Biographical Sketch of James J. Wilson, Jefferson County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

**********************************************************************

James J. Wilson, Jr., editor and proprietor of the "Jefferson County 
Crystal Mirror," of Hillsboro, was born in Carroll County, Tenn., in
1853, and is the eldest of the thirteen children of James J. and Ann
(Hatlock) Wilson.  The father was born in Waynesborough, Wayne Co.,
Tenn., in 1828, and received his education at the Paris Academy, 
Paris, Tenn., where he graduated in March, 1852.  He engaged in mer-
chandising for a few years, but has since turned his attention to
farming and teaching.  July 6, 1862, at Ironton, Mo., he enlisted in
Company D, Thirty-first Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and took part in
the siege of Vicksburg and the battle of Arkansas Post.  On account 
of disability he was transferred to Company I, Twenty-third Veteran
Reserve Corps, in April, 1864, in which he served until the close of
the Rebellion, being honorably discharged at St. Louis, July 1, 1865.
He remained in St. Louis County until 1867, and then located in Jeff-
erson County, where he has been occupied as a farmer and trader.  He
served as assessor of Jefferson County in 1879 and 1880.  He was 
reared a Whig, politically, and is now a member of the G. A. R.  His
wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church.  His parents were Zacch-
eus and Naomi T. (Gillespie) Wilson, natives, respectively, of Meck-
lenburg and Towan Counties, N. C., who were early settlers of William-
son County, Tenn., later removing to Western Tennessee, where the 
father died in 1857; the mother died in Jefferson County, Mo., in 
1879.  James J. Wilson, Jr., was reared on a farm, receiving a limited
common school education.  He taught school eight years, and in 1884 
was employed as book keeper for the Crystal Plate Glass Company, being
afterward promoted to chief shed clerk.  In August, 1885, in partner-
ship with Dr. T. B. Taylor, he founded the "Crystal Mirror," which was
continued under their management at Crystal City until March, 1886,
when Mr. Taylor retired, and Mr. Wilson conducted the paper alone, at
Crystal City, until January, 1887; he then removed to Hillsboro, en-
larging the paper from a five to a seven column quarto, making other
improvements, and changing the name to the "Jefferson County Crystal
Mirror."  In two years' time the subscription reached 1,100.  Mr.
Wilson was formerly a Democrat in politics, having cast his first
presidential vote for Tilden, but more recently the Republican prin-
ciples have been more congenial to him, and he has identified himself
with that party.  In March, 1880, he married Miss Mary E., daughter of
Joseph and Mary E. Wilkinson, of Washington County.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Wilson have three children: Horace Bates, Arthur Jasper and Henrietta
Ann.  The parents are members of the Presbyterian Church. 

====================================================================
     USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
         free information on the Internet, data may be used by
         non-commercial entities, as long as this message
         remains on all copied material. These electronic
         pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
         or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

         Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
         for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
         written consent of the file contributor.

         This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
         Archives by: Joe Miller <mio@netins.net>
		      Penny Harrell <Incog3678@aol.com>

====================================================================