Wilsond

Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

     DAVID C. WILSON, one of Chelan county's most prominent and successful farmers, residing one and one-quarter miles south of Leavenworth, was born in Bloomington, Macon county, Missouri, March 31, 1851. His father, Owen Wilson, a native of Grayson county, Kentucky, died December 16, 1894, at Milan, Missouri, aged seventy-two years.   A descendant of an old and distinguished southern family, he was, during the Civil War, a staunch union man and was employed in the government revenue service. For twelve years he was postmaster of Milan, county seat of Sullivan county, Missouri, and held, at various periods, evey office in the county. The mother of our subject, Serelda (Gilstrap) Wilson, was born in Virginia. Her mother was a Lee, and a first cousin of General Robert E. Lee.
     Milan, Sullivan county, Missouri, was the scene of our subject's early boyhood days, his father having moved there in April, 1852, and building and keeping the first hotel in the town, also being receiver of the land office from 1853 to 1855. Here our subject attended the public schools and Milan seminary, alternately assisting his father in the postoffice and a general mercantile store from 1864 to 1876. Shortly after gaining his majority he made a trip across the plains to Denver, Colorado (1870) and the "grasshopper year" of 1874 found him in Kansas, hunting buffalo and health, the latter being greatly benefited thereby. Returning to Missouri he rented land, going thence, in 1880, to Custer county, Colorado, where he cultivated potatoes for the Pueblo market with success, financially. In April, 1883, he removed to Umatilla county, Oregon, pre-empted a quarter section of land, purchased an adjoining quarter, and remained there seven years and six months. This was south of Echo. In 1890 Mr. Wilson came to Leavenworth, filed a homestead on one hundred and sixty acres of land, of which he cultivated twenty-five, the remainder being timber and grazing land. He wintered twenty-five head of stock.
     November 14, 1875, at Milan, our subject, was united in marriage to Fanny A. Taggart, born in St. Charles county, Missouri, August 12, 1851. Her parents were natives of Missouri, of old and distinugished ancestry. Her father, Reason A. Taggart, was for eight years sheriff of St. Charles county, and during the Civil War conducted a hotel. Her mother was Nancy (Baldridge) Taggart. Mrs. Wilson has one brother living, James A., of Moberly, Missouri. He served in the Confederate service during the Civil War. She has two sisters, Kittie, widow of David H. Eaton, a merchant of Kansas City, Missouri, and Florida, wife of George H. Stier, of Lexington, Missouri. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, Justin L., Owen T., Charles G., David C., John D., Serelda, wife of P. H. Cookson, and Nancy B. Fraternally Mr. Wilson is a member of the A. 0. U. W. Politically he is a Democrat, and was the first elected assessor of Chelan county, serving two years. He attends all state and county conventions, and exhibits an enthusiastic and patriotic interest in all campaigns.