The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-06-02
GEORGE w. WILSON

George w. Wilson, editor in chief of
the Times Union, died at his home in
Jacksonville at o'clock this morning.
BY his death journalism loses use
full and distinguished member and
Florida good citizen.
Mr.. Wilson was born in Boone coun-
~. Kentucky, May 10, 1859. He, came
\ to Florida when a boy Of fifteen and
grew to manhood at Orange Lake in
Marion county.
At the age OF % Mr.. Wilson was
rendered and accepted the nomination
for member Of the Legislature, simply
for the purpose of keeping up the
democratic organization of Marion
county, and from that time was an
active. untiring worker in it's ranks,
and no man in the state has contribut,
/. cd more literally than he to it's ex-
chequer. He served two years as sec
rotary Of the second congressional dis
trict executive committee, and two
years more as chairman of the COM
I mittee, and in both positions rendered
valuable service to his party.
In the campaign of 1892 Mr.. Wilson
was. as a member of state and con-
gressional committees, in charge Of
y
vile, and did effective and faithful
executive work.
He was president Of the Lake Weir
y Chautauqua Lyceum Association; was
three years president of the Semi
Tropical Exposition; was member Of
the forestry congress; was commits
sioner at the Paris Exposition; was d
member of the state Worlds Fair d.
rectory, and in all these positions he
served without compensation and de-
Ifrayed his own expenses. He has been
inspired I'm this work purely by his
love of the state Of Florida.
He has been foremost in many per-
sonal enterprises. He built the first
steamboat to ply Orange Lake. He has
been an extensive traveller, having
been in nearly all parts of Europe,
Mexico and the West Indies, besides
his own country.
In August, 1894, President Cleveland
appointed him collector of internal
revenue for the District Of Florida.
In 1881 before a railroad was built
10 Orange Lake, before mail or tele-
graph reached to a nearer point than
eight miles, he conceived and started
the Orange Lake F'loridian, a four
page weekly. The enterprise was
started purely for amusement. 1t was
here that he mastered the rudiments of
the printers art. ~
His Washington hand-press and
apron full of type grew into quite a
formidable printing outfit and the toy
became too expensive to be located In
the country, so it was decided TO move
the outfit to Ocala. The name Of the
paper was changed to the Florida La
con. 1t was at Ocala that he published
the first daily paper issued in the in
terror of the peninsular of Florida. II
was issued one week to chronicle the
session Of the circuit court. Within 6
year from the time of his gong t.
Ocala, Mr.. Wilson purchased an old
established weekly-the Banner-ant
consolidated them as the Banner
Lacon, which was owned and edited
by him up to the great fire at Ocala ir
1884
This primary school in journalism
developed opportunities for him bet
ter than he knew, for he was called
into the larger and wider field Of met
ropolitan newspaper making and wher
he took charge of the Florida Dali!
Citizen of Jacksonville, in February
1897, the mechanical knowledge as wei
I. as editorial experience enabled hin
from the first issue to place before thu
public newspaper that took the from
rank in Florida Journalism.
In the fall of 1897 the Florida Times
Union was consolidated with the Citi
zen and placed under the control o
Mr.. Wilson and he was both editor ant
president of the company publishin;
the consolidated papers known as tn
Times-U Union and Citizen.
In 1881 Mr.. Wilson was married t
Mamie Fair Marshall, Of Columbia,
c.. who died two years later, and II
1899 he was married to Miss Bell
5 Robinson, daughter of DR.. Henry Rob
ir son. a banker of Jacksonville. Tw
sens were born to- them. He is sur
viyed by his wife and two sons an
his mother, Mrs. S. A. Stewart.
Mr. Wilson was highly honored II
Marion county. There are hundreds o
people within its borders who feel tina
in his death they have lost persona
friend.