|
THE FAMILY OF JOSEPH WILSON
Joseph Wilson was among the early residents of Butts County, being listed on the
1830 census, with his wife and son. Apparently he had come into Butts from
Jasper County, as a daughter, Christian, had married Cornelius Foster there in
November 1826. Prior to then, the family had migrated from South Carolina,
though Joseph, according to his son’s 1880 census, had been born in New York.
That son, William H. Wilson, must have married soon after the family arrived in
Butts Co. To date, a record of his marriage to Frances A.(unknown)has not been
found. This union was quickly fruitful. By the time of Joseph’s death in Summer
1841, it had produced four sons-Joseph N., Jesse C., Henry Franklin, and Aaron
J. Over the next eighteen years, nine more children were added: William B.,
Ransome A., John James, Marsilles, Sara, Milton Aretus, Alonza, William Artimus,
and Frances Ella. Four children evidently died quite young: Aaron, Sara,
Marsilles, and Alonza(see Note #1). According to the 1860 Butts Co. census, the
family must have been quite prosperous-16 slaves, $19,000 net worth, and six
"grown" sons; it was also perfectly poised for the coming war!
It appears that four of the "Wilson boys"(J.N., J.C., W.B., & R.A.) were among
the earliest volunteers, joining "Zackry’s Rangers" on July 8 1861, in adjacent
Henry Co. On August 23 1860, Henry had married Lucy A. Welch, and John James was
still too young, but both brothers would later serve. Surely, no other Butts Co.
family could have offered more to the war effort. Lillian Henderson’s
"Roster------1861-1865" provided these facts: William B. Wilson died Nov 2 1861
at Rome GA; Joseph N. Wilson(present April 1864)no further record-both, members
of the unit above. Then, from Newton County’s "South River Farmers"; H.F.
Wilson, wounded, captured, died of wounds-Oct 19 1864, Cedar Creek, VA ; and,
R.A. Wilson, wounded right hip, captured-April 6 1865, Sailor’s Creek, VA, and
released July 1 1865. There is no record for Jeese C. Wilson, but he left an
heir, Leslie Wilson(noted along with Henry’s son, Ector, in the will of William
H. Wilson). Toward the end of the war, John James Wilson served in the 3rd
Georgia reserves. After the war, the remaining Wilson siblings married, and
lived in the community, near the homeplace(#248/8D, as noted in the estate
records of Joseph Wilson).In fact, all of them grew up on that place. William H.
Wilson had built a large, two story, log house along present-day Fincherville
Road(westside, 150yds south of Blankenship Rd.). Youngest daughter, Ella, and
husband Joseph C. Maddox, lived in the Wilson home until their deaths in
1909/1905. Thereafter, the house was used by tenant farmers; sharecroppers-and
field laborers. Today, its well, porch pillars, and general footprint, are
clearly visible, with massive chimney rock falls buttressing the outer walls. An
older homesite(rubble-on the same landlot)about one quarter mile west of this
site-near a spring, was likely the original cabin of pioneer, Joseph Wilson.
He-and wife Sarah(born c.1795, died 1857)are likely buried nearby(see Note #2).
[Wm. H. & Frances A. Wilson, Ransome A. Wilson, and Ella & Joe Maddox are buried
at Sardis Baptist Church in Henry Co. Also there, are CSA memorial markers for
sons; Joseph N., Henry F., and William B. Wilson].
Ransome A. Wilson married Mrs. Martha Lathram of Henry Co.-June 20 1869. The
couple had only one known child, Bela V. Wilson. M.A.("Reet")Wilson married
twice. He had four sons by his first wife(E.E. unknown)-Kenneth, Lawton, James
Thompson, and William C.("Willie"). He then married Agness C. Woolsey of Henry
Co.-July 26 1888. They had one known child, John Milton Wilson. John James
Wilson married Adelia A. Woolsey, daughter of Isaac Woolsey, in Henry Co.-Feb 14
1872. William Artis Wilson married Ella Frances Fincher, daughter of John L.
Fincher, in Butts Co.-Dec 30 1882. The couple had five known children: Daisy V.,
Homer F., Lena, Zelma, and William Artis Jr. [The late Gladys Kimbell
Wilson(DAR)of Jackson GA married William Artis Jr.]
Footnotes:
#1) The Wilson Family Bible supplied names and dates for the Wilson children.
The late Helen Thornton of Jackson GA, a Wilson descendant, provided
photocopies. Custody of the original is unknown.
#2) 1850 Butts County Census; Sarah’s death noted-James B. Knowles diary(Georgia
State Archives).
Notes: This summary, with minor revisions and additions, has been reformated
into "plain text".
Larry C. Knowles, March 26, 2002 e-mail: knonga@bellsouth.net
|
