DAVID WILSON, dealer in fruit, fancy groceries and confectionery, Platteville; was born in Oswego Co., N. Y., in 1826; came to Wisconsin in 1844, and settled in Platteville; learned the jewelry business in New York City of Wilson Brothers, 460 Maiden Lane; was there two years previous to coming to Wisconsin. He was married in Potosi, Grant Co., in 1848, to Miss Mary Ann Sturgeon; he lived about a year in Platteville after marriage, then went to Canada with his family, where he remained about a year and a half, and then returned to Platteville; in 1854, he went to Richland Co., Wis., and commenced clearing up a farm; his wife died there Nov. 8, 1856, and he soon after returned to Platteville; he ran a peddling wagon about a year, then went to Reedsburg, Sauk Co., Wis., and was engaged in the jewelry business about a year; was in the same business in New Lisbon, Juneau Co., four or five years, and Elkhorn one year; he then kept hotel in Trempeleau one year, and boarding-house in Winona, Minn., a year and a half; he then went to Preston, Minn., and ran a jewelry store three years; from there he went to Fountain, on the S. M. R. R., and built the first hotel in the place in November, 1869; this was called the "Wilson House," and he kept it till it was burned down in November, 1872; he then returned to Platteville and bought what was called "Hodges' old stand," and carried on the grocery and fruit business till he was burned out again in April, 1874; he rebuilt the same fall, and kept a city restaurant about three years, and since that has been engaged in his present business; his second wife, to whom he was married in New Lisbon, Wis., Oct. 28, 1857, was Mary Judd; she died Sept. 11, 1878, and he was again married Aug. 20, 1879, to Mrs. Helen Lewis, widow of J. H. Lewis, one of the early settlers of Platteville; has four children, all by his first wife.

This biography generously submitted by Roxanne Munns.