BIO: Robert Wilson, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2010.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                             CHAPTER XXXIX. 

                        BOROUGH OF MECHANICSBURG.

440  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

  ROBERT WILSON, retired, Mechanicsburg, who has been identified with 
Mechanicsburg since the fall of 1830, was born in Baltimore, Md., 
November 29, 1810, only child of Robert and Susan (Armstrong) Wilson.  
When our subject was but three years of age his father (a native of 
Maryland) died, and after his death Robert, with his mother, moved to 
Harrisburg, Penn., where she subsequently married John Wright, a tinner 
by occupation, by whom she had one son and two daughters.  Robert 
Wilson learned the tinner's trade with his stepfather.  In the fall of 
1830 he came to Mechanicsburg and opened a tin and stove store.  He was 
married here, December 22, 1831, to Miss Sarah Schock.  Mrs. Wilson 
still enjoys good health and is as lively as many young ladies are; she 
was born in Berks County, Penn., August 6, 1811.  To this union were 
born eight children, seven living:  George W. (married to Miss Susan 
Hoover, they reside in Mechanicsburg), Elizabeth (wife of Dr. Robert N. 
Short, Mechanicsburg), William H. (baggage master on the Cumberland 
Valley Railroad), Julia (wife of Eugene Gardner, local editor of the 
Independent Journal, Mechanicsburg).  Robert Wilson is a self-made, 
self-educated man; his life has been full of activity and enterprise.  
He was elected by the people of this county, in 1842, county recorder 
and clerk of the courts for three years, discharging his duties 
faithfully and to the entire satisfaction of all.  He has filled 
various local offices of trust in Mechanicsburg, and at one time was 
postmaster.  In 1847 he, with Peter Ritner (son of ex-Gov. Ritner, of 
Pennsylvania), were appointed collectors and general agents for the 

441  BOROUGH OF MECHANICSBURG.

Cumberland Valley Railroad.  At that time business on this road was 
conducted in a very different manner than now, there being no station 
agents, and Messrs. Wilson and Ritner were both freight and passenger 
agents, collecting, as conductors, for passengers and freight.  In 1869 
Mr. Wilson retired from active business life, since which time he has 
been acting as administrator for various estates.  He has lived to see 
this county undergo many interesting and important changes, and his 
life is an example to our young men, who know but little of the 
difficulties and trials that the pioneers of this county had to contend 
with.  Mr. Wilson was a Whig in his younger days, but since the 
organization of the Republican party has been one of its strong 
supporters.  He and his wife are members of Trinity Lutheran Church.