History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1741

store in Flint; outside of the Indian trading place, and after seeing it
successfully under operation left it in charge of a partner and returned
to Vermont, returning with his wife and children, who had patiently
awaited his coming. On his return to Flint, he found his store practically depleted of goods and his erstwhile partner in the midst of a
debauch. Somewhat discouraged, though not disheartened, Mr. Wilson
in the spring of 1838 moved into the town of Vienna, and there bravely
commenced all over again, the ensuing year finding him a worker as a
farm hand. He then took a contract to clear a large body of land for
Judge Hotchkiss, of New York, a personal friend of his, and by working
on shares and chopping off the timber was able to earn enough during
the next year to purchase from the Government the east one-half of
the northwest one-quarter of section 25, in the town of Thetford, which
he continued until the time of his death. When the town of Thetford
was christened, Mr. Wilson gave it its present name, after a town in
Vermont. During the spring of 1843 Mr. Wilson established his family
in a small log cabin, which he had erected upon the twelve acres he had
previously earned and cleared, and from that time on his success was
assured. In the fall of the same year he constructed a block house,
which in later years was succeeded by a handsome and modern mansion.
To the eighty acres first purchased he added from time to time until
he had large tracts of farming property, great stretches of fine pine
forest and valuable city realty, and was able to retire from active life
at the age of fifty years, one of the most substantial men of his community.
While prominent in business affairs, Mr. Wilson also found inclination and leisure to devote to matters of a public nature. He entered
actively into political affairs in i838, when, at the second town meeting
held in Vienna, he was named supervisor, a capacity in which he acted
for some three years. After his advent in Thetford he was elected town
clerk for several years, subsequently became justice of the peace and
notary, and in the latter capacities did the greater part of the conveyancing for the country around him for a long period. For many
years he was East Thetford's postmaster, being the first to hold that
office, and contributed materially to the advancement of his community
by doing much surveying, platting and subdividing. That he was held
high in the esteem of his fellow-citizens is evidenced that while the
county at that time was strongly Republican and Mr. Wilson was an
ardent Jacksonian Democrat, he was repeatedly sent to public positions
of trust and responsibility. Probably the full extent of his charities
will never be known. Having succeeded himself, he was at all times
anxious to assist others to prosperity, and no worthy request ever met
with refusal at his hands. The opinion of his neighbors, as evidenced
in a testimonial, was that "he is a man honorable and upright in all his
dealings; one against whom not a word is said; one loved by his friends
and esteemed by all who know him."
On March I7, 1828, Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Phalle
R. Slafter, who was born in Norwich, Vermont, January i, i8o6, and
to this union there were born eight children: Mercy E., born July 26,
1830, deceased; Carlos P., born March 9, 1833, deceased; William H.,
born August 8, 1839, a retired capitalist of Flint, Michigan; Farwell A.,
born July I8, 184I, deceased; John N., born November I9, i843, deceased; Persis A., born March I, 1846, deceased; Samuel J., born September 3, 1849, a prominent business man of Flint, Michigan; Nahum
T., born February 22, 1852, who has large ranching interests at Belt,
Montana. Mrs. Wilson died August 13, i863, and on October 31, 1867,
Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Mary Wooddard, who was born at
Hartford, Vermont, July I2, I819.
Vol. 111-34