The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1905-06-07
Ex-aovERNoR WILSON DEAD
Universal Sorrow Felt by his Many
Friends Throughout the
Mr.. WILSON S CAREER

Mr.. WILSON'S CAREER
In 1910 there came to the UniteI
!. States from England an lI.year
Iold boy namsd James Fitzgerald
Wilson. Who settled and grew Il
manhood in Jefferson county, Va
where he met and married Marie
ESpangler, of SCOTCH descent. of Re
volntionary ancestry. whose grand.
father served In the Continental
army.
Emanuel Willis Wilson was the
third son of a family of sil
children. He was born at Har,
per's Ferry, Va. Aug. IL. 1914. He
was educated in the common
sehcoIs. 6nisbing with a conrse oi
b6sina6a oall
Iege.
In 1866 he energetically entered
upon the study of law. without an
instructor, at home. and in 1853
was admitted to practice in his ma
tive county. In connection with
his legal studies he pursued a
course of thorough general reading
and study, which be has ever oon
tinued. A Washington journal
said of him: He is to day. in gen.
eral, scientific. historical and poll
tical information, as well as in lit
erary requirements. one of the most
thoroughly equipped men in his
state
Rapidly achieving a leading po-
sition at the bar and before the
people, in 1870 Mr., Wilson was
elected to represent Jefferson coun-
ty in the lower house of the legis-
Iature of West Virginia, and in
1872 represented his district in the
state senate. In that body he be
came conspicuous by his able and
successful opposition to a bill for
the transfer of the Kanawha river
to corporation The bill had pass
sd the house and was on it's third
reading in the senate on the last
day of the session. Mr. Wilson OBJ
tanned the floor and spoke the ses-
sion out. thus saving the Kanawha
river from corporate control and
opening the ay for the magnif
cent improvement of that stream
by the general government, which
snas done SO much toward develop
ing the state.
He moved to Kanawha county
in 1874, having on April 9th of
the same year married an estima
pIe lady of that county, Mss Hen
rietta S Cotton, daughter of DR.
John 7. Cotton, who was the old
sst practioing physician of Char
lesion, who with three daughters
survives him.
la 1876 he was elected to repre-
sent Kanawha county in the Leg
islature, and again in 1880 Among
ether bene6cent measures which
ne introduced. were those for the
protection of miners and laborersI
flom the evils of the merchandise
check system; to exempt the tools
of mechanics from forced sale or
execution; to secure the inspeo.
ton and ventilation Of mines;
to prohibit unjust disor:miaa-
ton in railroad freight charges.
and for the protection of the peo.
pie from fraud and bribery at cleo.
tions.
In the Legislature of 1880 he was.
elected speaker, in which position
he displayed a thorough knowledge
If parliamentary rules and PRACTICE
and kcted with firm impartiality
and entire satisfaction.
In 1884 Mr.. Wilson was the nom-
inee of the Democratic party for
the Governorship and was elected
over the Republican candidate.
Judge Edwin Maxwell. of CIarks-
burg by the vote of 71,43s to &C..
149. He was inaugurated M4rch
4, 1885. succeeding Governor jacob
B. jackson AS Governor of West
Virginia the people had no reason
to regret their choice. Fortunate
in having for his state officers. men
selected from the very best, he i'm
proved every department of the
executive; remedied many defects
and weaknesses in the coordinate
branches or greatly neutralized
evils arising outside of his juris.
diction. The imprint of his ad.