A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for David Wilson
Birth date is from James Hotchkiss. I do not know where he got it.
The big question about David Wilson is whether the David Wilson who was a son of John Wilson (mentioned in his will) is the same as the David Wilson who was a son of Priscilla McCoun Wilson and grandson of John McCoun and the same as the David Wilson who married Sarah Clark Hill. I do not have definitive proof that these are all the same person, but there is fairly good evidence. The evidence that Priscilla McCoun was the first wife of John Wilson (and therefore John's son David was also Priscilla's son and John McCoun's grandson) is discussed in the notes for Priscilla McCoun. A few other items are discussed here.
Some circumstantial evidence is in the family names. First of all, David was likely named for his uncle, John Wilson's brother David. The oldest daughter of David and Sarah, Priscilla, could have been named for David's mother, Priscilla McCoun Wilson. Priscilla was not all that common a name, so this might be meaningful. Some sources give daughter Priscilla's middle name as Catherine, which could be for David's grandmother, Catharine Yancey Wilson (however, the best information seems to be that her middle name was David). Next, it is very suggestive that the next two daughters, Mary Eliza and Susan Ann, are the same as names of two of David's half-sisters (daughters of John Wilson and Ann R. Pulliam Wilson). And finally, David's oldest son, John, could have been named for David's father, John Wilson.
Another item is a Power of Attorney, which shows that David Wilson, grandson of John McCoun, was living in Howard Co., MO, in 1835. Howard County is also where John Wilson had moved in about 1820 and where David Wilson and Sarah (Hill) Shipp were married in 1854.
"James McCoun & Margaret Walker & Their Descendants" by Maurie McCoun Klimcheck (self-published, 1993; selected pages copied from microfilm obtained from FamilySearch.org), on p. 218 of Volume II, has the following transcription of the Power of Attorney:
I, David Wilson of the County of Howard & State of Missouri for good causes to me moving do hereby constitute and appoint Samuel McCoun my uncle of the county of Mercer & State of Kentucky my true and lawful attorney in fact for me and in my name to ask for demand sue for and receipt for all monies or other effects that may be coming to me in any manner from the executor or administrator or the estate of Lanty Holman - now deceased who was my Guardian in the sd County of Mercer. also to demand receive and receipt for monies & other property coming to me from the estate of my Grandfather John McCoun who lived and died in the sd County of Mercer & I also authorize my said attorney in fact to bargain sell and convey make all needful deeds bargains etc to all the true estate that fell to me from the estate of my said Grandfather and to receive all money & receipts for the same that may bring making however the said real estate no other deed to the purchaser than a special warrantee conveying all my right and covenanting agt. myself and heirs and I further authorize my said attorney in fact to do all needful acts to carry the above powers into effect hereby ratifying and confirming all the sd acts of my sd attorney in fact in persuance (sic) of this power the same as if I were personally present & did the same myself.
Given under my hand and seal this 17th day of July Eighteen hundred and thirty five.
DAVID WILSON (Seal)
For information about Lanty Holman as guardian of David Wilson, see the notes for Priscilla McCoun.
Perhaps the most important evidence comes from a deed in Howard County Deed Book 21, pp. 190-92 (obtained from Shanna Tait and Harold Kerr). The deed concerns the sale in Feb 1879 of some land that had been acquired by Robert & John Wilson in 1824. The sellers were four couples: David and Sarah C. Wilson of Howard Co., MO; David W. and Rosa B. Wilson of Randolph Co., MO; Edward T. and Elizabeth M. Wilson of Randolph Co., MO; and William N. and Mary G. Reed of Chicot Co., AR. There is a notation that says "David W. Wilson, E. Wilson, & Mary G. Reed being children of John Wilson dec'd, who was a son of Gen'l John Wilson" (punctuation added). I would say that, with this context, it is pretty certain that David Wilson, husband of Sarah C., was also a son of General John Wilson.
A settlement document that I received with the guardian bonds for David and John T. Wilson (see notes for Priscilla McCoun) is interesting but hard to decipher. The document is dated 5 Nov 1833, and has a list of incomes and expenses. I'm not clear on whether it pertains only to David or to both boys, but several of the items listed as expenses were purchased for David on 20 Oct 1827, as I understand it, including a horse and saddle. One expense of $10.00 says "By Cash pd. Robt. Wilson to ---- David's expences to Mo." (I'm not sure of that one word.) It sounds like David, at least, was in Mercer County in October 1827 and was outfitted for a trip to Missouri. Perhaps he had been living with relatives (or Lanty Holman) in Mercer County and this was when he went west to join his father. Or perhaps he was just visiting. Robt. Wilson might be David's uncle -- younger brother of John Wilson, David's father.
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
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