Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
DAVID WILSON, who resides seven
and one-half miles northwest from Almira, is one of the well known and
popular men of Douglas county. His labors, his wisdom, his uprightness,
and his genialty, have won for him both a brilliant success and financial
favors, as well as hosts of friends from every quarter. He is to-day
one of the influential and respected men who have made Douglas county what
it is.
David Wilson was born in McDonough county,
Illinois, on July 6, 1859, being the son of Albert and Elizabeth (Burchett)
Wilson, natives of Illinois and Ohio, respectively. The common schools
of his native county was the place of his educational training and he remained
in the Prairie State until twenty-three years of age. In 1882, he
came to Seattle, later to Oregon, then to Walla Walla, and finally, in
October, 1883, he landed in Douglas county. He at once made filing
on the south-east quarter of section 26, township 27, range 30, as a preemption.
The next year, he took up a homestead and in 1887, a timber culture claim
and the entire estate now is well cultivated and productive of annual returns
of excellent crops. He was the first school director of the Union
school established in 1886, being associated in this work with J. O'Neil,
J. O'Flarity and A. L. Davis. Mrs. P. J. Young was the teacher.
Mr. Wilson bought the first reaper in Douglas county and has ever been
a progressive man, having his estate supplied with the best and latest
machinery and also laboring for the advancement and development of the
county. Mr. Wilson has three brothers and one sister, Lyman, Alonzo,
James and Mrs. Lucy Nebergal.
At Cheney, Washington, on November 12, 1885,
Mr. Wilson married Miss M. Alice, daughter of William and Matilda (McHargue)
Montgomery, natives of Missouri. They crossed the plains to Oregon
in 1865, making settlement in Linn county. The father is still living,
but the mother is deceased. Mrs. Wilson was born in Macon county,
Missouri, on May 6, 1859 and has one brother, James, and three sisters,
Mrs. Mary Bowers, Mrs. Laura Martin and Mrs. Ella Herron. To this
worthy couple four children have been born: Eva Inis, on March 17, 1889;
Clarence R., on June 19, 1890; Irna E., on May 6, 1892; and Hazel Dell,
on September 10, 1895.
Mr. Wilson is a member of the I. O. O. F.
and he and his wife are adherents of the Protestant churches. Mr.
Wilson may take the pleasure of reviewing his labors in Douglas county
with the assurance that he has made a satisfactory success and that he
has done well the part of the pioneer and substantial citizen and has reared
here an excellent family.
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