1870 Carthage Township, Hancock Co, IL census
Wilson, William 33, male Livery Stable Keeper 2000 Real estate, 500 personal estate, born KY
Lydia 25 F keeping house born Ohio
Ida L 5 Female born IL
George C 3 Male born IL
Ellen 1 Female born IL

WILLIAM WILSON, a farmer residing on section 9, Carthage Township, Hancock County, was born in Rock Castle County, Ky., near Mt. Vernon, November 22, 1835. The Wilson family is of Irish origin, and was founded in America during Colonial days. The father of our subject, james Wilson, was a native of Virginia. After arriving at years of maturity he was joined in wedlock with Miss Elizabeth Stewart, a native of Kentucky. By this union were born fifteen children, seven sons and eight daughters. Twelve of the number grew to mature years, and nine of the family are yet living. Sarah is now the widow of Stephen Thompson, who was a resident of Texas; Mary is the wife of Dr. Ralph Harris, a retired minister living in Macomb, Ill.; Delphia is the wife of Sidney Proctor, a farmer of South Mound, Kan.; James carries on agricultural pursuits in Missouri; Allen is a retired grocery merchant of Carthage; Annie L. is the wife of William Williams, a merchant of Colorado; William of this sketch is the next younger; Martha is the wife of Harry Taylor, a farmer residing in Ferris, Ill.; Joshua is an agriculturist of Webb City, Mo., and Samuel is a farmer living near Keokuk, Iowa. ??In the usual manner of farmer lads William Wilson spent his boyhood days. He remained in his native State until fourteen years of age, and then accompanied his parents on their emigration to Illinois in 1849. The family located in Carthage Township, Hancock County, where the parents spent their remaining days, the death of the father occurring in 1852, while the mother passed away in 1862. ??In this county our subject grew to manhood, and in the district schools of the community his education was acquired. He remained with his father until his death, after which he took charge of the home farm and cared for his mother until she too was called away, in 1862. He then embarked in the livery business in Carthage, where he remained until 1869, when he purchased the farm on which he now resides. He first bought one hundred an forty-five acres on section 9, Carthage Township, and to this he has since added, until now two hundred acres of rich land yield to him a good income. He carries on general farming and stock-raising, and his well-directed efforts are crowned with success. The many improvements upon his place, and the valuable land under a high state of cultivation, make this one of the best farms in the neighborhood. ??On the 12th of May, 1864, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Deuel, and to them were born eight children, namely: Ida, wife of Frederick Soules, who is living in Keokuk, Iowa; George C., Ellen, Eva, William, May and Lulu, all of whom are still with their parents; and Alice, who died on the 21st of July, 1881. She was the youngest of the family. The mother passed away on the 19th of July of the same year, and was laid to rest in Moss Ridge Cemetery in Carthage. She was a member of the Methodist Church, and a most estimable woman, whose loss was deeply mourned throughout the community. ??We find in Mr. Wilson a public-spirited and progressive citizen, Who, through the long years of his residence in Hancock County has been always interested in the development of the community and the promotion of those Enterprises which are calculated to prove of public benefit. In politics, he supports the Republican party and its principles, but has never been an office-seeker. ??PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD of Hancock, McDonough and Henderson Counties Illinois Lake City Publishing Co.Chicago 1894.