WI BIO - Juneau Co - WILSON, A.

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, vol I, p 382

A. WILSON, retired, New Lisbon [Juneau County, Wisconsin], the first settler 
of the county, who has lived here since 1838, with the exception of about 
three years, was born in April 1817 in Windsor County, Vermont. He received 
a common school education, and with his parents came in 1837 to [the 
Territory of] Wisconsin [which was created 20 April 1836 from Michigan 
Territory]. He lived at Ft. Winnebago, now Portage City [today Portage, 
Columbia County, Wisconsin] about one year, when he concluded to push on a 
little farther west, and the winter of 1838-1839 found him lumbering near the 
Dells of the Wisconsin.

In 1841 he cut the first timber on the Lemonweir River, and in 1843 he built 
a saw mill at what is now New Lisbon, and ran the same until 1847. Up to 
this time about his only neighbors were Winnebago Indians, but they were very 
friendly to Mr. Wilson and seldom stole anything from him. Once he had an ox 
taken, but on informing the chief, it was returned. He then went to Portage 
and engaged in a general mercantile business, keeping the first store on the 
north side of the canal at said place, and continued the business until the 
fall of 1850, when he returned to New Lisbon. He built a new mill on the 
site of the old one, and concluded to make New Lisbon his future home. He 
continued in the lumber business about twelve years, then operated in real 
estate with considerable success until about 1870, when he was afflicted 
with sore eyes, which resulted in the loss of sight in one eye and caused him 
much trouble with the other.

In 1862 he [A. WILSON] was married to Harriet Colvin [a maiden name?], then 
of New Lisbon [Juneau County, Wisconsin], but formerly of Madison County, New 
York. Mr. Wilson is a Republican in politics, and although political honors 
have been tendered him, he has refused to have anything to do with politics 
more than to perform his rights as a faithful citizen. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly