McDonough ILGenWeb

WILSON, William, Jr., an enterprising and successful farmer of Bethel Township, McDonough County, Ill., was born in Industry Township, McDonough County, August 13, 1878, a son of Hugh and Harriet (Hobert) Wilson, the former born in McDonough County and the latter in the State of New York. The paternal grandfather was John Wilson, and the grandfather on the maternal side was William Hobert, a native of Ireland. Grandfather John Wilson was the first white settler in McDonough County, where he was engaged in farming on pre-empted land in Industry Township.

William Wilson, Jr., was the youngest of a family of twelve children, and lived at home with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-one years. He then married and was engaged in farming on the home place for two years. Later he bought 380 acres of land in Bethel Township, on which he is engaged in general farming and raising cattle, hogs and horses. His crops are chiefly corn, small grain and grass.

Mr. Wilson was married, August 22, 1899, to Maria Lillian Chipman, who was born in Schuyler County, Ill., where she attended the public schools. Two children are the offspring of this union, namely: Erma Rose, born June 14, 1900; and Gordon Earl, born September 14, 1901. Mrs. Wilson is a daughter of Levi and Maria Elizabeth (Swink) Chipman, born, respectively, in the State of Delaware and in Schuyler County, Ill. Her grandparents were Levi and Julia Chipman, and Peter and Elizabeth (Bechtol) Swink — the two last named having been natives of Kentucky.

Politically, Mr. Wilson is a supporter of the Prohibition party, and in religious faith, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally, he is connected with the M. W. and I. O. O. F. Few of the most prosperous farmers of Bethel Township have made a better record within so brief a period as has the subject of this sketch.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, pages 1047-1048, extracted 26 Oct 2020 by Norma Hass.