New-York tribune., 1910-11-27
RICHARD 7. WILSON DEAD.
Foreion Mission for Confederacy
Stepping Stone to Prominence.
VETERAN AMONG FINANCIERs
Began Career in Tennessee, in
Cotton-Rich Before War
His Estate s20,000,000.

The funeral OF Richard Ihornton wilson,
the banker, who died early yesterday morn
ing, as told in a late edltoh OF me Ir1b-
une will be held at his residence on Tues
day at II 80 o'clock.
Three of Mr. Wilson's ehlidren-Mrs. Cor
nelius Vanderbilt, jr-, Mrs Ogden Goelet
and Orne Wilson-were with him at the
time of his death His other son, Richard
T. Wilson, jr., who ives III Falnetto BiuH,
Ga. arrived Yesterday. The third daugh-
ter, Lady Michael Herbert. Is now on her
wav hither from her home in England.
Mrs. Wilson was a Miss Johnston, of the
well known Georgia family of that name.
Their home was for number OF years at
No. 80 Fifth avenue. until they moved, in
1850. TO No 511 on the same thoroughfare
where Boss Tweed. Of Tammany Hail.
formerly lived. The family also had a
summer home on Narragansett avenue.
Newport
The estate is valued at nearly s20,OGOO0O.
Mr. Wilson was born in Hall County, Ga,
in October. 1929 a descendant of an old
Southern family His first financial sue
cesses came when. as a merchant in Lou
don, village near Knoxville, Tenn, he
began the trade in cotton that made MIN
When the war broke out he entered the
Confederate army, in a short time attain
ing the rank of commissary general. Later
he was sent to Europe as the fiscal agent
of the Confederate government. and there
obtained the experience and connections
that brought him to New York in the late
COS. He established a banking office IN the
building at No. SO Wall street, and soon
came to he a financial power in The Street
Despite his advancing age. Mr.. Wilson
stuck to his desk in Wall Street until about
four years ago, when he retired to private
life still retaining. however, his holdings in
many corporations.
In 1894 R. T. Wilson & Co became inter
ested in the project Of building a subway
for New York City, offering to furnish one
third of the money necessary. 1t was Mr..
wilson's plan to construct this subway
under Broadway, the trains to be run on a
system of double tunnelling, the express
trains using the lower tracks and the locals
running IN the upper tunnel. He was a
pioneer IN the movement for a subway II
this city
Besides his attempts to construct a SUB
way in Manhattan. Mr.. Wilson was the
controlling power in the Nassau Electric
Railroad, in Brooklyn, for a number OF
ago
Mrs Wilson was a leader in society
both here and abroad. Her eldest dauSh-
ter married ogden Goelet. Another daugh-
ter. Leila, became the wife Of Sir Mlchael
Henry Herbert, at one time British Am
bassa6or TO the United States he died III
1908. Marshall Orme Wilson. son, mar
ried Miss Caroline Astor.
The youngest daughter, Grace, was mar mar
ried TO Cornelius Vanderbilt jr-. IN l90l
Mrs. Wilson died in 1903 at the age OF
scventy-five years, and. following her death
her husband was so seriously i'll that his
lie was despaired Of
Mr.. Wilson was j director IN the hrm OF
R T Wilson & Co, the American cotton
oil Company. the Castner ElectrolyIc Al
kali Company the Mathieson Alkah WorAS'
the Fourth National Bank and the Union
Trust Company Of New York.
Mr. Wilson was member OF the In'oh'
Manhattan, Automobile of America. Metro
nolftan and Down Town clubs ard the
Southern Society.