barton and they had 3 children.
Farmer and Pony Express rider. He emigrated to America in 1853, accompanied by
his uncle John Willson I ( Findagrave memorial # 216501349) whose current home was Jamestown, New York, and who had returned to England for a visit. Thomas then lived in Jamestown with Uncle John before moving in 1855 to DeKalb County, Illinois. He worked on various farms in Illinois before going to Atchison, Kansas, for three years where he worked in a store. In 1861, and rode the first Pony Express route from Atchison to Seneca, Kansas, after the company moved the eastern terminus to Atchison from St. Joseph, Missouri because of civil unrest in Missouri.
In 1871 he had returned to Illinois and purchased a farm in DeKalb County about three miles from Victor township, near Leland of LaSalle County. He became a naturalized citizen on September 24, 1872. Thomas married Mary Ann Bend on May 3, 1877. During his time in Illinois, he dropped the second "L" in his name and was known as Wilson at the time of his death. Death was actually in Victor Township, DeKalb County, but nearest Post Office was Leland in LaSalle County.
Thomas Thornhill Willson/Wilson was born in Prickwillow near Ely, Cambridgeshire, England to James Willson (1805-1862) and Sarah Matilda Thornhill (1813-1876). His paternal grandparents were Mark Willson (1769-1855) and Susannah Topping (1722-1821) and his maternal grandparents were possibly Thomas Thornhill and Lydia. According to the final accounting record of the will for Thomas's father James Willson after wife Sarah's death in 1876, a George Thornhill was the trustee. It is thought this is a brother of Sarah.
There were 5 brothers and 4 sisters in the family:
------George Willson 1832-After 1891 in England;
------this Thomas Thornhill Willson 1834-1911 in Illinois and who had married Mary Ann Bend.
------Elizabeth (Betsy) Willson 1936-1891 in England. Married John Palmer and had 5 children. Their daughter Sarah Esther Palmer (Find A Grave Memorial# 21434701) came to America in 1903 with cousin John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544) married Henry Peter Vidricksen and remained in Kansas;
------Johnson Willson 1838-1904 in Luton, England. Married Elizabeth Wiles and had 6 children;
------Emma Willson 1839-after 1926 in Wisbech, England. (Emma was named as surviving Thomas Thornhill Willson in his 1911 obituary, and I think she was surviving her brother James in 1926, too.) Married Dan Barnes and had 6 children;
------James Willson 1842-1926 in Kansas. Findagrave Memorial # 51290136. He married Mary Jane Watson in England and they had no children;
------Esther Willson 1844-1859, buried in Ely Cemetery, Cambridgeshire;
------John Willson 1846-1890, Cambridgeshire, Engl. Married Ellen Ingram and later 3 others; He and Ellen had 7 children, three who moved to Kansas John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544), Thomas Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 263628631) Elizabeth Ellen (Nellie) Watson (Find A Grave Memorial# 65365887) and one to Ohio - Alfred Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 74192199); and
------Matilda Willson 1849-1880 in Southery, Norfolk, England. Matilda Sarah Willson Barton Find A Grave Memorial# 199753026. Married Al Barton and they had 3 children.
Born Thomas Thornhill Willson to James Willson and Sarah Thornhill.
Farmer and Pony Express rider. He emigrated to America in 1853, accompanied by
his uncle John Willson I ( Findagrave memorial # 216501349) whose current home was Jamestown, New York, and who had returned to England for a visit. Thomas then lived in Jamestown with Uncle John before moving in 1855 to DeKalb County, Illinois. He worked on various farms in Illinois before going to Atchison, Kansas, for three years where he worked in a store. In 1861, and rode the first Pony Express route from Atchison to Seneca, Kansas, after the company moved the eastern terminus to Atchison from St. Joseph, Missouri because of civil unrest in Missouri.
In 1871 he had returned to Illinois and purchased a farm in DeKalb County about three miles from Victor township, near Leland of LaSalle County. He became a naturalized citizen on September 24, 1872. Thomas married Mary Ann Bend on May 3, 1877. During his time in Illinois, he dropped the second "L" in his name and was known as Wilson at the time of his death. Death was actually in Victor Township, DeKalb County, but nearest Post Office was Leland in LaSalle County.
Thomas Thornhill Willson/Wilson was born in Prickwillow near Ely, Cambridgeshire, England to James Willson (1805-1862) and Sarah Matilda Thornhill (1813-1876). His paternal grandparents were Mark Willson (1769-1855) and Susannah Topping (1722-1821) and his maternal grandparents were possibly Thomas Thornhill and Lydia. According to the final accounting record of the will for Thomas's father James Willson after wife Sarah's death in 1876, a George Thornhill was the trustee. It is thought this is a brother of Sarah.
There were 5 brothers and 4 sisters in the family:
------George Willson 1832-After 1891 in England;
------this Thomas Thornhill Willson 1834-1911 in Illinois and who had married Mary Ann Bend.
------Elizabeth (Betsy) Willson 1936-1891 in England. Married John Palmer and had 5 children. Their daughter Sarah Esther Palmer (Find A Grave Memorial# 21434701) came to America in 1903 with cousin John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544) married Henry Peter Vidricksen and remained in Kansas;
------Johnson Willson 1838-1904 in Luton, England. Married Elizabeth Wiles and had 6 children;
------Emma Willson 1839-after 1926 in Wisbech, England. (Emma was named as surviving Thomas Thornhill Willson in his 1911 obituary, and I think she was surviving her brother James in 1926, too.) Married Dan Barnes and had 6 children;
------James Willson 1842-1926 in Kansas. Findagrave Memorial # 51290136. He married Mary Jane Watson in England and they had no children;
------Esther Willson 1844-1859, buried in Ely Cemetery, Cambridgeshire;
------John Willson 1846-1890, Cambridgeshire, Engl. Married Ellen Ingram and later 3 others; He and Ellen had 7 children, three who moved to Kansas John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544), Thomas Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 263628631) Elizabeth Ellen (Nellie) Watson (Find A Grave Memorial# 65365887) and one to Ohio - Alfred Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 74192199); and
------Matilda Willson 1849-1880 in Southery, Norfolk, England. Matilda Sarah Willson Barton Find A Grave Memorial# 199753026. Married Al Barton and they had 3 children.
Farmer and Pony Express rider. He emigrated to America in 1853, accompanied by
his uncle John Willson I ( Findagrave memorial # 216501349) whose current home was Jamestown, New York, and who had returned to England for a visit. Thomas then lived in Jamestown with Uncle John before moving in 1855 to DeKalb County, Illinois. He worked on various farms in Illinois before going to Atchison, Kansas, for three years where he worked in a store. In 1861, and rode the first Pony Express route from Atchison to Seneca, Kansas, after the company moved the eastern terminus to Atchison from St. Joseph, Missouri because of civil unrest in Missouri.
In 1871 he had returned to Illinois and purchased a farm in DeKalb County about three miles from Victor township, near Leland of LaSalle County. He became a naturalized citizen on September 24, 1872. Thomas married Mary Ann Bend on May 3, 1877. During his time in Illinois, he dropped the second "L" in his name and was known as Wilson at the time of his death. Death was actually in Victor Township, DeKalb County, but nearest Post Office was Leland in LaSalle County.
Thomas Thornhill Willson/Wilson was born in Prickwillow near Ely, Cambridgeshire, England to James Willson (1805-1862) and Sarah Matilda Thornhill (1813-1876). His paternal grandparents were Mark Willson (1769-1855) and Susannah Topping (1722-1821) and his maternal grandparents were possibly Thomas Thornhill and Lydia. According to the final accounting record of the will for Thomas's father James Willson after wife Sarah's death in 1876, a George Thornhill was the trustee. It is thought this is a brother of Sarah.
There were 5 brothers and 4 sisters in the family:
------George Willson 1832-After 1891 in England;
------this Thomas Thornhill Willson 1834-1911 in Illinois and who had married Mary Ann Bend.
------Elizabeth (Betsy) Willson 1936-1891 in England. Married John Palmer and had 5 children. Their daughter Sarah Esther Palmer (Find A Grave Memorial# 21434701) came to America in 1903 with cousin John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544) married Henry Peter Vidricksen and remained in Kansas;
------Johnson Willson 1838-1904 in Luton, England. Married Elizabeth Wiles and had 6 children;
------Emma Willson 1839-after 1926 in Wisbech, England. (Emma was named as surviving Thomas Thornhill Willson in his 1911 obituary, and I think she was surviving her brother James in 1926, too.) Married Dan Barnes and had 6 children;
------James Willson 1842-1926 in Kansas. Findagrave Memorial # 51290136. He married Mary Jane Watson in England and they had no children;
------Esther Willson 1844-1859, buried in Ely Cemetery, Cambridgeshire;
------John Willson 1846-1890, Cambridgeshire, Engl. Married Ellen Ingram and later 3 others; He and Ellen had 7 children, three who moved to Kansas John William "Will" Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 51477544), Thomas Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 263628631) Elizabeth Ellen (Nellie) Watson (Find A Grave Memorial# 65365887) and one to Ohio - Alfred Wilson (Find A Grave Memorial# 74192199); and
------Matilda Willson 1849-1880 in Southery, Norfolk, England. Matilda Sarah Willson Barton Find A Grave Memorial# 199753026. Married Al Barton and they had 3 children.
Gravesite Details
His obituary said he was being buried in Wesson Cemetery, which later became Victor Cemetery.
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