Ethereal Wilson Biography This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 254 Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm HON. ETHEREAL WILSON, president of the Bank of Hitchcock, represents the substantial business interests of his city and county in a manner that reflects credit upon himself and the community which claims him as a member. Mr. Wilson was born February 14, 1847, in Madison county, Ohio, being the eldest of two sons born to Andrew J. and Mahala (Ward) Wilson. The parents died when our subject was but five years of age. The father was of Irish-German ancestry, and the Wilson family in this country can be traced back to 1790, when they settled in Clark county, Kentucky. They soon afterward made a settlement in Ohio, became owners of vast landed estates, and while not attaining national repute, this family became identified with the growth and development of the great commonwealth of Ohio, and intimately connected with its history. The mother of our subject was a New Englander, and thoroughly imbued with Yankee ideas, and undoubtedly had much influence in directing the career of her enterprising husband. Upon the death of his parents our subject was left to the care of an uncle, for whom he worked upon the farm until he was seventeen years of age, and attended the public schools. He then began teaching, and later took a course at Antioch College, supplementing this by a thorough business course at Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie, New York, from which he graduated in 1867. He again took up the profession of teaching, and became principal of the Union schools at Summerfield, Ohio. In September, 1882, he made a trip to Dakota for the purpose of prospecting that region, the Black Hills being primarily his objective point. After careful observation he became convinced that Hitchcock offered many advantages from a business point of view, and he located there and entered into partnership with T. S. Everett in the real estate business. The Bank of Hitchcock was established in 1895 and he became its president. The South Dakota Land Company was organized in 1891, with Mr. Wilson as its president. He is recognized as a conservative, thorough-going business man, whose judgment can be relied upon, and whose integrity even in the smallest particulars is unquestioned. The marriage of our subject occurred in 1872, Miss Margaret Connors becoming his wife. Mrs. Wilson is a lady of Irish birth and came to America when a child. She is a lady of culture and refinement, and is a great favorite in social circles. To this union two children were born, namely: Ethelbert (deceased), and Mary L., now assistant cashier in her father's bank. Mr. Wilson is a Republican in political sentiment, and favors prohibition of the liquor traffic. He was elected to the first legislature of South Dakota, and there identified himself with the prohibition movement. His activity in the interests of his constituency made his re-election certain, and he served a second term. He also filled the office of probate judge of his county with great ability and satisfaction to the people. There is no man in Beadle county more popular with the people.