Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 871 - 872

MRS. BARBARA L. WILSON, who owns a good home in Payne Township, comprising 160 acres of land with excellent farm buildings, and pleasantly located on section 14, is the widow of the late Robert L. Wilson, who departed this life on the 23d of June, 1885. Mr. Wilson is a capable business man, and was the first Justice of the Peace in Payne Township, serving in 1871. He was also Postmaster of Greenwich for a term of eleven years, during which time the office was in a small house on his farm.

            Mrs. Wilson was born in Scotland, June 5, 1828, and is the daughter of Robert and Margaret (Chambers) Leitch, who were natives of Scotland, where they spent their entire lives. Robert Leitch rested from his labors on the 15th of July, 1876, and the affectionate wife and mother joined her husband on the other side Oct. 13, 1880. Their family included eight children, namely: Andrew, Barbara, Condie, Robert, Alex, Peter, Margaret and Janet. Condie died when about twenty-eight years of age; the others are surviving, and continue on their native soil. The father was a machinist by trade, as also all his sons. Mrs. Wilson came to the United States when about twenty-five years of age. Her husband had preceded her some two years, settling first in Pennsylvania, where he was joined by his wife, and not long afterward they removed to New York State, locating in Orange County. Thence they removed two years later to Clinton, Ohio, in the Chippewa coal regions, where Mr. Wilson followed mining for a short time, and from there removed to Clay County, Ind. He worked there in a coal mine, and then pushed still further westward, becoming a resident of Alton, Ill., where the family resided for a period of fourteen years.

            Mr. and Mrs. Wilson came with their family to Kansas in 1870, locating first on Payne's ranch until the outlines of the sections could be definitely ascertained. They camped on the land included in their present farm for a time, and afterward occupied a dugout during the winter months and until a house could be erected. The husband by hard work and perseverance succeeding in raising enough vegetables to provide the family for the season, but were obliged to contend with hailstorms and grasshoppers, and were often reduced to corn bread and water. Mr. Wilson finally succeeded in clearing a quarter-section of land, through which the Ft. Scott Railroad now passes, and which is numbered among the fertile farms of the county.

            The childhood and youth of Mrs. Wilson were spent in her native county not far from the early home of her husband, to whom she was married on the 17th of April, 1848. Mr. W. was the son of James and Elizabeth (Strong) Wilson, who were also of Scotch birth and parentage, and passed to their long home years ago. Their family consisted of thirteen children, of whom Robert L. was the youngest. After coming to Illinois and during the progress of the late Rebellion, Mr. Wilson enlisted as a Union soldier in Company G, 66th Illinois Infantry, and continued in the service about twenty-two months, being in many battles, but escaping without a wound. He marched with the troops of Gen. Sherman as far as Atlanta, when, on account of ill-health, he received his discharge, and was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., in 1865.

            To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson there were born seven children, namely: James lives in this township; Robert is deceased; John lives in this township; Andrew and Margaret are deceased; Mary is the wife of Thomas Barnes, of Osage City; Lydia is the wife of Frank E. Austin, and resides with her widowed mother on the farm, Mr. A. having charge of its business. Mrs. Wilson is a consistent member of the Christian Church, with which she identified herself many years ago. Her husband belonged to the Baptist Church at the time of his death.

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