Grandfather James and Uncle Hugh Immigrate to the United States

Yesterday I began the story of the Scots I call family. Today’s post tells the Wilson family’s beginning in the United States.

In the United States

James immigrated to the United States by 1829. I know because James and wife Marion Moore resided in Paterson, New Jersey March 28, 1829, where their daughter, Marion, was born. New Jersey was the birthplace of the next two Wilson children—Ann born in 1831 and Janett in 1833.  The Wilson family welcomed three sons, Hugh, Walter, and John, born in Connecticut from 1836 to 1842.

I hoped to find James’ family in Paterson, New Jersey in the 1830 federal census. Paterson is currently part of Passaic County, but when the 1830 census was taken, Paterson was part of the Acquackanonk Township in Essex County. I located three men in Acquackanonk named James Wilson and can’t say any of them are Grandfather James. The census included a column, “ALIENS—Foreigners Not Naturalized” which I was sure would lead me right to my Grandfather. Not so! None of the three James Wilson’s contained a tick mark for this category. An explanation might be Grandfather James wasn’t a head of household, the enumerator simply made a mistake, or he was somewhere else.

In 1830 Hugh lived in Griswold, New London Co., Connecticut with his wife Charlotte and two males. No doubt one male was his son, James, born 1817 in Scotland and the other a 20-30-year-old man not known to me. The census enumerator noted all members of the household were aliens not naturalized.

Uncle Hugh buys land in Connecticut

Sept. 12, 1836, Hugh bought a small lot in the Village of Greenville, Town of Norwich from William C. Gilman and William P. Greene, all residents of Norwich, New London Co., CT for $87.50.

The property as described in Deed Book 46, Pages 520-521:

   “Beginning at the Northeasterly corner of the premises at a point in the Southerly line of ninth Street and also adjoining land that said Gilman and Greene sold to George Brooks, thence, Northwesterly and adjoining said ninth street twenty feet to an alley of fifteen feet as width laid out through Square No. 3 from eight to ninth street thence southwesterly and in line of the easterly side of said Alley fifty feet, thence Southeasterly and at right angles with said alley twenty feet to said Brooks land thence Northeasterly and adjoining Brooks land fifty feet to the place of beginning being twenty feet front on said ninth street and fifty feet deep on said alley with right angles and is part of lot No. 4 on said Square No. 3 as laid down on the plan of the Norwich Water Power Company lots at said Greenville.”

The town clerk, John H. Grace, recorded the transaction May 20, 1837.

H. & J. Wilson Company

Hugh mortgaged his lot March 10, 1838, to merchants Jedidiah and Jonathon G. Huntington for $363.79. (Deed Book 47, pages 246-247)

  “I the said Wilson do by these presents bind myself and my heirs forever to warrant and defend the above granted and bargained premises to them the said Huntingtons their heirs and assigns against all claims and demands whatsoever  Always provided that these presents are upon condition that whereas the aforesaid Hugh Wilson with his brother J. Wilson associated in business under the name and firm of H & J Wilson are justly indebted to J & J G Huntington in the sum of $363/80 (Three hundred & sixty three 79/100 dollars) by note dated 24^th Feby 1838 for that sum signed by s’d H & J Wilson in their co name payable to said Huntingtons six months from date with interest”

Hugh signed the mortgage which had been witnessed by James Wilson 2^nd and the Justice of the Peace Jesse Fuller. Uncle appeared before the Justice of the Peace March 28, 1838, with the agreement recorded by the town clerk the same day. At first, I thought James Wilson 2^nd was Hugh’s son, but then I recalled young James had not yet reached the age of 21 years. He was still a minor and not old enough to appear in official court documents. James Wilson 2^nd must be my Great Grandfather.

Later that year Uncle Hugh acquired a lot from George Brooks of Griswold, New London Co., CT (August 20, 1838). George Brooks owned the property bordering Uncle Hugh’s parcel. (Deed Book 47, pages 395-397)

H. & J. Wilson Machine Business Dissolved

April 24, 1839, Hugh and James officially dissolved their partnership. A legal notice ran in the Norwich Courier, Norwich CT May 1, May 8, and May 15, 1839.

The brothers mutually agreed to end their partnership. Uncle Hugh would continue operating the machine shop and promised to pay all debts. 

Grandfather James and Uncle Hugh

Earlier this year I renewed my efforts to find the ancestry of my 3^rd Great Grandparents James Wilson and Marion Moore of Scotland. Grandfather James’ brother, Hugh Wilson, has become my lucky charm always helping me piece the family together. In his will, Uncle Hugh bequeathed monies to James’ children. After finding my 2^nd Great Grandfather Walter Wilson’s surviving siblings, I found 3^rd Great Grandmother Marion (Moore) Wilson living with a daughter. You can read my earlier post Thank you, Uncle Hugh, for details. I soon began a quest to learn about my 2^nd Grandfather Walter Wilson’s sisters and brothers (all children of James Wilson and Marion Moore). On Feb. 24^th I dedicated a post to The Wilson Sisters—Marion, Ann, and Janett and earlier this month I did the same for The Wilson Brothers—Hugh, Walter, and John.

Today I’ll post what I’ve been able to learn about the Scots I call family.

Ties to Scotland

3rd Great Grandfather James Wilson and his brother Hugh both were born in Scotland. I estimate Grandfather James’ birth about 1800 and believe he died before 1850. According to Uncle Hugh’s tombstone, his birth date was Sept. 23, 1794, and death May 19, 1881. Census records confirm their birthplace to be Scotland. As of this writing, I have no clue about their parentage.

Meet the Wives

Both brothers married women born in Scotland. My ancestor James Wilson married Marion Moore probably in the 1820’s. I don’t know if James wed Marion in Scotland or if they married in the United States. After following Marion in the census records, I calculate her birth to be approximately 1800. The last time I found her in a census was 1870. You can read more about Grandmother here.

Hugh Wilson married a lady named Charlotte. Hugh’s son, James, born 1817 in Scotland indicates Hugh and Charlotte wed in Scotland. Charlotte’s tombstone engraving at the Greenville Cemetery (also known as Hickory Street Cemetery) in Norwich, Connecticut provides a birth date of June 21, 1792, and death on October 18, 1877.

Speculation

Familysearch.org has ‘Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910’ in their collection. I searched for any ‘Hugh Wilson’ that married ‘Charlotte’ and got two results similar to each other. Both marriages took place in December 1816. Hugh wed Charlotte Scrimgeour Dec. 15^th in Barony, Lanark, Scotland. The Dec. 31^st ceremony took place in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland marrying Hugh to Charlotte Scrimper. 

 

 

Is this my 3^rd Great Granduncle Hugh who immigrated to New London County, Connecticut around the 1820’s? If you say the brides’ surnames, it possible Charlotte Scrimgeour and Charlotte Scrimger could be the same individual. If this turns out to be true, I would like to know why the marriage dates and event places differ. 

Any advice is welcome! 

 

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.