The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-24
JAMES 7. D. WILSON DEAD
Ex-MayOr Of Houston Succumbed 10
Protracted Illness.
ne HAD REACHED AN OLD AGE.
Distinguished Citizen, Gallant Soldier
Patriarch and Pioneer Of Texas
Answers Final Summons.

Hon. James 7. D. Wilson died at $3.50
O'Clock yesterday morning at the family
residence. eos Rusk avenue. after a linger-
Ing Illness. nged 81 years. The funeral
Will take place from the old homestead
this afternoon at 3 o'clock. The services
viii be conducted by Revs. Leavell and
Caldwell and the Interment will be In Glen
wood cemetery.
The death OF James Theodore Dudley
Wilson marks the passing away OF a hts
toric figure, not alone In the carly history
Of Houston. but OF the great struggles In
the formative period Of Texas. aud enc Of
the splendid characters developed by that
strenuous period For slxty.six years Mr..
Wilson has been closely connected With
the development and growth " Hous'cn
ana was ono OF the few remaining mem.
hers OF that heroic band OF pionce.s who
did so much for the cause of reVas' free
dom when she was assailed by tlr armies
OF Mexico and who. when the Struggle was
won, turned their energies - persuits Of
peace with equal SUCCESS iioust ms hubble
school system and many % the advantages
enjoyed today were due MS tisr,ess en-.
ergy and masterfui hand.
Probably no man now li-Ag las been
more, Intimately aesocllt "a With &c
growth Of Houston frAm tac pioneer dryS
TO the present time HAi, ally, sui; ~
and financially thun Jones \. ~ Nnst n.
In every walk Of life he wAs au honcrcj
and distinguished citiaan jtc served as
Houston's mayor for .hree terms following
the painful DAYS OF reconstruction In all
his undertakings tie was renal kahly sue
cessful He was held ~ universal esteem
and his demise is ailcerely mourncd.
INTERESTING LIFE HISTORY.
James T D. Wilson, the subject Of this
sketch. was citizen Of Texas since 1898.
and resident Of Houston since 1887 lie
was a veteran Of the Texas revolution and
has served his country faithfully in every
capacity 10 which he was called 20 act.
whether as a private citizen or public ofl-
Ger.
James Theodore Dudley Wilson. eldest
con Of Robert ana Margaret Pendcrrrast
wilson was born IN st Louis. Mo. on July
4. 1870 His mother dying three years later,
at NatcheZ, Miss. to which place the fam
fly had in the meantime moved the son
was sent 10 relatives IN Virginia. and after
ward 70 Kentucky, and his boyhood and
early yoOth we're passed IN those States
ana in Cincinnati, Ohio. up 70 the age OF
IS. He received his education IN private
schools and began earning his own llyeli-
hood, IN part at least, at the age Of 14 he.
coming a clerk In n store in Bourbon Coun.
~, Kentucky. In the latter part OF August
or the nIsr Of September 1880, no came
TO Texas, whittier his father had come
Orleans 10 Nelasco was made by sail
vessel, the schooner san Felipe Aboard
This vessel was Colonel stephen = Austin,
then an his return 10 Texas. after long
imprisonment IN Mexico Upon the arrival
~ the San Felipe NJ anchorage m the
mouth Of the Brazos river. the Mexican
'Mezican Thompson" then engaged In
breaking up IN" commerce ~ tho infant
colony, Was found lowering few miles
C,raY. citizens ~ Neias-i whp knew Of the
nFNarurN tEgF M 70 %
10 tue defense ~ the San Felipe which. ~
was eNrftfon, would he attacked that
rtebf Colonel Austin was persuaded To go
ssaore. but nearly all ~ the other pasEcn-
gers remained aboard, among them Young
WilfOn- The attack was made as gvnfCtr d.
Thompson was driven on and early next
morning his vessel was captured With
this rs m introduction, Mr. Wilson'S life I'm
Texas began
he located At Columbia. Rrazoria county,
where be soon secured a position in tho
mercantile house ~ W O. waite a a..
He was here until March 1876. WHOM no
Joined the Texas army thrn forming to
resist the invasion ~ tho Mexicnns under
snnta Anna. He served first under Cap
tain William II Patton, and later under
t1Dt1in Wash II Scrrpst, and partici-
pated iu the stirring scenes that marked
those days ~ daring mud heroic sclfsacri-
hce. Upon the conclusion Of peace and
the removal Of the capital to Houston, he
gave rp his residence n Columbia and
came TO this city. in 1851. For a number
u yenrs he assisted his father in un-
tangllng his business interests, which had
been thrown into almost lneXtricable con
fusion by his enforced neglect OF the same,
end the unsettled condition OF the country,
together with the burning Of his valuable
property Mt Harrisburg by Santa Annals
army. During these times Young Wilson
was interested also In real estate specu's.
lions From the fall Of 1852 to January,
lH'S. Mr Wilson was head clerk In the
mercantile establishment of Van Alstvnc &
TAYLOR. I'm Houston-siN yCtrs that brought
him large and varied fund Of expert
cnce. which formed no inconsdcrabie part
Of his capital when he came to handle in.
terests OF his own