Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 635 - 636 

JONATHAN WILSON. There have been but few places even in this enterprising country where greater interest has been taken in real-estate business than in Kansas during the last two decades. The most notable place in this remarkable commonwealth is Wichita, the wonder of the day. One of the enterprising men engaged here in the real-estate business is Jonathan Wilson. He is a native of Indiana, having been born in Switzerland County, that State, May 19, 1839. His father, Benjamin Wilson, was born in Kentucky, May 20, 1803, and died Aug. 16, 1885, on the homestead in Indiana that his father, Benjamin Wilson, Sr., entered from the Government, having lived there more than eighty consecutive years. He was a very young child when his father took up the land, and as he grew old enough and strong enough, he assisted in clearing that 150-acre tract of land. The maiden name of his wife, mother of our subject, was Matilda Neal, also a native of Kentucky, born Aug. 14, 1811. She survived her husband, and still lives on the old homestead. This excellent old lady is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, her husband having also joined that church during the latter part of his life. The children born of their union were Wesley W., Lewis, George W., Jonathan, Perry, Eliza, Melville, Elias, Nathan and Ezra. George was a Methodist minister; he is now deceased. Nathan studied medicine; he is now a practicing physician of the old school, living in Milton, Ind. Ezra lives in California.

            The subject of this sketch was united in the holy bonds of matrimony, May 5, 1861, by Rev. Isaac Turner, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to Elizabeth V. Randall. She was born in Indiana, Jan. 26, 1840, being the daughter of George and Rhoda (Ewbank) Randall. Mr. Randall was born and reared in England, where he studied theology and became a Methodist minister, and in early life was associated with Peter Cartwright. Subsequently he became a farmer, and accumulated considerable property before his death, which took place on the home farm, four miles from Aurora, Ind. He was always a prominent and influential man in the church, and was a hard worker, whether in the pulpit or in the harvest field. His wife was also a splendid worker in the church, and never gave it up during her life, spending her years in doing good wherever and whenever she could. Her death occurred in Indiana, Dec. 3, 1859, some years before her husband's. They were the parents of eight children, namely: John E., George F., William, Thomas and Richard (twins), Mary A., Rebecca J. and Elizabeth V. William is a physician.

            Mr. Wilson received a common-school education, and passed his early years at home, where he received a practical education in the art of tilling the soil. Subsequently he purchased 140 acres of land of his father, but after five years of possession sold it and bought 100 acres in Dearborn County, where he lived fourteen years. In 1884 Mr. Wilson came to Kansas, and locating in Ford County, proved up a claim, and remained there eighteen months. In 1887 he bought the residence he now occupies, the lot on which it is situated having a frontage of sixty feet. Our subject also owns several lots on Mead street, besides being the possessor of 320 acres of land in Ford County, nearly half of which is under cultivation. He is profitably engaged in real-estate speculations, and greatly aids the business interests of the community and the development of this beautiful metropolis of the Arkansas Valley, by bringing before the public its advantages in the matter of location, railway facilities, water privileges, fertility of soil, and salubrity of climate.

            Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have four children -- Rhoda R., Henry L., Randall and Tillie. Rhoda is a clerk in a dry-goods store, a position she has held the past eighteen months; Henry is time-keeper with Bracey Bros., railroad contractors, of Salina, Kan.; Randall is telegraph operator, having been promoted from office boy.

            Our subject and his wife have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for twenty-six years, and in their daily lives exemplify the teachings of Christianity. Though newcomers in this city, they have identified themselves with its welfare, and have made many friends among the intelligent and hospitable citizens of the place. In politics Mr. Wilson is a straight Republican.

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