BIO:  John WILSON, Highland Township, Adams County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Page 455

JOHN WILSON, farmer, P. O. Gettysburg, was born in Highland Township, Adams 
County, Penn., March 10, 1836, and is a son of William and Anna (Meredith) 
Wilson, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Scotch-Irish descent, the former of 
whom, born in July, 1801, has been a resident of this county all his life.  Our 
subject was reared on the farm, and remained with his parents until he was 
nineteen years of age; then went to Cumberland County, where he remained two 
years, when he returned home, and shortly after hired out for the same length of 
time.  In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Third Regiment, Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Cavalry, and served three years under Capt. Woodburn and William E. 
Miller.  He participated in the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and 
from Hampton, Va., to Harrison’s Landing, Cold Harbor, Kelly’s Ford and several 
others, and lost the sight of his left eye, by a shell bursting in his face; at 
Bull Run, October 14, 1863, he was wounded in the left arm by a charge, his 
horse fell, and part of Wade Hampton’s division ran over him.  He was again 
wounded, at Mine Run, November 28, 1863, and in June, 1864, was wounded in the 
right knee at Petersburg but in spite of his wounds he served in all the hard-
fought battles.  He was discharged August 24, 1864, at Philadelphia, and 
returned home.  Shortly after he went to Ohio, and remained one year; thence to 
Illinois, where he resided two years.  In 1872 he went to California, and was 
absent nine years, three of which were spent in Nevada.  He now makes his home 
with his parents.  He was a brave soldier and has an interesting war record.