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. 

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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.