Wilson, Charles B.


HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS DESCRIPTIVE OF ITS SCENERY,
AND

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.

Published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia 1879

Transcribed by: Mary Ann Kaylor

Page 234

CHARLES B. WILSON was born in Madison County, Illinois, near North Alton, on the 25th of March 1835. T. H. Wilson, his father, was a native of Cumberland, England. He emigrated to America in June, 1830, and settled in Madison county, Missouri, and eight months later returned to St. Louis, where he lived two years; then moved to Alton, Illinois, where he remained three years; and then removed to Macoupin county, where he entered land and lived until his death, which occurred in June, 1869. On the 11th of November, 1829, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Bowman, who was also a native of Westmoreland, England. She at present resides in Brighton, in this county. The subject of our sketch spent his boyhood days in the common schools, going a distance of four miles, morning and evening, to obtain this privilege. At the age of twenty-one years he entered McKendree college at Lebanon, where he remained sometime; after which he went to work upon the farm; work proving too hard for him, he went to Litchfield and entered a store as a clerk; and a year later the war broke out, when he enlisted in what was then known to be the Western Sharpshooters or 14th regiment Missouri Volunteers; this was in October, 1861. The regiment rendezvoused at Benton Barrack, at St. Louis, where they remained until the 12th of December of the same year; when the command was ordered to North Missouri. The regiment participated in the battles of Forts Henry, Donelson, and the siege of Corinth; while laying at Corinth the command was changed from the 14th to the 66th Illinois regiment, Col. Birge commanding. The regiment was attached to the 16th Army Corps, under Gen. Dodge, and was for a great part of the time on detailed service. Mr. Wilson was sent home on recruiting service, in 1863, and joined the regiment in the spring of 1864, and participated in the Atlanta campaign. His term of enlistment expired in August, 1864. On his return home he engaged in a store at Litchfield, Illinois, for some time; after which he went to his farm, and remained nine years; and then came to Piasa and engaged in general merchandising, and has so continued up the present time. He was formerly a democrat in politics, but on the breaking out of the war he joined the republican party, and has remained a member of that political organization ever since. Mr. Wilson is an old citizen of Macoupin county, and is esteemed by all who know him for his true worth as a man.


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