Biography of John A. Wilson

Submitted by Anne Baker on Sun, February 14, 1999.

Surnames: Wilson, Scanland, Dunn, McMurry

Kentucky Genealogy and Biography Volume IV, pg 252 - Battle - Perrin - Kniffin 1885

John A. Wilson was born September 22, 1829, eight miles south of Lebanon, Ky. He is the eldest of eight sons and three daughters born to Micajah and Elizabeth (Scanland) Wilson, natives of Maryland and Marion County Ky., respectively. This couple had no deaths in their family for over forty years.

Micajah Wilson came with his parents to Garrard County, Ky., when a lad of four years; died in 1875 at the age of seventy-nine years; was a son of Thomas Wilson who married Nancy Dunn, and both were natives of Maryland. They came with about twenty families to Garrard County, Ky., about 1800, when a large farm was purchased and improved; they also brought a large number of negroes.

Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson was a daughter of John Scanland, who married Margaret McMurry, who emigrated from Virginia to Marion County, Ky., about 1790; purchased and improved a farm of about 1,000 acres, which is said to be one of the finest in Marion County; also owned a large number of negroes, and was engaged in mercantile business for twenty years.

John A. received his early training and education on a farm; at the age of seventeen he left home and went to live with his grandfather in order to attend to his business and farm. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in the mercantile business for three years, at Bradfordville, Ky., since which time he has turned his attention to speculation, trading in lands and all kinds of stock. In 1856 he located three miles east of Franklin, on 260 acres of land, which he sold one year later for double the purchase price. Since then he has lived on and owned farms in various parts of the county, has also lived in Franklin, engaged in mercantile business; was elected marshal and constable, covering a period of twelve years; also acted as deputy sheriff.

He married, May 2, 1853, Susan A. West, of Simpson County, Ky., a daughter of Fielding B. West, who married a Miss McMurry, and who were born respectively, in Virginia and Kentucky. Three children were born by this union, William M. (deceased), George T. and Emma B. His wife, died in October, 1874, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married for his second wife, Martha H. Tapscott, of Simpson County, in March, 1875. She was a native of Allen County, and a daughter of George & Mary J. (Harvey) Tapscott, of Allen County. Her father was a carpenter and farmer, and his parents came from Virginia to Kentucky about 1812. Mr. Wilson had born to him by this union three children: Mary Inez, John A., and Celeste Sue. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; He is also a Mason. Mr. Wilson located where he now resides in 1874, on 100 acres of land - now owns 400 acres - which is in a good state of cultivation. He cast his first presidential vote for Gen. Scott in 1852; since the war he has been a Democrat.