It will invariably be found, if an examination be made into the life
records of self-made men, that untiring industry forms the basis of their
success. It is true that many other elements enter in, such as fortitude,
perseverance, keen discernment and honesty of purpose, which enables one to
recognize business opportunities, but the foundation of all worthy
achievements in earnest, persistent labor. The gentlemen whose name forms
the caption of this article recognized this fact early in life and did not
seek to gain any short or magical method to the goal of prosperity. On the
contrary, he began to work earnestly and diligently in order to advance
himself along laudable lines and from a humble beginning he has become one
of the prominent men of the great Prairie state. As a lawyer, Hon. Edward S.
Wilson had few equals in Southern Illinois for upwards of half a century. He
was for years a leading member of the bar in Olney and is one of the old and
highly esteemed citizens of this place, now living in quiet retirement,
enjoying the respite due a long and strenuous career. Finding him in a
retrospective and reminiscent mood we quote from an interview with this
distinguished character as follows:
"My grandfather, James Wilson,
migrated from Hardy county, Virginia, to South Bend, Indiana, in the year
1813, and the next year removed to Palestine, Crawford county, Illinois,
bringing with him a numerous family of sons and daughters, among them my
father, Isaac N. Wilson, who was born July 21, 1804. On October 13, 1829, he
married Hannah H. Decken, who was born December 13, 1810, at the town of
Vincennes, Indiana, to which place her father moved from Romney, Virginia,
in 1808 or 1809, from whence he soon moved to a farm three miles north of
Palestine. There were nine boys and two daughters born to my father and
mother. Three of us still survive. I was born June 25, 1839. I was educated
in the common schools of Palestine, and was always of a reading rather than
of a studious disposition. Any book of history or romance could attract my
attention from more serious study. So my mind is a hotch-potch of useless
lumber. I know a great amount of worthless things and nothing well.
"I can distinctly remember the pioneer days of Illinois when the flax and
cotton with which we were largely clothed were raised by the farmers of
Crawford county, which were spun and woven by the mothers and daughters of
the farmers who were entirely from the Southern States, Virginia, North and
South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. The wheels of the wagons consisted
of sections sawn off a log, usually a sycamore. Oxen were more common than
horses.
"The principal amusements in those days were bear basting,
horse racing, and last, but not least, fist fighting. Residents of the
county would gather at Palestine every Saturday and most of them would fill
up on old Monongahela whisky and by noon the fighting would begin. I have
seen sixty fights in progress at one time. When the fight was over, there
was no malice nor desire for revenge, and the victor was the best man until
at a later date the fight could be repeated, if the conquered was not
satisfied, when frequently the outcome was reversed. I was eighteen years of
age before I saw a railroad or a train of cars.
"When about eighteen
years old I began the study of law in the office of James C. Allen, of
Palestine, then a member of Congress from the Tenth District from Illinois.
I was admitted to the bar in 1861, and commenced the practice of law at
Robinson, Crawford county, Illinois. In 1864, I remove to Olney, Richland
county, where I still reside. I practiced in the courts of this and
adjoining counties until 1890, at which time I was nominated by the
Democratic party for State Treasurer and was elected to that office. For
many years my hearing had been defective and it grew worse, and after
retiring from the office of State Treasurer I never resumed practice on
account of my hearing. Since that time I have lived the life of a farmer and
man of leisure, reading much, but only for entertainment. I have pursued no
settled line, but have read everything from theology to the flimsiest
romance, but I have spent more time on history than any other line and would
be a good historian if I had been a student instead of a mere reader.
"On June 17, 1867, I married Ann C. Rowland, daughter of Townsend and
Eliza S. Rowland, of Olney, Illinois. To us have been born four sons, three
living, and one daughter, who died leaving one son. One son died in infancy.
My wife is still living, and divides with me the burden of reading all the
latest works, historical and fiction."
Agriculture, horticulture and
stock raising have occupied Mr. Wilson's attention of late years. He owns
about one thousand acres of valuable land in Richland county, a part of
which is devoted to the propagation of fruit for commercial purposes. Part
of the farm is in the city limits of Olney where he has a modern and
commodious residence, surround by beautiful grounds, extensive and carefully
kept. His home is one of the most pretentious in the county. Mr. and Mrs.
Wilson are widely known for their hospitality and their home is often the
gathering place for their numerous friends and admirers where good cheer is
always to be found. For a number of years Mr. Wilson paid considerable
attention to the breeding of Clydesdale horses and Shetland ponies, and he
produced some fine specimens, which were prize winners at state fairs. The
subject was largely instrumental in securing the state fair for Olney for
two years, 1887 and 1888. Mr. Wilson is the founder and principal
stockholder of the ice plant at Olney, where large quantities of artificial
ice are manufactured in connection with a cold storage packing industry,
etc.
Mr. Wilson has always been a staunch Democrat and active
politically. He has always been interested in whatever tended to promote the
interests of his city and county. For twenty years he was Master in
Chancery. Because of his public-spirit, his honesty of purpose, genuine
worth and congenial disposition, no man is better or more favorably known in
Southern Illinois than he.
Extracted 26 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 167-169.
| Jasper | Crawford | |
| Clay |
 |
Lawrence |
| Wayne | Edwards | Wabash |
