A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for Annette Davis
She seems to be listed as Hellen in the 1900 census and Annette in the 1910 census. Perhaps Hellen (or Helen) is her middle name?
The Boyle Genealogy Addendum mentions a source, "McDonald Genealogy: Names of Rufus Lee McDonald Family to February 1974", by Annette Davis Dabney. (I would like to find a copy of that.) The National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for Walnut Park Farm Historic District (1999; obtained July 2017 from Missouri Department of Natural Resources web site, http://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/99001597.pdf) mentions a 1974 manuscript by Annette Davis Dabney called "The Life of Rufus Lee McDonald" (her grandfather).
In the 1940 census, she was still single. An entry at Ancestry.com in "U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index 1936-2007" for Annette Davis Dabney says that she was listed as Annette D Dabney in 1965, so she married sometime between 1940 and 1965. Marrying late in life like that, she probably did not have children. In both 1930 and 1940 censuses, she was listed as a secretary for the YWCA, first in St. Joseph, MO, and then in Richmond, VA. The 1940 census says she was still living in Missouri in 1935, so she moved to Virginia sometime between 1935 and 1940.
The Katherine Gentry Bushman Papers, 1961-1997 (Accession 35743, Personal Papers Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA) contain a letter from Annette Davis Dabney to Katherine Bushman, a small portion of which is quoted in the Hotchkiss manuscript. The letter follows, with some adjustments to punctuation (also note that a few statements in the letter are questionable, such as that all of William Wilson's sons studied law and several became judges):
January 21, 1979
My dear Mrs Bushman:
Mr Rudolph Shaver of the Circuit Court of Augusta County, Virginia has kindly suggested that I write you concerning an ancestor of mine. The problem is that I do not know the maiden name of my great-great grandmother. My great great-grandfather was William Wilson, a farmer who lived near Staunton in Augusta County. According to one report he married into the Yancey family of Virginia. I do not know how many children William Wilson and his wife had but I do know that they had four fine, ambitious sons who came to Missouri around 1820. Their names were Robert, John, William and David Wilson.
These young men first settled in a place named Old Franklin Missouri then moved nearby to Fayette, Missouri in Howard County. All studied law after coming to Missouri and several became judges. William moved to Marshall Mo. John later moved to California.
Robert was my great grandfather He was born in Augusta County near Staunton in 1800. He was buried in St Joseph Missouri in 1870. He became one of the most important men in Missouri. He served eight years in the Mo. state legislature and became United States Senator from Missouri in 1862.
A member of my family inherited the portrait of Senator Robert Wilson which was painted by the famous George C Bingham. Not long ago I found an excellent book on Bingham, and I was so interested to know that he came to Missouri from Virginia when he was a young boy (with his parents). The Binghams came approximately the same time the Wilson young men came. All went to Old Franklin and then to Fayette, Missouri where the famous Bingham’s father opened a lodge and died soon. In Virginia the Binghams lived near Staunton in Augusta Co near Weyers Cave. The Binghams and the William Wilsons must have known each other in Virginia.
Bingham paintings are becoming more valuable every day. I suppose you read where one of his paintings, “The Jolly Boatman” (I believe it was) was sold at a Park Bernet Auction for nine hundred thousand dollars last year. For a painter who had never had a lesson this is amazing indeed. I have always enjoyed his painting at the Metropolitan Museum in New York of the fur trader coming down the Missouri River. Enough about Bingham.
Now back to the Wilson brothers. David was the last to come to Missouri (about 1830). David married Miss Margaret Skinner [sic] in Rockbridge County, VA. The other brothers who came to Missouri married Missouri girls. David eventually lived in Saline County Missouri.
My great grand-father Robert Wilson moved to Andrew Co. very near St Joseph, Missouri as his daughter Mary Ann Wilson had married R. L. McDonald of St Joseph.
I was born and raised in St Joseph, Missouri. All of my married life I lived in Richmond, Virginia but have returned to St Joseph as my husband died in 1975.
I do not know whether the William Wilsons came to Missouri with their sons. Perhaps they remained in Virginia.
I would be so appreciative if you could find any information about this Wilson Family and particularly about Mrs William Wilson’s maiden name which is probably Yancey.
Mr Shaver wrote that you charge six dollars for the first two hours of research. I am enclosing a check for this amount.
Sincerely,
Annette D. Dabney
(Mrs James Kennon Dabney)
The Century Apartments
Apt 307
627 North 25th St.
St. Joseph, Missouri
(64506)
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
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