DAVID WILSON, Esq., AND FAMILY

David Wilson was of the Scotch-Irish stock, born in Londonderry, N. H, December 11, 1768. He was a brother of James Wilson, the first American globe maker, who also lived to be over ninety years of age, and died in this town. In youth he enjoyed but very limited advantages for education; but during his long life so well improved his fragments of time that he accumulated a good store of useful knowledge. On leaving the place of his nativity, he resided for a while in Rockingham, and then in Londonderry, Vt., from whence he removed to Bradford.  He and his wife, Margaret Doak, with a child in her arms, came up the Connecticut River in company with a gang of lumbermen returning from market, whom they found to be rough and unpleasant associates. Their voyage, in an open boat, propelled by oars and pike-poles, was tedious and uncomfortable. When they came opposite to the South end of Fairlee Mountain they were overtaken by a tremendous shower. The boatmen pushed their craft to the shore, and, without fastening it properly, sprang off, and ran away.   Before Mr. Wilson could get his wife and child out, the boat drifted back into the channel, and was carried down the river some distance, to the peril of their lives. They arrived in Bradford some time in June, 1795, and settled down on a lot in the wilderness, near Wright's Mountain, a little to the Northwest of the summit, where he resided for nearly sixty-eight years, till the time of his death. The first sheep he had he brought from Newbury, and it had become nearly dark before he got over the mountain with them. The wolves howled around him, and threatened to seize on his little flock. On reaching home he rejoiced that his sheep were safe. Not so safe, however, as he supposed. Before morning he heard an uproar which convinced him that the wolves were among his flock.   They had leaped into the enclosure, and were seizing and devouring their prey. he sprang up and went resolutely at them, when they fled, leaving three of his flock mangled and dead, to him at that time a serious misfortune. One year, a little before wheat harvest, he thought his neighbor's hogs must have been among his wheat, he found so much of it trampled down, and determined to keep a sharp lookout for them. Not many days after, seeing the tops of the tall grain violently agitated he was convinced the swine were at their work, and ran to drive them out, when suddenly a bear sprang up before him! then another! then another! three of those black monsters ready to seize on him as their prey.  He instinctively sprang upon a stump, uttering a tremendous shout. The bears, unaccustomed to such a startling outcry, terror stricken fled away, leaving the rightful owner in possession of his field.

Mr. Wilson early turned his attention to fruit growing, and planted an orchard as soon as he could get land enough cleared for that purpose. He planted the largest orchard in this part of the State, chiefly of grafted trees, from which he some years saw gathered from one hundred to one hundred and seventy-five barrels of selected apples. He raised many trees for sale, and did much to promote fruit growing in this and the neighboring towns.  With him originated the apple known in this vicinity as the "Wilson Russett." Mr. Wilson served the town of Bradford as one of the Selectmen, gratuitously, for six or seven years, and officiated as Justice of the Peace for some fifteen years, during which time he transacted a great amount of business. He was remarkable for his constant attendance on Freemen's meetings; after the lapse of nearly sixty years he was still there, always voting on what is now called the Republican side. He was strongly opposed to slavery, and to the attempt of its supporters to overthrow the Federal Government. The fire of patriotism kindled in his youthful mind in the days of the Revolution continued to glow warmly there, through a long life, and amid all the infirmities of age.  He was blessed with a strong mind in a strong and healthful body; and his intellectual faculties held out remarkably, to the time of his death ; when he departed peacefully, trusting in the mercy of his God and Saviour, in the ninety-fifth year of his age, February 23, 1863. Mr.  Wilson was alike distinguished for his mildness and decision; for veracity and uprightness; for his domestic virtues and love of country. He stood firmly for a while, but at length, like one of the old forest trees of the mountain, he has fallen ; his time, as he said, having come.

The above account of David Wilson, Esq., I prepared, from information given me soon after his death, about eleven years ago, and now add some further notices of him, and especially regarding his family, lately received from his son, John Wilson, Esq., who still occupies the old homestead, in 1874.

He says when his father took up that lot on which he settled in Bradford, of so little estimation had it been held that at one time it was sold at auction to obtain the payment of its charter fees, and was bid off for one bushel of wheat and a gallon of rum. When his parents settled there no carriage road had been opened across the mountain, and their first habitation was a log cottage, the building of which had been commenced by one Caleb Page.  And he had often heard his good mother tell, that when at one time she had set out to visit her sister, Mrs. McDuffee, about one mile away, over the mountain, leading her little son James, and carrying David, the baby, on her other arm, she, when about half way along, confronted a huge bear! sitting directly in her path, and not showing any disposition to stir! It was probably at the time not hungry, and so suffered the good woman with her children to return quickly to her home in safety. Another exploit of Mrs. Wilson was that on one occasion she rode on horseback with her son William, then about ten years old, behind her, from her home to Londonderry, N. H., a distance of about one hundred and twenty miles, and, after a visit with her friends there of a few weeks, returned in the same way, safe and sound. And so much of a walker was Mr. Wilson that he used to go on foot to Londonderry in two days, and having accomplished his business, return home again in the same length of time. The price of salt in Bradford in those days is an item of some interest at this time. Mr. J. Wilson says when his father first came here to live he brought with him in the boat, up Connecticut River, a tierce of salt, and he has noticed in one of his father's old accounts a charge to Peter Welton of " One bushel of salt, 4 dollars." The date of David Wilson's death has already been given. Mrs. Wilson, his wife, died March 6, 1853, about ten years before his decease, at the age of eighty-three.

Their children:

1 Robert, born August 12, 1794, died young. 

2 William, born June 13, 1796. He married Anna Haseltine, who died soon after the death of their first child, a son. He afterwards married Ann Barker, and had five sons, all of whom married. His second wife has deceased, and he lives with his son Robert, at Craftsbury, Vermont.

3 James, born January 15, 1798, married Sophronia Closson, and had two daughters, both mother and daughters now deceased. He married for his second wife Betsey Corliss, of Windham, N. H., and had five sons and four daughters, all of whom, except one of the daughters, married and have families, and live in Compton, Province of Quebec.

4 David, born January 1800, married Fanny Rogers, of Bradford, and had four sons and three daughters. He lived for some years in Westmore, Vt, and represented that town in the State Legislature. His wife having deceased, he went to live with one of his sons in Compton, above named.

5 Fanny, born in 1800, died young. 

6 Samuel, born May 12, 1804; married first Emily Thompson, of Topsham. They had one son, who went West, and was never heard from. After the decease of his first wife, Mr. W. married Martha Godfrey. They had a son and a daughter. The second wife has deceased, and Mr. W. lives with his son-in-law at Lancaster, N. H.

7 John, born Aug. 11, 1806, married Nancy Cochran, June 29, 1834, by whom he had five children, namely: Mary W., Byron B., Persis A., John D., and Boyd H. Of these Persis A. married Bailey Avery, of Newbury, and has three sons and two daughters. Her brother, John D., married Melvina Crafts, of Bradford, Jan. 1, 1865, and lives with his father and brother, Boyd H., on the old homestead.   Mary W. also is still with her parents.  Byron B. Wilson, above named, born Nov. 18, 1836, was a young man of talent, energy, and decided patriotism, a young man of estimable character, and much beloved, not only at home, but among his acquaintances generally. Early in the war for the suppression of the rebellion, Sept. 5, 1861, he enlisted as a volunteer in the service of his country, for the period of three years; or while the war should last. His regiment, the 4th Vermont volunteers, pertained to the command of Brigadier Gen. Wm. Smith, of the army of the Potomac. He was in several bloody battles, and on one occasion wrote : "No friend of mine shall blush to think that I feared, or ever failed, to meet the foe." Again : "There are many chances for me to lay down my life, before my term of service expires.. One thing is certain, T shall try to do my duty, to meet all contingencies manfully, whatever may be my fate." Whatever it may be I am content, only that the Union be preserved."   In the great battle of the wilderness this beloved and brave young man was instantly killed, May 5, 1864, by a bullet sent through his, head, and there, with many others, was buried. But they died not in vain. The Union has been preserved, and liberty proclaimed throughout the whole land, to all the inhabitants thereof. John Wilson, Esq., has held the office of Justice of the Peace for several years, hence his title. 

8 Persis, the youngest member of the family of David Wilson, Esq., born Nov. 2, 1808, married Eliphalet Hunt, of Chelmsford, Mass., who died some years ago, leaving a son, David W., with whom she at this date was living at Moline, Illinois. Biographie Index

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