William Wesley Wilson (abt. 1805 - abt. 1856)

Born about 1805 in Georgia, United States

Husband of Elizabeth Jane (Sheffield) Wilson — married about 1833 in Early, Georgia, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1856 at about age 51 in United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jason Tilley [send private message] and Nancy Suzanne Tilley [send private message]

Biography

William Wesley Wilson was born about 1805 in Georgia, United States. ^{[1] [2]} According to John Martin Wilson's death certificate, he married Elizabeth Sheffield of Early, Georgia. ^[3] Both William and Elizabeth can be seen listed as heirs in the probate records of Isham Sheffield. ^[4] A William Wilson appears in Early County, Georgia in both the 1830 and 1840 censuses. ^{[5] [6]}

In the 1850 census, William and Elizabeth are found residing in Gadsden County, Florida, along with their eleven children. ^[2] William is listed as a farmer.

The 1850 census suggests that they moved to Florida around 1837 based on their children's birthplaces. This conflicts with the 1840 Early County census record for the family, and later census records for Elizabeth list their birthplaces as Georgia. Clearly they moved to Florida, but the birthplaces on the 1850 census should be interpretted with caution. The exact time and location of William's death are uncertain, but he appears to have died before 1856, when Elizabeth remarries to a John C. Butler ^[7] and is residing in Miller County, Georgia in the 1860 census. ^[8] William is allegedly buried at Mays Cemetery in Early, Georgia. ^[1]

Research Notes

According to the 1830 census, a William (aged 20–30) was residing with a 15–20 year old female. This is consistent with the proposed birth year of his wife Elizabeth, and is a strong indicator that they were married before the 1830 census was taken. There is also a probate for a William Wilson in Early County, Georgia, but this is before the William Wilson of this profile died. ^[9]

William W Wilson's Parentage

Many genealogies suggest that William's father was a John Martin Wilson born in Virginia.^[10] While possible, no direct evidence of this relationship is known. This John Martin Wilson was allegedly the son of a Benjamin Wilson born in Virginia, and the husband of a Hilda Howard.

Also, a Florida Works Progress Administration county history of Gadsden documented that a Madison Wilson, father of a W W Wilson, architected and built a Gadsden County courthouse during 1850–1851.^[11] This Madison Wilson does appear in the 1850 census of Gadsden County, and this individual is potentially William's brother, because he lists his age as 38 and has a son of his own named William W Wilson, aged 12 years.^[12] Madison lists his place of birth as South Carolina. He continues to appear through the 1880 census, where he appears as James M Wilson and lists his mother's and father's birthplace as North Carolina.^[13] It should also be noted that another James Wilson appears in the 1830 census aged 50–59. ^[14] Though determined not to be James Madison Wilson's father, he could be the father William Wesley Wilson.

It has been difficult to track down probate records associated with William Wilson or his family, but there are several records that could be of interest:

1. James S Willson, Columbia Co., Georgia, recorded: 20 Aug 1819, probated: 18 Nov 1820.^[15]
   Wife: Mary. Daughters: Rebecca, Elizabeth. Sons: John, Elias, Anderson, James, Madison, David. Executors: Nathan Willson, Robert Lazenby, David Willson, John Langston. Witnesses: John Hannan, David Cooper, John Davis.
2. John Wilson, Monroe Co., Georgia, recorded 8 May 1821, probated 9 May 1838.^[16]
   Wife: Martha B. Children: Louisa, Joseph, Elizabeth, Nathaniel, James, Charles, William, Anne. Daughter: Rebecca Gaar. Executors: Wife, and friend, Samuel Barber.
3. Martha B Stewart, Jones Co., Georgia, recorded 20 May 1856, probated 1 Sep 1856.^[17]
   Heirs: Joseph, Charles, James M. and William W. Wilson; Louise Goolsby; Elizabeth H. Howard (her children Martha L. A. Howard; W. A. Lane; John Lane; James O. Lane) Charity Ann Huggins. Executor: Charles T. Wilson.
4. Joseph Wilson, Talbot Co., Georgia, recorded 2 Oct 1851, probated 30 Nov 1851.^[18]
   Wife: Catherine, son: Madison, and his children; Daughter: Martha, wife of William. Robertson, and her children, son: Barney; son: Hiram son: Martin Daughter: Catherine; son-in-law: Henry Robertson; in trust for my Granddaughter: Bethia C. M. Robertson; sums of money to sons, Hiram and Martin when they arrive at 21 yrs. of age. Executors: Madison Wilson and William. Robertson. S/ Joseph Wilson. Witnesses: John M. Bruce; Thomas. Smith; George Buchanan.
5. John M Wilson, Mecklenberg Co., North Carolina. recorded 2 Jun 1831.^[19]
   Sons: James, Alexander, Issac, John, Harvey. Daughters Sarah, Margaret, Mary, Harriet, Peggy Means (Husband John). Grandsons: James and John Means.

James S Willson, who died in Columbia Co., Georgia might be of particular interest, since he had sons James Madison and David, the same names of some Wilsons encounted in Gadsden Co. during the 1800s, who were born in South Carolina. His will lists his friend Robert Lazenby, and in the will of a David Wilson of Warren Co., Georgia, David lists a daughter Harriet Lazenby. Also, there are wills in Marion County, South Carolina listing Wilson, Cooper, and Davis families on the same wills (also listed on this James Willson's will). Additonally, Marion County is the place of death for Collins Woodbery's mother, Elizabeth (Dunham) Woodbury (1748-1831). Methodist minister Collins Woodbury (abt.1781-bef.1856) is the alleged father of James Madison Wilson's suspected wife, Martha Woodbery and was allegedly involved in the building of one of the first Methodist churches built in Florida, in Escambia County. David S Wilson, his son James Madison Wilson, and other family members were carpenters that came from South Carolina. It is possible there is a common connection between these families in the South Carolina Methodist Conference's mission to Gadsden County, Florida in the 1820s.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find A Grave: Memorial #149869814 retrieved 31 Mar 2017
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFHD-2FH : 9 November 2014), William Wilson, Gadsden county, Gadsden, Florida, United States; citing family 420, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "Georgia Deaths, 1914-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDNG-LSV : 24 December 2014), John Martin Wilson, 16 Mar 1926, Miller, Georgia, United States; citing reference 7377, Department of Archives and History, Atlanta; FHL microfilm 2363921.
4. ↑ "Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93L-5Q8D?cc=1999178&wc=9SYY-W36%3A267652101%2C267725601 : 20 May 2014), Early > image 59 of 545; county probate courthouses, Georgia.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGL-2SP : 18 August 2015), William Wilson, Early, Georgia, United States; citing 93, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 17; FHL microfilm 7,037.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHBF-1T2 : 24 August 2015), William Wilson, District 903, Early, Georgia, United States; citing p. 115, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 40; FHL microfilm 7,043.
7. ↑ "Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXJ8-48S : 22 December 2016), John C. Butler and Elizabeth Wilson, 20 Apr 1856; citing Marriage, Early, Georgia, United States, county courthouses, Georgia; FHL microfilm 164,093.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZMF-ZP1 : 30 December 2015), E Buttler, Miller, Georgia, United States.
9. ↑ "Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-53QK?cc=1999178&wc=9SYY-W36%3A267652101%2C267725601 : 20 May 2014), Early > image 191 of 545; county probate courthouses, Georgia.
10. ↑ Unknown Author, The Wilson Family from Glencorse, Scotland, unnumbered pages 2–4, William W Wilson parentage, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/530462/?offset=&return=1#page=1 : accessed 6 April 2024), citing images 5–7 of 52; FSL identifier 1838857.
11. ↑ Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey, History of Gadsden County, ca. 1939, State Archives of Florida; database with images, Florida Memory (https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/321104?id=2 : accessed 7 April 2024), mention of Madison Wilson, "father of the late W W Wilson."
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFHD-2QQ : Sun Mar 10 23:18:51 UTC 2024), Entry for Madison Wilson and Martha Wilson, 1850.
13. ↑ "United States Census, 1880", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNZS-8LD : Wed Mar 06 02:56:34 UTC 2024), Entry for James M. Wilson and Martha Wilson, 1880.
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1830", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPX-TN1 : Fri Mar 08 22:04:39 UTC 2024), Entry for Jas Wilson, 1830.
15. ↑ Columbia County, Georgia, Record of Wills, Book H, 1803–1821: 493–496, will of James Willson (probated 13 March 1820); Court of Ordinary, Columbia County, Georgia; consulted as "Record of wills, 1790-1851, 1930-1963," browsable images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99QM-FC88?i=426 : accessed 6 April 2024), path: Wills, v. A, H 1790-1821 > images 427–428 of 461; FHL Film 514721, IGN  5782626.
16. ↑ Monroe County, Georgia, Record of Wills, Book A: 123–124, will of John Wilson (probated 9 May 1838); Court of Ordinary, Monroe County, Georgia; consulted as "Wills, 1824–1958," browsable images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-GW3V?i=93): accessed 6 April 2024), path: Vols. A-B 1824-1866 > image 94 of 448; FHL Film 164231, IGN 5756869.
17. ↑ Jones County, Georgia, Record of Wills Transcribed from Will Books, Part of C and D, 1851–1867: 82–83, will of Martha B. Stewart (probated 1 September 1856); Court of Ordinary, Jones County, Georgia; consulted as "Probate records, 1808-1949; index, 1820-1832," browsable images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93B-Y57M?i=331 : accessed 6 April 2024), path: Jones > Transcribed wills; v. A-D 1809-1864 > image 332 of 387; FHL Film 454232, IGN 5782156.
18. ↑ Talbot County, Georgia, Will Book A: 292–295, will of Joseph Wilson (probated 30 November 1851); Court of Ordinary, Talbot County, Georgia; consulted as "Wills, 1828-1928 [Talbot County, Georgia]," browsable images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YG-R7MP-F?i=193 : accessed 6 April 2024) images 194–196 of 564; FHL Film 249371, IGN 7701480.
19. ↑ Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Record of Wills, Book E, 1763–1840: 129–133, will of John M Willson (recorded 2 Jun 1831); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; consulted as "Wills, 1763-1930," browsable images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GW-BLNX?i=430 : accessed 6 April 2024), path: Wills, vol. A-F 1763-1799 > images 431–433 of 629; FHL Film 19302, IGN  7639804.

• http://www.thegagenweb.com/earlyahgp/isham_sheffield.htm