San
Joaquin County
Biographies
MRS. MARY ANN WILSON
A California citizen since 1860,
Mrs. Mary Ann Wilson owns a fine estate on the French Camp Road, ten miles
south of Stockton, which she has handled to good advantage since her husband’s
death, but she has now turned the active management over to her son, James A.
Wilson. She was born at Peoria,
Illinois, March 17, 1849, a daughter of James and Catherine (McCue) Kenney,
both natives of Ireland. Her father,
James Kenney, came to America in a sailing vessel in the early ‘40s and settled
in Illinois; in 1852 he removed to Minnesota and remained there until coming to
California. In 1860 the family started
across the plains from St. Joseph, Missouri, and almost eight months were
consumed by the journey. Arriving in San
Joaquin County, Mr. Kenney was employed by Captain Weber on his extensive ranch
near Stockton, and later he farmed 160 acres in the vicinity of Wallace, which
was his home at the time of his death in 1892, Mrs. Kenney surviving him until
1903.
Mary Ann Kenney was raised in
Stockton, attending the Center Street School, and later she attended Dr. Hunt’s
seminary in Stockton. In 1877 she was
married to John Peter Wilson, a native of Gothenburg, Sweden, where he was born
April 23, 1838. In the early ‘70s Mr.
Wilson came to America and first settled in Michigan; later he came to
California, where his brother John had already settled. Mr. Wilson was a farmer by occupation and was
thrifty and economical so that when he came to San Joaquin County he invested
his savings in a splendid ranch, where Mrs. Wilson now resides. He was a charter member of the Ripon lodge of
Odd Fellows and in politics was a staunch Republican. He was a successful agriculturist and was an
esteemed resident of his locality. He
passed away in January, 1910, mourned by his widow, five children, and five
grandchildren; the children of the pioneer couple being as follows: John A. was a graduate of the law department
of the University of California and was a successful practicing attorney in
Stockton when he passed away in July, 1919.
He is survived by his widow and two children; Kathryn married D. R.
Beebe and has one child, and they live at Coaldale, Canada; Mrs. Ella Frances
Olson Powers has one son; James A.; and Joseph A., who
is married and has one boy. Mrs. Wilson
is today one of the venerable pioneer women of San Joaquin County. More than half a century has passed since she
arrived in California, and her mind bears the impress of many events which now
constitute a part of the history of the county.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
382-385. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget
Library's San Joaquin County Biographies
Golden Nugget
Library's San Joaquin County Genealogy Databases