Samuel M. Wilson
Samuel M. Wilson was for
forty years one of the representative and pioneer members of the California
bar, and long held precedence as one to the leading lawyers in the City of San
Francisco. He was concerned in many important litigations in the various courts
of the early days, and later retained his precedence in his profession as the state rapidly increased in population
and development. He was one of the distinguished and highly honored pioneer
citizens of San Francisco at the time of his death, which occurred in the year
1892, shortly before the seventieth anniversary of his birth.
Mr. Wilson claimed the old Buckeye State as the place
of his nativity and was a representative of one of its sterling pioneer
families. He was born at Steubenville, judicial center of Jefferson County,
Ohio, on the 12th of August, 1823, and his early education included his careful
preparation for the legal profession, which he ever honored and dignified by
his character and his exceptional ability. He was for some time engaged in the
practice of law at Galena, Illinois, and in 1852 he came with his family to
California and engaged in the practice of his profession in the City of San
Francisco. He here became a member of the law firm of Hoge & Wilson, in
which his coadjutor was the late Colonel Hoge, and this alliance continued many
years. Thereafter he was engaged in individual practice until his second son,
Russell J., became eligible for and was admitted to the bar, when the father
and son formed the law firm of Wilson & Wilson, with which he continued as
senior member until the time of his death.
Mr. Wilson had no little leadership in the directing of public sentiment
in his home city, and was ever known as a liberal, loyal and progressive citizen.
At St. Genevieve, Missouri, on the 5th of July, 1848,
was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wilson and Miss Emily Josephine Scott, and
she survived him about eight years, her death having occurred in the year 1900.
Of the four children the eldest was John Scott Wilson, a well known citizen of
San Francisco. Russell J. was one of the leading members of the San Francisco
bar. Frank P. is deceased. Montford S. resides in Burlingame. Russell J. Wilson
was united in marriage, on the 17th of January, 1877, with Josephine E. King,
daughter of the late James King of William, who likewise gained pioneer
distinction in California. Mr. and Mrs. Russell J. Wilson became the parents of
two children: Emily J., who is the wife of Orville C. Pratt, Jr., of San
Francisco; and Charlotte, widow of George L. Cadwalader, of San Francisco.
Transcribed by: Frank Vaccarezza.
Source: “The San Francisco Bay Region” Vol. 3 page 23 by Bailey Millard. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc. 1924.
© 2003 Frank Vaccarezza