Gilpin observer., 1916-06-22
Held Many High Positions Before
Becoming Head of Prince
ton University.
HIS POLITICAL LIFE SHORT
Was Elected Governor Of New Jer-
.sey In 1910 and President Of the
United States In 1912-Of
Scotch-irish Descent and
Born In Virginia.


DR.. Woodrow Wilson was born at
Staunton, Va, on December 2S, 1856.
He Is the son of DR.. Joseph Il. Wilson,
Presbyterian minister, and the grand
son of Judge James Wilson, an Irish
man of Scotch descent, who migrated
from County Down to Philadelphia in
1907. James Wilson prospered and be-
came manager Of the Aurora, lead
ing Democratic journal, Philadelphia
then being the national capital.
About two years after Woodrow Will
sons birth his father accepted call
to the pastorate of the Presbyterian
church Of Augusta, Ga. This was at
that time one of the most influential
congregations In the South. and the
elder Wilson remained as its pastor
throughout the Civil war; He was rec
Ognized as one of the leading divines
Of the South.
Woodrow was only Ave years old
when the war broke out, >and as Au-
gusta was not the scene of any actual
conflict, the boy knew little about what
was going on. He was also shielded
from the stormy passions and violent
prejudices of the war, and grew up
into manhood unwarped by sectional
hate.
1t was at Steubenville, Ohio, that
Joseph Ruggles Wilson, the father of
Woodrow Wilson, was born on Febru-
ary %, 1922. He was the scholar of
James Wilson's family. Jefferson col
lege graduated him as valedictorian in
1914, after which he taught school and
prepared for the Presbyterian minis
try at the Western Theological semi
nary and Princeton seminary. In 1S49
Joseph r. Wilson married Janet Wood
row, daughter of DR.. Thomas Wood
row, a famous Presbyterian minister
Of the day, who was descendant from
ancient English stock. The Rev. Mr..
Wilson became the father of two
daughters before he was called as pas
tor to Staunton, Va, where third
child. a son, was born, and christened
Thomas Woodrow.
The early years of the presidents
life were spent in the interesting
though inconspicuous pursuit of knowl-
edge. He specialized I'm the law, In
American history, and in political
economy. With this foundation laid,
he burst upon the political world in
1910 when he was elected governor of
New Jersey on the Democratic ticket.
In the second year of his governor
ship his boom for president was start
ed under the management of William
+. McCombs, one of his former stu
dents at Princeton. During the pre-
convention months no less than half a
dozen other entrants for presidential
hOnors made their appearance.
At the subsequent Democratic ma
tiOnal convention at Baltimore, June
28-July 2, Mr.. Wilson beat out all en-
tries with vote that increased at
each roll call till his victory was re-
corded on the forty-sixth ballot. In
the election that followed he was an
easy victor over the Taft and ROose-
welt tickets, though his entire popular
vote did not reach that accorded Will
liam Jennings Bryan In 1908.
OF seoteh-irIsh Descent.
President Wilson is the son of Jo-
seph r. and Jessie Woodrow Wilson,
disciples of the Scotch Presbyterian
| faith. He was born in the manse of a
small church In Staunton, Va, where
his father was curate.
From Virginia the Wilson's moved to
Georgia, when Woodrow was about
two years old. There the president
spent his early boyhood "in the heart
of the most terrible tempest that ever
swept over the Countrywide Civil
war.
From Georgia the family moved to
South Carolina. In the Old Palmetto
State the future president budded into
youth and began to think upon a ca.
reer. He first attended Davidson col.
lege. where he put In one year of hard
study.
After this one year at college, Wood
row remained at home during the next
twelve months, transferring to his
younger brothers part of the learn.
Ing he had brought with him from Da.
wilson.
This brings his biography up to the
year 1S75-a momentous year fol-
Woodrow Wilson and for Princeton
university. It was the year he en-
tered Princeton.
He had not been at Princeton Ions
before he found out just what he want
ed to do. And that thing was to be