Obituaries: James Carter Wilson Submitter: Hank Johns MAY 2001 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** *********************************************** "Pecos Pioneer Dies Following Long Illness J.C. Wilson, prominent Pecos area resident who had been Texas Pecos River Commissioner since 1949, died about noone Wednesday at his ranch home near Balmorhea. The 73-year-old rancher had had a lengthy illness. Wilson, who was called by many West Texans "Mr. Pecos River", was a leader in obtaining the desalinization plant at Malaga Bend, N.M.; the federal salt cedar eradication program started along the Pecos River and many other programs, including several large irrigation projects. Graveside rites will be held at 6 p.m. today in Balmorhea Cemetery. Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Wilson was born Jan 10, 1895 in Oak Grove, La., and moved to Pecos in 1917 from Carlsbad, N.M., where he had lived four years. In Pecos, Wilson joined the Pruitt Co., parent organization of Pecos Mercantile. A veteran of World War I, Wilson served overseas with the 90th Division. After the war, the Pecos man worked for the Mercantile firm until the late 1940's, when he started farming full time. He owned cantaloupe and cotton farms in the Presidio, Pecos and Grandfalls areas. Wilson was instrumental in getting much early cotton legislation through Congress, which later was beneficial to West Texas producers. Wilson is also given credit for building the Pecos Basin area into one of the largest cotton growing areas in the nation. He was first president of Texas Cotton Industries, which operated a cottonseed crushing plant at Marfa and a string of nine gins. That organization later taken over by the West Texas Cottonoil Co., a subsidiary of Anderson, Clayton and Co. He was also a founder of the Big Bend Gin Co., which operated two gins in the Presidio area in 1924. Survivors include his wife, Hope of Balmorhea and Pecos; a son James Charles Wilson Jr., new state director of Colorado Drafting Office at Denver; and three grandchildren. Memorials may be given to Wilson's favorite charity which was Cal Farley's Boys Ranch or to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund." End of Article ------------------------ Note: Since the newpaper article does not mention the date of death, may I add the fact that James Carter Wilson died August 21, 1968. His parents were James Carter Wilson and Minnie Beatrice Johns whom married December 20, 1877 in West Carroll Parish, LA. Minnie Beatrice (Johns) Wilson is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, West Carroll Parish, LA.