31 May 2012

Wilson Research

Whither did the children of William and Mary Ann Wilson go after Holt County, Missouri

William Wilson and Mary Ann Varner probably had twelve children. Seven are named on the federal census of 1850 living with them in District 31 of Franklin County, Missouri. The others are worked out from earlier census records which do not give first names or specific ages, but do give the sex and age group of each person in the household. Based on these and the regularity of their births, there were probably five older children who either died or moved out of the home by 1850. Unfortunately, the trails run cold on most when they left.

The Offspring

The children of William and Mary Ann, their known information, and potential clues for finding each of them follow:

1. unknown male or female (c.1820/1).
2. unknown male or female (c.1822).
   [Of children i and ii, one is male and one is female.]
3. unknown male (c.1824).
4. unknown female (c.1826).
5. Jane (c.1827-1882) who is discussed in detail in the Wilson Family History.
6. James (1830-1894) who is discussed in detail in the Wilson Family History.
7. Robert (c.1831) who is only definitely found on the 1850 census.

Other possibilities include:

1. A Robert Wilson who married Susan Johnson 17 Jun 1851 in Franklin County, Missouri, is probably the right person, since Susan lived with the John Wade/Mary Ann Fitzwater family in 1850.
2. On 23 Jun 1855, a Robert Wilson of Holt County purchased 40 acres of land located in the NW¼ of the NW¼ of S17 T61 R39. This parcel had already been passed among three family members: Andrew Fitzwater/Jane Varner to William Wilson/Polly Varner to Thomas J. Duncan/Jane Wilson. Therefore it would be reasonable that this Robert is a fourth member of the family as well.
3. A Robert M. Wilson married Malinda A. Craig 8 Oct 1856 in Holt County, Missouri, but other information leads me to believe this is not the correct Robert. This Robert lived next door to Dr. Henry M. Wilson who is not related to this family. He also became guardian of Sarah Ann Wilson, a daughter of John H. Wilson who is not known to be related.
8. Humble F. (c.1833) who is discussed in detail in the Wilson Family History.

Another possibility is:

1. An H.T. Wilson whose details match Humble's was living in the same Kansas township as James in August 1860. He had a 20 year old wife with the initials S.E. and a one year old daughter with the initials S.A., both born in Missouri.
9. Nancy (c.1835) who is only found on the 1850 census.

Later possibilities are:

1. A Nancy J. Wilson married Samuel Anderson 29 Jul 1855 in Holt County. She is the correct age, and the 1880 census shows her father to have been born in Indiana and her mother in Kentucky. These are incorrect for William and Mary Ann's birthplaces, but they would have been reasonable guesses since they each came from these places before Missouri. Although he apparently lived in Kansas, Samuel enlisted in the same militia company during the Civil War at the same time as Henry and Jackson Wilson, Company B, 5^th Missouri State Militia Cavalry (Old), and he became a 6th Sergeant. This couple is detailed in the 1882 book, William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas.

   SAMUEL ANDERSON, farmer, P. O. Wathena, came to Kansas April 17, 1854, and located in Marion Township, Doniphan County, where he has lived ever since. He was one of the first Commissioners of the township. He was in the army during the late war, and enlisted March 7, 1862, at St. Joseph, Mo., in Company B, Fifth Regiment Missouri State Militia, United States Volunteers. He participated in a number of skirmishes and participated in the dangers and privations of his comrades, and was mustered out of the service June 27, 1863 at St. Joseph. He was born in Monongahela County, West Va., February 22, 1830, and lived in his native place until his fifth year, when his parents moved to Monroe County, Ohio, where they resided five years, and then removed to Washington County, in the same State, where he lived three years, and then removed to Wood County, Va., where he lived eight years, and then moved to Missouri, where he lived three years, and then came to Kansas. He was married in Holt County, Mo., July 29, 1855, to Miss Nancy J. Wilson, a native of Missouri. They have three children living, whose names are John William, Emery Allison, and Samuel Thomas Sherman. Mr. A. has a farm which contains 215 acres, 185 of which is upland, thirty bottom land, and 100 wood land, which is mostly covered with a second growth of white oak. His orchard covers twenty acres, and contains 1,000 apple, 500 peach, and 200 cherry trees. He devotes his attention to raising grain and fruits. Mr. Anderson was in moderate circumstances when he came to Kansas, but now, by hard work and economy, has one of the pleasantest homes and finest farms in Doniphan County.

It appears that this Nancy moved to Los Angeles by 1910 with her son, Emery.

2. A Nancy J. Wilson married Erastus Butrick 16 Apr 1855 in Holt County. This was only 10 days before James L. Wilson married, but it is also the exact same day that an unrelated James S. Wilson married.
10. Andrew Jackson (c.1838) who is discussed in detail in the Wilson Family History. He and his wife, Rebecca Ann Williams, have not definitely been located after 1860, but Rebecca was included in her father's will written in December 1867.

A later doubtful possibility for Andrew is:

1. An A.J. Wilson died 19 Jan 1882 in the Kimsey neighborhood. This probably isn't the same A. J., however, because a brother from Kansas, P. E. Wilson, came in February to settle his business.
11. Henry A. (c.1839) who is discussed in detail in the Wilson Family History.
12. William A. (c.1842) who is last found on the 1860 census as the only child still living with his parents.

A later possibility is:

1. A William A. Wilson married Susan K. Hudson 1 Mar 1869 in Holt County. In 1870, they had a 7 year old William H. Wilson born in Missouri, and a 4 year old Dulcina Spahr born in Kansas living with them. This William H. is too old to be their son. I believe Susan's maiden name was Perkins, and she was previously married to William Hudson, a former farmhand with her family. In 1865, they were living in Brown County, Kansas, between the Jacob Spahr and William Perkins families. According to Gone Home, William Wilson and Susan had a son named DeWitt C. who died in infancy, and Susan died 22 Mar 1871. They were both buried in the Boyd Cemetery in Holt County.

Sis and Other Wilson Grandchildren

The federal census of 1860 shows William, Mary Ann, their youngest son, William A., and a young girl named Nancy J. Wilson (c.1856) living together. After William senior's death, the census of 1870 then has Mary Ann as the head of household with Nancy still in the home. Neither census shows relationships to the head of household. On 22 Jan 1871, Nancy married John Wesley Mullins, and by 1880, Mary Ann was living with Nancy's family in Pettis Township, Platte County, Missouri, where she was finally listed as the grandmother. Mary Ann died later that year. The Mullins family then moved to Rulo, Richardson County, Nebraska before the 1900 census. Nancy died sometime before this census, but it is not known if it was before or after the relocation.

Many researchers of the Mullins family give the nickname of "Sis" for Nancy. It is not known who Nancy's parents were. The sons of William and Mary Ann who could reasonably be her father are Robert or Humble, or less likely one of the two older unknown sons.

The census of 1870 also had a William (c.1860) and Robert R. Wilson (c.1864), both born in Missouri, in the home with Mary Ann. Although the middle initial is different, they must have been the two sons listed in Henry's divorce record of the year before.

Jubal Wilson

Jubal Wilson is a candidate to be the eldest child of William and Mary Ann Wilson. Jubal was born c.1821 in Kentucky, and he married Mary Duncan 23 Jan 1845 in Jefferson County, Missouri. There are several links between his family and the families of both William Wilson and his son, James Lee Wilson. However, the problem is that the family of Jubal's wife was already very interconnected with the William Wilson family. This could mean that Jubal is even more likely to be a part of the family, or alternatively, it could mean that all the links occurred only due to her. It may just be a coincidence that Jubal's surname was also Wilson. Jubal and Mary Ann married in Jefferson County, Missouri, a location that none of the other members of the family are known to have lived. This Jubal is probably also the same man who received a patent for land in the same county on 1 Feb 1848. By the time of the 1850 census, they were living in Holt County, Missouri, where both died in the mid-1850's leaving orphaned children:

1. Sarah Angelina (1844-1920) who lived with the James B. Fitzwater family in Dallas Township, Holt County, Missouri, in 1860. James' wife was Nancy Ann Duncan, a sister of Mary Duncan. Therefore Sarah was living with her mother's sister, as might be expected. However, James was also a nephew of Mary Ann (Varner) Wilson. Sarah later married Andrew Fitzwater and moved to Linn County, Oregon. Andrew was a brother of James and another nephew of Mary Ann (Varner) Wilson. Therefore it is difficult to know exactly which connection is most relevant.
2. Levina (c.1848-1930) who is probably the L. Wilson who lived with the George E. Fitzwater family in Claytonville Township, Brown County, Kansas, in 1860. George was a third brother to Andrew and James B. Fitzwater. Levina married Silas C. Combs 1864 in Holt County and moved to Richardson County, Nebraska, the same county as the family of Nancy "Sis" Wilson, a known granddaughter of William and Mary Ann Wilson, moved. Again, the Fitzwater connection could potentially come from either Jubal or his wife.
3. Francis Caroline (c.1851-1915) who also lived with the James B. Fitzwater family in 1860. She married Isaac Newton Crabtree 1871 and moved to Linn County, Oregon.

There are other potential links as well:

1. The 1850 census for Holt County, Missouri, shows that Jubal Wilson was living almost next door to Barilla Proctor who later married James Lee Wilson in 1855.
2. James Lee Wilson relocated to Kansas with Thomas and William Duncan who were probably cousins to each other. Thomas was James' brother-in-law, and William was a first cousin of Jubal’s wife.
3. Jubal's wife's sister, Nancy Ann Duncan, first married James Farmer. This may be the other man who moved to Kansas with James Lee Wilson. Nancy then married James B. Fitzwater, a first cousin of James Lee Wilson. This is the couple with whom two of Jubal's daughters lived in 1860.

Census Records & Reckoning the Older Offspring

1830, MO, Washington Co, Liberty Twp, p.77

1. William Willson
2. 2 male 0-4 [unknown & James 1830]
3. 1 male 5-9 [unknown c.1821]
4. 1 male 30-39 [William]
5. 2 female 0-4 [unknown & Jane c.1827]
6. 1 female 5-9 [unknown]
7. 1 female 30-39 [Mary Ann]

Knowing the marriage date of William and Mary Ann to be in early 1820, the birthyear of James in early 1830, and their typical spacing of approximately two years between children, the probable birthyears of their eldest children would be 1821, 1823, 1825, 1827, early 1830. However, there are six children listed which means the birthdates must be a little closer together (unless there is a twin birth involved), more like late 1820/early 1821, late 1822, 1824, 1826, 1828, early 1830. Based on this assumption, one of the children in the 0-4 category should be in the 5-9 category.

1840, MO, Washington Co, Liberty Twp, p.178

1. William Wilson
2. 2 male 0-4 [Andrew & Henry]
3. 2 male 5-9 [Robert & Humble]
4. 1 male 10-14 [James 1830]
5. 2 male 15-19 [unknown & unknown]
6. 1 male 40-49 [William]
7. 1 female 0-4 [Nancy]
8. 2 female 10-14 [unknown & Jane]
9. 1 female 40-49 [Mary Ann]

On the 1840 census, the older children are now shown to properly match the assumption from the 1830 census. If this is so, it means it must have been a male who was misplaced. Assuming he was close to the dividing line between the age categories, he has been given the 1824 position. It is also assumed that there is a 15-19 year old female who has recently married and left the home.

20 Sep 1850, MO, Franklin Co, Dist 31, p.60A

1. William Wilson, age 53, male, white, farmer, born KY. [c.1797]
2. Polly A. Wilson, age 50, female, white, born MO. [c.1800]
3. James Wilson, age 21, male, farmer, attends school, born MO. [c.1829]
4. Robert Wilson, age 19, male, farmer, attends school, born MO. [c.1831]
5. Humble Wilson, age 17, male, farmer, attends school, born MO. [c.1833]
6. Nancy Wilson, age 15, female, attends school, born MO. [c.1835]
7. Andrew Wilson, age 12, male, attends school, born MO. [c.1838]
8. Henry Wilson, age 10, male, attends school, born MO. [c.1840]
9. William Wilson, age 8, male, born MO. [c.1842]

The age and birthplace of the following individual match those of Humble Wilson, and the location is the same as his brother, James.

7 Aug 1860, KS, Brown Co, Claytonville Twp, Robinson PO, p.43.

1. H. T. Wilson, age 26, male, farmer, $640 real estate, $300 pers. prop., born MO. [c.1834]
2. S. E. Wilson, age 20, female, born MO. [c.1840]
3. S. A. Wilson, age 1, female, born MO. [c.1859]

8 Aug 1860, KS, Brown Co, Claytonville Twp, Robinson PO, p.637B.

1. G. Fitzwater, age 36, male, farmer, $1500 real estate, born IN.
2. Celia Fitzwater, age 27, female, born MO.
3. [?] Fitzwater, age 13, male, born MO, attended school.
4. Joseph Fitzwater, age 9, male, born MO, attended school.
5. Sam'l Fitzwater, age 5, male, born MO, attended school.
6. not named [Emeline] Fitzwater, age 2/12, female, born KS Terr, attended school [sic].
7. L. Wilson, age 13, female, born MO, attended school. [c.1847]

16 Jul 1860, MO, Holt Co, Dallas Twp, Rush Bottom PO, p.263.

1. Samuel M. Smirle, age 21, male, farmer, $60 pers. estate, born MO.
2. Rhoda A. Smirle, age 17, female, born MO.
3. Andrew J. Wilson, age 22, male, farmer, $85 pers. estate, born MO.
4. Rebecca A. Wilson, age 21, female, born MO.
5. Philena B. Wilson, age 1, female, born MO.

* * * * * * * * *

Links

• James Lee Wilson {fam group1, fam group2, lineage, fam hist, query?}
• William Wilson and Mary Ann Varner {fam group, fam hist, query?}
• Jubal Wilson and Mary Duncan {fam group, query?}