Butte County
Biographies
WILLIAM M. WILSON
WILLIAM M. WILSON.--Two highly esteemed pioneers whose lives are
associated in a most interesting manner with the early history of California,
and whose influence as representative citizens is still felt in the lives and work
of their prosperous and equally representative children, are Mr. And Mrs.
William M. Wilson. Mr. Wilson was born
in the “northern Athens,” Edinburgh, Scotland, on June 30, 1832, the son
of David Wilson, a member of an old Scotch family long identified with the
Scotch coal-mining industry. He was
reared in Scotland, but early came to America and located in Pennsylvania. Before leaving for America, he had become engaged to
Miss Jessie McDonald, of Edinburgh. When he was well established in the land of Penn, she too crossed the ocean
and joined him. After their marriage, he
started in 1856 for California. The last stage of his journey he made on the
John L. Stevens, and on New Year’s Day, 1857, he arrived in San Francisco. Four years later his wife came West and
joined him at Cherokee, where he had begun his long identification with the Golden State.
As early
as 1857 Mr. Wilson came to Oroville and engaged in mining on the Feather River, trying his luck in
placer-mining. He located in Cherokee,
where he owned some claims which he afterwards sold to the Cherokee Company,
and engaged in contract mining. Next, in
partnership with others, he spent several years in drift, gravel and quartz
mining in Spring Valley, Butte County. He also began stock-raising, and owned a
ranch a mile and a half south of Cherokee, where he resided with his
family. It was not long before he opened
placer mines on his ranch. It was found
that the clay under the gravel that had already been mined and washed out
contained considerable gold. This
deposit was extracted and left to slack in the summer season, and was washed by
the winter’s rain. He was an experienced and well-posed miner, particularly as
to Butte County conditions, and so was able to accomplish something
for himself, and also to help others on the way to prosperity.
Mr.
Wilson resided on his home ranch until his death in 1904. His passing was mourned by many, and
especially by those with whom he was intimately associated. Mrs. Wilson survived her husband ten years,
and died on the old home ranch on May 20, 1914, lacking only ten days of
attaining her eighty-seventh year. She,
like her husband, was a faithful Presbyterian.
She was the mother of seven children, of whom David D., of Loomis,
Nisbet, of Oakland; Janet; Isabel, Mrs. J. D.
Williams; and Alex, William, and Nellie, all residing in Oroville. The children maintain a live interest in all
that pertains to California history and tradition. They take pride in the possession of the old
home; and during the more open summer time they repair to the old Wilson place and there enjoy life
in true California style.
Transcribed by Louise E.
Shoemaker, February 27th, 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 770-773,
Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Louise E. Shoemaker.
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