Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Wilson, George, Jr. 1931
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Ionia County News, 12 Apr 1931

Thumb Tour Evangelist “Hits The Trail”; Death Brings End For Inmate’s Unusual 
Career

George Wilson, picturesque 80-year old thumb tour evangelist has “hit the 
trail”, but a longer one than those in past springs.  He died last Friday at 
the county poor farm following a stroke.

For years he had departed, when the weather warmed, for his roaming gospel 
trips and during the course of these visited 40 states and twice made his way 
to the west coast. 

Penniless, he would get lifts from passing motorists, and upon reaching cities 
would preach from street corners and soap boxes.  Contributions kept him going 
until cold weather when he would return to the farm.

Occasionally winter would overtake him a long distance form Ionia, and upon a 
few such occasions he wired Frank S. Loree and David Gates of the Poor Board 
for funds to get “home”.  Such funds could never be sent, but sooner or later, 
Wilson would manage to get back without them.

Started This Year

Despite his advanced age, he set out about two weeks ago for one of his trips, 
but upon reaching Portland, became exhausted.  Friends took care of him a few 
days and then took him back to the farm.

Wilson was born in Danby township, the son of George Wilson Sr. one of Ionia’s 
first country editors, but early became a roamer.  He left for the west, fought 
in the Indian wars in Montana and then disappeared for years.  Over a decade 
ago, he returned and became an inmate of the farm.

He had long hoped to return to Montana, to live there on a pension he sought as 
an Indian war veteran, but the pension never materialized.

He was buried Saturday morning following simple services in the Boynton 
Chapel.  Rev. R. E. Karban officiated. Burial was in the cemetery at the county 
home.

There were seven brothers and two sisters at one time.  Only two are living 
now.  They are Claude Wilson, Chicago, and Daniel Wilson, Milwaukee.


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