Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 779-780; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
H. M. B. Wilson. Among the successful agriculturalist of
Fairview Township, and popular citizens of Fairview village, is
numbered this gentleman, who is the son of the well-known minister, A.
D. Wilson. He is influential in political circles and in 1890 he
made a close run for the candidacy for County Clerk of Fulton County
and served as Supervisor of Fairview Township in 1871. His
political belie is that of the Democratic party, while he belongs to
the Reformed Church at Fairview, and is now serving his second year as
Deacon.
Much of interest might be related concerning the life of the
Rev. A. D. Wilson, the father of our subject. Of him the History
of Fulton County thus speaks: “October 3, 1837 Rev. A. D. Wilson
from New Brunswick, N. J., arrived at Fairview, being sent to see if a
church could be established. On the 16th the Reformed Church of
Fairview was organized by Rev. M. Wilson. The organization
consisted of eight members, with John S. Wyckoff and Clarkson Van
Nostrand as Elders and Aaron D. Addis as Deacon. This was the
first organization of this religious denomination west of the Alleghany
Mountains, and is truly styled ‘the parent Church of the West.’
“Rev. Mr. Wilson then returned to his home in the East, and left
the congregation without a pastor or church building. But the
people were zealous and steadfast and from Sunday to Sunday assembled
for prayer and praise. These meetings were generally led by Capt.
John S. Wyekoff. During all this time the little band was sending
up the Macedonian cry to their friends in the East to come and help
them. The matter was laid before the church authorities in
convention assembled and the cry arose, “who will go?” No one, as
he contemplated the privations and hardships incident to pioneer life,
had a desire to endure them. For a time silence reigned. At
last a voice arose in that assembly saying, ‘the child born in the
wilderness shall not be left to parish; if no one else can be found, I
will go.’ This was the voice of the Rev. A. D. Wilson, who the
fall previous had organized the congregation, but had not expectation
or desire to move West, being pleasantly situated among his
congregation at North Branch, N. J.”
Responding to the call of duty this noble minister left his home
and came to the pioneer lands of Illinois, arriving in Fulton County in
July, 1838, and immediately commenced his labors. After
successfully carrying on the work many years, he resigned April 11,
1856. In regard to his personal history it may be said that he
was a native of Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, N. J., and a
graduate of Rutgers. He was truly a wonderful man and possessed
the peculiar power of making and keeping friends. His first
charge was in the State of New York. His wife bore the maiden
name of Julia A. Evertson; she was a native of Orange County, N. Y.,
and was educated at Poughkeepsie. Ten children were born of their
union, of whom six lived to maturity, as follows: John E. Jane
D., Julia A., Abraham D., Margaret A., and Henry Martin Baldwin, our
subject.
The name of the Rev. Mr. Wilson justly appears on the annals of
the church history of Fulton County as being a man of more than
ordinary skill and worth and as being universally respected by all with
whom he came in contact. To those who believe in the wise
provisions of Providence, the fact of his illness and afflictions,
which pointed to an early grave, was but His spur to drive him into the
far West, there to do His work. The strange thing is that after
having been given up by his physicians in the East and being so reduced
that he weighed only ninety-seven pounds, he nevertheless regained
perfect health after coming here. It appears that the Lord had a
work for him to do, and when He had directed him to go where He wanted
him He gave him strength of body in order to attend to the spiritual
welfare of his flock. His vigor came back to him with interest,
as it were, for his standing weight for years was from one hundred and
ninety-six to two hundred pounds. He lived to be ninety years
old, and operated a farm in connection with his clerical duties.
Our subject was born April ¸, and at an early age
manifested great liking for farm life, commencing while quite young to
assit in its labor. He had the educational advantages of the
Fairview public school. He entered Knox College at the age of
fifteen, and when seventeen entered Rutgers, where he remained two
years. In 1862 he made an overland trip to California in company
with Luther Pumyea, reaching Marysville, Cal., about the 1st of
September. When there they engaged in mining and met with good
success, and he finally started a meat market at that city. He
returned home via the Isthmus in 1864, and resumed farming.
Mr. Wilson, in 1869, married Miss Sarah Catherine Skillman,
daughter of William and Eliza Ann (Robertson) Skillman, natives of New
Jersey. They came to Illinois in 1837, settling at first in
Menard County, and coming to Fairview during the war. After his
marriage, our subject purchased eight acres of land and after his
father’s death bought the old homestead which embraced on hundred and
sixty acres. To himself and wife have been born seven children,
viz: Oscar L., Bertha A., Leoda, Margie, Eliza A., Lester Gaddis,
and Celia E.
The subject of our sketch has figured very conspicuously in
bringing the railroad to this place and is prominent in politics.
He is an extensive property owner, owning the brick store that contains
the Masonic Hall, and has four fine farms. He contributed
liberally to the railroad enterprise and also gave his personal
attention to the matter working faithfully for the cause, both here and
in Lewistown Township. Indeed, Mr. Wilson is a gentleman of
pronounced ability and in addition to this, is one of those courteous,
genial men who have always a high place in the regard of the community
in which they reside.
