WI BIO - Dane Co - WILSON, Henry
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 380-381; & History of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Western 
Historical, 1880, pp 1264-1265

1st Biography of Henry WILSON (1st source, pp 380-381)

Henry WILSON, of Black Earth, Dane County, Wisconsin, was born in Bethersden, 
Kent County, England, 15 July 1812, a son of Thomas and Frances (HILL) 
WILSON, also natives of that place. They were the parents of fifteen 
children, ten of whom lived to years of maturity, and two still survive. One 
son was born in 1797, and is still living.

Henry WILSON, the youngest child of the family, was reared on his father's 
farm, and received a good education. At the age of twenty years he began 
working for himself. In March 1837 he [Henry WILSON] left his native country 
for America, sailing from London on the vessel "Gladiator," and was five 
weeks and four days on the ocean. He settled first in Oriskany [Oneida 
County], New York, but in October 1843 purchased eighty acres of land near 
Black Earth, Dane County, Wisconsin, which he improved. In 1880 he sold his 
farm, then consisting of 200 acres, and came to this city [Black Earth, Dane 
County, Wisconsin], buying seven acres of fine land. Mr. [Henry] Wilson came 
to this State [Wisconsin] when it was yet a Territory [Wisconsin Territory 
created from Michigan Territory 20 April 1836; Wisconsin became a state 29 
May 1848], there having been not even a wagon track where the city of Black 
Earth now stands, and the city of Madison [Dane County, Wisconsin] then 
contained only two stores. There are but few of the old families left who 
were then in the county. Mr. WILSON affiliates with the Democratic party, 
has served as Township Treasurer two or three terms, and as a member of the 
Board of Supervisors several times.

He [Henry WILSON] was married in England, 22 October 1832, to Mary HOMEWOOD, 
who was born within one mile of her husband's home [Bethersden, Kent County, 
England], 04 October 1812. Her father was a farmer of that place. To this 
union [of Henry and Mary (HOMEWOOD) WILSON] has been born ten children, 
namely: (1) Alfred, born in England, is a farmer of Steele County, 
Minnesota; (2) Charles, also a native of England, is a farmer in the same 
county; (3) Ellen C., wife of James YOUNG, of Minnesota; (4) William H., 
born in New York State, is also in that State [means Minnesota or New York?]; 
(5) John F. WILSON, the first white child born in Black Earth [Dane County, 
Wisconsin], is a speculator in real estate at West Superior [Douglas 
County?], Wisconsin; (6) Eliza E., wife of Homer WARDWELL, a blacksmith of 
Minnesota; (7) Martha, married, resides in Black Earth; (8) Emma Jane, wife 
of Frank ADAMS, a wholesale merchant of Gunnison [Gunnison County], Colorado. 
(9) One child died on the voyage to America; and another, (10) Samuel, 
died at Black Earth [Dane County, Wisconsin], at the age of nine years. 
Three sons, Alfred, Charles, William, and the son-in-law, H. WARDWELL, were 
soldiers in the late war, and Mr. [Henry] WILSON also spent several hundred 
dollars in the support of the cause.

2nd Biography of Henry Wilson (2nd source, pp 1264-1265)

Henry WILSON, a farmer residing on section 36, Black Earth [Dane County, 
Wisconsin], was born in County Kent, England, in 1812. He [Henry WILSON] was 
married to Mary HOMEWOOD; came to the United States in 1837, and lived in 
Oneida County, New York, for six years, and came to what is now the town of 
Black Earth and settled on his present farm in 1843. Henry WILSON is 
therefore one of the first pioneers of Dane County, and is, in fact, the 
earliest settler now living in the town of Black Earth, having resided on his 
present farm for a period of thirty-seven years. Mr. WILSON has a finely 
improved farm of 160 acres; his house is surrounded by one of the most 
beautiful groves of evergreens found in Dane County outside of the city of 
Madison. Henry WILSON also has 40 acres of timber land and a farm of 240 
acres in the town of Vermont [County, Wisconsin].

Henry and Mary (HOMEWOOD) WILSON have eight children: (1) Alfred, a 
resident of Steele County, Minnesota; (2) Charles, also of Steele County; 
(3) Ellen, now Mrs. James R. YOUNG, living in Steele County, Minnesota; (4) 
William, also a resident of Steele County, Minnesota; (5) John; (6) Eliza, 
now Mrs. Homer WARDWELL, of Owatonna [Steele County], Minnesota; (7) Martha, 
now Mrs. David A. BARBER; and (8) Emma, now Mrs. Frank ADAMS. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly