Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co. 1893. p. 593. WILLIAM WILSON one of the solid and reliable farmers of Washington county, Oregon, came to the State in 1843, and is a native of Arkansas, born May 1, 1820. His grandfather, John Wilson, was born in Ireland, and when eight years of age crossed the ocean with his father, who was a Loyalist, and was killed in his own yard during the Revolutionary war. The grandfather settled in Kentucky, and there married Miss Elizabeth Friend, and about the year 1800 they removed to Arkansas. He was a saddler, and also a farmer, lived to a good old age, and died in that State. His children were: James, Joseph, Thomas, John, William F., and Sarah; Sarah married John Pierce Wilson, and William Wilson, the subject of this sketch, was their only child. The father was born and reared in Kentucky, whence he emigrated to Arkansas. He died in 1854, the mother having died a number of years previously. When a lad, the subject of this notice had heard his grandfather say: "If I was a young man I would go to California." When he was a little older he read a book giving a description of the country, written by Captain Linn; heard men talk of the Pacific coast, and decided that there would be the place to go to make a home and a fortune. He was young and full of the spirit of adventure, so in 1843 he joined himself to the emigration, and that year crossed the plains to Oregon. The first wagon train that came the whole way through was the one to which he was attached. In 1841 he had married Miss Mary Mills, a native of Indiana, who was born in 1820, and was the daughter of Mr. Isaac Mills. One child, John R., was born in their Eastern home, and with his young wife and son, our subject undertook the great journey. The company gathered together near Westport, Missouri, near the Kansas line, where they remained until the 18th of May. This was the first great emigration, and consisted of about 1,000 souls. They were thoroughly equipped for the journey, and were well armed for that time. They made a wonderfully successful journey, considering that there was no road, and that no wagons had been through the Dalles before. At Fort Hall they were urged to leave the wagons, and were told that it would be impossible to go through with them, but Dr. Whitman insisted that it could be done, so they took his advice and accomplished it. At the Dalles Mr. Wilson engaged an Indian to carry himself and wife and baby, with their effects, across to Vancouver. At the head of the Cascades the company camped for the night. The late ex-Senator Nesmith, of Oregon, was sergeant of the guard which protected the company on the plains. In the morning Mr. Wilson found that his Indian had left him, and he was obliged to go back up the river to get another Indian, at the Indian village. It was night when he arrived, and as they all refused to accompany him until morning, he was obliged to camp out all alone. The second Indian took them to Vancouver. The next settlement was Oregon City, and to that place he went in search of work, which he was successful in obtaining, but was anxious to find a donation claim, so he came up the Willamette river with a Mr. Fletcher, and then traversed Washington county on foot. After looking the country over, he decided upon 640 acres of land, where he now resides. The family came to live on this place in March, 1844, he having built a little cheap cabin of poles. He says he was able to roll a pretty good-sized log at that time. Here they begin with little, but kept at work, persevered and prospered, but his dear wife sickened and died in January, leaving him with two little children, Rachel being the second child. This was a terrible bereavement in a strange new land. He placed his children where they would be cared for, with his wife's brother and wife, and then went to the gold diggings of California, and he engaged in mining on the north fork of the American river. Here he was very successful, taking out two or three ounces per day. In the fall he returned to Oregon, bringing back with him quite a little sack of gold, and in 1850 he married Mrs. Sarah Tedwell, the widow of Mr. Roland Tedwell. She was a native of Alabama, and her maiden name had been Philips, coming to Oregon in 1847. By this union seven children were born: William, who is on part of the land; Thomas J., who died July 13, 1891, in his thirty-ninth year; Mary F., now Mrs. Thomas Fowler, resides in Hillsboro; Minerva Jane became the wife of Hon. J. C. Moore, of Greenville; James H., residing on the farm; Flora, now Mrs. Henry Carson, who resides near her father; and Annie, now Mrs. Wort Bacon, resides in Portland. Mrs. Wilson died May 18, 1891. She had been his faithful wife for forty-one years, and had been a kind and indulgent mother. Mr. Wilson has carried on general farming, and after a few years, a good, substantial hewed-log house took the place of the pole house, and later, he built a nice residence, and now is residing in a still better one that be has lately built. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for a number of years, and a stanch Republican since the organization of the party. He has always declined office, only consenting to be a Justice of the Peace, which office he retained for a number of years. For forty-nine years Mr. Wilson has been a resident of Oregon, and has led here an honorable, upright life, and is one of the most solid and reliable men of Washington county, a good representative of the brave Oregon pioneers of 1843. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2009 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.