Sacramento County
Biographies
JESSE WARREN WILSON
It has been the fortunate fate of Sacramento
to attract to its citizenship men of sterling worth of character, energy of
temperament and remarkable intensity of patriotism. These attributes have pre-dominated in the
active business career of Jesse Warren Wilson, an honored pioneer of the state
and for years one of the leading men of the capital city, the incumbent of
important offices and the proprietor of well-known commercial enterprises. Even now, although he has reached an age
justifying a complete retirement from all activities, he is still to be found
working for the welfare of Sacramento, giving of his time and means to the
expansion of local interests and favoring progressive projects with all of his
influence as a pioneer and prom-inent citizen. Throughout the long period of his association
with the city he has been a leading factor in municipal enterprises and a con-tributor to civic efforts, not the least memorable of such associations having been his
service as a member of the committee (with Governor Stanford) that turned the
first earth at Front and K streets to cele-brate the beginning of the Southern Pacific Railroad
in the state.
A native of Clinton
county, Ohio,
born March 21, 1834, Jesse
Warren Wilson was one of eight children, of whom the sole survivor besides
himself is John W., a retired businessman residing in Muncie,
Ind.
The parents were natives of Ohio,
where the father, Benona Wilson, made a livelihood
for the family through laborious efforts as a farmer. In addition he gave some time to the
preaching of the gospel, donating his services without expectation of any
financial returns. His wife, Mrs. Martha
(Long) Wilson, also died in Indiana. After having passed the years of boyhood in
working on the home farm or attending the country schools, Jesse W. Wilson came
to Cali-fornia in 1854 via the Isthmus of Panama, on
the steamer George Law to Panama and the John L. Stevens to San Francisco,
where he landed December 1, 1854. For a
time he engaged in mining in Placer county.
For three years he had his headquarters at Marysville, Yuba county, and meanwhile followed any occupation offering an
honest livelihood. During a considerable
period he teamed to the mountains. In
the autumn of 1861, shortly before the great flood, he arrived in Sacramento
and here he has since made his home. The
first occupa-tion that furnished him employment was
the driving of a hack, and for twelve consecutive years he engaged in that
business with a number of teams. Next he
drifted into the livery business, and for thirty years he carried on the Wilson
stable on K street,
after which for seven years he was the proprietor of the Golden Eagle
hotel. Since about 1908 he has been
retired from active business cares. By
Governor Markham he was appointed a member of the board of directors of the
State Agricultural Society, reappointed by Governor Budd, and again by Governor
Pardee, serving for twelve years, during which time
he took an active part in the promotion of the building of the State Fair and
was also superintendent of the track.
Two years after his arrival in Sacramento Mr. Wilson
established a home in this city, being then united in marriage with Miss Hannah
Ryan, a native of Ireland. They became the parents of four children, but
one of these was taken from them by death in infancy. The older daughter, Ida, married Edward
Frazier, who prior to his death in 1910 was a prominent business man of Sacramento. The younger daughter, Lucinda, is the wife of
John H. Wiseman, well known in real estate circles. The only son, Arthur J., is a clerk in the
city department of the superintendent of streets. The family own and occupy a comfortable residence
at No. 1417 I street, besides which Mr. Wilson owns considerable other property
in Sacramento ( principally in the
suburbs) and he also owns an
interest in the Sacramento laundry,
being a director of the company. During
younger years he was actively identified with the Sutter Club, as well as a
prominent member of Eldorado Lodge No. 8, I. O. O.
F., of which he is past grand; the Benevolent Protective Order of
Elks; Union Lodge No. 8, F. & A.
M.; Sacramento Chapter No. 3, R. A.
M.; Sacramento Commandery
No. 3, K. T.; and Islam Temple, N. M.
S., of San Francisco. For years he has
been staunchly devoted to the principles of the Republican party
and his identification with public affairs still continues, for as recently as
1911 he was a candidate for trustee from the fifth ward. From 1879 until 1884 he served as a member of
the board of county supervisors, for two years, 1885-87, he held office as
sheriff of Sacra-mento county, for five years he
discharged with the greatest intelli-gence and
fidelity the duties incident to the office of fire commissioner, and for two
years he held the position of county coroner, besides which at different times
he has been chosen to occupy other local offices of trust and honor.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis, William
L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 517-518. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2005 Sally Kaleta.