Biographical Sketch of Nathan WILSON (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 716-8. "NATHAN WILSON, one of the substantial business men, and a leading mer- chant and the postmaster of Downingtown, served as a Union soldier before Petersburg and was in the terrific charge on Ft. Fisher. He is a son of Ezra H. and Hannah M. (Bailey) Wilson, and was born in Brandywine town- ship, Chester county, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1844. He attended the common schools and then served an apprenticeship of three years to the trade of miller. During his apprenticeship, September 2, 1864, he en- listed in Co. D, 203d Pennsylvania infantry and served until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged from the Federal service at New- port, Rhode Island, on August 15, 1865. He participated in several fights in front of Petersburg, took part in the battles of New Market, Bermuda Hundred and Franklin, and was in the terrific and successful assault on Ft. Fisher, where he was wounded but did not retire out of the storming column. Returning home from the army he spent three years as miller at the Thomas mill, in West Whiteland township, and then operated a mill in West Bradford township until 1873, when he came to Downingtown to engage in his present general mercantile business. His store, located on Brad- ford and Viaduct avenues, is well stocked with dry goods, fancy and staple groceries, notions, hardware and everything ornamental or useful in his line of business, for which there is any demand by his many patrons. He selects his goods with care, has an excellent trade, and has won the con- fidence of his customers by his honesty and honorable business methods. Beside merchandising, Mr. Wilson is interested in other fields of labor and usefulness. He has dealt to some extent in real estate, and has given considerable attention to farming. He owns eight houses and lots on Brad- ford avenue and Church street, in Downingtown; ten acres of meadow land, adjoining the borough; and three valuable farms, aggregating two hundred and three acres - two of which are in West Bradford township, and the other in West Brandywine. He is a republican in politics, has been hon- ored by his party with various offices of trust and responsibility, and served six years as treasurer of the borough. He was elected to council four times, serving in all six years, and was appointed postmaster of Downingtown by President Benjamin Harrison, May 12, 1890. His career in life has been one of success over all difficulty and discouragements that have come in his way, and his present prosperity and enviable standing in the community where he resides are the result of energy, self-reliance, hard work and sterling integrity. He is a member of the Order of Tonti; Fire Company, No. 1, of Downingtown; Yemassee Tribe, No. 134, Improved Order of Red Men; and General Hancock Post, No. 255, Grand Army of the Republic. "On September 4, 1873, Mr. Wilson married Elizabeth G. Mercer, and their union has been blessed with three children: Cidney Mabel, a graduate of the Downingtown High school, and now taking the elementary course in the West Chester State Normal school; L. Cora, attending the Downingtown High school, and Lizzie D. Mrs. Elizabeth G. Wilson was born April 1, 1852, and received her education at Millersville State Normal school. She is a granddaughter of William Mercer, a farmer and Friend of East Bradford township, who married Cidney Wollerton, and whose children were: George, Kersey, Manoah, Angelina Morgan Fairlamb, Susanna Shaw, Eliza Ann Darling- ton, Malinda and Jane. "Fairlamb Mercer (father of Mrs. Wilson) was the owner of three farms in West Bradford, a farmer and republican, but relinquished farming a few years previous to his death and made his home with his daughter, Elizabeth G. Wilson. He died at Downingtown, October 9, 1884, aged seventy-three years. He married Drucilla Wollerton, and their children were: Sallie B. Young, who received her education at Jonathan Gause's academy, and is now serving as school director, having served as such for nine years, and taught school for eleven years; Cidney W. Hiddleson, who taught five years; Malinda Pennock, William, John, Mifflin, and Elizabeth G. Wilson. Cidney W. Hiddleson and Malinda Pennock received their education at Down- ington academy. "Nathan Wilson is a member of the Wilson family of Chester county which has descended from David Wilson (grandfather), who was a native of Willis- town township, and went west some years before his death. He was a farmer and a whig and married Ann Hoopes, by whom he had four children: John, David, Ezra H. and Ann Otty. Ezra H. Wilson (father) was born in Willis- town township in 1810, and died January 2, 1888, aged seventy-seven years. He was a shoemaker and farmer and resided for many years before his death near Guthrieville. He was a republican and Friend, held various offices of his township, and married Hannah M. Bailey, who died November 21, 1869, when in the sixty-fifth year of her age. Their children were: Lydia Thompson, Curtis, Lavina Friece, Elizabeth Miller, Emma, John, Anna M., Nathan Taylor and Hoopes. Mrs. Hannah M. Wilson was a daughter of John Bailey (maternal grandfather), who was a native of England, and came about 1800 to Parkersville, this county. He married Lydia Way, and their chil- dren were: Hannah, Elizabeth, Jabez, and two others, a son and a daughter, whose names are unknown. The daughter, Elizabeth, and her mother, were killed by lightning. The remainder of the family moved west and were never heard from afterward."