Jackson County FlArchives Biographies.....Wilson, James Nesbit 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 4, 2008, 3:49 pm

Author: B. F. Johnson

James Nesbit Wilson

    Among the large number of excellent merchants who are today contributing so
much to the development of the State of Florida, as well as making a success of
their own business ventures, is James Nesbit Wilson, of Sneads. Mr. Wilson was
born in Henry county, Ala. His father, William C. Wilson, was a merchant who had
married Miss Ordelia S. Battle. His mother was a daughter of Col. W. W. Battle,
a member of a very distinguished family of lawyers, educators, ministers and
public men. On February 24, 1909, at Union Springs, Ala., they celebrated their
Golden Wedding surrounded by all their children and grandchildren save one. On
the paternal side his family is of English origin and the first in this country
came from the county of Cornwall. On his mother's side the family was Scotch-Irish.

    Mr. Wilson was educated in the schools at Union Springs, Ala. That he was a
good scholar is proven by the fact that he won three medals for oratory. In 1885
he came to Florida and entered upon his business life in Marianna. He was first
a bookkeeper for M. L. Dekle, one of the leading business men of West Florida.
He then went into the mercantile business on his own account. Later he moved to
the growing town of Sneads and has served a number of terms as Mayor without
opposition. In 1907 he assisted in organizing the Bank of Sneads, of which he is
the president.

    Mr. Wilson has been twice married. First to Miss Cora L. Daniel, a daughter
of Senator W. J. Daniel, of Marianna. She left him two daughters, Satira Ordelia
and Cora Lee Wilson. The second marriage was to Miss Josie R. Sewall, a daughter
of Hillery and Mary A. Sewall, of Greenwood, Fla. By this marriage there are two
children, James N. Wilson, Jr. and Mary Lucile Wilson.

    In politics Mr. Wilson is a Democrat. In religion he is a member of the
Baptist Church. He served his county as a member of the Legislature in 1905. He
is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sneads High School. He is master of
the Coe Lodge of the Masonic fraternity in his town. He is a strong believer in
cooperative action, and he believes that there is nothing better that our
fellow-men can do to better the interests of all than to get together and stand
together in those things which are right. As to how to promote the best
interests of Florida and the Nation, he thinks that we should cultivate a
greater social intercourse between the different sections of our country, so
that our people may become more thoroughly homogeneous; that legislation should
be of a sane and prudent character; and that more careful attention should be
paid to education to make it higher and better and more thorough. In his
reading, aside from current periodicals and business magazines, Mr. Wilson has
drawn the most pleasure and help from the Bible and the works of Lord Lytton.
His record shows that while abundantly capable in the handling of his own
affairs that he is a builder up and doer of things for the general welfare. and
in consequence he is most highly appreciated, honored, and respected by the
people of Jackson county. Yet in the prime of life, it is to be hoped that many
years of still greater usefulness will be given him.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

FLORIDA EDITION
MAKERS OF AMERICA
AN HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WORK BY AN ABLE CORPS OF WRITERS
VOL. III.
Published under the patronage of 
The Florida Historical Society, Jacksonville, Florida

ADVISORY BOARD:
HON. W. D.  BLOXHAM
COL. FRANK HARRIS
HON. R. W. DAVIS
SEN. H. H. McCREARY
HON. F. P. FLEMING
W. F. STOVALL
C. A. CHOATE, SECRETARY

1909
A. B. CALDWELL
ATLANTA, GA.

COPYRIGHT 1909
B. F. JOHNSON

Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/jackson/photos/bios/wilson57gbs.jpg

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/jackson/bios/wilson57gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/flfiles/

File size: 4.3 Kb