Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-07-15
Senator Wilson.

Inc lion. Henry wilson, Senator IN
Congress from the Commonwealth Of
Massachusetts, is emphutically a repre-.
sentative man Of New England. SPRING
ing from that great fountain, the people,
he has risen by his own exertions through
every grade If useful toll, and has ever
filled the measure of the expectations Of
those who have supported him.
His life is noble commentary on our
republican institutions. He was born on
the 18th of February, 1912, at Farming
ton,, N. II. His parents were very poor;
and Us tn " had many children to support,
he left his home with their consent, when
he was about ten years old. and appren-
ticed himself to farmer in the neighbor-
hood, with whom he remained until he
was twenty-one years of age. At the
end of his severe and very laborious ser.
vice of eleven years, he received as
compensation therefor yoke OF oxen and
six sheep, which he sold for eighty.four
dollars.
During this apprenticeship he was al.
lowed to attend school about one month
in the year ON an average; but no sooner
had he learned TO read than his love for
learning was strongly manifested, and he
devoted his Sabbaths and evenings to
reading. In that period he read more
than seven hundred volumes of history and
biography, most of which were selected
for and loaned him by the wife Of Hon.
N. Eastburn, a sister of that distinguished
statesman aud Judge, the Hon. Levi
Woodbury.. To the judicious kindness of
this accomplished lady, who early discov.
cred his great talents, the future senator
was indebted for the means of acquiring
much solid knowledge, and OF forming
habits Of study and reflection, which have
largely contributed 10 his consequent sue.
cess.
Mr.. Wilson, after attaining his majori.
ty, worked upon farm for eight months,
at nine dollars month. Hoping to bet
ter his condition. in December, 1884, he
Quilted his native town. and with a pack
upon his back. made his way to Natick,
Mass, his present residence. There he
hired himself 10 shoemaker, who agreed,
in return for five months service, TO teach
him the art of ST. Crispin. At the end
of six weeks Mr.. Wilson bought bis time
of the shoemaker. and went 10 work on
his account, working with such diligence
that the constant confinement injured his
health, and compelled him at the end of
two years to quit the bench.
In May, 1886. Mr.. Wilson made visit
to Washington, and passed month in
regular attendance on the debates in Con-
gress. CaIhoun's "Incendiary Publica-
tons Bill" was at this time before the
Senate, and Pickneys celebrated "Resolu-
tons" were before the House of Repre-
sentalives, producing discussions which
excited the sectional pride of the attentive
listener, and excited desire on his part
to oppose the politicians of the South on
their most vulnerable point. Returning
to the North, Mr. Wilson entered Stafford
Academy, and afterword studied in the
Academy at Wolfboro, in which town he
taught school in the winter of 1867.
In the spring he entered Concord Acade-
my, where he remained six months, and
during that time was chosen delegate 10
the Young Mems Anti.Slavery State Con-
vention, before which body he made his
first speech. In the autumn he returned
to Wolfboro' Academy, and at the close Of
the academic term, went again TO Natick,
Ma sachusets, where he taught school du-
ring the winter of 1878
In April, 1888. Mr.. Wilson engaged in
the shoe manufacturing business at Nat
ick, which he continued until 1913, ma
king from 10000 to l25,000 pairs Of
shoes annually. |, was this that gave him
the sobriquet of the "Natick Cobbler,"
when, in 1910, he took the stump IN favor
of General Harrison. During that cam.
paign he made upward of sixty speeches.
In 1910. and again in lS4l, Tie town
Of Natick elected HIN its representative in
the Legislature; and he was member of
the State Senate IN 1913 and in lS44.-
In lSi5 Mr., Wilson and large proper
tion Of the Wings of Massachusetts ar
rayed themselves in opposition TO Messrs.
Levi Lincoln, Abbo, Lawrence, Nathan
Appleton, aud others, who favored the
annexation of Texas; and since that time
he has been the acknowledged leader of
the successful Free Soil movement in that
State. From January lS49, to January
1851, he was (at heavy personal loss
the editor and publisher Of the organ Of
that movement, the Boston Commonwealth,
taking prominen, part in the politics of
the Northern States.
In 1850, Mr.. Wilson was again elected
to the State Senate by large majority,
and for two successive years he was cho-
sen President of lha, body. When State
Constitutional Convention was called in
1853. he was not only elected delegate
from Natick, but from the dis,an, town Of
Berlin; and the Journal shows what an