San Joaquin County
Biographies
HENRY WILSON
HENRY WILSON, a carpenter and
builder, was born in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, July 25, 1835, a son of John
and Elizabeth (Celler) Wilson. The father, a native of Sweden, came to America
in young manhood and was married in Pennsylvania, where he became the owner of
a saw-mill. He died at about the age of fifty-three; the mother, a native of
Germany, survived him many years, being over seventy at her death. Grandmother
Celler was still older, reaching the age of eighty-five.
The subject of this sketch received some
schooling in his youth and at the age of fifteen went to New York city, where a
married sister was then residing. There he went to learn his trade as an
apprentice and afterward worked at the same as a journeyman one year. He then
traveled, as was usual in those days, working at his trade at different points
as he went, and thus went through parts of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.
In the autumn of 1857, he was employed by a contractor with twenty-nine others
in driving wagons laden with military supplies for the soldiers at Salt Lake
city. From that point he went to Los Angeles, California, and there worked for
about three years, also as a teamster. In 1860 he engaged in mining in Tuolumne
County, remaining one year, and was next employed in taking care of cattle near
Knight’s ferry at $75 a month until 1865. He had meantime made Stockton his
home in 1862, and at the close of his career as a wagoner he settled in this
city and went to work at his trade, opening a shop of his own. For about two years,
1871 and 1872, he had a partner, the firm being Wilson & Feeley, carpenters
and builders. At all other times since starting here in 1865, Mr. Wilson has
carried on business alone, finding it easier to give satisfaction to his
customers, with responsibility undivided. He has been remarkably successful and
attributes his acceptance with his customers to the simple rule of trying to do
faithful work.
Mr. Wilson was married in Stockton, May
21, 1872, to Miss Maggie Tye, born in New London, Connecticut, June 2, 1853, a
daughter of Michael and Ann (Maran) Tye, both natives of Ireland. They came
here from Connecticut, in 1862, with their children, of whom one son and four
daughters are living: Hugh M. Tye, an upholsterer of this city; Annie, now the
wife of Michael McCann, engineer of the fire department; and two other married
sisters, non residents.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have three living
children: Margaret Elizabeth, born June 17, 1875; Henry Wilson, December 8,
1877; Ella Moran, December 17, 1882. Mr. Wilson has built from his own plans
and designs a very comfortable and pleasant home at moderate cost, at 88 Oak
street, Stockton.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 644-645. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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