BIOGRAPHY: William WILSON, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 621-622.

  WILLIAM WILSON, deceased, formerly of McVeytown, Mifflin county, Pa., was born 
on the old Wilson homestead, four miles south of McVeytown, in the upper part of 
Oliver township, January 12, 1810.  He was a son of Henry and Ann (Moore) 
Wilson, and a grandson of William and Tamar Wilson, who owned the land in Oliver 
township now known as the Gideon Hershberger farm, two miles south of McVeytown;  
this land was taken up by Mr. Wilson February 18, 1767.  They named their 
homestead Shamrock Shire.  Mr. Wilson served in 1794 as high sheriff of Mifflin 
county.  Mrs. Henry Wilson was a daughter of William and Isabella (Lytle) Moore.  
William Moore was a soldier in the Continental army;  he died in the service of 
his country.  Their home at the time was a farm of 100 acres in Oliver township, 
adjacent to the Wilson estate, on which Mrs. William Moore continued to reside 
during the remaining years of her life.  Their children were as follows:  
Archibald, born May 13, 1768, married Rebecca Junkin, and had six daughters and 
one son, William A., of McVeytown;  Mary (Mrs. Nathaniel Stanley), born April 
22, 1772, removed to Columbus, O.;  John, born July 9, 1774;  Andrew, born 
November 16, 1776;  and Ann (Mrs. Henry Wilson), born January 18, 1779.
  Henry Wilson was one of the most progressive farmers of his neighborhood.  
Settling on what is now the Wilson homestead, he made many improvements and 
carried on farming with great success.  He was well known as a conscientious man 
and just in all his dealings with his fellow men.  Loyal to the faith of his 
Scotch-Irish ancestry, he was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church.  
He died September 1, 1850, aged seventy-four years, seven months and seven days, 
and his wife died February 26, 1848, aged sixty-eight years and eight days.  
Their children were:  Rebecca, born February 5, 1801, died July 25, 1857, aged 
fifty years, five months and twenty days;  Isabella, born February 25, 1804, 
resided with her brother William on the homestead, where she died February 1, 
1889;  Jane, born June 12, 1807, died on the homestead March 28, 1887;  William;  
Mary, born February 22, 1812, married Robert Forgy, and died April 8, 1855, aged 
forty-three years, one month and sixteen days;  their children were:  James, 
Annie, Henry, Andrew Bruce, Isabella, Frank and George;  James Wilson, born 
December 25, 1814, removed to Indiana, married Martha Huston, and reared a 
family of five sons and five daughters, who now reside in several of the western 
States;  Hannah Bruce, born November 3, 1817, died on the homestead, October 27, 
1890.
  William Wilson received his education in the district schools.  He grew to 
manhood on his father's farm, a faithful and industrious helper.  He farmed the 
homestead for a number of years, and after his father's death succeeded to the 
management of the place.  He was a farmer of advanced ideas.  Inheriting his 
father's excellent business principles, as well as his honest name, he easily 
gained and held the respect and confidence of those with whom he had 
intercourse.  Kind, generous, hospitable, he was one with whom it was a pleasure 
to come in contact, either in a social or a business way.  He was a Democrat of 
the Jeffersonian type.  Having been nominated for the office of county 
commissioner, he was elected by a splendid majority, serving also as a director 
of the poor and in various township offices.  In 1863, he enlisted with the 
militia in the emergency call, and was afterwards honorably discharged.
  Mr. Wilson was married, February 13, 1845, to Rosanna, daughter of Solomon and 
Christina (Barger) Pecht.  They have these children:  Henry M.;  Rachel;  Annie 
R.;  J. Bruce;  William Emory;  Hannah Elizabeth;  Mary Isaella;  John Moore;  
and Ambrose.  Henry M. married Matilda Meiller, February 23, 1871, removed to 
Burlington, Ia., where she died September 27, 1873, leaving one child, Dora.  
Henry M. Wilson was killed by the cars at Louisville, Ky., November 12, 1885, 
aged thirty-nine years, six months and fifteen days.  Rachel Wilson married J. 
B. McVey, September 19, 1871;  they have two children:  William Wilson;  and 
Walter E.  They removed to Spearfish, S. D., where they own a farm and also a 
cattle ranch at the Cave hills.  Annie R. Wilson married A. J. Kimberly, January 
11, 1876;  they own the farm adjoining the old home, and have one child, Ethel.  
James Bruce Wilson married Emma S. Saylor, December 28, 1876, who died January 
14, 1880, aged twenty-five years, eleven months and twenty-one days.  He now 
resides in La Salle county, Ill.  Hannah Elizabeth Wilson died April 7, 1868, 
aged eleven years, nine months and eleven days.  Mrs. Wilson now resides on the 
old homestead, with her three sons, Emory, Ambrose, John, and her daughter Mary.