William Robert Wislon, born: 5 March 1834, Leamington, England died: 3 November 1894, buried: Lawn Hill Cemetery, Stanhope Iowa, son of: Robert Wilson and Betsy Ann Baker, married: 25 September 1859, Rockford, Illinois, Sarah Matilda Higby, born: 24 January 1838, York Providence, Quebec, Canada, died: 1 October 1919, buried; Lawn Hill Cemetery, Stanhope, Iowa, daughter of: David Higby and Adeline Eliza Spaulding, Children; Norris Adelbert Wilson, Eliza Ann (Wilson) Riley-Studley (Mrs. Frank D. Riley)(Mrs. George Studley), William Horace Wilson, Polly Emma (Wilson) Cox (Mrs. Nathaniel William Cox), Alice Jane (Wilson) Bone (Mrs. Rufus H. Bone), Henry Robert Wilson, Clarence Neville Wilson, Nellie Ruth (Wilson) Reilly (Mrs. Lawrence Reilly), Margaret May (Wilson) Dick (Mrs. Oscar K. Dick) Alonzo Walter Wilson.
FACT; William Robert Wilson, had a brother named Robert and sister, Jane Wilson.
Source; THE STORY OF THE PIONEER, WILLIAM R. WILSON FAMILY, who came to Hamilton County Iowa in 1866, by his daughter, Mrs. O. K. Dick, Iowa Falls, Iowa, Margaret May (Wilson) Dick
My father, William R. Wilson, the son of: Robert Wilson and Betsy Ann Baker, was born at Leamington, England, 5 March 1835. Little is known of his early life, other than that he lived with his widowed mother, a sister Jane, and a brother Robert. After his father's death, his mother and her three children moved to the Village of Harmone. Although Robert owned several houses there, they lived for many years in a house owned by Lord Peversham. While Father was very young, his mother hired him out for a small pittance, which was used for the support of the family. When in 1856 he became of military age, for a short time he was stationed at Bradford Moor Barracks, which later in the year was disbanded, where then he was discharged.
Believing that there were greater opportunities for a better living in America, he joined some friends and on 6 November 1857, he sailed on the ship Western from Liverpool. After a twenty four day voyage, he arrived on the second of December at Castle Garden, New York. Wishing to visit a friend, Robert Lancaster, he sailed by boat to Albany and finished his journey by stage coach and by walking three miles.
According to letters written to his mother in 1858, he described his trip and several incidents that occurred aboard ship. Quoting from these letters, he states "there were several stormy days and that he was seasick for a week. That a baby girl was born and named Western after the ship, also that a man fell over board and that he gave the alarm, but before help came, the man sank and never came up again." He sighted what he called "big fishes". I do not know whether or not a whale or shark infested that part of the ocean. When father landed in this country, he had ten shillings in his pocket, but he soon found work and received $125.00 for eight months labor.
Again quoting from his letters, he described the country around Albany as hilly and that fences were made of stone and roots rather than the hedgerows as in England, and that the trees were cut three feet from the ground, there were many apple trees and when the apples were ready for use, they were tied to a string and hung up to dry and then were ready to use in the spring. Father spent one day hunting and bagged some partridges which were made into pie. A partridge is about the size of an English hen pheasant.
Wishing to see as much of the country as possible, he ventured farther west and on 10 May 1858, was in Harlem, Winnebago county which is near Rockford, Illinois and about twelve miles south of Wisconsin state line. In writing to his mother of this new country, his description account of seeding and planting is quite interesting. he stated that when a farmer sows the grain, a sack is filled with seed, then it is tied at both ends and thrown over the shoulders and as he walks over the fields he scatters the seed with one hand, sowing about two bushels to an acre. This would yield twenty bushels of wheat or forty bushels of oats. The first year, due to rust and blight it did not pay to harvest the crop. In his letter he says planting corn and potatoes, a marker is trailed over the field one way and crossed the other way making a four foot square in which they dropped four seed of corn, and with a hoe a little soil is pulled over it. One man could plant four or five acres of corn a day."
The potatoes were planted or set, two in each hill--the same distance as the corn. He said he could plow about three acres a day by making a foot and a half furrow and that the mules used were worth forty pounds, or two hundred dollars in American money. He added the grain was stacked and when threshed the straw was burned which he considered very wasteful. Quoting prices for various stock and grain, "cows sold for five pounds, six month old pigs for eight shillings." Wages were low, three pounds a month for a year, with washing and mending, and he adds, "But it is a great country for taxes," which holds true today.
He stated, "When a man is twenty one years of age, he must work out a poll tax on the load or pay one dollar and a half", but Father was not a naturalized citizen, and not eligible to vote for five years, he did not have to work or pay a dollar and a half. During these early years in America, Father had hoped that his brother, Robert would soon join him and together they could buy a farm. He wrote his mother that he had not been home-sick one day and added "Why should I, when we live like kings.
During the Civil War his letters to his mother grew less frequent, and eventually stopped. It was while Father was working on the Doolittle farm that he met Sarah Matilda Higby. She was the daughter of David Higby and Adeline Eliza Spaulding. She was born in York Providence of Quebec, Canada on June 24, 1938. At the age of one year, she moved with her parents to Wisconsin and later to Rockford, Illinois. Her Father died when she was three years of age, and her mother died when she was seventeen. She was living in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle where her father was employed. On September 25, 1859, after a short courtship, Sarah Matilda Higby and William Wilson were married. For some time they farmed for themselves near Rockford, Illinois, until they had accumulated enough to venture farther west. It was spring, in the year 1866, that Father and Mother, with their four young children, Norris, Eliza, Will and the fourteen month old baby Emma Polly, loaded their wagons and with two other families left Rockford, Illinois for their destination, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Father had little money, but he had eight fine horses valued at $1600.00.
I do not know what all was in the wagons, other than in one was a stove and as young Norris drove the wagon through the long journey from Illinois to Iowa. In another wagon were their personal effects, such as bedding, clothing and dishes. As Father had several horses, those not used for pulling the wagons were tied back of the wagons.
Leaving Rockford, Father chose a south westerly direction, coming by way of Clinton, Iowa instead of Dubuque, which would seem a more direct route to Fort Dodge. The hills and conditions of the trails may have been a deciding factor. The family ferried across the Mississippi River at Clinton. The country on the Iowa side of the river was heavily wooded, but as they drove on they could see the prairies sweeping away as far as the eye could see. At times the roads were almost impassable, some places steep and stony, and other places the horses mired down in great holes until it became necessary to unload the wagons in order to pull them out. Again snow drifts due to blizzards held them up for days, but with their courage undaunted they reached Nevada, Iowa. From Nevada, Father drove in a northwesterly direction for about forty five miles, when he sighted twin Mounds in Clear Lake township, Hamilton County. As he came to the crest of the mounds he could see a discarded shack and he said, "We will stop here," And according to sister Eliza, the bedding was brought out of the wagons and beds were made on the floor.
The shack had only two sides, one end and not much of a roof. That was where the Wilson's spent the first night on the Prairies of Iowa, Father was so satisfied with the surroundings that he never did go on to Fort Dodge. The next day a stranger riding a horse, stopped to inquire what Father was going to do with the Shanty, thinking it was being torn down. When he learned that the family intended to locate in this section, he was very pleased. Father asked him his name and he gave it as 'Cicero Hamilton' father of Amos Hamilton whose farm is about one and three quarters miles south of Stanhope.
In those early years that Father and Mother lived in this new country, their gains were pitifully small. Only those who came to pioneer can tell of the hardships suffered and privations suffered. Coming in the spring of the year when everything was wet and miry, Father had little chance to plow or plant. Besides he needed equipment and seed. It was S. B. Dick who loaned Father the seed and said, "pay it back when you can." Perhaps his greatest set back was losing seven of his eight horses he had brought from Illinois. They had been ranging in the prairie and had eaten from some poisonous plant and died. Mother said, "They were fat as butter balls." Later, their only cow fell and broke her neck. Prairie fires were not uncommon and Grass - Hoppers and cinch bugs destroyed the crops. That would seem trouble enough, but one day the three older children, Norris, Eliza and Will, who were tired of prairie life, started back to the old home in Illinois. Fortunately some neighbors returned them home.
I do not know how long the family lived in this shack, but some time later Father filed on one hundred sixty acres of Government swamp land in Marion Township. After living there three years, the Government decided the land was too good to homestead and Father would have to pay more for it or move off. As he had little money, without much protest he left the place. However, some of the neighbors fought the Government and were successful in retaining their land. Leaving here, the family moved to a place now owned by Dan Knight, which had a log house for dwelling.
It was sometime before 1877 that Father bought the first forty acres of his farm, paying for it with one blind mule and five dollars per acre. The house was the largest the family had ever lived in, although there were now eight children. Mother wondered how she could furnish such a big house. There were five rooms, consisting of sitting room, bed room, kitchen and butry downstairs with one long room upstairs. The chimney made a partition so that the boy's room was at one end, and the girl's at the other end. Due to cracks in the roof and sides of the house, it was not unusual in the winter-for the snow to sift in and cover the beds and make little piles on the floor. Most of the rooms were wainscoted but upper half of the sitting room was plastered. Mother used a rag carpet on part of the sitting room floor, this room was also the spare bedroom when needed.
Back of the house was the creek, where the children played, and on the other side was the apple orchard, while the front yard was filled with sweet clover. The old house once filled with laughter, has now fallen to decay. A passerby would never know that there had been a house there that once sheltered a family from summer rain and cold of winter.
During these early years, the Indians were friendly visitors, often stopping at out house to beg for meat or flour on their way to Goose Lake to spear muskrats and trap mink. Mother usually gave them something. Goose Lake, which is now drained, was half a mile north of our farm. As the years passed, Father and Mother accumulated two hundred eighty acres of land. They never regretted coming west for the fertile prairie lands were now yielding bountiful wheat and corn crops, and making fine pastures for their stock. There were also apples, plums, grapes, and other fruits.
When the home had been established, the family began to take an active part in community affairs. For their entertainment, there were Lyceums, spelling bees, taffy pulls, singing schools and dancing. Although I never did see Mother or Father dance. It was interesting to know that the way they got the money to pay the "fiddler" was that some of the neighbors would go to the timber and bring home a load of posts and from there, Father would take the posts to Story City, where he sold them for one cent each. Brother Clarence told me the "fiddler" would play all night for twenty-five cents.
No matter how scare money was, Father would find a way to send his children to singing school. It was quite an accomplishment when any one of us could sing the scale-do, re, me, though to the end and have the key when finished. A tuning fork used to give the key. The results of those early days singing schools may have been as successful as some of the present day methods of teaching. Father bought the first organ in the community, and it was a source of pleasure to him when the young folks of the neighborhood came in to spend the evening to sing and play the organ.
Camp meetings were held at Clear Lake with basket dinners at noon, Revivals were held in the school house. I remember well the service held at our home and the songs they used. "He, Reapers of life's Harvest", "Hold the Fort for I am coming." "Bringing in the Sheaves", and others. but, Clear Lake is now drained and is rich farm land. Mothers devotion to her church was evident from the earliest days. In the later years of her life, her minister paid this tribute to her, "Sister Wilson, I can always preach a better sermon when you are present, you are such a good listener."
She lived a busy life, knitting, sewing, and helping neighbors in the time of need. Although she had the first sewing machine in the neighborhood, she liked to sew by hand, making her own Chemise with puffed sleeves. Her stitches were small and even, the likes of which is seldom seen today. In Sickness she helped where needed. For her own family she used the simple home remedies and depend largely upon Dr. Baker's pain relief. It worked like magic no matter how excruciating the pain. Although Dr. Chamberlains of Stratford was our nearest physician, Dr. Compton of Webster made an occasional visit to our community.
Mother was profoundly interested in education, and in those pioneer days she furnished one of her two room log house to be used for a school. Here the neighborhood children gathered to learn the rudiments of an education. According to sister Emma, Anna Hamilton Brewer, taught in the log house. In 1879, a schoolhouse was moved to the corner, one half mile south of the present site of Stanhope. Here the six younger children attended school. For many years father was director but his judgment of a teachers qualifications did not always prove to be the best. Many times they were not much more advanced than the pupils.
I was too young for school, but I can recall some of the teachers names. There was John Leighton, the father of Libbie Butler of Webster City. He not only knew the rudiments of teaching but of discipline, as well. Other teachers were S. C. Bute, Delila Kepler Bute, Joe Pardal, Agnes Brigg Olmsted's and Blanche Maxwell Wheatley. I do not remember so much about those early school days but I do remember that Mrs. Bute insisted upon placing arithmetic problems on the Blackboard, and that Mrs. Maxwell dismissed by reciting poems and that Mrs. Olmsted always wore a little white apron. In the opening exercised she read from the Bible and knelt beside her desk to pray. Mrs. Olmsted was vary talented. I shall never forget her interpretation of Poe's "The Raven", or "The Bells". In 1892 the attendance had grown so large that it was necessary to build a new schoolhouse. It was built in Stanhope and there were two rooms. Mrs. Olmsted continued to teach and later Mrs. C. W. Wilson taught there. This structure has now been replaced by a modern brick building.
Father was head of the house, and his authority was never disputed. His children obeyed with a little fear in their hearts. No one was afraid of Mother. Her methods of discipline were more gentle. The following incidents in the life of the family will never be forgotten. As the farm work increased Father kept on two hired men. One was a burly negro from Webster City. Father's orders were that no one should call him a negro or boss him in any way, he would do that himself. This man whose name was Bill, was treated as one of the family, eating at the same table and sleeping in the spare bed in the sitting room. One morning Henry, then eighteen years old, told Bill to bring the horses and colts up from the pasture, but Bill refused. Father took Bill's side and as a result, Henry left home. It was very regrettable that such a thing should ever happen, but Clarence said, "It was the best thing that ever happened to Henry, he was on his own resources to make a living. "Thereby he learned the Black-Smith trade, which he followed until his death in 1937.
Another time during the harvest season, Father and Clarence were working in the fields. Father thought Clarence was not setting up as many shocks as he should be, so he spoke to him about it saying, "Clarence, I don't believe you have set up six shocks." Clarence counted well before he answered, "It is more sir, it is seven sir". The audacity of him to answer in such a manner was so unexpected that Father turned away so that Clarence could not see him laughing. It was Clarence who said, "Yes Father was a hard man, but he had lots of friends." Only recently I heard this story. Though Father was a Englishman, he believed in the Independence of Ireland. He obtained a great many subscriptions for the "Irish World", a publication put out in New York. He called on Mr. John Reilly for contribution, the amount given him was reasonable, but Father said, "Why Reilly, you are Irish, you should give more." and so he did. Later Father was complimented by the Editor, Patrick Ford for the number of subscriptions he obtained and for the contributions.
Father liked a holiday, and when the Rosencran Park at Webster City was opened, he and Mother attended. The children took turns. I recall that one year Gov. Horace Boise was a speaker, and Father was the target for one of his jokes. It amazed me that anyone as outstanding as a Governor would recognize a farmer. However, my pride soared upward for some time after. Another time in the early eighties, Father and Mother went to Des Moines by an excursion train to attend the state fair. As Mother stepped from the train, a pick-pocket tried to take her pocketbook, which she carried in the pocket of her skirt. Mother tried to grab his hand, but he was too quick and made his getaway. She said she could see him in the crowd later. It was an exciting story to tell wee children.
Father's farm was one half miles south and one half mile west of Stanhope. I do not know how he came into possession of it. In 1888 he bought the last eighty acres from John Jones and paid him $1600.00. The family moved on to this place as the house was new and larger and we lived there for five years. They moved to Stanhope where father had built a new home two blocks east of main street. This gave him a better chance to look after his business and to attend to his duties as Postmaster. After Father's death, the farm was kept in the family for awhile. Later, part of it was sold to Mr. Cranville and more recently William Parker bought Norris's eighty. At present Clarence is the only one of the family who has retained a part of the original Wilson farm.
In 1880 and 1881, a branch of the N.W.R.R. was built from Tama to Lake City. It cut through our farm for one half mile. In due time the town of Stanhope was laid out. It offered a place closer home for the pioneers to market their grain and livestock. As well as buy groceries and get their mail. Stanhope was a typical pioneer town, being built where there were swamps and sloughs. There were no sidewalks, only a beaten path to the store, that was kept by Sam Lane. Cattle roamed at will, for half mile north of town was the open prairie. The land on which Stanhope is built was given by Ray Parker, Adam and Alf Kepler, and Madison Bute. Stanhope is now a town of fine homes. It is on a hard surfaced road thirteen miles south of Webster City. There may never have been anything distinctive or especially interesting to the passing public in the town of Stanhope. It was only interesting to those of us whose earliest memories of the development of the prairie and the town laid out. I mentioned this because so much of the early life of the family hinges around the town and its early history, and does even today. The old neighbors and friends were
the Jim Wiggins family, George Currie, John Reilly, Ciero Hamilton, Robert Parker, Robert Crane, Ami Loomis, George Beem, Ad. Johnson, Dan Knight, the Brewers, and many others who have passed on together with Father and Mother. These neighbors and Friend's worked, toiled, and saved to make life easier for their posterity.
Of the ten children born to Father and Mother, five were boys and five were girls. All married and lived close to home for a time. The Wilson family was a typical American family, good citizens and good neighbors. Here, I will give their names and to whom they married: Norris married Mrs. Matilda Hubbell. Eliza married Frank Reilly and after his death married George Studley. Will married Mary Barnes and later Annie Smith. Emma married Nat Cox. Alice married Rufe Bone. Henry married Lillie Jamison. Clarence married Elizabeth Moore. Nell married Lawrence Reilly. Margaret married Oscar E. Dick, and Alonzo, or better known as Lonnie married Allye Hill.
Four of the boys began their livelihood on the farm. Lonnie never farmed, but attended high school at Webster City and later enrolled at Highland Park College at Des Moines. He passed the state boards and became a pharmacist and followed that trade for many years. Henry opened a blacksmith shop at Brushy and served the community for forty years. Clarence had ad-versified business life, but eventually went back to the farm. Eliza, Alice and Emma married farmers, although when the Riley's left the farm Mr. Riley opened a insurance office in Webster city, which Eliza carried on after his death. Nell and Margaret each married business men. Nell was the only business woman in the family. After her term as Post Master expired, she bought a millinery shop. She finally sold it to Lawrence Reilly, Later believing she had not received full value, she married Mr. Reilly. Sister Alice, better known as Allie, with her husband and family moved to Prosser, in Yakima Valley, Washington in 1899. Her husband acquired a large tract of land, and it was named the Bone Range. Alice was an outstanding leader among the farm women, often taking charge of displays at fairs or other projects.
Five of the Wilson are still living. They are Emma Polly, the fourteen month old who made the long journey from Illinois. She lives at Centuria, Wisconsin and on January 28, 1944, she and her husband observed their sixtieth Wedding anniversary. Clarence still lives in his lovely suburban farm home one half mile west of Stanhope. Nell also lives in Stanhope and is active in community affairs. Lonnie has retired on a fruit ranch and lives in Glendora, California. At the time of World War I, he served in France with the Y. M. C. A., I, Margaret, have my home in Iowa Falls, and take an active part in Church and community activities. It might be interesting to note that Norris and Eliza were real pioneers, having spent more that seventy years in Hamilton County. I might add that I am the only one living of the family who has not lived outside Iowa.
For twenty eight years Father lived in this new country, sowing, reaping and working early and late, yet he had time to take part in the community affairs until his name was well known over the country. Esquire Wilson he was called and was one of the most outstanding men in those parts where he lived. He served many years as Justice of the Peace. It was day and night. He married several young people in the neighborhood, including Emma Polly, one of his own daughters.
In time the boys took over the farm work which gave Father a chance to venture into business. He began to buy livestock for McCabe of Stratford and Zueblin of Webster City. Very often when stock was loaded out he would go into Chicago on a "Stock Pass". Stanhope was a leading center for shipping. In 1893 he bought a half interest in the Dick Hardware store.
July Tenth, 1893, he was appointed Post Master under Grover Cleveland's second administration. There was a little "hitch" somewhere when his application papers did not reach Washington D.C. Upon hearing this, Walter Wilson of Webster City left for Washington and Fathers appointment came through in a short time. Politics is funny that way. He was the first Democrat to serve as Postmaster in Stanhope, and he built the first building that housed the Post Office. Nell was only a slip of a girl at the time but she was his assistant, and after his death, she was appointed postmaster. It is strange that one so young should merit the confidence of the people, and that the official in Washington should have given her such responsible appointment. Here is an incident showing her awareness of her responsible position, The North Methodist District Conference sent a new minister to Stanhope. No doubt due to a low income and moving his finances were low. He had postage stamps which he brought to the Post Office and asked to exchange them for money. Nell could only say that according to postal regulations she could not make the exchange. To ease the situation Will Kepler was in the Post Office and gave the help needed.
In November 1894, Father was looking forward to the selection of his good friend, Horace Bois, a candidate for Governor. He had not been well and his physician, Dr. John Hammill, advised him to remain home. Father had set his heart on casting his ballot, but destiny had ruled otherwise. He passed away the evening of November third. The family and community were shocked. No one had thought him seriously ill. Services were conducted by the Reverend A. A. Crum of the Univerealist Church at Webster City, and held in the Methodist Church in Stanhope. Father had expressed the wish to dispense with the organ and choir at his funeral services, but that the congregation furnish the music by singing together. Mother carried out his last wish as far as possible. Burial was in Lawn Hill cemetery, According to the customs the church bell began to toll as the procession left the house and did not cease until they tolled fifty nine times, which represented the years he lived.
Mother was never happier than when her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were gathered about her. She lived to the age of eighty-one years. Fifty-three years she spent in the making of Iowa. She spent much time looking back, for there were so many things to see in the past and a great future ahead. She remembered every day of their long journey to Iowa and what high hopes they had. How sure they were that this new country would be generous to them. Women of that time were pioneers in suffering and Mother bore her share. She was loved and honored not only by her family, but by the whole community. Often she would say. "I don't feel eighty one years old - it is funny your heart and mind can feel so young when your body looks old and broken." Father and Mother lived all of their lives in Hamilton county since 1866 and within two and one half miles from the place they spent their first night on the Iowa Prairie. Mother passed away at her home in Stanhope, October first, 1919. Services were conducted from the Christian Church of which she was a member. She was buried beside Father in Lawn cemetery.
William and Sarah Wilson represented many pioneers families who together had converted the desolate prairie into fine productive farms. William R. Wilson a successful farmer, business man and Postmaster, was the young man who left England in 1857 and came to this county believing that he would have greater opportunities, greater freedom and could live his own life according to his standards of living. He never forgot that Mother shared in his hardship and toils as well as whatever success he may have attained.
I wish to pay tribute and to honor the Pioneers who have marked the way and who laid the foundation for the present generation to build on. The four older children, Norris Wilson, Eliza Wilson, William and Emma Wilson, were all born near Rockford, Illinois. The six younger children, Alice Wilson, Henry Wilson, Clarence Wilson, Nell Wilson, Margaret and Alonzo Wilson were born near Stanhope, Iowa. Father, Mother and Norris Wilson, are buried in Lawn Hill cemetery, Webster City Iowa. William Wilson, Sebeka, Minnesota, Alice Wilson, Prosser, Washington, Henry Wilson, Memorial Park, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Emma Wilson, Centuria, Wisconsin.
FACT; William Robert Wilson, had a brother named Robert and sister, Jane Wilson.
Source; THE STORY OF THE PIONEER, WILLIAM R. WILSON FAMILY, who came to Hamilton County Iowa in 1866, by his daughter, Mrs. O. K. Dick, Iowa Falls, Iowa, Margaret May (Wilson) Dick
My father, William R. Wilson, the son of: Robert Wilson and Betsy Ann Baker, was born at Leamington, England, 5 March 1835. Little is known of his early life, other than that he lived with his widowed mother, a sister Jane, and a brother Robert. After his father's death, his mother and her three children moved to the Village of Harmone. Although Robert owned several houses there, they lived for many years in a house owned by Lord Peversham. While Father was very young, his mother hired him out for a small pittance, which was used for the support of the family. When in 1856 he became of military age, for a short time he was stationed at Bradford Moor Barracks, which later in the year was disbanded, where then he was discharged.
Believing that there were greater opportunities for a better living in America, he joined some friends and on 6 November 1857, he sailed on the ship Western from Liverpool. After a twenty four day voyage, he arrived on the second of December at Castle Garden, New York. Wishing to visit a friend, Robert Lancaster, he sailed by boat to Albany and finished his journey by stage coach and by walking three miles.
According to letters written to his mother in 1858, he described his trip and several incidents that occurred aboard ship. Quoting from these letters, he states "there were several stormy days and that he was seasick for a week. That a baby girl was born and named Western after the ship, also that a man fell over board and that he gave the alarm, but before help came, the man sank and never came up again." He sighted what he called "big fishes". I do not know whether or not a whale or shark infested that part of the ocean. When father landed in this country, he had ten shillings in his pocket, but he soon found work and received $125.00 for eight months labor.
Again quoting from his letters, he described the country around Albany as hilly and that fences were made of stone and roots rather than the hedgerows as in England, and that the trees were cut three feet from the ground, there were many apple trees and when the apples were ready for use, they were tied to a string and hung up to dry and then were ready to use in the spring. Father spent one day hunting and bagged some partridges which were made into pie. A partridge is about the size of an English hen pheasant.
Wishing to see as much of the country as possible, he ventured farther west and on 10 May 1858, was in Harlem, Winnebago county which is near Rockford, Illinois and about twelve miles south of Wisconsin state line. In writing to his mother of this new country, his description account of seeding and planting is quite interesting. he stated that when a farmer sows the grain, a sack is filled with seed, then it is tied at both ends and thrown over the shoulders and as he walks over the fields he scatters the seed with one hand, sowing about two bushels to an acre. This would yield twenty bushels of wheat or forty bushels of oats. The first year, due to rust and blight it did not pay to harvest the crop. In his letter he says planting corn and potatoes, a marker is trailed over the field one way and crossed the other way making a four foot square in which they dropped four seed of corn, and with a hoe a little soil is pulled over it. One man could plant four or five acres of corn a day."
The potatoes were planted or set, two in each hill--the same distance as the corn. He said he could plow about three acres a day by making a foot and a half furrow and that the mules used were worth forty pounds, or two hundred dollars in American money. He added the grain was stacked and when threshed the straw was burned which he considered very wasteful. Quoting prices for various stock and grain, "cows sold for five pounds, six month old pigs for eight shillings." Wages were low, three pounds a month for a year, with washing and mending, and he adds, "But it is a great country for taxes," which holds true today.
He stated, "When a man is twenty one years of age, he must work out a poll tax on the load or pay one dollar and a half", but Father was not a naturalized citizen, and not eligible to vote for five years, he did not have to work or pay a dollar and a half. During these early years in America, Father had hoped that his brother, Robert would soon join him and together they could buy a farm. He wrote his mother that he had not been home-sick one day and added "Why should I, when we live like kings.
During the Civil War his letters to his mother grew less frequent, and eventually stopped. It was while Father was working on the Doolittle farm that he met Sarah Matilda Higby. She was the daughter of David Higby and Adeline Eliza Spaulding. She was born in York Providence of Quebec, Canada on June 24, 1938. At the age of one year, she moved with her parents to Wisconsin and later to Rockford, Illinois. Her Father died when she was three years of age, and her mother died when she was seventeen. She was living in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle where her father was employed. On September 25, 1859, after a short courtship, Sarah Matilda Higby and William Wilson were married. For some time they farmed for themselves near Rockford, Illinois, until they had accumulated enough to venture farther west. It was spring, in the year 1866, that Father and Mother, with their four young children, Norris, Eliza, Will and the fourteen month old baby Emma Polly, loaded their wagons and with two other families left Rockford, Illinois for their destination, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Father had little money, but he had eight fine horses valued at $1600.00.
I do not know what all was in the wagons, other than in one was a stove and as young Norris drove the wagon through the long journey from Illinois to Iowa. In another wagon were their personal effects, such as bedding, clothing and dishes. As Father had several horses, those not used for pulling the wagons were tied back of the wagons.
Leaving Rockford, Father chose a south westerly direction, coming by way of Clinton, Iowa instead of Dubuque, which would seem a more direct route to Fort Dodge. The hills and conditions of the trails may have been a deciding factor. The family ferried across the Mississippi River at Clinton. The country on the Iowa side of the river was heavily wooded, but as they drove on they could see the prairies sweeping away as far as the eye could see. At times the roads were almost impassable, some places steep and stony, and other places the horses mired down in great holes until it became necessary to unload the wagons in order to pull them out. Again snow drifts due to blizzards held them up for days, but with their courage undaunted they reached Nevada, Iowa. From Nevada, Father drove in a northwesterly direction for about forty five miles, when he sighted twin Mounds in Clear Lake township, Hamilton County. As he came to the crest of the mounds he could see a discarded shack and he said, "We will stop here," And according to sister Eliza, the bedding was brought out of the wagons and beds were made on the floor.
The shack had only two sides, one end and not much of a roof. That was where the Wilson's spent the first night on the Prairies of Iowa, Father was so satisfied with the surroundings that he never did go on to Fort Dodge. The next day a stranger riding a horse, stopped to inquire what Father was going to do with the Shanty, thinking it was being torn down. When he learned that the family intended to locate in this section, he was very pleased. Father asked him his name and he gave it as 'Cicero Hamilton' father of Amos Hamilton whose farm is about one and three quarters miles south of Stanhope.
In those early years that Father and Mother lived in this new country, their gains were pitifully small. Only those who came to pioneer can tell of the hardships suffered and privations suffered. Coming in the spring of the year when everything was wet and miry, Father had little chance to plow or plant. Besides he needed equipment and seed. It was S. B. Dick who loaned Father the seed and said, "pay it back when you can." Perhaps his greatest set back was losing seven of his eight horses he had brought from Illinois. They had been ranging in the prairie and had eaten from some poisonous plant and died. Mother said, "They were fat as butter balls." Later, their only cow fell and broke her neck. Prairie fires were not uncommon and Grass - Hoppers and cinch bugs destroyed the crops. That would seem trouble enough, but one day the three older children, Norris, Eliza and Will, who were tired of prairie life, started back to the old home in Illinois. Fortunately some neighbors returned them home.
I do not know how long the family lived in this shack, but some time later Father filed on one hundred sixty acres of Government swamp land in Marion Township. After living there three years, the Government decided the land was too good to homestead and Father would have to pay more for it or move off. As he had little money, without much protest he left the place. However, some of the neighbors fought the Government and were successful in retaining their land. Leaving here, the family moved to a place now owned by Dan Knight, which had a log house for dwelling.
It was sometime before 1877 that Father bought the first forty acres of his farm, paying for it with one blind mule and five dollars per acre. The house was the largest the family had ever lived in, although there were now eight children. Mother wondered how she could furnish such a big house. There were five rooms, consisting of sitting room, bed room, kitchen and butry downstairs with one long room upstairs. The chimney made a partition so that the boy's room was at one end, and the girl's at the other end. Due to cracks in the roof and sides of the house, it was not unusual in the winter-for the snow to sift in and cover the beds and make little piles on the floor. Most of the rooms were wainscoted but upper half of the sitting room was plastered. Mother used a rag carpet on part of the sitting room floor, this room was also the spare bedroom when needed.
Back of the house was the creek, where the children played, and on the other side was the apple orchard, while the front yard was filled with sweet clover. The old house once filled with laughter, has now fallen to decay. A passerby would never know that there had been a house there that once sheltered a family from summer rain and cold of winter.
During these early years, the Indians were friendly visitors, often stopping at out house to beg for meat or flour on their way to Goose Lake to spear muskrats and trap mink. Mother usually gave them something. Goose Lake, which is now drained, was half a mile north of our farm. As the years passed, Father and Mother accumulated two hundred eighty acres of land. They never regretted coming west for the fertile prairie lands were now yielding bountiful wheat and corn crops, and making fine pastures for their stock. There were also apples, plums, grapes, and other fruits.
When the home had been established, the family began to take an active part in community affairs. For their entertainment, there were Lyceums, spelling bees, taffy pulls, singing schools and dancing. Although I never did see Mother or Father dance. It was interesting to know that the way they got the money to pay the "fiddler" was that some of the neighbors would go to the timber and bring home a load of posts and from there, Father would take the posts to Story City, where he sold them for one cent each. Brother Clarence told me the "fiddler" would play all night for twenty-five cents.
No matter how scare money was, Father would find a way to send his children to singing school. It was quite an accomplishment when any one of us could sing the scale-do, re, me, though to the end and have the key when finished. A tuning fork used to give the key. The results of those early days singing schools may have been as successful as some of the present day methods of teaching. Father bought the first organ in the community, and it was a source of pleasure to him when the young folks of the neighborhood came in to spend the evening to sing and play the organ.
Camp meetings were held at Clear Lake with basket dinners at noon, Revivals were held in the school house. I remember well the service held at our home and the songs they used. "He, Reapers of life's Harvest", "Hold the Fort for I am coming." "Bringing in the Sheaves", and others. but, Clear Lake is now drained and is rich farm land. Mothers devotion to her church was evident from the earliest days. In the later years of her life, her minister paid this tribute to her, "Sister Wilson, I can always preach a better sermon when you are present, you are such a good listener."
She lived a busy life, knitting, sewing, and helping neighbors in the time of need. Although she had the first sewing machine in the neighborhood, she liked to sew by hand, making her own Chemise with puffed sleeves. Her stitches were small and even, the likes of which is seldom seen today. In Sickness she helped where needed. For her own family she used the simple home remedies and depend largely upon Dr. Baker's pain relief. It worked like magic no matter how excruciating the pain. Although Dr. Chamberlains of Stratford was our nearest physician, Dr. Compton of Webster made an occasional visit to our community.
Mother was profoundly interested in education, and in those pioneer days she furnished one of her two room log house to be used for a school. Here the neighborhood children gathered to learn the rudiments of an education. According to sister Emma, Anna Hamilton Brewer, taught in the log house. In 1879, a schoolhouse was moved to the corner, one half mile south of the present site of Stanhope. Here the six younger children attended school. For many years father was director but his judgment of a teachers qualifications did not always prove to be the best. Many times they were not much more advanced than the pupils.
I was too young for school, but I can recall some of the teachers names. There was John Leighton, the father of Libbie Butler of Webster City. He not only knew the rudiments of teaching but of discipline, as well. Other teachers were S. C. Bute, Delila Kepler Bute, Joe Pardal, Agnes Brigg Olmsted's and Blanche Maxwell Wheatley. I do not remember so much about those early school days but I do remember that Mrs. Bute insisted upon placing arithmetic problems on the Blackboard, and that Mrs. Maxwell dismissed by reciting poems and that Mrs. Olmsted always wore a little white apron. In the opening exercised she read from the Bible and knelt beside her desk to pray. Mrs. Olmsted was vary talented. I shall never forget her interpretation of Poe's "The Raven", or "The Bells". In 1892 the attendance had grown so large that it was necessary to build a new schoolhouse. It was built in Stanhope and there were two rooms. Mrs. Olmsted continued to teach and later Mrs. C. W. Wilson taught there. This structure has now been replaced by a modern brick building.
Father was head of the house, and his authority was never disputed. His children obeyed with a little fear in their hearts. No one was afraid of Mother. Her methods of discipline were more gentle. The following incidents in the life of the family will never be forgotten. As the farm work increased Father kept on two hired men. One was a burly negro from Webster City. Father's orders were that no one should call him a negro or boss him in any way, he would do that himself. This man whose name was Bill, was treated as one of the family, eating at the same table and sleeping in the spare bed in the sitting room. One morning Henry, then eighteen years old, told Bill to bring the horses and colts up from the pasture, but Bill refused. Father took Bill's side and as a result, Henry left home. It was very regrettable that such a thing should ever happen, but Clarence said, "It was the best thing that ever happened to Henry, he was on his own resources to make a living. "Thereby he learned the Black-Smith trade, which he followed until his death in 1937.
Another time during the harvest season, Father and Clarence were working in the fields. Father thought Clarence was not setting up as many shocks as he should be, so he spoke to him about it saying, "Clarence, I don't believe you have set up six shocks." Clarence counted well before he answered, "It is more sir, it is seven sir". The audacity of him to answer in such a manner was so unexpected that Father turned away so that Clarence could not see him laughing. It was Clarence who said, "Yes Father was a hard man, but he had lots of friends." Only recently I heard this story. Though Father was a Englishman, he believed in the Independence of Ireland. He obtained a great many subscriptions for the "Irish World", a publication put out in New York. He called on Mr. John Reilly for contribution, the amount given him was reasonable, but Father said, "Why Reilly, you are Irish, you should give more." and so he did. Later Father was complimented by the Editor, Patrick Ford for the number of subscriptions he obtained and for the contributions.
Father liked a holiday, and when the Rosencran Park at Webster City was opened, he and Mother attended. The children took turns. I recall that one year Gov. Horace Boise was a speaker, and Father was the target for one of his jokes. It amazed me that anyone as outstanding as a Governor would recognize a farmer. However, my pride soared upward for some time after. Another time in the early eighties, Father and Mother went to Des Moines by an excursion train to attend the state fair. As Mother stepped from the train, a pick-pocket tried to take her pocketbook, which she carried in the pocket of her skirt. Mother tried to grab his hand, but he was too quick and made his getaway. She said she could see him in the crowd later. It was an exciting story to tell wee children.
Father's farm was one half miles south and one half mile west of Stanhope. I do not know how he came into possession of it. In 1888 he bought the last eighty acres from John Jones and paid him $1600.00. The family moved on to this place as the house was new and larger and we lived there for five years. They moved to Stanhope where father had built a new home two blocks east of main street. This gave him a better chance to look after his business and to attend to his duties as Postmaster. After Father's death, the farm was kept in the family for awhile. Later, part of it was sold to Mr. Cranville and more recently William Parker bought Norris's eighty. At present Clarence is the only one of the family who has retained a part of the original Wilson farm.
In 1880 and 1881, a branch of the N.W.R.R. was built from Tama to Lake City. It cut through our farm for one half mile. In due time the town of Stanhope was laid out. It offered a place closer home for the pioneers to market their grain and livestock. As well as buy groceries and get their mail. Stanhope was a typical pioneer town, being built where there were swamps and sloughs. There were no sidewalks, only a beaten path to the store, that was kept by Sam Lane. Cattle roamed at will, for half mile north of town was the open prairie. The land on which Stanhope is built was given by Ray Parker, Adam and Alf Kepler, and Madison Bute. Stanhope is now a town of fine homes. It is on a hard surfaced road thirteen miles south of Webster City. There may never have been anything distinctive or especially interesting to the passing public in the town of Stanhope. It was only interesting to those of us whose earliest memories of the development of the prairie and the town laid out. I mentioned this because so much of the early life of the family hinges around the town and its early history, and does even today. The old neighbors and friends were
the Jim Wiggins family, George Currie, John Reilly, Ciero Hamilton, Robert Parker, Robert Crane, Ami Loomis, George Beem, Ad. Johnson, Dan Knight, the Brewers, and many others who have passed on together with Father and Mother. These neighbors and Friend's worked, toiled, and saved to make life easier for their posterity.
Of the ten children born to Father and Mother, five were boys and five were girls. All married and lived close to home for a time. The Wilson family was a typical American family, good citizens and good neighbors. Here, I will give their names and to whom they married: Norris married Mrs. Matilda Hubbell. Eliza married Frank Reilly and after his death married George Studley. Will married Mary Barnes and later Annie Smith. Emma married Nat Cox. Alice married Rufe Bone. Henry married Lillie Jamison. Clarence married Elizabeth Moore. Nell married Lawrence Reilly. Margaret married Oscar E. Dick, and Alonzo, or better known as Lonnie married Allye Hill.
Four of the boys began their livelihood on the farm. Lonnie never farmed, but attended high school at Webster City and later enrolled at Highland Park College at Des Moines. He passed the state boards and became a pharmacist and followed that trade for many years. Henry opened a blacksmith shop at Brushy and served the community for forty years. Clarence had ad-versified business life, but eventually went back to the farm. Eliza, Alice and Emma married farmers, although when the Riley's left the farm Mr. Riley opened a insurance office in Webster city, which Eliza carried on after his death. Nell and Margaret each married business men. Nell was the only business woman in the family. After her term as Post Master expired, she bought a millinery shop. She finally sold it to Lawrence Reilly, Later believing she had not received full value, she married Mr. Reilly. Sister Alice, better known as Allie, with her husband and family moved to Prosser, in Yakima Valley, Washington in 1899. Her husband acquired a large tract of land, and it was named the Bone Range. Alice was an outstanding leader among the farm women, often taking charge of displays at fairs or other projects.
Five of the Wilson are still living. They are Emma Polly, the fourteen month old who made the long journey from Illinois. She lives at Centuria, Wisconsin and on January 28, 1944, she and her husband observed their sixtieth Wedding anniversary. Clarence still lives in his lovely suburban farm home one half mile west of Stanhope. Nell also lives in Stanhope and is active in community affairs. Lonnie has retired on a fruit ranch and lives in Glendora, California. At the time of World War I, he served in France with the Y. M. C. A., I, Margaret, have my home in Iowa Falls, and take an active part in Church and community activities. It might be interesting to note that Norris and Eliza were real pioneers, having spent more that seventy years in Hamilton County. I might add that I am the only one living of the family who has not lived outside Iowa.
For twenty eight years Father lived in this new country, sowing, reaping and working early and late, yet he had time to take part in the community affairs until his name was well known over the country. Esquire Wilson he was called and was one of the most outstanding men in those parts where he lived. He served many years as Justice of the Peace. It was day and night. He married several young people in the neighborhood, including Emma Polly, one of his own daughters.
In time the boys took over the farm work which gave Father a chance to venture into business. He began to buy livestock for McCabe of Stratford and Zueblin of Webster City. Very often when stock was loaded out he would go into Chicago on a "Stock Pass". Stanhope was a leading center for shipping. In 1893 he bought a half interest in the Dick Hardware store.
July Tenth, 1893, he was appointed Post Master under Grover Cleveland's second administration. There was a little "hitch" somewhere when his application papers did not reach Washington D.C. Upon hearing this, Walter Wilson of Webster City left for Washington and Fathers appointment came through in a short time. Politics is funny that way. He was the first Democrat to serve as Postmaster in Stanhope, and he built the first building that housed the Post Office. Nell was only a slip of a girl at the time but she was his assistant, and after his death, she was appointed postmaster. It is strange that one so young should merit the confidence of the people, and that the official in Washington should have given her such responsible appointment. Here is an incident showing her awareness of her responsible position, The North Methodist District Conference sent a new minister to Stanhope. No doubt due to a low income and moving his finances were low. He had postage stamps which he brought to the Post Office and asked to exchange them for money. Nell could only say that according to postal regulations she could not make the exchange. To ease the situation Will Kepler was in the Post Office and gave the help needed.
In November 1894, Father was looking forward to the selection of his good friend, Horace Bois, a candidate for Governor. He had not been well and his physician, Dr. John Hammill, advised him to remain home. Father had set his heart on casting his ballot, but destiny had ruled otherwise. He passed away the evening of November third. The family and community were shocked. No one had thought him seriously ill. Services were conducted by the Reverend A. A. Crum of the Univerealist Church at Webster City, and held in the Methodist Church in Stanhope. Father had expressed the wish to dispense with the organ and choir at his funeral services, but that the congregation furnish the music by singing together. Mother carried out his last wish as far as possible. Burial was in Lawn Hill cemetery, According to the customs the church bell began to toll as the procession left the house and did not cease until they tolled fifty nine times, which represented the years he lived.
Mother was never happier than when her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were gathered about her. She lived to the age of eighty-one years. Fifty-three years she spent in the making of Iowa. She spent much time looking back, for there were so many things to see in the past and a great future ahead. She remembered every day of their long journey to Iowa and what high hopes they had. How sure they were that this new country would be generous to them. Women of that time were pioneers in suffering and Mother bore her share. She was loved and honored not only by her family, but by the whole community. Often she would say. "I don't feel eighty one years old - it is funny your heart and mind can feel so young when your body looks old and broken." Father and Mother lived all of their lives in Hamilton county since 1866 and within two and one half miles from the place they spent their first night on the Iowa Prairie. Mother passed away at her home in Stanhope, October first, 1919. Services were conducted from the Christian Church of which she was a member. She was buried beside Father in Lawn cemetery.
William and Sarah Wilson represented many pioneers families who together had converted the desolate prairie into fine productive farms. William R. Wilson a successful farmer, business man and Postmaster, was the young man who left England in 1857 and came to this county believing that he would have greater opportunities, greater freedom and could live his own life according to his standards of living. He never forgot that Mother shared in his hardship and toils as well as whatever success he may have attained.
I wish to pay tribute and to honor the Pioneers who have marked the way and who laid the foundation for the present generation to build on. The four older children, Norris Wilson, Eliza Wilson, William and Emma Wilson, were all born near Rockford, Illinois. The six younger children, Alice Wilson, Henry Wilson, Clarence Wilson, Nell Wilson, Margaret and Alonzo Wilson were born near Stanhope, Iowa. Father, Mother and Norris Wilson, are buried in Lawn Hill cemetery, Webster City Iowa. William Wilson, Sebeka, Minnesota, Alice Wilson, Prosser, Washington, Henry Wilson, Memorial Park, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Emma Wilson, Centuria, Wisconsin.
William Robert Wislon, born: 5 March 1834, Leamington, England died: 3 November 1894, buried: Lawn Hill Cemetery, Stanhope Iowa, son of: Robert Wilson and Betsy Ann Baker, married: 25 September 1859, Rockford, Illinois, Sarah Matilda Higby, born: 24 January 1838, York Providence, Quebec, Canada, died: 1 October 1919, buried; Lawn Hill Cemetery, Stanhope, Iowa, daughter of: David Higby and Adeline Eliza Spaulding, Children; Norris Adelbert Wilson, Eliza Ann (Wilson) Riley-Studley (Mrs. Frank D. Riley)(Mrs. George Studley), William Horace Wilson, Polly Emma (Wilson) Cox (Mrs. Nathaniel William Cox), Alice Jane (Wilson) Bone (Mrs. Rufus H. Bone), Henry Robert Wilson, Clarence Neville Wilson, Nellie Ruth (Wilson) Reilly (Mrs. Lawrence Reilly), Margaret May (Wilson) Dick (Mrs. Oscar K. Dick) Alonzo Walter Wilson.
FACT; William Robert Wilson, had a brother named Robert and sister, Jane Wilson.
Source; THE STORY OF THE PIONEER, WILLIAM R. WILSON FAMILY, who came to Hamilton County Iowa in 1866, by his daughter, Mrs. O. K. Dick, Iowa Falls, Iowa, Margaret May (Wilson) Dick
My father, William R. Wilson, the son of: Robert Wilson and Betsy Ann Baker, was born at Leamington, England, 5 March 1835. Little is known of his early life, other than that he lived with his widowed mother, a sister Jane, and a brother Robert. After his father's death, his mother and her three children moved to the Village of Harmone. Although Robert owned several houses there, they lived for many years in a house owned by Lord Peversham. While Father was very young, his mother hired him out for a small pittance, which was used for the support of the family. When in 1856 he became of military age, for a short time he was stationed at Bradford Moor Barracks, which later in the year was disbanded, where then he was discharged.
Believing that there were greater opportunities for a better living in America, he joined some friends and on 6 November 1857, he sailed on the ship Western from Liverpool. After a twenty four day voyage, he arrived on the second of December at Castle Garden, New York. Wishing to visit a friend, Robert Lancaster, he sailed by boat to Albany and finished his journey by stage coach and by walking three miles.
According to letters written to his mother in 1858, he described his trip and several incidents that occurred aboard ship. Quoting from these letters, he states "there were several stormy days and that he was seasick for a week. That a baby girl was born and named Western after the ship, also that a man fell over board and that he gave the alarm, but before help came, the man sank and never came up again." He sighted what he called "big fishes". I do not know whether or not a whale or shark infested that part of the ocean. When father landed in this country, he had ten shillings in his pocket, but he soon found work and received $125.00 for eight months labor.
Again quoting from his letters, he described the country around Albany as hilly and that fences were made of stone and roots rather than the hedgerows as in England, and that the trees were cut three feet from the ground, there were many apple trees and when the apples were ready for use, they were tied to a string and hung up to dry and then were ready to use in the spring. Father spent one day hunting and bagged some partridges which were made into pie. A partridge is about the size of an English hen pheasant.
Wishing to see as much of the country as possible, he ventured farther west and on 10 May 1858, was in Harlem, Winnebago county which is near Rockford, Illinois and about twelve miles south of Wisconsin state line. In writing to his mother of this new country, his description account of seeding and planting is quite interesting. he stated that when a farmer sows the grain, a sack is filled with seed, then it is tied at both ends and thrown over the shoulders and as he walks over the fields he scatters the seed with one hand, sowing about two bushels to an acre. This would yield twenty bushels of wheat or forty bushels of oats. The first year, due to rust and blight it did not pay to harvest the crop. In his letter he says planting corn and potatoes, a marker is trailed over the field one way and crossed the other way making a four foot square in which they dropped four seed of corn, and with a hoe a little soil is pulled over it. One man could plant four or five acres of corn a day."
The potatoes were planted or set, two in each hill--the same distance as the corn. He said he could plow about three acres a day by making a foot and a half furrow and that the mules used were worth forty pounds, or two hundred dollars in American money. He added the grain was stacked and when threshed the straw was burned which he considered very wasteful. Quoting prices for various stock and grain, "cows sold for five pounds, six month old pigs for eight shillings." Wages were low, three pounds a month for a year, with washing and mending, and he adds, "But it is a great country for taxes," which holds true today.
He stated, "When a man is twenty one years of age, he must work out a poll tax on the load or pay one dollar and a half", but Father was not a naturalized citizen, and not eligible to vote for five years, he did not have to work or pay a dollar and a half. During these early years in America, Father had hoped that his brother, Robert would soon join him and together they could buy a farm. He wrote his mother that he had not been home-sick one day and added "Why should I, when we live like kings.
During the Civil War his letters to his mother grew less frequent, and eventually stopped. It was while Father was working on the Doolittle farm that he met Sarah Matilda Higby. She was the daughter of David Higby and Adeline Eliza Spaulding. She was born in York Providence of Quebec, Canada on June 24, 1938. At the age of one year, she moved with her parents to Wisconsin and later to Rockford, Illinois. Her Father died when she was three years of age, and her mother died when she was seventeen. She was living in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle where her father was employed. On September 25, 1859, after a short courtship, Sarah Matilda Higby and William Wilson were married. For some time they farmed for themselves near Rockford, Illinois, until they had accumulated enough to venture farther west. It was spring, in the year 1866, that Father and Mother, with their four young children, Norris, Eliza, Will and the fourteen month old baby Emma Polly, loaded their wagons and with two other families left Rockford, Illinois for their destination, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Father had little money, but he had eight fine horses valued at $1600.00.
I do not know what all was in the wagons, other than in one was a stove and as young Norris drove the wagon through the long journey from Illinois to Iowa. In another wagon were their personal effects, such as bedding, clothing and dishes. As Father had several horses, those not used for pulling the wagons were tied back of the wagons.
Leaving Rockford, Father chose a south westerly direction, coming by way of Clinton, Iowa instead of Dubuque, which would seem a more direct route to Fort Dodge. The hills and conditions of the trails may have been a deciding factor. The family ferried across the Mississippi River at Clinton. The country on the Iowa side of the river was heavily wooded, but as they drove on they could see the prairies sweeping away as far as the eye could see. At times the roads were almost impassable, some places steep and stony, and other places the horses mired down in great holes until it became necessary to unload the wagons in order to pull them out. Again snow drifts due to blizzards held them up for days, but with their courage undaunted they reached Nevada, Iowa. From Nevada, Father drove in a northwesterly direction for about forty five miles, when he sighted twin Mounds in Clear Lake township, Hamilton County. As he came to the crest of the mounds he could see a discarded shack and he said, "We will stop here," And according to sister Eliza, the bedding was brought out of the wagons and beds were made on the floor.
The shack had only two sides, one end and not much of a roof. That was where the Wilson's spent the first night on the Prairies of Iowa, Father was so satisfied with the surroundings that he never did go on to Fort Dodge. The next day a stranger riding a horse, stopped to inquire what Father was going to do with the Shanty, thinking it was being torn down. When he learned that the family intended to locate in this section, he was very pleased. Father asked him his name and he gave it as 'Cicero Hamilton' father of Amos Hamilton whose farm is about one and three quarters miles south of Stanhope.
In those early years that Father and Mother lived in this new country, their gains were pitifully small. Only those who came to pioneer can tell of the hardships suffered and privations suffered. Coming in the spring of the year when everything was wet and miry, Father had little chance to plow or plant. Besides he needed equipment and seed. It was S. B. Dick who loaned Father the seed and said, "pay it back when you can." Perhaps his greatest set back was losing seven of his eight horses he had brought from Illinois. They had been ranging in the prairie and had eaten from some poisonous plant and died. Mother said, "They were fat as butter balls." Later, their only cow fell and broke her neck. Prairie fires were not uncommon and Grass - Hoppers and cinch bugs destroyed the crops. That would seem trouble enough, but one day the three older children, Norris, Eliza and Will, who were tired of prairie life, started back to the old home in Illinois. Fortunately some neighbors returned them home.
I do not know how long the family lived in this shack, but some time later Father filed on one hundred sixty acres of Government swamp land in Marion Township. After living there three years, the Government decided the land was too good to homestead and Father would have to pay more for it or move off. As he had little money, without much protest he left the place. However, some of the neighbors fought the Government and were successful in retaining their land. Leaving here, the family moved to a place now owned by Dan Knight, which had a log house for dwelling.
It was sometime before 1877 that Father bought the first forty acres of his farm, paying for it with one blind mule and five dollars per acre. The house was the largest the family had ever lived in, although there were now eight children. Mother wondered how she could furnish such a big house. There were five rooms, consisting of sitting room, bed room, kitchen and butry downstairs with one long room upstairs. The chimney made a partition so that the boy's room was at one end, and the girl's at the other end. Due to cracks in the roof and sides of the house, it was not unusual in the winter-for the snow to sift in and cover the beds and make little piles on the floor. Most of the rooms were wainscoted but upper half of the sitting room was plastered. Mother used a rag carpet on part of the sitting room floor, this room was also the spare bedroom when needed.
Back of the house was the creek, where the children played, and on the other side was the apple orchard, while the front yard was filled with sweet clover. The old house once filled with laughter, has now fallen to decay. A passerby would never know that there had been a house there that once sheltered a family from summer rain and cold of winter.
During these early years, the Indians were friendly visitors, often stopping at out house to beg for meat or flour on their way to Goose Lake to spear muskrats and trap mink. Mother usually gave them something. Goose Lake, which is now drained, was half a mile north of our farm. As the years passed, Father and Mother accumulated two hundred eighty acres of land. They never regretted coming west for the fertile prairie lands were now yielding bountiful wheat and corn crops, and making fine pastures for their stock. There were also apples, plums, grapes, and other fruits.
When the home had been established, the family began to take an active part in community affairs. For their entertainment, there were Lyceums, spelling bees, taffy pulls, singing schools and dancing. Although I never did see Mother or Father dance. It was interesting to know that the way they got the money to pay the "fiddler" was that some of the neighbors would go to the timber and bring home a load of posts and from there, Father would take the posts to Story City, where he sold them for one cent each. Brother Clarence told me the "fiddler" would play all night for twenty-five cents.
No matter how scare money was, Father would find a way to send his children to singing school. It was quite an accomplishment when any one of us could sing the scale-do, re, me, though to the end and have the key when finished. A tuning fork used to give the key. The results of those early days singing schools may have been as successful as some of the present day methods of teaching. Father bought the first organ in the community, and it was a source of pleasure to him when the young folks of the neighborhood came in to spend the evening to sing and play the organ.
Camp meetings were held at Clear Lake with basket dinners at noon, Revivals were held in the school house. I remember well the service held at our home and the songs they used. "He, Reapers of life's Harvest", "Hold the Fort for I am coming." "Bringing in the Sheaves", and others. but, Clear Lake is now drained and is rich farm land. Mothers devotion to her church was evident from the earliest days. In the later years of her life, her minister paid this tribute to her, "Sister Wilson, I can always preach a better sermon when you are present, you are such a good listener."
She lived a busy life, knitting, sewing, and helping neighbors in the time of need. Although she had the first sewing machine in the neighborhood, she liked to sew by hand, making her own Chemise with puffed sleeves. Her stitches were small and even, the likes of which is seldom seen today. In Sickness she helped where needed. For her own family she used the simple home remedies and depend largely upon Dr. Baker's pain relief. It worked like magic no matter how excruciating the pain. Although Dr. Chamberlains of Stratford was our nearest physician, Dr. Compton of Webster made an occasional visit to our community.
Mother was profoundly interested in education, and in those pioneer days she furnished one of her two room log house to be used for a school. Here the neighborhood children gathered to learn the rudiments of an education. According to sister Emma, Anna Hamilton Brewer, taught in the log house. In 1879, a schoolhouse was moved to the corner, one half mile south of the present site of Stanhope. Here the six younger children attended school. For many years father was director but his judgment of a teachers qualifications did not always prove to be the best. Many times they were not much more advanced than the pupils.
I was too young for school, but I can recall some of the teachers names. There was John Leighton, the father of Libbie Butler of Webster City. He not only knew the rudiments of teaching but of discipline, as well. Other teachers were S. C. Bute, Delila Kepler Bute, Joe Pardal, Agnes Brigg Olmsted's and Blanche Maxwell Wheatley. I do not remember so much about those early school days but I do remember that Mrs. Bute insisted upon placing arithmetic problems on the Blackboard, and that Mrs. Maxwell dismissed by reciting poems and that Mrs. Olmsted always wore a little white apron. In the opening exercised she read from the Bible and knelt beside her desk to pray. Mrs. Olmsted was vary talented. I shall never forget her interpretation of Poe's "The Raven", or "The Bells". In 1892 the attendance had grown so large that it was necessary to build a new schoolhouse. It was built in Stanhope and there were two rooms. Mrs. Olmsted continued to teach and later Mrs. C. W. Wilson taught there. This structure has now been replaced by a modern brick building.
Father was head of the house, and his authority was never disputed. His children obeyed with a little fear in their hearts. No one was afraid of Mother. Her methods of discipline were more gentle. The following incidents in the life of the family will never be forgotten. As the farm work increased Father kept on two hired men. One was a burly negro from Webster City. Father's orders were that no one should call him a negro or boss him in any way, he would do that himself. This man whose name was Bill, was treated as one of the family, eating at the same table and sleeping in the spare bed in the sitting room. One morning Henry, then eighteen years old, told Bill to bring the horses and colts up from the pasture, but Bill refused. Father took Bill's side and as a result, Henry left home. It was very regrettable that such a thing should ever happen, but Clarence said, "It was the best thing that ever happened to Henry, he was on his own resources to make a living. "Thereby he learned the Black-Smith trade, which he followed until his death in 1937.
Another time during the harvest season, Father and Clarence were working in the fields. Father thought Clarence was not setting up as many shocks as he should be, so he spoke to him about it saying, "Clarence, I don't believe you have set up six shocks." Clarence counted well before he answered, "It is more sir, it is seven sir". The audacity of him to answer in such a manner was so unexpected that Father turned away so that Clarence could not see him laughing. It was Clarence who said, "Yes Father was a hard man, but he had lots of friends." Only recently I heard this story. Though Father was a Englishman, he believed in the Independence of Ireland. He obtained a great many subscriptions for the "Irish World", a publication put out in New York. He called on Mr. John Reilly for contribution, the amount given him was reasonable, but Father said, "Why Reilly, you are Irish, you should give more." and so he did. Later Father was complimented by the Editor, Patrick Ford for the number of subscriptions he obtained and for the contributions.
Father liked a holiday, and when the Rosencran Park at Webster City was opened, he and Mother attended. The children took turns. I recall that one year Gov. Horace Boise was a speaker, and Father was the target for one of his jokes. It amazed me that anyone as outstanding as a Governor would recognize a farmer. However, my pride soared upward for some time after. Another time in the early eighties, Father and Mother went to Des Moines by an excursion train to attend the state fair. As Mother stepped from the train, a pick-pocket tried to take her pocketbook, which she carried in the pocket of her skirt. Mother tried to grab his hand, but he was too quick and made his getaway. She said she could see him in the crowd later. It was an exciting story to tell wee children.
Father's farm was one half miles south and one half mile west of Stanhope. I do not know how he came into possession of it. In 1888 he bought the last eighty acres from John Jones and paid him $1600.00. The family moved on to this place as the house was new and larger and we lived there for five years. They moved to Stanhope where father had built a new home two blocks east of main street. This gave him a better chance to look after his business and to attend to his duties as Postmaster. After Father's death, the farm was kept in the family for awhile. Later, part of it was sold to Mr. Cranville and more recently William Parker bought Norris's eighty. At present Clarence is the only one of the family who has retained a part of the original Wilson farm.
In 1880 and 1881, a branch of the N.W.R.R. was built from Tama to Lake City. It cut through our farm for one half mile. In due time the town of Stanhope was laid out. It offered a place closer home for the pioneers to market their grain and livestock. As well as buy groceries and get their mail. Stanhope was a typical pioneer town, being built where there were swamps and sloughs. There were no sidewalks, only a beaten path to the store, that was kept by Sam Lane. Cattle roamed at will, for half mile north of town was the open prairie. The land on which Stanhope is built was given by Ray Parker, Adam and Alf Kepler, and Madison Bute. Stanhope is now a town of fine homes. It is on a hard surfaced road thirteen miles south of Webster City. There may never have been anything distinctive or especially interesting to the passing public in the town of Stanhope. It was only interesting to those of us whose earliest memories of the development of the prairie and the town laid out. I mentioned this because so much of the early life of the family hinges around the town and its early history, and does even today. The old neighbors and friends were
the Jim Wiggins family, George Currie, John Reilly, Ciero Hamilton, Robert Parker, Robert Crane, Ami Loomis, George Beem, Ad. Johnson, Dan Knight, the Brewers, and many others who have passed on together with Father and Mother. These neighbors and Friend's worked, toiled, and saved to make life easier for their posterity.
Of the ten children born to Father and Mother, five were boys and five were girls. All married and lived close to home for a time. The Wilson family was a typical American family, good citizens and good neighbors. Here, I will give their names and to whom they married: Norris married Mrs. Matilda Hubbell. Eliza married Frank Reilly and after his death married George Studley. Will married Mary Barnes and later Annie Smith. Emma married Nat Cox. Alice married Rufe Bone. Henry married Lillie Jamison. Clarence married Elizabeth Moore. Nell married Lawrence Reilly. Margaret married Oscar E. Dick, and Alonzo, or better known as Lonnie married Allye Hill.
Four of the boys began their livelihood on the farm. Lonnie never farmed, but attended high school at Webster City and later enrolled at Highland Park College at Des Moines. He passed the state boards and became a pharmacist and followed that trade for many years. Henry opened a blacksmith shop at Brushy and served the community for forty years. Clarence had ad-versified business life, but eventually went back to the farm. Eliza, Alice and Emma married farmers, although when the Riley's left the farm Mr. Riley opened a insurance office in Webster city, which Eliza carried on after his death. Nell and Margaret each married business men. Nell was the only business woman in the family. After her term as Post Master expired, she bought a millinery shop. She finally sold it to Lawrence Reilly, Later believing she had not received full value, she married Mr. Reilly. Sister Alice, better known as Allie, with her husband and family moved to Prosser, in Yakima Valley, Washington in 1899. Her husband acquired a large tract of land, and it was named the Bone Range. Alice was an outstanding leader among the farm women, often taking charge of displays at fairs or other projects.
Five of the Wilson are still living. They are Emma Polly, the fourteen month old who made the long journey from Illinois. She lives at Centuria, Wisconsin and on January 28, 1944, she and her husband observed their sixtieth Wedding anniversary. Clarence still lives in his lovely suburban farm home one half mile west of Stanhope. Nell also lives in Stanhope and is active in community affairs. Lonnie has retired on a fruit ranch and lives in Glendora, California. At the time of World War I, he served in France with the Y. M. C. A., I, Margaret, have my home in Iowa Falls, and take an active part in Church and community activities. It might be interesting to note that Norris and Eliza were real pioneers, having spent more that seventy years in Hamilton County. I might add that I am the only one living of the family who has not lived outside Iowa.
For twenty eight years Father lived in this new country, sowing, reaping and working early and late, yet he had time to take part in the community affairs until his name was well known over the country. Esquire Wilson he was called and was one of the most outstanding men in those parts where he lived. He served many years as Justice of the Peace. It was day and night. He married several young people in the neighborhood, including Emma Polly, one of his own daughters.
In time the boys took over the farm work which gave Father a chance to venture into business. He began to buy livestock for McCabe of Stratford and Zueblin of Webster City. Very often when stock was loaded out he would go into Chicago on a "Stock Pass". Stanhope was a leading center for shipping. In 1893 he bought a half interest in the Dick Hardware store.
July Tenth, 1893, he was appointed Post Master under Grover Cleveland's second administration. There was a little "hitch" somewhere when his application papers did not reach Washington D.C. Upon hearing this, Walter Wilson of Webster City left for Washington and Fathers appointment came through in a short time. Politics is funny that way. He was the first Democrat to serve as Postmaster in Stanhope, and he built the first building that housed the Post Office. Nell was only a slip of a girl at the time but she was his assistant, and after his death, she was appointed postmaster. It is strange that one so young should merit the confidence of the people, and that the official in Washington should have given her such responsible appointment. Here is an incident showing her awareness of her responsible position, The North Methodist District Conference sent a new minister to Stanhope. No doubt due to a low income and moving his finances were low. He had postage stamps which he brought to the Post Office and asked to exchange them for money. Nell could only say that according to postal regulations she could not make the exchange. To ease the situation Will Kepler was in the Post Office and gave the help needed.
In November 1894, Father was looking forward to the selection of his good friend, Horace Bois, a candidate for Governor. He had not been well and his physician, Dr. John Hammill, advised him to remain home. Father had set his heart on casting his ballot, but destiny had ruled otherwise. He passed away the evening of November third. The family and community were shocked. No one had thought him seriously ill. Services were conducted by the Reverend A. A. Crum of the Univerealist Church at Webster City, and held in the Methodist Church in Stanhope. Father had expressed the wish to dispense with the organ and choir at his funeral services, but that the congregation furnish the music by singing together. Mother carried out his last wish as far as possible. Burial was in Lawn Hill cemetery, According to the customs the church bell began to toll as the procession left the house and did not cease until they tolled fifty nine times, which represented the years he lived.
Mother was never happier than when her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were gathered about her. She lived to the age of eighty-one years. Fifty-three years she spent in the making of Iowa. She spent much time looking back, for there were so many things to see in the past and a great future ahead. She remembered every day of their long journey to Iowa and what high hopes they had. How sure they were that this new country would be generous to them. Women of that time were pioneers in suffering and Mother bore her share. She was loved and honored not only by her family, but by the whole community. Often she would say. "I don't feel eighty one years old - it is funny your heart and mind can feel so young when your body looks old and broken." Father and Mother lived all of their lives in Hamilton county since 1866 and within two and one half miles from the place they spent their first night on the Iowa Prairie. Mother passed away at her home in Stanhope, October first, 1919. Services were conducted from the Christian Church of which she was a member. She was buried beside Father in Lawn cemetery.
William and Sarah Wilson represented many pioneers families who together had converted the desolate prairie into fine productive farms. William R. Wilson a successful farmer, business man and Postmaster, was the young man who left England in 1857 and came to this county believing that he would have greater opportunities, greater freedom and could live his own life according to his standards of living. He never forgot that Mother shared in his hardship and toils as well as whatever success he may have attained.
I wish to pay tribute and to honor the Pioneers who have marked the way and who laid the foundation for the present generation to build on. The four older children, Norris Wilson, Eliza Wilson, William and Emma Wilson, were all born near Rockford, Illinois. The six younger children, Alice Wilson, Henry Wilson, Clarence Wilson, Nell Wilson, Margaret and Alonzo Wilson were born near Stanhope, Iowa. Father, Mother and Norris Wilson, are buried in Lawn Hill cemetery, Webster City Iowa. William Wilson, Sebeka, Minnesota, Alice Wilson, Prosser, Washington, Henry Wilson, Memorial Park, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Emma Wilson, Centuria, Wisconsin.
FACT; William Robert Wilson, had a brother named Robert and sister, Jane Wilson.
Source; THE STORY OF THE PIONEER, WILLIAM R. WILSON FAMILY, who came to Hamilton County Iowa in 1866, by his daughter, Mrs. O. K. Dick, Iowa Falls, Iowa, Margaret May (Wilson) Dick
My father, William R. Wilson, the son of: Robert Wilson and Betsy Ann Baker, was born at Leamington, England, 5 March 1835. Little is known of his early life, other than that he lived with his widowed mother, a sister Jane, and a brother Robert. After his father's death, his mother and her three children moved to the Village of Harmone. Although Robert owned several houses there, they lived for many years in a house owned by Lord Peversham. While Father was very young, his mother hired him out for a small pittance, which was used for the support of the family. When in 1856 he became of military age, for a short time he was stationed at Bradford Moor Barracks, which later in the year was disbanded, where then he was discharged.
Believing that there were greater opportunities for a better living in America, he joined some friends and on 6 November 1857, he sailed on the ship Western from Liverpool. After a twenty four day voyage, he arrived on the second of December at Castle Garden, New York. Wishing to visit a friend, Robert Lancaster, he sailed by boat to Albany and finished his journey by stage coach and by walking three miles.
According to letters written to his mother in 1858, he described his trip and several incidents that occurred aboard ship. Quoting from these letters, he states "there were several stormy days and that he was seasick for a week. That a baby girl was born and named Western after the ship, also that a man fell over board and that he gave the alarm, but before help came, the man sank and never came up again." He sighted what he called "big fishes". I do not know whether or not a whale or shark infested that part of the ocean. When father landed in this country, he had ten shillings in his pocket, but he soon found work and received $125.00 for eight months labor.
Again quoting from his letters, he described the country around Albany as hilly and that fences were made of stone and roots rather than the hedgerows as in England, and that the trees were cut three feet from the ground, there were many apple trees and when the apples were ready for use, they were tied to a string and hung up to dry and then were ready to use in the spring. Father spent one day hunting and bagged some partridges which were made into pie. A partridge is about the size of an English hen pheasant.
Wishing to see as much of the country as possible, he ventured farther west and on 10 May 1858, was in Harlem, Winnebago county which is near Rockford, Illinois and about twelve miles south of Wisconsin state line. In writing to his mother of this new country, his description account of seeding and planting is quite interesting. he stated that when a farmer sows the grain, a sack is filled with seed, then it is tied at both ends and thrown over the shoulders and as he walks over the fields he scatters the seed with one hand, sowing about two bushels to an acre. This would yield twenty bushels of wheat or forty bushels of oats. The first year, due to rust and blight it did not pay to harvest the crop. In his letter he says planting corn and potatoes, a marker is trailed over the field one way and crossed the other way making a four foot square in which they dropped four seed of corn, and with a hoe a little soil is pulled over it. One man could plant four or five acres of corn a day."
The potatoes were planted or set, two in each hill--the same distance as the corn. He said he could plow about three acres a day by making a foot and a half furrow and that the mules used were worth forty pounds, or two hundred dollars in American money. He added the grain was stacked and when threshed the straw was burned which he considered very wasteful. Quoting prices for various stock and grain, "cows sold for five pounds, six month old pigs for eight shillings." Wages were low, three pounds a month for a year, with washing and mending, and he adds, "But it is a great country for taxes," which holds true today.
He stated, "When a man is twenty one years of age, he must work out a poll tax on the load or pay one dollar and a half", but Father was not a naturalized citizen, and not eligible to vote for five years, he did not have to work or pay a dollar and a half. During these early years in America, Father had hoped that his brother, Robert would soon join him and together they could buy a farm. He wrote his mother that he had not been home-sick one day and added "Why should I, when we live like kings.
During the Civil War his letters to his mother grew less frequent, and eventually stopped. It was while Father was working on the Doolittle farm that he met Sarah Matilda Higby. She was the daughter of David Higby and Adeline Eliza Spaulding. She was born in York Providence of Quebec, Canada on June 24, 1938. At the age of one year, she moved with her parents to Wisconsin and later to Rockford, Illinois. Her Father died when she was three years of age, and her mother died when she was seventeen. She was living in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle where her father was employed. On September 25, 1859, after a short courtship, Sarah Matilda Higby and William Wilson were married. For some time they farmed for themselves near Rockford, Illinois, until they had accumulated enough to venture farther west. It was spring, in the year 1866, that Father and Mother, with their four young children, Norris, Eliza, Will and the fourteen month old baby Emma Polly, loaded their wagons and with two other families left Rockford, Illinois for their destination, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Father had little money, but he had eight fine horses valued at $1600.00.
I do not know what all was in the wagons, other than in one was a stove and as young Norris drove the wagon through the long journey from Illinois to Iowa. In another wagon were their personal effects, such as bedding, clothing and dishes. As Father had several horses, those not used for pulling the wagons were tied back of the wagons.
Leaving Rockford, Father chose a south westerly direction, coming by way of Clinton, Iowa instead of Dubuque, which would seem a more direct route to Fort Dodge. The hills and conditions of the trails may have been a deciding factor. The family ferried across the Mississippi River at Clinton. The country on the Iowa side of the river was heavily wooded, but as they drove on they could see the prairies sweeping away as far as the eye could see. At times the roads were almost impassable, some places steep and stony, and other places the horses mired down in great holes until it became necessary to unload the wagons in order to pull them out. Again snow drifts due to blizzards held them up for days, but with their courage undaunted they reached Nevada, Iowa. From Nevada, Father drove in a northwesterly direction for about forty five miles, when he sighted twin Mounds in Clear Lake township, Hamilton County. As he came to the crest of the mounds he could see a discarded shack and he said, "We will stop here," And according to sister Eliza, the bedding was brought out of the wagons and beds were made on the floor.
The shack had only two sides, one end and not much of a roof. That was where the Wilson's spent the first night on the Prairies of Iowa, Father was so satisfied with the surroundings that he never did go on to Fort Dodge. The next day a stranger riding a horse, stopped to inquire what Father was going to do with the Shanty, thinking it was being torn down. When he learned that the family intended to locate in this section, he was very pleased. Father asked him his name and he gave it as 'Cicero Hamilton' father of Amos Hamilton whose farm is about one and three quarters miles south of Stanhope.
In those early years that Father and Mother lived in this new country, their gains were pitifully small. Only those who came to pioneer can tell of the hardships suffered and privations suffered. Coming in the spring of the year when everything was wet and miry, Father had little chance to plow or plant. Besides he needed equipment and seed. It was S. B. Dick who loaned Father the seed and said, "pay it back when you can." Perhaps his greatest set back was losing seven of his eight horses he had brought from Illinois. They had been ranging in the prairie and had eaten from some poisonous plant and died. Mother said, "They were fat as butter balls." Later, their only cow fell and broke her neck. Prairie fires were not uncommon and Grass - Hoppers and cinch bugs destroyed the crops. That would seem trouble enough, but one day the three older children, Norris, Eliza and Will, who were tired of prairie life, started back to the old home in Illinois. Fortunately some neighbors returned them home.
I do not know how long the family lived in this shack, but some time later Father filed on one hundred sixty acres of Government swamp land in Marion Township. After living there three years, the Government decided the land was too good to homestead and Father would have to pay more for it or move off. As he had little money, without much protest he left the place. However, some of the neighbors fought the Government and were successful in retaining their land. Leaving here, the family moved to a place now owned by Dan Knight, which had a log house for dwelling.
It was sometime before 1877 that Father bought the first forty acres of his farm, paying for it with one blind mule and five dollars per acre. The house was the largest the family had ever lived in, although there were now eight children. Mother wondered how she could furnish such a big house. There were five rooms, consisting of sitting room, bed room, kitchen and butry downstairs with one long room upstairs. The chimney made a partition so that the boy's room was at one end, and the girl's at the other end. Due to cracks in the roof and sides of the house, it was not unusual in the winter-for the snow to sift in and cover the beds and make little piles on the floor. Most of the rooms were wainscoted but upper half of the sitting room was plastered. Mother used a rag carpet on part of the sitting room floor, this room was also the spare bedroom when needed.
Back of the house was the creek, where the children played, and on the other side was the apple orchard, while the front yard was filled with sweet clover. The old house once filled with laughter, has now fallen to decay. A passerby would never know that there had been a house there that once sheltered a family from summer rain and cold of winter.
During these early years, the Indians were friendly visitors, often stopping at out house to beg for meat or flour on their way to Goose Lake to spear muskrats and trap mink. Mother usually gave them something. Goose Lake, which is now drained, was half a mile north of our farm. As the years passed, Father and Mother accumulated two hundred eighty acres of land. They never regretted coming west for the fertile prairie lands were now yielding bountiful wheat and corn crops, and making fine pastures for their stock. There were also apples, plums, grapes, and other fruits.
When the home had been established, the family began to take an active part in community affairs. For their entertainment, there were Lyceums, spelling bees, taffy pulls, singing schools and dancing. Although I never did see Mother or Father dance. It was interesting to know that the way they got the money to pay the "fiddler" was that some of the neighbors would go to the timber and bring home a load of posts and from there, Father would take the posts to Story City, where he sold them for one cent each. Brother Clarence told me the "fiddler" would play all night for twenty-five cents.
No matter how scare money was, Father would find a way to send his children to singing school. It was quite an accomplishment when any one of us could sing the scale-do, re, me, though to the end and have the key when finished. A tuning fork used to give the key. The results of those early days singing schools may have been as successful as some of the present day methods of teaching. Father bought the first organ in the community, and it was a source of pleasure to him when the young folks of the neighborhood came in to spend the evening to sing and play the organ.
Camp meetings were held at Clear Lake with basket dinners at noon, Revivals were held in the school house. I remember well the service held at our home and the songs they used. "He, Reapers of life's Harvest", "Hold the Fort for I am coming." "Bringing in the Sheaves", and others. but, Clear Lake is now drained and is rich farm land. Mothers devotion to her church was evident from the earliest days. In the later years of her life, her minister paid this tribute to her, "Sister Wilson, I can always preach a better sermon when you are present, you are such a good listener."
She lived a busy life, knitting, sewing, and helping neighbors in the time of need. Although she had the first sewing machine in the neighborhood, she liked to sew by hand, making her own Chemise with puffed sleeves. Her stitches were small and even, the likes of which is seldom seen today. In Sickness she helped where needed. For her own family she used the simple home remedies and depend largely upon Dr. Baker's pain relief. It worked like magic no matter how excruciating the pain. Although Dr. Chamberlains of Stratford was our nearest physician, Dr. Compton of Webster made an occasional visit to our community.
Mother was profoundly interested in education, and in those pioneer days she furnished one of her two room log house to be used for a school. Here the neighborhood children gathered to learn the rudiments of an education. According to sister Emma, Anna Hamilton Brewer, taught in the log house. In 1879, a schoolhouse was moved to the corner, one half mile south of the present site of Stanhope. Here the six younger children attended school. For many years father was director but his judgment of a teachers qualifications did not always prove to be the best. Many times they were not much more advanced than the pupils.
I was too young for school, but I can recall some of the teachers names. There was John Leighton, the father of Libbie Butler of Webster City. He not only knew the rudiments of teaching but of discipline, as well. Other teachers were S. C. Bute, Delila Kepler Bute, Joe Pardal, Agnes Brigg Olmsted's and Blanche Maxwell Wheatley. I do not remember so much about those early school days but I do remember that Mrs. Bute insisted upon placing arithmetic problems on the Blackboard, and that Mrs. Maxwell dismissed by reciting poems and that Mrs. Olmsted always wore a little white apron. In the opening exercised she read from the Bible and knelt beside her desk to pray. Mrs. Olmsted was vary talented. I shall never forget her interpretation of Poe's "The Raven", or "The Bells". In 1892 the attendance had grown so large that it was necessary to build a new schoolhouse. It was built in Stanhope and there were two rooms. Mrs. Olmsted continued to teach and later Mrs. C. W. Wilson taught there. This structure has now been replaced by a modern brick building.
Father was head of the house, and his authority was never disputed. His children obeyed with a little fear in their hearts. No one was afraid of Mother. Her methods of discipline were more gentle. The following incidents in the life of the family will never be forgotten. As the farm work increased Father kept on two hired men. One was a burly negro from Webster City. Father's orders were that no one should call him a negro or boss him in any way, he would do that himself. This man whose name was Bill, was treated as one of the family, eating at the same table and sleeping in the spare bed in the sitting room. One morning Henry, then eighteen years old, told Bill to bring the horses and colts up from the pasture, but Bill refused. Father took Bill's side and as a result, Henry left home. It was very regrettable that such a thing should ever happen, but Clarence said, "It was the best thing that ever happened to Henry, he was on his own resources to make a living. "Thereby he learned the Black-Smith trade, which he followed until his death in 1937.
Another time during the harvest season, Father and Clarence were working in the fields. Father thought Clarence was not setting up as many shocks as he should be, so he spoke to him about it saying, "Clarence, I don't believe you have set up six shocks." Clarence counted well before he answered, "It is more sir, it is seven sir". The audacity of him to answer in such a manner was so unexpected that Father turned away so that Clarence could not see him laughing. It was Clarence who said, "Yes Father was a hard man, but he had lots of friends." Only recently I heard this story. Though Father was a Englishman, he believed in the Independence of Ireland. He obtained a great many subscriptions for the "Irish World", a publication put out in New York. He called on Mr. John Reilly for contribution, the amount given him was reasonable, but Father said, "Why Reilly, you are Irish, you should give more." and so he did. Later Father was complimented by the Editor, Patrick Ford for the number of subscriptions he obtained and for the contributions.
Father liked a holiday, and when the Rosencran Park at Webster City was opened, he and Mother attended. The children took turns. I recall that one year Gov. Horace Boise was a speaker, and Father was the target for one of his jokes. It amazed me that anyone as outstanding as a Governor would recognize a farmer. However, my pride soared upward for some time after. Another time in the early eighties, Father and Mother went to Des Moines by an excursion train to attend the state fair. As Mother stepped from the train, a pick-pocket tried to take her pocketbook, which she carried in the pocket of her skirt. Mother tried to grab his hand, but he was too quick and made his getaway. She said she could see him in the crowd later. It was an exciting story to tell wee children.
Father's farm was one half miles south and one half mile west of Stanhope. I do not know how he came into possession of it. In 1888 he bought the last eighty acres from John Jones and paid him $1600.00. The family moved on to this place as the house was new and larger and we lived there for five years. They moved to Stanhope where father had built a new home two blocks east of main street. This gave him a better chance to look after his business and to attend to his duties as Postmaster. After Father's death, the farm was kept in the family for awhile. Later, part of it was sold to Mr. Cranville and more recently William Parker bought Norris's eighty. At present Clarence is the only one of the family who has retained a part of the original Wilson farm.
In 1880 and 1881, a branch of the N.W.R.R. was built from Tama to Lake City. It cut through our farm for one half mile. In due time the town of Stanhope was laid out. It offered a place closer home for the pioneers to market their grain and livestock. As well as buy groceries and get their mail. Stanhope was a typical pioneer town, being built where there were swamps and sloughs. There were no sidewalks, only a beaten path to the store, that was kept by Sam Lane. Cattle roamed at will, for half mile north of town was the open prairie. The land on which Stanhope is built was given by Ray Parker, Adam and Alf Kepler, and Madison Bute. Stanhope is now a town of fine homes. It is on a hard surfaced road thirteen miles south of Webster City. There may never have been anything distinctive or especially interesting to the passing public in the town of Stanhope. It was only interesting to those of us whose earliest memories of the development of the prairie and the town laid out. I mentioned this because so much of the early life of the family hinges around the town and its early history, and does even today. The old neighbors and friends were
the Jim Wiggins family, George Currie, John Reilly, Ciero Hamilton, Robert Parker, Robert Crane, Ami Loomis, George Beem, Ad. Johnson, Dan Knight, the Brewers, and many others who have passed on together with Father and Mother. These neighbors and Friend's worked, toiled, and saved to make life easier for their posterity.
Of the ten children born to Father and Mother, five were boys and five were girls. All married and lived close to home for a time. The Wilson family was a typical American family, good citizens and good neighbors. Here, I will give their names and to whom they married: Norris married Mrs. Matilda Hubbell. Eliza married Frank Reilly and after his death married George Studley. Will married Mary Barnes and later Annie Smith. Emma married Nat Cox. Alice married Rufe Bone. Henry married Lillie Jamison. Clarence married Elizabeth Moore. Nell married Lawrence Reilly. Margaret married Oscar E. Dick, and Alonzo, or better known as Lonnie married Allye Hill.
Four of the boys began their livelihood on the farm. Lonnie never farmed, but attended high school at Webster City and later enrolled at Highland Park College at Des Moines. He passed the state boards and became a pharmacist and followed that trade for many years. Henry opened a blacksmith shop at Brushy and served the community for forty years. Clarence had ad-versified business life, but eventually went back to the farm. Eliza, Alice and Emma married farmers, although when the Riley's left the farm Mr. Riley opened a insurance office in Webster city, which Eliza carried on after his death. Nell and Margaret each married business men. Nell was the only business woman in the family. After her term as Post Master expired, she bought a millinery shop. She finally sold it to Lawrence Reilly, Later believing she had not received full value, she married Mr. Reilly. Sister Alice, better known as Allie, with her husband and family moved to Prosser, in Yakima Valley, Washington in 1899. Her husband acquired a large tract of land, and it was named the Bone Range. Alice was an outstanding leader among the farm women, often taking charge of displays at fairs or other projects.
Five of the Wilson are still living. They are Emma Polly, the fourteen month old who made the long journey from Illinois. She lives at Centuria, Wisconsin and on January 28, 1944, she and her husband observed their sixtieth Wedding anniversary. Clarence still lives in his lovely suburban farm home one half mile west of Stanhope. Nell also lives in Stanhope and is active in community affairs. Lonnie has retired on a fruit ranch and lives in Glendora, California. At the time of World War I, he served in France with the Y. M. C. A., I, Margaret, have my home in Iowa Falls, and take an active part in Church and community activities. It might be interesting to note that Norris and Eliza were real pioneers, having spent more that seventy years in Hamilton County. I might add that I am the only one living of the family who has not lived outside Iowa.
For twenty eight years Father lived in this new country, sowing, reaping and working early and late, yet he had time to take part in the community affairs until his name was well known over the country. Esquire Wilson he was called and was one of the most outstanding men in those parts where he lived. He served many years as Justice of the Peace. It was day and night. He married several young people in the neighborhood, including Emma Polly, one of his own daughters.
In time the boys took over the farm work which gave Father a chance to venture into business. He began to buy livestock for McCabe of Stratford and Zueblin of Webster City. Very often when stock was loaded out he would go into Chicago on a "Stock Pass". Stanhope was a leading center for shipping. In 1893 he bought a half interest in the Dick Hardware store.
July Tenth, 1893, he was appointed Post Master under Grover Cleveland's second administration. There was a little "hitch" somewhere when his application papers did not reach Washington D.C. Upon hearing this, Walter Wilson of Webster City left for Washington and Fathers appointment came through in a short time. Politics is funny that way. He was the first Democrat to serve as Postmaster in Stanhope, and he built the first building that housed the Post Office. Nell was only a slip of a girl at the time but she was his assistant, and after his death, she was appointed postmaster. It is strange that one so young should merit the confidence of the people, and that the official in Washington should have given her such responsible appointment. Here is an incident showing her awareness of her responsible position, The North Methodist District Conference sent a new minister to Stanhope. No doubt due to a low income and moving his finances were low. He had postage stamps which he brought to the Post Office and asked to exchange them for money. Nell could only say that according to postal regulations she could not make the exchange. To ease the situation Will Kepler was in the Post Office and gave the help needed.
In November 1894, Father was looking forward to the selection of his good friend, Horace Bois, a candidate for Governor. He had not been well and his physician, Dr. John Hammill, advised him to remain home. Father had set his heart on casting his ballot, but destiny had ruled otherwise. He passed away the evening of November third. The family and community were shocked. No one had thought him seriously ill. Services were conducted by the Reverend A. A. Crum of the Univerealist Church at Webster City, and held in the Methodist Church in Stanhope. Father had expressed the wish to dispense with the organ and choir at his funeral services, but that the congregation furnish the music by singing together. Mother carried out his last wish as far as possible. Burial was in Lawn Hill cemetery, According to the customs the church bell began to toll as the procession left the house and did not cease until they tolled fifty nine times, which represented the years he lived.
Mother was never happier than when her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were gathered about her. She lived to the age of eighty-one years. Fifty-three years she spent in the making of Iowa. She spent much time looking back, for there were so many things to see in the past and a great future ahead. She remembered every day of their long journey to Iowa and what high hopes they had. How sure they were that this new country would be generous to them. Women of that time were pioneers in suffering and Mother bore her share. She was loved and honored not only by her family, but by the whole community. Often she would say. "I don't feel eighty one years old - it is funny your heart and mind can feel so young when your body looks old and broken." Father and Mother lived all of their lives in Hamilton county since 1866 and within two and one half miles from the place they spent their first night on the Iowa Prairie. Mother passed away at her home in Stanhope, October first, 1919. Services were conducted from the Christian Church of which she was a member. She was buried beside Father in Lawn cemetery.
William and Sarah Wilson represented many pioneers families who together had converted the desolate prairie into fine productive farms. William R. Wilson a successful farmer, business man and Postmaster, was the young man who left England in 1857 and came to this county believing that he would have greater opportunities, greater freedom and could live his own life according to his standards of living. He never forgot that Mother shared in his hardship and toils as well as whatever success he may have attained.
I wish to pay tribute and to honor the Pioneers who have marked the way and who laid the foundation for the present generation to build on. The four older children, Norris Wilson, Eliza Wilson, William and Emma Wilson, were all born near Rockford, Illinois. The six younger children, Alice Wilson, Henry Wilson, Clarence Wilson, Nell Wilson, Margaret and Alonzo Wilson were born near Stanhope, Iowa. Father, Mother and Norris Wilson, are buried in Lawn Hill cemetery, Webster City Iowa. William Wilson, Sebeka, Minnesota, Alice Wilson, Prosser, Washington, Henry Wilson, Memorial Park, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Emma Wilson, Centuria, Wisconsin.
Family Members
Children
-
![]()
Norris Adelbert Wilson
1857–1936
-
![]()
Eliza Ann Wilson Riley Studley
1860–1939
-
![]()
William Horace Wilson
1863–1932
-
![]()
Emma Polly Wilson Cox
1865–1955
-
![]()
Alice Jane Wilson Bone
1867–1927
-
![]()
Henry Robert Wilson
1870–1937
-
![]()
Clarence M. Wilson
1871–1949
-
![]()
Nellie Reilly
1874–1960
-
![]()
Margaret Dick
1877–1959
-
![]()
Alonzo Walter Wilson
1879–1948
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
