My Genealogy Hound

HUGH WILSON, Sr. Randolph County is the home of many intelligent and prosperous farmers, who from a small beginning have won a competence, securing a goodly amount of land and surrounding themselves with all the comforts and conveniences which heart can wish. Among this number may be mentioned Hugh Wilson, who, in addition to his reputation as an agriculturist, is well known as a man of much intelligence, honorable ancestry and Christian character. He is at present residing on section 21, township 4, range 5, where he has a fine estate of one hundred and fifty acres.

Hugh Wilson, the father of our subject, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and was killed in 1822, while descending into a coal mine. He, in turn, was the son of a gentleman who also bore the name of Hugh, and was likewise a native of the above county in Scotland, where he died in his seventy-seventh year. Our subject’s mother, who was also a native of Ayrshire, was the daughter of James Humphrey, who reared a large family and died in his native land, Scotland.

The parents of our subject were married and spent their entire lives in their native country. They were members of the Covenanter Church. Our subject, who was their only child, was born in 1822 in Ayrshire, where he received a good education. When a small boy he began to work in the coal mines, which business he followed until twenty years of age, and then, in 1842, he entered the British army, becoming a member of Company 4, Ninety-first Highlanders. The first six months of his life as a soldier were spent in drilling in England, and January 6, 1844, he sailed as a part of the Guard of Honor to Sir Paragrin Maitland to the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, and with his company reached their destination March 17. Marching to the frontier, they joined their regiment, which was doing duty against the Caffres, and was engaged there for a period of nine years and two months. During that time he participated in many skirmishes under Col. Colin Campbell. The Commander-in-Chief, however, was Colonel Somerset.

In 1853 Mr. Wilson was discharged from the army on account of disability, after having served eleven years and three months. In 1846, while engaged in a fight with some Caffres, he was severely wounded in the head with a “knob carry,” an offensive and defensive weapon in the hands of a Caffre. After his discharge our subject returned to his old home in Scotland, where he again entered the mines, and followed that occupation until 1857, when he decided to try his fortune in America. Coming hither, he made his way directly to Randolph County and purchased a farm, on which he made his home for five years.

The present estate of our subject, upon which he has resided for the past thirty years, was a wild tract of land when it came into his possession, and the only improvement which it bore was a log house. Now it is supplied with well built farm structures, neat fences, and everything about the place is conclusive proof of the skill and energy of him under whose management this state of things was obtained.

Prior to leaving his native land, Mr. Wilson was married, in 1853, to Miss Margaret Hutton, who was born in Ayrshire in 1820. By her union with our subject she became the mother of three children, of whom Hugh and Andrew S. are the only ones living. Mrs. Wilson departed this life in January, 1892, beloved by all who knew her. Mr. Wilson has always been actively interested in the schools of the neighborhood, and is a reliable citizen, an intelligent man, and one whose life wins respect from those about him.