Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-08-28
Hon. Wilson.

4
to friend in Middle Tennessee, who
knows him and his antecedents thor
oughly, for a pen and ink sketch OF
him, and received the following which
we take pleasure in publishing;
Frank Wilson, as he is known and
familiarly called, the nominee of the
low tax element, which "bolted" the
tie democratic convention, and is now
the candidate for governor of Tennes-
see, was born and reared near Gala,
tin, in Sumner county, Tennessee.
His ancestry were plain, honest, old
fashioned people, Of the pioneer stock,
who helped TO make a garden Of a
wilderness in that most attractive and
beautiful bluegrass region, that adds
so much to the charm Of the Cumber
land valley. He is son of Samuel
and Nancy Wilson. The former died
when Frank was boy; the latter still
lives. His paternal grandfather was
from Scotland and his maternal, from
ireland, and is literally of Scotch
Irish descent.
In his early boyhood he went to a
country school, east Of Gallatin, but
at the breakingout ofthe war, he was at
the Gallatiu academy, and with an un-
finished education, and but sixteen
years of age, enlisted in the G. S. army
as a private Of company "T," Of
the famous Second Tennessee infantry
regiment raised and commanded by
Colonel, afterwards General Bate.
Though one of the youngest soldiers
in the command, he performed all the
hardships and duties of a private SOL
der without finch or murmur. He
was three times wounded-in the foot
at Stone River, in the shoulder at
Richmond, KY, and lest his arm at
| Chickamauga. The last wound de.
priving him of the power to use his
musket, forced him to leave the SER
vice. Instead of becoming drone in
the great army-hive, he, as soon as
| able from his wound, resumed
his educational course, remaining the
whole time, however, within the Con-
| federate lines. When sufficiently re-
covered, early in 1863, with the band
ages still on his arm-stub, he entered
Penfeld college, near Greensboro, Ga.
At the close of the war he returned
to his native place in Sumner county,
| Tennessee, but in short time there
after, went for session or so to school
at Chapel Hill, Marshall county,
Tennessee, from which place he went
20 college in the University of Geor-
gia, located at Athens, in that state.
| He graduated there in 1868, taking
the second honors in a class Of
forty. He was while there stu
dent under Rev. DR.. Lipscomb
and Professor Brown, then of the
faculty Of the University of Georgia,
now Of the Vanderbilt. Having
chosen the law for his profession
young Wilson, after short propara.
tory course, entered the Lebanon law
school and graduated there, with
much distinction, in the summer OF
| 1879, and while at Lebanon, he was
| awarded the twenty dollar gold medal
| by one of its societies, as its best de-
bator. Having obtained license, he
at once located at Gallatin and en-
gagged in the practice of law, which he
has successfully followed to this time.
On several occasions he has been
chosen special Judge and chancellor,
and presided with marked ability to
the satisfaction of the bar. Elected
to the house Of representatives from
his native county, he served as legis.
lator in the session of 1877 of the Ten
nessee legislature. At the succeed
ing election he was chosen as mem
Der of the state senate, and served in
that capacity during the session of
1879. 1t is conceded by all that no
man in any branch Of the general as.
sembly welded more influence or was
held in higher esteem as a
lawyer and debator, especial
| ly when constitutional questions we're
Involved.
At home, in the social circle,
Frank Wilson is much beloved, not
only as q genial, whole-souled man
frank in nature as in name-but as a
highly moral and christian gentleman,
He is, and has been, since before he
was grown, an exemplary member of
the Presbyterian church. A man of
excellent habits, always sober, dis
Greet and studious. Full of enthu-
siam, his love to his friends amounts
to devotion, and his zeal and earnest
ness in a cause which challenges his
judgment and invites his advocacy, is
apt to border on fsnatieism. On
wayeripg in integrity, and sensitive of
personal obligations, he meets all his
liabilities and, though he had to bor-
row the money with which "a finish
his education, ana commenced his
professional career without dollar,
his ability and attention to business
soon enabled him to refund it and be-
come Independent.
In person, Mr., Wilson is about six
| feet in height, Of an eject and thin
form, Of quick, irregular mo-
tion, bespeaking more dig
nifty than grace in movement
resulting from an excess of nervous
energy. He has frank, earnest face.
gemmed with rather large light. blue
eyes, and a thoughtful, solid-looking
forehead, cFpRaea With glossy black
His oratory-and he has it to a
marked degree-whether before a jury
or the hustings, is of that nervous,
earnest, magnetic kind which carries
conviction with Il. His gestures,
when speaking, are more angular than
graceful, and having but one hand
makes them appear more so. He is
at no loss fsr veil chosen words to
express his ideas, and no one hears
him and doubts the honesty of his
convictions or the earnestness NJ ad .