 |
Chase County Kansas Obituaries
|
Wilson, William W
Until his death in 1938, Memorial Day services at the Cottonwood Fails and Strong City cemeteries were attended faithfully by William W. Wilson, one of the oldest settlers of Chase County and the last surviving member of A. McDonald G.A.R. Post No. 455 of Strong City. He would have been ninety-one years old had he lived a few days longer.
It was no easy duty for Mr. Wilson to attend these ceremonies, for, being a sensitive man, the horrors of his Civil War experiences stayed with him always and these services brought back all too vividly what he had seen during this period.
Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1848, and orphaned at an early age, he enlisted in the Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company H, when only fourteen years old, and served more than three years, participating in almost all of the battles fought in the Shenandoah Valley. The neighbor boy who enlisted with him was killed in the first engagement after taking refuge behind a rotten tree stump. Young Mr. Wilson had his horse shot out from under him, but was not taken seriously injured.
At the close of the war he was made an escort of General Dodge and accompanied him on a tour of the west to Fort Leavenworth and Fort Laramie and several other forts, including Fort Phil Kearney and Fort Scott. The company was disbanded at Fort Leavenworth, August 24, 1865.
Liking the west, Mr. Wilson decided to make his home here, although he returned to Pennsylvania a short time, then came back to St. Clair County, Missouri, in 1866. Two years later he took up a homestead in Washington County, Kansas, and after living there for fourteen years moved to northern Chase County and remained there until about 1910 when Mr. Wilson retired from active farming and livestock raising and moved to Strong City, his home until his death.
Mr. Wilson married to the former Adaline Spencer, who preceded him in death May 28, 1930. Nine years prior to this the Wilson's celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their Strong city home when all of their children and families were present.
There were nine Wilson children, three girls and six boys. Of these, only one son, Everett, died before the father, William W. Wilson, in 193 I. Following are names of the children and grandchildren: EVERETT WILSON (married Effie Thompson), the parents of Adeline (Wilson) Littler (deceased); Lillian (Wilson) Seyfert; Beth (Wilson) Benninghoven; Edith (Wilson) Benninghoven (deceased); and Gareth Wilson; ARTHUR WILSON (married Effie Mealy, the parents of Ruth, Clara and Ivan Wilson); IDA (WILSON) PENDERGRAFT (married Roy Pendergraft), the parents of Clayton Pendergraft; CLYDE WILSON (married Katie Swenson), the parents of Leland and Clyde Wilson, Jr.; TILLIE (WILSON) LEWIS (married John Lewis), the parents of Lois Irene (Lewis) Koegeboehn; JOHN C. WILSON (married Bessie Petford), the parents of Marian (Wilson) Bryant, (deceased); Marjorie (Wilson) Frick; and Dorothy (Wilson) Johnson; BERT WILSON (married Flora Shaw), the parents of Zerita Wilson (deceased); ETTA WILSON; WILLIAM J. WILSON (married Frances Stotler), the parents of Helen (Wilson) Carnine and Captain William F. Wilson (deceased).
Chase County (KS) Historical Sketches, V. 3, pub. By The Chase County Historical
Society, 1966, transcribed by Cindy Marcell
Page 234 - 236.
by Lorna Marvin
Please submit your obituaries and death notices.
Background and KSGenWeb logo were designed and are copyrighted by
Tom & Carolyn Ward
for the limited use of the KSGenWeb Project.
Permission is granted for use only on an official KSGenWeb page.
The USGenWeb Logo was designed by Linda Cole.
 |
|