The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-06-24
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 1e12-of
Scotch-Irish Descent and
Born in Virginia.


Staunton, Va, on December 2S, 1855
He is the son of Dr.. Joseph R. Wilson,
a 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 VIII
sons birth his father accepted a call
to the passionate 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
of the South.
Woodrow was only five 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-
airy %, 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
%-r- Of h.
nary and Princeton seminary. In 1919
Joseph r. Wilson married Janet Wood
row. daughter of DR.. Thomas Wood
row, a famous Presbyterian minister
of the day, who was a 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 a 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 knowI-
edge. He specialized in 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
! T. McCOmbS, one of his former stu
/ dents at Princeton. During the pre-
| convention months no less than half &
dozen other entrants for presidential
hOnors made their appearance.
At the subsequent Democratic ma
/ tional convention at Baltimore, June
2S-July 2, Mr.. Wilson beat out all en-
| tries with q vote that increased a
each roll call till his victory was re
corded on the forty-sixth ballot II
the election that followed he was al
easy victor over the Taft and Roose
Welt tickets, though his entire popular
vote did not reach that accorded VIII
! liam Jennings Bryan in 1908.
Of scotch-Irish Descent.
President Wilson is the son of 10
seph R. and Jessie Woodrow Wilson
disciples of the Scotch Presbyterian
faith. He was born in the manse Of {
small church in StauntOn, Va, wher,
his father was curate.
From Virginia the Wilson's moved t,
Georgia, when Woodrow was abou
two years old. There the presiden
spent his early boyhood '1R the hear
of the most terrible tempest that eve
swept over the Countrywide Civi
war.
From Georgia the family moved {,
South Carolina. In the Old Palmetto
State the future president budded int,
youth and began to think upon q ca
reer. He first attended Davidson col
lege, where he put in one year of hart
study.
After this one year at college, Wood
row remained at home during the mex
twelve months, transferring to hi
younger brothers a part of the learn
ing he had brought with him from Da
wilson.
This brings his biography up to tn
year 1S75-a mOmentOus year 70
Woodrow Wilson and for Princeton
university. 1t was the year he en-
tered Princeton
He had not been at Princeton lon
before he found out just what he want
ed to do. And that thing was to b
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