My Genealogy Hound

Joseph M. Wilson, a practical, prosperous farmer and stockraiser of Union county, living on section 20, Grant township, has more intimate knowledge of the history of Iowa’s growth and development than the great majority of its citizens. Events which are to others matters of record have occurred within his memory and of many he has been a personal witness, for he became a resident of the state in 1848. Forty years were passed elsewhere ere he came to Union county in 1888, but as boy and youth he was reared amid the pioneer scenes, conditions and environments of the frontier.

His birth occurred near Princeton, Missouri, August 9, 1844. He was a son of B. Wilson, a native of Indiana, where he was reared to manhood and wedded Cynthia Adair, who was also born in that state. They removed to northern Missouri and afterward became residents of Decatur county, Iowa, settling in Woodland township. The frontier condition was indicated by the fact that much of the land was still in possession of the government and Mr. Wilson entered a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, which he cleared and cultivated. Not a furrow had been turned or a stick cut upon the place when he located thereon but he built fences and erected the buildings and as the years passed successfully conducted his farm work, so that he annually gathered rich harvests and derived a good profit from them when they were placed upon the market. Upon the old homestead farm which he improved he reared his family and spent his remaining days, his death there occurring about 1900. He was one of the honored pioneers who was numbered among the builders and promoters of his county, contributing in substantial measure to the agricultural development of this great state, which derives its chief source of income from the work of the plow. His wife survived him for only about three weeks and they, who had so long traveled life’s journey together, were therefore separated by death for only a brief period.

Joseph M. Wilson was reared upon the home farm at Decatur county and assisted in the arduous task of developing the fields and caring for the crops. His youth was largely a period of strenuous, unremitting toil, with few advantages, yet he early learned valuable lessons concerning the worth of activity and persistency of purpose in the affairs of life. He remained with his father until he had attained his majority and then made arrangements for having a home of his own through his marriage in May, 1865, in Jackson county, Iowa, to Miss Adeline Adair, who was born and reared in Missouri.

Following their marriage Mr. Wilson rented a farm in Decatur county, which he cultivated for several years and then believing a move to Union county would prove advantageous he came to this district in 1888. Here again he rented a farm for three years, during which time his careful expenditure and unfaltering energy brought him capital sufficient to enable him to make purchase of land. He bought eighty acres where he now resides and began to further develop and improve this property, remodeling the house, erecting a good barn and other substantial outbuildings. He also set out many fruit trees and secured the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. Year by year he gathered good crops of corn and other cereals, and he also took up the work of raising and feeding hogs and also heavy draft horses. To some extent he has also engaged in the dairy business and furnishes cream to the Creston creamery. In the meantime his prosperity enabled him to extend the boundaries of his farm by the purchase of an additional tract of forty acres, so that he now has a good place of one hundred and twenty acres, constituting a valuable and productive farm of Grant township. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have three sons and three daughters: George B., a prominent farmer of Grant township, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume; Frank, who follows agricultural pursuits in South Dakota; Charles, who is also farming in Grant township; Ellen, the wife of Ed Horner, who is engaged in farming in Highland township, this county; Lizzie, the wife of Harden Hathaway, living near Letcher, South Dakota; and Jennie, at home. They also lost three children in infancy.

The parents are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Wilson gives his political allegiance to the democracy but has never sought nor desired office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, which, capably conducted, have brought him signal success. He is one of the oldest residents of the state, living here for sixty years. At the time of his arrival the Indians in various localities were more numerous than the white settlers and he frequently saw the red men in his travels back and forth across the country. Venison was not an unusual dish upon the table of the frontiersmen, for deer were frequently killed and lesser wild game was to be had in abundance. He has broken the soil with ox-teams and performed the work of the farm when the modern farm machinery which now renders farm labor comparatively easy, was unknown. Great changes have occurred and Mr. Wilson has borne his full share in the work of transformation and development and well deserves mention among the honored pioneer residents.