The Wilson Brothers—Hugh, Walter, and John

In my Feb. 24th blog post The Wilson Sisters—Marion, Ann, and Janett, I griped about the little headway I made learning about 2^nd Great Grandfather Walter Wilson’s brothers. In today’s post, I’ll update you with my progress about the Uncles.

The last time I found the brothers together was the 1850 federal census taken Nov. 15th. Hugh, Walter, and John lived in their mother’s Norwich, Connecticut home along with older sisters, Ann and Janett. The boys were all born in Connecticut and attended school during the year.

Great Grandfather Walter married in 1856 and worked as a machinist at Worcester, Massachusetts July 1860. I found 2^nd Great Granduncle John R. Wilson and his mother in Alonzo and Marion Davis’ home at Newfield, Maine at the same date. (Marion Davis was a Wilson sister.)

Where’s Hugh? I located a 23-year-old Hugh Wilson rooming in a boarding house in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia July 3, 1860. The 1860 federal census states he was born in Connecticut and provides no occupation. I want to be cautious before I assume this was my Grandfather’s brother; I found another man named ‘Hugh Wilson’ born in Georgia also living in Macon. Uncle Hugh remains a mystery. Please help if you can.

I looked for Uncle John among the civil war records. I spotted John R. Wilson in Ancestry.com’s Index to Pension Files serving between 1861 and 1900. He served as a corporal in Company K, 27^th Regiment, Maine Infantry. More details emerged in U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865, also online at Ancestry. Private John R. Wilson enlisted in Company K, Maine 27th Infantry Regiment October 15, 1862. He was promoted to Full Corporal March 1, 1863, and mustered out July 17, 1863, at Portland, Maine.

I learned from The 27thMaine Volunteers website that John R. Wilson was among those soldiers whose residence was Newfield, Maine. Newfield had been home to Uncle John in 1860. Steve Dow has done an excellent job of researching the 27^th Regiment, and I encourage you to visit his website.

My attention strayed to a fellow soldier. His name, George H. Dorman, was familiar. Remember Aunt Marion and Uncle Alonzo Davis from paragraph #3? Their daughter, Fannie A. Davis, married George H. Dorman in Dover, New Hampshire Nov. 28, 1867. That’s an interesting coincidence.

I searched for Uncle John in the 1870 and 1880 federal census hoping to find him in Newfield, Maine but he couldn’t be found. I turned to FindAGrave.com and found John R. Wilson buried in Newfield, Maine at the Community Cemetery. He died Sept. 30, 1898, at the age of 55 years. This would date his birth to 1843; that’s a good match for my Uncle John. You can see his memorial at  FindaGrave.

Find A Grave has a memorial for John’s wife, Lizzie Dorman Wilson. Yes, the Dorman surname pops up again. Remember Fannie A. Davis and George H. Dorman from paragraph #7. Fannie and Uncle John both married into the Dorman family. Are Lizzie and George H. Dorman related? A look at the 1850 federal census confirmed they’re brother and sister, the children of Benjamin Dorman from Newfield.

Lizzie (Dorman) Wilson died Jan. 5, 1890 just 45 years old. You can view Lizzie’s memorial here.

John and Lizzie left Maine by 1870 but where did they go? A wider search of the 1870 census still doesn’t find John Wilson, but Lizzie Wilson shows up unexpectedly in John and Jennett (Wilson) Swasey’s household at Huntsville, Alabama. Jennett was an older sister of the Wilson brothers Hugh, Walter, and John. I don’t know where or what John Wilson was doing.

 

1870 Federal Census, Huntsville, Ward 2, Madison Co., Alabama

Page 2, Line 15, John Swasey Household

The 1880 federal census led me to John and Lizzie Wilson in Jersey City, Hudson Co., New Jersey. Uncle John worked as a machinist with Lizzie at home caring for their 9-year-old son, George Thomas. Ancestry.com city directories collections place Uncle John in Jersey City 1877.

Aunt Lizzie died Jan. 5, 1890 in Jersey City. Uncle John remained in Jersey until his death on Sept. 30, 1898.

A few years after John’s death, his son, George T. Wilson, relocated to Newfield, Maine. I was surprised to see him in his widowed Aunt’s home. It turns out Aunt Jennie S. Adams was born a ‘Dorman’ and Lizzie and George H. Dorman’s sister.

George Wilson married Luella E. Hann Nov. 20, 1907, in Newfield. No doubt George and Luella supplied the Newfield clerk with the required information to record the marriage.

Maine Marriage Records, 1713-1922 Ancestry Database

Front Page

The groom was 36 years old when he wed dating his birth to 1871. When I realized George was born in Port Jervis, New York, I couldn’t help but smile. Port Jervis was home to my 2^nd Great Grandfather at this date. I hope Grandfather Walter and Uncle John celebrated the birth of George Thomas Wilson together.