My Genealogy Hound

Samuel M. Willson, now living on Section 5, Buffalo Township, is one of the old settlers of Morgan County, having immigrated here as early as 1837. He was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., March 10, 1816, and is the son of Abram and Mary (Baker) Willson, being the sixth of eight children, who are named as follows: Robert (deceased), Louisa (deceased), Malvino (deceased), Adaline (deceased), Benjamin (deceased), Samuel M., Mary (deceased) and Jane (the widow of Daniel Snider, who is living in Kansas). The father and mother were both natives of Virginia. The father died in Tennessee in 1834, at about the age of fifty-eight years, and the mother died in Missouri in 1858, at the age of about eighty-one years. Samuel M. Willson remained at home, assisting on the farm until of age, when he and Benjamin immigrated to Missouri together, and brought their mother there in 1837. They entered land together, about 900 acres, and their mother made her home with them until a year before her death, when she went to live with her daughter Mary, and there received her final summons. Samuel and his brother made a division of their land on Benjamin’s death, which occurred June 24, 1865. He left a wife and six children. Samuel M. Willson was married to Miss Mary Jarnagen December 11, 1838, and to them have been born ten children, all deceased but two: Samuel, now living in Morgan County, and Sarah E., wife of Alfred Walters, now in Morgan County. Those deceased are Napoleon B., Oscar H., Porter J., Martha E., Isabell Minerva, Joseph H. and Lucy B. Napoleon was killed in the army, and Oscar and Porter were both in the Federal army. Mrs. Willson died December 10, 1874, at the age of fifty-six years. Mr. Willson married a sister to his first wife, the widow of Kemmie Mew, December 19, 1876. He has been justice of Buffalo Township for many years, and presiding judge of the court for four years. Mr. and Mrs. Willson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a Republican in his political views. He is the owner of forty acres of land on Section 5, Township 40, Range 18.