 |
 OHN WILSON, Postmaster and merchant of
Cook’s Mills, is one of the prominent German citizens of North Okaw Township. He
was born March 8, 1840, in Wurtemberg,
Germany, and is the son of Frederick and Fredrica
(Schafer) Zeppelin. His parents were natives of
Wurtemberg, and his father was engaged in the
manufacture of gas at the town of Heilbronn,
which place derives its name from the spring that
supplies the town with water, signifying “fountain
of health.” He held the commission of First
Lieutenant in the army but resigned some time before his death, which occurred at the town of Stuttgart. His mother’s death occurred about two years
ago in Germany. Three children of their family
emigrated to America. John Wilson was adopted in infancy by a distant relative, in whose household there were no children, and from that family obtained the name of Wilson. His relative died while John was still a child and he then returned to his own home where he remained until he was sixteen years of age. In the meantime he had been preparing himself in college for mercantile life and after leaving school entered a book- store. At the death of their father the children were left without resources to care for themselves, and after remaining in the book-store a short time, John resolved to come to the United States. December 12, 1856, he stood with his elder brother, Charles, on board the Helvetia, a passenger bound for America. The brothers standing together on deck looked, perhaps regretfully, backward toward the fast receding shores of their native land, but hopefully forward over the vast expanse of blue water, stretching far away to the Western Continent, which has been the goal of so many hearts since the days when Spanish cavaliers and Italian navigators dreamed of a marvelous land beyond the sea, where the setting sun dipped its burning disk in the cool waters of the Atlantic. After a stormy voyage, during which two dangerous gales were encountered, they landed safely at Castle Garden on Feb. 22, 1857, strangers iu a strange land. John Wilson apprenticed himself to a cabinetmaker and spent three years learning the trade, and at the expiration of that time worked one year as a journeyman. The long smouldering fires preceding the Civil War broke out at that time, and he entered the service of his adopted country, enlisting March 12, 1861, in the 4th United States Cavalry, under the command of Capt. Crittenden and Col. Sedgwick. He was mustered in at New York and sent to Carlisle Barracks and placed in Company A. The regiment was then dispatched to Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., and soon after to Independence, where it drove out a body of rebel troops. Thence they were ordered to Springfield, Mo., and there joined the Army of the West under Franz Seigel, commanded by Gen. Lyons. Their regiment then attacked the rebels at Duck Springs and defeated them, following them up to Wilson’s Creek, where Gen. Lyons was killed and Gen. Sturgess succeeded him. A retreat was then conducted to Springfield, Mo. They continued to retreat three days until they reached Rolla, and the rebels abandoned the pursuit. The company then returned to Springfield, and joining Company D were appointed body-guard to Gen. Fremont. They conducted him to Sedalia, Mo., and making that place their winter quarters passed the time until spring, engaged in scouting and harrassing the enemy. They then made a dash down to Black Water and captured 1,200 rebel recruits with all their provisions, intercepting them as they were moving on to reinforce Gen. Price. After conveying their prisoners to Sedalia, they joined Fremont in his trip to Springfield, which, proving abortive, they returned to the north of the river. There they were placed under Pope and aided in the capture of New Madrid and Island No. 10, where they took 6,000 prisoners. They then embarked for Vicksburg, but were stopped at Memphis and sent to the aid of Gen. Grant, who was engaged in the memorable battle of Shiloh. They did not arrive until the day after that conflict, but took part in the battles following at Farmington and Corinth, accompanying Buell to Huntsville, Ala. and to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Gen. Bragg, who moved on to Perryville, where a desperate struggle took place and the Union forces were victorious. Not being able to follow him over the mountains on his retreat to Murfreesboro, they moved to Nashville and passed around to his right, making their attack at Stone River, where a hard fought battle of three days took place. Rosecrans had then taken command of the Union forces, and Mr. Wilson was a member of his body- guard. The force to which Mr. Wilson was attached next moved to Middleton, surprising the rebels under Gen. Bragg, and thence to Chickamauga, whence they were forced to retreat, to Chattanooga. They then followed Wheeler through Tennessee for seven days, keeping up a running fight nearly all the time. Mr. Wilson was then sent to Memphis as orderly for Gen. Smith, and joined his raid through Mississippi. On the third day out he was taken prisoner at Black Water by Gen. Forest, and sent to Cahaba, Ala. After remaining in prison there two months he was transferred to Andersonville, where he remained until September, and was then conveyed to Florence, S. C. On the 22d of February, 1865, he was liberated on parole and taken to the hospital at Annapolis, Md. After remaining there a month he obtained a furlough of thirty days, and in the meantime went to Indiana, and thence to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he reported again for duty, and was sent to join his regiment at Gravelly Spring, Miss. His time had expired nearly a year prior to this, and he was discharged March 7, 1865, having served within five days of four years. After being paid off at Louisville, Ky., he went to Indiana, near Bedford, where, April 2, 1865, his marriage with Miss Sarah A. Prince took place. Mrs. Wilson is the daughter of John and Ann Prince. Her parents were natives of North Carolina, but had removed at an early day to Indiana, where their daughter Sarah was born. Immediately after his marriage, Mr. Wilson came to Illinois and engaged in farming in Cumberland County. He remained there seven years and then came to Coles County, where he purchased land in North Okaw Township, and carried on a successful farming business twelve years. In the autumn of 1881 he entered upon mercantile life at Cook’s Mills, purchasing a residence and store in that village. He is now associated with Mr. Hoots in business, under the firm name of Wilson & Hoots. He was elected to the offices of Constable and Town Clerk by the Democratic party, of which he is a member, and Aug. 21, 1885, received the appointment of Postmaster at Cook’s Mills. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had two children, both of whom died, leaving the household desolate; their names were Mary and Louisa. Mrs. Wilson is a highly esteemed member of the Baptist Church, in which she is actively engaged in all good works. Mr. Wilson has never fully recovered from the effects of his imprisonment at Andersonville. He was afflicted with scurvy and other troubles resulting from the horrors of that place, and has never received either bounty or pension from the Government for his services or sufferings. |
 |
| Return To Contents |
|