Wapello County IA Archives Biographies.....Wilson, Albert D. 1864 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 July 14, 2013, 9:15 pm Source: See Below Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher ALBERT D. WILSON. Albert D. Wilson resides at No. 2002 West Second street, just outside the city limits of Ottumwa. For an extended period he was identified with agricultural pursuits in this county and employed modern methods in the cultivation and development of his fields, but is now living retired, having in 1913 put aside the more active work of the farm and taken up his abode at his present place of residence. Mr. Wilson was born in Center township, a mile and a quarter west of the city limits of Ottumwa on the Eddyville Road, July 30, 1864, a son of Prier S. Wilson, who for many years was a leading farmer of Wapello county, where he became the owner of an excellent farm of four hundred acres, situated on sections 10 and 15, Center township. He was born in Monroe county, Indiana, July 22, 1838, and came of Irish ancestry, although the family has been represented on this side of the water for many generations. The father and grandfather of Prier S. Wilson were both natives of Kentucky and made farming their life work. In the year 1840 Prier S. Wilson arrived in Wapello county, but after a brief period removed to Van Buren county. In 1852, however, he returned to this county and successfully engaged in farming. In i860 he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, constituting the nucleus of the old homestead farm,-to which he afterward added from time to time until his possessions aggregated four hundred acres. In 1862 he built his first house, also erected a large barn fifty by one hundred feet and other outbuildings for the protection of grain and stock. A number of years afterward he erected another residence and subsequent to that time built a third house. Fie brought his land to a high state of cultivation, harvesting about four thousand bushels of grain annually and also raising cattle and hogs on an extensive scale. Splendid success attended his efforts as farmer and stock dealer, and he also embarked in the real-estate business, buying and selling farms. In 1858 Prier S. Wilson was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary Stephenson, and to them were born five children: Nancy, Laura E., Albert D., Emery M. and T. H., all now living with the exception of the last named. Albert D. Wilson resided at the place of his birth until May 15, 1899, or for a period of thirty-five years. He then removed to his farm one-half mile west of Ottumwa and made his home there until January 15, 1913, when he took up his abode at his present place of residence, just outside the city limits at No. 2002 West Second street. He now rents his farm of two hundred acres, which is situated on sections 3, 10 and 15, Center township. For many years he there conducted dairy farming, having been associated with his father and brother in the dairy business, while for about thirty-five years he was alone. At one time he kept about eighty cows for dairy purposes, at which time he was in partnership with his father and when alone in the business he had twenty-five cows. His interests were carefully conducted, and his unfaltering enterprise and unabating energy were the salient elements in his success. He has ten acres of land in his home place, and he also owns a number of other pieces of property in the city, having made judicious investments in real estate, wherefrom he now derives a gratifying annual income. In 1884 Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Amy F. Graves, who was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, November 28, 1862, a daughter of O. C. and Harriet F. (Humphrey) Graves. Her father was born in Independence, Jefferson county, Missouri, in 1833, and the genealogy of the family gives the ancestral records in the United States and in England back to the thirteenth century. O. C. Graves came to Wapello county in early childhood in company with his parents and passed away in the home now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Wilson on the 8th of March, 1913. He was one of eleven children, who had but limited opportunities in youth, and he worked his way through college by setting type. All of his life he was a printer and editor, being connected in an editorial capacity with a number of different papers. He was a man of very decided views, outspoken and fearless and did not hesitate to sign his name to his writings, never hiding behind the commonly used editorial "we" of the present day. His first wife died in 1864, and he afterward married again. His children were Horace L., who died at the age of nineteen years; and Mrs. Wilson. Mr. Graves was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church and in early life joined that denomination, but while a student at Antioch College, he became an investigator of spiritualism and in later life ardently supported that belief. He made the golden rule the leading principle of his life and never lost an opportunity to do good. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were born seven children: Fred D., of Moline, Illinois, who married Theresa Burns and has three children, Mildred, Darrel and Elfreda; Albert H., of South Ottumwa, who married Rose Mielkey and has two children, Harold and Merle; Horace R., of South Ottumwa, who married Bertha Lang; Oliver Clyde, who wedded Florence Hendrickson; and Raymond P., Harriet and Edith, all at home. Mr. Wilson is a representative of one of the old pioneer families of the county. His life has been a busy, active and useful one, and the energy and determination which he has displayed have enabled him to overcome many difficulties and obstacles. He worked persistently and energetically while improving his farm and conducting his dairy business and now is living practically retired upon his small but attractive place at the outskirts of Ottumwa, enjoying the well earned rest which has come to him. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY IOWA ILLUSTRATED VOLUME II CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ia/wapello/bios/wilson858gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb