Obit: Wilson, James (1859 - 1925)

Contact:  Cindy Dressler
Email: swytzr@yahoo.com

Surnames: Wilson, Cole, Washburn, Lund, Olson, Isaacson, Haas, Childs, Severson, Horel

----Sources: HUMBIRD ENTERPRISE (Humbird, Clark Coounty, Wis.) 12/19/1925

Wilson, James (17 April 1859 - 10 Dec 1925)

James Wilson, resident of this vicinity for forty-five years, died about 10:00 o'clock Thursday night, Dec. 10, at temporary home of his son Harry, at Earl Park, Ind, after a few days illness of pneumonia, aged 66 years, 7 months, and 23 days.

The remains, accompanied by his son Harry and family arrived here Saturday morning, and were taken to the home to await burial. The funeral was held at 2:00 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the town hall, and was attended by a large congregation of old friends and neighbors of this vicinity. A most appropriate sermon, touching on the life of the deceased was preached by Rev. L. L. Litchfield. A mass of beautiful floral emblems, tributes from friends, covered the casket and rostrum. Burial was in the family lot in the Mentor cemetery.

Mr. Wilson had been a member of the Odd Fellows for thirty-five years. The local lodge attended the funeral in a body, and services at the grave were in accordance with the rites of that order, with J. C. Johnson as Noble Grand and S. R. Newton as Captain.

Relatives and friends present at the services were: Mrs. Cole, of Green Bay, Felix Wilson, of Rush City, Minn, sister and brother of the deceased; Dr. Washburn, Augusta; Mrs Lund, B. R. Falls; Mrs. Olson, I. Isaacson and family, Geo. Haas, Spring Valley; Geo. N. Childs, Marshall Childs, Andrew Severson, of the Cast Stone Construction Co. with whom Mr. Wilson had worked in Indiana. There were delegations present from August lodge No. 142, I.O.O.F., and Alpha encampment No. 48, of Neillsville, in which he held membership.

Thus passes to his reward a man whom some thought had a rough exterior, but one who by his many kind acts leaves many to rise up and call him blessed.

James Wilson was born at Cornwallis, near Ottawa, Canada, on Apr. 17, 1859, of Scotch-Irish parentage, and moved with his parents and their family to Green Bay, Wis., when he was four years of age. There he grew to manhood, and when about 19 years old, came to Humbird to work in the logging camps and mills. Later he was employed as shingle packer at Carter's mill, and while in this employment he became acquainted with the teacher of the Wilbur school, Miss Mary Jane Horel, who, on July 5, 1884, became his wife. To this union was born one son, Harry E. They resided at Humbird for a while, then went to Dakota territory, homesteading a tract of land in that new country. Returning after a few seasons they remained at Humbird until 1900, when they went to Neillsville, where both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson became interested in fraternal insurance work with the Maccabee order.

After about a year and a half of residence at Neillsville, they took over the management of the farm of Mrs. Wilson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Horel, west of Humbird, continuing also their insurance work. While at this work, they, with some others conceived the idea of an organization which is now embodied in the Farmers Life Insurance Association, which society they assisted in founding in 1905, and with which they were co-workers until the death of Mrs. Wilson two years later.

The first-great sorrow came to this happy family on March 14, 1907, when the wife and mother passed to the Great Beyond, after but a few days' illness.

Mr. Wilson retained his residence on the farm, and being interested in public affairs, served as chairman of the town of Cleveland for fifteen years.

In later years, after highway construction became more general in Wisconsin, Mr. Wilson former a partnership with his son to engage in that work. Their first contract was under Isaacson Bros., of Spring Valley. A year ago they secured a contract with the Cast Stone Construction Co, of Eau Claire, in Illinois, and had just completed a thirteen mile grading project for that company in Indiana, when he was stricken.

Deceased is survived by his son, Harry E. Wilson, on sister, Mrs. Mary Cole, of Green Bay; two brothers, Felix, of Rush City, Minn., and Stafford, of Everett, Wash.; two grand-children, Mary and Alice Wilson; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Washburn, and numerous nieces and nephews.

For many years Mr. Wilson was an active participant in the political and buisiness affairs of Jackson county. During his long sevices on the county board he was an excellent worker in the interest of the people, and his spirit of fairness and friendliness caused him to be highly regarded among its members. He was one who formed warm friendships, those of the lasting, loyal kind, which endured throughout the years. He was an energetic, industrious man active in any cause or movement in which he became interested. His son and other relatives have the sincere sympathy of his many friends.