Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-03-06
Capt. George Wilson.
Eyes; we all want rest.'

, However well men fight the battle of life; how
ever bravely bear its ills and burdens, there
comes upon them all. perhaps. ut last, a wish
for rest, which Well they know thIs life has
> never given.
; On Wednesday afternoon, March Sd, 1880. al
half-past three. Capt. George Wilson. u resi-
dent of this city since 1851, went to his long rest
for which, in these, some of his latest words, he
seemed to show u strong desire.
He was born in Steubenvillc, Ohio, January
Goth. 1909; was the son of Peter Wilson and
Fannie Stokely, his father holding a respons ible
office under the federal government, through
Gen. Jackson, his warm personal friend. His
paternal grandfather WAS George Wilson, who
was born on the ocean as his parents We're COM
ing from England to Philadelphia, both parents
dying on the same voyage. His maternal grand
father was Col. Thomas Stokely, of North Car
DINA. who was a man Of great wealth and OF
great tenacity of purpose, who equipped a regi-
ment for the revolution at his own expense, and
who, after the war, removed to western Penn
sylvania. Out of compliment to him, the SUBJ
ject OF this sketch was appointed to Il place in
the corps of cadets at the military academy ut
West Point, n. Y, entering July /, 1925. This
was Gen. Lees class. and Cadet Wilson formed
strong attachments in it, but he and seven 9TH
es Of the class did not graduate until the fol-
ys"- AAAo'o oSNNH "ViS LAibCiG
Taylor Bledsoc and Merriwether Lewis Clark,
the son of Governor VIM Clark. of the Rocky
Mountain expedition. These were two of Cadet
Wilson's most attached friends. He exchanged
drawings with BledsOe on graduating, a West
Point custom, and retained to his death u picture
of the helmeted head of 4 Greek soldier, finely
done by Bledsoe.
In the cadet corps, Clark and Wilson were IL
the colOr-guard. This Is made up, by selection
Of the colonel. Of five or eight corporals. When
it consists Of three ranks the center rank Is COM
posed Of the three most distinguished for regu-
lariiy and precision as well in their positions
under arms as in their marching. '.The latter
advantage" said Scott in his Tactics, land a
just carriage of the person. are yet more partic-
ularly to be sought for in the selection of the
color-bearer," who has the rank of sergeant,
Cadet Wilton was selected for this place. Dur
ing the last war. Clark's son, who commanded
q battery in Prices army, was killed at Elk
horn or Pea Ridge, and fell from his horse into
the arms OF one Of his sergcants, Joseph A.
Wilson. of this city. son of Capt. George Will
son. Gen: CLARK Was brigadier-general, and
meeting young Wilson in Mississippi during
the war. related TO him how proudly he and his
room mate, Wilson, used to march i'll the color
guard in their youth with the corporals behind
them.
Cadet Wilson was graduated July /, 1880. and
was made second lieutenant in Capt. Smiths
company III the LIST infantry, of which Zachary
Taylor was then colonel. HIS captain was Il
citizen appointee, and they did not agree. and
Major (afterward GeneraD Riley, noticing his
unpleasant situation, got him transferred 10
Capt. 'McCrie's company, of which Jefferson
Davis was first lieutenant. He had u high regard
Tor Davis, and once said of hun to the writer,
81 never knew IL man of stricter integrity
When the Davis plantation was oyerrun in the
war, and his papers taken, q letter vas PUBLISH
ed, IN some northern paper, from him to Miss
Taylor, (whom he afterward married, } In which
he asked, GLOW does Mr.. Wilson come on in
his SUIT to Miss Street ?' AT the death of Mrs.
Wilson. as she afterward became, Davis wrote
to his Old ccmrade Il most alfeclionate letter,
addressin. him by his first name.
Lieut.. Wilson served through the Black Hawk
War, and when Davis was transferred to the LIST
Dragons, was made first lieute nant In his place,
The campaigns against Black Hawk, beside
severe fighting, inflicted IL great amount of suf-
ierins' from fatigue and exposure during Il Wis
consin winter, and Capt. Wilson's recollection
OF Them made a terrible picture.
When the miners invaded the Indian lands at
Dubuque to mine for lead, Lleuts. Davis and Will
/ " NeTes sen u uTlVe LneIl out, But thew 6nly
had a handful of men and the miners were there
by hundreds. These, commanded by the noted
fighter. John Smith I, - soon put the military
In q state Of siege. Smith demanded an uncon-
dltional surrender, which the lieulenants refus-
ed, and advised hun not to cause the useless
shedding of blood which would result if he at
lacked Them. Meantime sufficient reinforce
nlents were sent them. Their orders from the
| secretary of war We're nerpmptorv-tba, u,ar, DO
Durn The cahins OF the settlers, and drive them
anu their families out. But, in the storms of Il
northern winter, this, TO women and children
simply meant death; and the orders We're, in
sheh cases. natly disobeyed. Perhaps shame
ior having Issued them prevented the punish
neht Oh the officers who disObeyed. Lieut.,
wilson SAID he did not think any one had q right
10 command nm to do such deeds, and he dis
obeyed at the risk of dismissal,
turing part OF his service he was detailed IA
quarterinaster, and the Indians then being nm.
der the war department, he had large amounts
OF money to handle and complicated accounts IN
Keep. These he managed with scrupulous Gdel-
ity and correctness.
Al Fort Armstrong Brock Island) he once
iounu his former captain In Il quarrel with DIR
Emerson, VINO was just about to run him through
'' poay with Il sword-cane. Lieut.. Wilson,
49, ~ y III Su'ru tnat uay, promptly put him
{ between them with his drawn sword, Just IN
TIME 10 save SMITHS life. Emerson was an army
surgeon and owner Of the noted slave. Dred'
Scott, whom lie had With him at the time and
who was known in the garrison rs ..0ld Dread.
full
Alter nearly eight years of service, Lieutep-
ant Wilson resigned, December, 1887, returning
from New Orleans; not being satisfied TO leave
his wife and child at Fort crawford
Wisconsin,, so far from him. He
had hurried the daughter of General Street, the
Indian agent, and had, some time before re-
signing, concluded that the army wa, no place
for n family.
"heh III the army, lie opposed the cruel treat
ment OF enlisted men by their officers. ,bsp
nu'n III vogue. one of his men had to be
druilIn"d out of the service for inyeter,te
drunkenness, and 1t was his duty TO See hi, head
shaved, tarred and ieathered. He maj, 10 ,s
much OF q form US possible. and the man. wb,
aiterward settled down ana became a substan-
tlal farmer, always felt for him the CREATES,
gratitude.
He was a member of tie house of repres.nts-
tivrs OF Wisconsin territory in ls3s. 9. A pr,.
fessional politician Ian against him. and at II
great expense sent Il barrel OF whisky, by canoe
t" the l"sgers in the pinerles. who We're nearly
OA'a-i' Ahc IDllllClln- Whn
htd only heard that ''some lieutenant, wos
running against him, WAS much chagrinea tn
hnd the cN-soiiiers had not declined his riff
hut without solicitation had elected his o1vsr-
sary,
lie was clerk OF the u. :. district courr of
Iowa in lo33-i0. Was appointed agent Tor ,ha
"lnnebasoe5 in 1910, bat declined, and rot In.
position for the minister who married him
From 1910 TO 1850 he was farming in low, nor,
oil the time, and was surveyor Of public lands
other surveyors said. ii the tl,Ie, tint he w,,
inc only one who was 50 careful us 10 ser ,he ,-i
pod with Il plunp-line. The sam. cor..;s,
tlousness marked the rest OF his work i, IN.
ield. Fart OF this ime-ls40-i;-h was also al
Ju'ant Of the Iowa militia.
His old colonel, Taylor, becoming prcsidant
appointed him register of public lands al Fair
heid, Iowa, where he remained until Scptepher
lGii. His decisions in disputed cus.s. whe, -.
lerred to the general land office, at Washipgto-
were never reversed. One o! them, arisipg ont
oil an attempt to dispDsscSS the widow of :, m,n
whose claim was not completed ut his dea,b
was decided In her favor by Register Wilson
alter which lie was u great iayorite with tho
eettlcrs.
that part Of sio life from 1851 TO 1871 durino.
which time he has been clerk in, and manager
OF, the banking house of Robert Aull; partner
iii mat 81 Robert Aull Il Co; and from 1871 70
the present. while filins the position OF nrs.i.
aent OF the Lafayette County Bank formerly
the Aull Savings Bank, there Is no nsad IN no