CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - WILSON David Boal
====================================================================

NEGENWEB 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 NEGenWeb
         Archives by Shirley Keifer
         
======================================================================

Laurel Advocate 1-2-1928

Col. Wilson Passed Away Monday Night

Would have been 91 years of age next March

Was Last of the GAR

Funeral Services at the home this morning, Veteran of Many Wars

	David Boal Wilson was born March 12, 1838 at Hartleton, Union 
Co. Pa., and departed this life December 31, 1928 at Laurel, Cedar 
County, Nebraska. Age 90 years, 9 months and 19 days.

	Mr. Wilson spent his boyhood days at the Hartleton where he 
attended school; later he attend the academies of Boalsburg and 
Mifflinburg, Pa., In the year of 1856 he matriculated in Jefferson 
college, Cannonsburg, Pa., and graduated in the year of 1860 at the 
age of 22 years. 

	The field of law seemed to be the first ambition of Mr.Wilson, 
consequently, upon graduation he entered the law office of D.W. Woods, 
Lewistown, pa., and began the study of law. He pursued his studies until 
August 1862, at which time he heeded his country’s call and enlisted 
with the 131 Pa infantry volunteers. Shortly after his enlistment he was 
elected a second lieutenant, later advanced to first lieutenancy, and was 
in all the active engagements of General McClellan’s army of the Potomac. 
Some of the battles fought during this period of enlistment were those at 
Antietam, 1862, under McClellan, Fredericksburg, Sept. ’62 under Burnside 
and Chancellorsville, May ’63 under Hooker. History records that while 
the battle of the Antietam was the bloodiest of the whole war, 
nevertheless, it’s outcome was strengthened the confidence of the northern 
forces so that five days following the conflict, President Lincoln issued 
a proclamation, freeing the slaves in the seceded states
 
	Owing to the mistaken confidence of the Union forces, President 
Lincoln, at the beginning of the war, had called for “short time” 
enlistments, therefore Mr. Wilson Came to the end of his first period of 
enlistment July 1863. Following his honorable discharge he went back to his 
study of law and was admitted to the bar. But December of the same year 
found him back in the service again as a first lieutenant, having 
volunteered his services and joined up with the First Veterinary Infantry 
and he remained in the service for the duration of the war. He was connected 
with “the army on the James” and was in the battles of Drewry’s Bluff and 
Bermuda Hundred.

	Following the civil war, Mr. Wilson became attached to the regular 
army as second lieutenant, March 1867 and remained continuously in the 
services until his retirement due to old age, March, 1902, he held rank of 
Colonel at the time of his retirement.

	During his early days as an officer in the regular army he was 
stationed in Texas, Indian Territory, and the Dakotas, and assisted in 
quelling the Indian outbreaks which menaced the frontier states. 

	At the outbreak of the Spanish American War, Mr. Wilson joined 
Shafter’s expedition to Santiago as chief of the commissary department 
and the rank of major, but due to an attack of yellow fever he was returned 
to the states.

	Mr. Wilson was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Sarah L. 
Jones, daughter of a Congregational minister, of Saxonville, Mass., September 
1870. To this union two children were born; Percy, of Silver City, N.M., and 
Guy of Laurel, Nebraska. Three grandchildren besides his two sons survive him. 
Mr. Wilson had no living brothers and sisters at the time of his death.

	Upon retiring from the army, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson located in Sioux City, 
Iowa, and continued to make this their home until Mrs. Wilson passed away in 
January of 1925.  After her death Mr. Wilson closed his home in Sioux City 
and came to Laurel, making his home with his son Guy until he passed away 
December 31st. 

	Mr. Wilson lived a long and interesting life. His career was fraught 
with many hardships; as an officer he saw fighting in three wars and knew of 
the horrors and heartaches of the soldier plunged in the fray of battle. 
Whatever his tremors may have been as he faced the enemy gunfire, nevertheless 
he deported himself with honor or as was evidenced by his rank upon retirement.
Mr. Wilson carved a good name upon the granite of time, a fine heritage to those 
who follow in his wake. He was gifted with a modest personality and possessed 
the temperament of a courteous gentleman. He was a benevolent disposition and 
the world is better because he has lived in it. 

	He will be laid to rest with his comrades in the military cemetery at 
Arlington, VA.

	The following was written at the time of Col. Wilson celebrated his 90th 
birthday and it pleased him so much that we take the liberty of re-printing it 
from the Advocate of March 14, last year.

	The life of Col. Wilson reads as a story  book of the wild west.  We 
have never been able to get a description of his life. It is the one subject 
upon which he does not care to talk and yet from the glimpses we have had 
revealed to us from time to time we have gathered the following: He was studying 
law at the University of Pennsylvania at the age of 19 years when the civil war 
broke out. He immediately enlisted in the Union army and such was his record that 
the close of the war he was commissioned in the regular army and remained until 
his retirement in 1902.

	During his army career he held posts from the Gulf of Mexico to the 
Canadian border, was through several Indian wars and was a friend and officer 
with General Custer, both being stationed at the same fort and Col. Wilson narrowly 
escaped being with his command with Custer made his land stand. He trailed the 
Indians when they were wild Indians, hunted the buffaloes and watched their 
migration during the seasons of the year. He saw great herds of long horned 
cattle on the western plains and lived the life of the frontier solder for many 
years.

	When the Spanish American war came on he was stationed at Missouri, Montana, 
in charge of a regiment of colored troops. He was immediately recalled and sent to 
Santiago, Cuba with General Shafter as chief of the commissary department. He served 
throughout the war with great honor to himself. After his honorable discharge from 
the army he and his wife who had been with him at every post he ever held, came to 
Sioux City where they purchased a home. The first home they had ever really owned. 
There they lived until 1925, when Mrs. Wilson passed away. Since that time he has 
made his home in this city with his son Guy.  Besides his son Guy in this city, he 
has a son Percy of Silver City, New Mexico, a prominent attorney. The sons were 
both educated at Princeton University. Col. Wilson has always lived an active life 
and now that it is drawing to a close, is content to just mingle with his friends 
and loved ones. He is respected and honored by all who knew him and all join us in 
wishing him many happy returns of last Monday. He is the only surviving member of the 
G.A.R. in this city, all his comrades having answered taps.