THIRD GENERATION --STILSON/STILLSON

(Jacob 1,. Simon Franklin 2; James Ambrose 3,.)

III. JAMES AMBROSE STILSON /STILLSON b. December 16, 1862 in Fountain, Fillmore, MN the son of Simon and Nancy (Henson) Stilson. He d. November 11, 1913 in Sully Springs, Billings, N.D.

He married three times. Married 1) Wilhelmina (Minnie) Dennstedt in Rosedell, Rock, Co., MN. "Minnie" was the daughter of Johann Ernst (John Ernest) Dennstedt who was b. September 6, 1825 in Grossengottern, Prussia, Germany and m. Wilhelmina "Minnie " Kruspe in Ontario, Canada. Minnie, the wife of James, died April 6, 1896 in Jasper (according to obituary).

James Ambrose m. 2) Julia Sheldon, b. February 22, 1860, daughter of Edward P. Sheldon, Sr. of Vermont. They married October 22, 1896. Julia d. November 3, 1900 in Jasper, shortly after the birth of their only child, Harold.

James married 3) Gertrude Smith in 1904. Relatives report that she deserted him and their only child, a son Cecil Orrin Stilson, b. May 24, 1905. James Stilson, "a policeman, " is listed in the 1900 census for Pipestone Co., Eden Twp., Jasper Village, Minnesota. He is shown to be of 36 years and his birth is listed as December 1863. He is shown to have been born in Minnesota, and lists his parents as being born in Pennsylvania. Olive Stilson's husband, the grandson of James Ambrose Stilson, writes that James was a constable, sexton and street commissioner in Jasper. He also built a billiard/pool hall and bowling alley there.

A photograph of James with his brothers appears at the back of this history in the Family Photo Album. There is a second picture of James and his first wife Wilhelmina taken on December 25, 1888, their wedding day .A third photograph is of James and his third wife Gertrude "Gertie. "

Lucille Wagner, niece of James, in a letter to Goldie Stillson recalls that he lived on afarm near Jasper, Minnesota and had one daughter, Pearl and also a son Arnold by his first marriage. Pearl married Charles Duval and moved to Salem, Oregon. Lucille and her mother visited them in the summer of 1928 when they were returning from California to Madison, S.D. Pearl and Charlie had one son and two daughters. The son choked on a bead from a sewing basket and it went into his lung. They operated to remove it and in the process his vocal cords were injured so he never was able to speak clearly. Pearl's two daughters were married by 1928 and lived in Fresno, California, so Lucille never knew them. She recalls that Pearl was the same age as her sister Lila. The son Arnold Franklin I, was married August 22, 1914 and had two sons and two daughters. Lucille never met Arnold. Uncle Jim married a third time to a real young woman they called Gertie. Jim and Gertie had one son Cecil and Lucille recalls the scandal that broke out when Gertie ran off with George Vickerman to Canada and was never heard from again.

The History of Lake County, Vol. 10 lists a J. A. Stilson as street commissioner for Jasper, MN. J. A. Stilson was elected as constable in 1900 and again in 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, and 1908.

Children of James Ambrose Stilson and first wife Wilhelmina Dennstedt:

Arnold Franklin Stillson, I, b. October 11, 1889 in Jasper, Pipestone, MN. He m. August 22, 1914 in Medora, Billings, N.D. to Nina Hazel Davidson, who was b. August 23, 1895 in Hope, Steele Co., N.D. and d. July 2, 1976 in Salem, Marion Co., OR. Arnold Franklin d. June 17, 1921 near Rider, Billings, N.D. and is buried at Belfteld, N.D. Arnold Franklin, I died in a flash flood near Rider, North Dakota during a bad storm. He and five other men were on a hand-car checking the railroad track when the flood hit them from both directions, tearing up the track and carrying the hand-car a half mile away. (This is according to the Medora, N.D. newspaper and also Arnold's wife.) See Generation IV.

Arnold Franklin Stillson, II "Frank" married Olive Brown and had three children. Arnold Franklin Stillson, III "Brick" or "Frank, " Linda Gail and Sharon Rae. See Generation IV.

Pearl Lowetta Stillson, b. July 4, 1894 in Jasper, MN. m. Charles BurnettDuvallMay 14, 1913. She died in Salem, Marion County, Oregon around 1977. They had three children, Violet Mary b. December 12, 1913 who m. Frazier Holt and d. in Salem, OR; Doris Josephine b. May 25, 1916 who m. Hank Woodbury and lives in Cathedral City, CA and Charles Bumett, Jr. "Buddy" b. July 15, 1925 who d. in Salem, OR..

Children of James Ambrose and Julia Sheldon:

Harold Sheldon Stillson, b. June 23, 1899 in Jasper, MN. He was reared by Walter and Mrs. Clemens (a sister to Julia) m. on June 30, 1922 to Christine (Geisler) and lived in Salem.

James Walter Stillson, b. April 20, 1924 in Bushnell, South Dakota. Now lives in Salem, Oregon with his wife Nadine.

An infant b. December 22, 1897, d. the same day

An infant b. October 29, 1900, d. October 30, 1900 and mother Julia died a few days later on November 3, 1900 in Jasper, MN.

Child of James Ambrose and Gertrude Smith:

Cecil Orrin Stilson, b. May 24, 1905.

Research provided by Olive Stillson and Goldie Marie (Benser) Stillson

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LAST UPDATED: Oct. 15, 2000  ©  by Margaret Lee