The Wilson Family
George Wilson, age 34, left his family in Yorkshire, England to come to the United States in 1877, intending to settle in California. He reached Wichita and found the early city wild with cowboys and Indians. He bought a farm in Cowley County, in the Kellogg community, eight miles northwest of Winfield. After a year, he sent for his fiancee, Lydia Mary Cropper, of Sheffield, England, who courageously braved the rough sea passage, finally arriving in Wichita. At age 20 she left against the wishes of her parents, whom she never saw again. They were married at the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Wichita, then came to Winfield by stage coach. They prospered in farming, and in 1902 built a large house, a stone barn, and silo. George was a director of the First National Bank.
The George & Lydia Wilson Family George and Lydia had six children: Martha Ellen (Nellie), George Heber, Ira Alfred, and John Thomas. Two daughters died in infancy. The children were educated at North Vernon rural school, Southwest Business College, and Kansas State College. Heber and Ira received degrees in agricultural science, and John in veterinary medicine, Martha majored in domestic science, but didn't graduate- All were members of the Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church.
Martha and Frank Hoverstock, Heber and Della (Abel), and Ira and Urna (Hoverstock), were successful farmers and ranchers in Cowley County in the Kellogg community. John practiced veterinary medicine in Seiling and Pawnee, OK.
John and Alice (Gaden) had two children: Kenneth, Oklahoma City, deceased, and Urna Mildred Privett, Pawnee.
George died in 1914; Lydia in 1929; John and Alice in 1940; Frank Hoverstock in 1956; and Urna in 1957. Ira later married Jeanette Lipperd. Ira died in 1968; Martha in 1971, and Jeanette in 1988.
The deceased family members are buried in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery, northwest of Winfield, except John, Alice, Kenneth, and Jeanette Wilson.
Submitted by Mary and Wayne Wilson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 324.
The George Heber & Della Mae Wilson Family George Heber Wilson was born to George and Lydia Mary (Cropper) Wilson in 1881, who came to Kansas from England in 1877 and lived on a farm eight miles northwest of Winfield. He was educated in the Winfield schools and graduated with an agricultural science degree from Kansas State College. Heber had one sister, Martha Ellen (Nellie) Hoverstock; and two brothers, Ira and John.
Della Mae (Abel) Wilson was born to William R. and Mary Catherine Abel in 1882 in Emerson, Iowa. She later came to Kansas with her parents where she lived on a farm west of Winfield, then moved to Winfield. She attended "normal" school, then taught school at Liberty. She also worked as a clerk at Dauber's Dry Goods Store in Winfield. Della had a sister, Nellie (Abel) Hahn; and four brothers, Fred, Roy, Glen, and Vernon Abel.
Heber and Della were married in 1909, and lived on a farm nine miles northwest of Winfield. Heber raised pure-bred shorthorn cattle and fed hogs for market. During his early farming years, he raised sweet clover used for soil build-up, followed by a rotation of corn and oats. When the drought of the 1930s came, wheat was substituted because of the dry, hot winds and dust storms. He farmed with horses and mules until he purchased his first tractor in 1934.
Heber and Della had six children: Harold, Oxford, (deceased) teacher and farmer; James, Augusta, retired chemical engineer; Paul, Wichita, retired major, U.S.A.F.; Wayne, rural Winfield, who farms the home place; Curtis, Winfield, retired farmer; and Nellie Mary, retired business teacher; six years at Stafford High School, and 33 at Cowley County Community College, Arkansas City. She sponsored an active business organization, Phi Beta Lambda, where her students consistently received state awards.
The children graduated from Winfield High School and Southwestern College. Mary also graduated from St. John's College and received a Master's Degree from Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia.
Heber died in 1951, Della in 1970, and Harold in 1987, They are buried at Mt. Vernon Cemetery northwest of Winfield.
All of the children of Heber and Della Wilson have land holdings in Cowley County, formerly owned by their parents and grandparents.
The Wilson families enjoy church activities, musical events, reunions, and travel. Some of the families have visited English relatives and located the former home of their grandmother in Sheffield, England. They have visited Europe, Israel, Russia, Korea, Hawaii, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Nepal, India, Saipan, Ecuador, Mexico, Florida, Alaska as well as the mainland states.
The Wilson family members are especially proud of their heritage.
Submitted by Mary and Wayne Wilson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 324
The descendants of George Heber and Della Mae Wilson include: Harold and Helen (Vollweider) Wilson, who have three children: Kenneth, Wichita, a farmer; Dorothy Ottery, Dublin, OH, a computer accountant; and Marcia Thomas Kliewer, Halstead, an elementary music teacher. James and Geneva (Morgan) Wilson (deceased) have two children! Larry, Seattle, a doctor and faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Washington, and Sara Wilson Shirk, Florissant, MO, a homemaker. James later married Jeri Whiting. Paul and Louise (Youle) Wilson have two daughters: Jeannette Christianson, Lincoln, NE, a secretary and former teacher; and Margaret Stull, Hutchinson, a homemaker and former teacher. Curtis and Louise (Sickles) Wilson have three children: Steven, New Orleans, a physical therapist; Julia Van Sickle, Wichita, a secretary; and Esther Wilson, Kenosha, a University of Wisconsin science teacher.
Two Generations of Wilsons Kenneth and Elizabeth (Peters) Wilson have two sons: Larry, Rosell, GA, a construction supervisor; and Rusty, Manhattan, a restaurant owner. Kenneth later married Yvonne Stevenage. Dorothy (Wilson) and Steve Ottery have two sons: Jonathon and Trent. Marcia and Mike Thomas have a son, Blaine. Marcia later married Richard Kliewer. Larry and Jan (McIntosh) Wilson have two daughters: Lauren and Hilary. Sara and Frank Shirk have two children: Angela and Andrew. Jeannette and Joel Christianson have three children: Karla, Craig, and Jason. Margaret and Bill Stull have four children: Roger, Rodney, Rebecca, and Robert. Steve and Debbie (Neitzke) Wilson have three children: Clifton, Shea, and Kimberly. Julia and Ron VanSickle have a daughter, Audra.
The Wilson families enjoy reunions and traveling and are especially proud of their heritage.
Submitted by Mary and Wayne Wilson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 326.
| State Coordinators Tom & Carolyn Ward, Columbus, KS tcward@columbus-ks.com |