My Genealogy Hound

DAVID A. WILSON, the proprietor of the well-known “Wilson House,” of Westfield, and a veteran Union soldier of the late civil war, is a son of Willard W. and Nancy (Knight) Wilson, and was born in Oswego county, New York, March 13, 1838. The Wilson family is of Scotch descent and settled in the United States at an early day in its colonial history. Willard W. Wilson was born in Vermont, where he learned the trade of shoe-maker. In 1830 he removed to Oswego county, from which he went in 1851 to Livingston county, Michigan, where he died in 1853, aged forty-four years. He was a farmer by occupation, an old-line whig in politics and a Universalist in religious belief and church membership. His wife, Nancy (Knight) Wilson, who was of English extraction and a native of Vermont, was a member of the Universalist church and passed away in Livingston county, Michigan, in February, 1888, at seventy -seven years of age.

David A. Wilson received his education in the common schools of New York and Michigan. At seventeen years of age he left the farm to become a clerk in a hotel. Six years later, in 1861, he enlisted as a soldier in Co. D, 4th Michigan Infantry, but at the end of five months service had a severe hemorrhage of the lungs and was honorably discharged. He returned home, where he soon regained his health and enlisted as a sergeant in Co. G, Third Michigan Cavalry, in which he served three years. After being honorably discharged in Detroit, Michigan, in 1864, he returned home and for the next ten years was employed as a clerk in different hotels in the county and at Titusville, Pa. In 1875 he engaged in the hotel business at Westfield, where he conducted the Lake Shore hotel for four years. He then went to Erie, Pa., where he purchased the Mansion house but soon disposed of it on account of sickness and bought the Brocton house and restaurant at Brocton, this county, which he conducted thirteen months. At the end of this time he sold his Brocton property, re-purchased the Mansion house, of Erie, Pa., which he conducted successfully for four years, when he sold it and returned to Westfield, where he erected during the summer of 1887 his present hotel, the “Wilson House.” Probably no feature of a place is more conducive to a favorable impression on visitors than that represented by hotel accommodations. In this respect the “Wilson House” has attained a reputation equal to any hotel in the State outside of the leading cities. Its comfortable and neatly furnished rooms, excellent table and courteous attendants are highly appreciated by the traveling public. The house is furnished throughout in good taste and style, while its proprietor brings to its successful management over a quarter of a ceutury’s experience as a clerk and manager of some of the foremost hotels of southwestern New York and northern Pennsylvania. Mr. Wilson is pleasant, courteous and accommodating. He is a republican in politics, a Universalist in religion and a member of Council No. 8, Ancient Order of United Workmen.

On May 12, 1867, Mr. Wilson married Delia Connelly, of Westfield, and their union has been blest with one child, a daughter named Ella M.