Thomas Wilson, deceased, was born in Earl township, LaSalle county,
Illinois, August 10, 1839, and died here January 17, 1885, at the age of
forty-five years. He was a son of Osman John and Sarah Caroline (Thornton)
Wilson. Reared on his father's farm in Earl township. He chose the
occupation of farming and followed it through life, meeting with success in
his operations and being recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of
his locality. After his marriage he moved to his own farm, one hundred
acres, on section 9, Earl township, having built a home previous to his
marriage, and there he passed the rest of his life and died. At the time of
his death he and his wife together owned two hundred and fifty acres. Mr.
Wilson was a man well known and highly respected in his community. For a
number of years he served his township as road commissioner. He was a
Republican and a member of the G. A. R., McCullough Post. No. 59. During the
civil war he enlisted, September 23, 1861, for a term of three years, as a
private in Company I, Fourth Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, and was in the
service nine months, at the end of that time being discharged, April 28,
1862, on account of physical disability. Among the engagements in which he
participated was the battle of Pittsburg Landing.
February 25, 1869, was consummated his marriage to Miss Mary Catherine Wood,
daughter of Nicholas and Catherine Maria (Race) Wood, natives of New York
state, he of English descent and she of Dutch. Their happy union was blessed
in the birth of two sons and five daughters, namely: Cora Ann, Carrie
Gertrude, Sarah Adaline, Charley Thomas, John Henry, Mary, and one that died
in infancy. Carrie Gertrude is the wife of Edward R. Emory and resides near
Baraboo, Wisconsin, and has one child, Orlou Viola. Sarah Adaline married
Wilford S. Flinn, and they also live near Baraboo. Mr. and Mrs. Flinn have
one child, Edith Mildred. Mrs. Wilson and her other children reside at the
home farm.
Mrs. Wilson was one of six children, four sons and two daughters, of whom
four are now living, viz.: Isaac N., of Earlville, Illinois; Mrs. Mary C.
Wilson; Eliza, wife of John W. Stall; and Gordon Wood, of Nevada, Iowa.
Their father, Nicholas Wood, was a farmer. He came to Illinois in the spring
of 1863, landing in LaSalle county on the 17th of April, and shortly after
his arrival purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land two miles and a
half northeast of Earlville, where he spent the rest of his life, and died
in 1871, at the age of fifty-five years. His widow survives him, is now in
the eighty-first year of her age, and resides in Earlville. She is a devoted
member of the Baptist church, as also was her husband. Mrs. Wilson's
grandfather, David Wood, died on the Conklin farm in LaSalle county, in
1843, well advanced in years. He had a large family. He was twice married
and was the father of three children by his first wife and fifteen by his
second wife. Grandfather Race, Mrs. Wilson's grandfather on her mother's
side, was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a native of New York state.
Grandmother Race lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and one years,
her death occurring in 1894. They were the parents of six children, all of
whom are living.
Extracted 17 Jul 2017 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 494-495.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
