From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

pages 761-762

John Wilson, one of the pioneers of 1836, was born in Pennsylvania, Feb. 6, 1800, and when a child removed with his parents to Cayuga County, N. Y. Jan. 18, 1821, he was married in Richland County, Ohio, to Dinah Bodley, a native of Cayuga County, N. Y., and a former schoolmate. Mr. Wilson was reared a farmer. In his early life he taught school in the winter months several years, and also taught singing schools. He removed to Indiana in 1836 and settled on section 3, Salem Township, Steuben County, entering eighty acres of land from the Government. They came from Richland County with ox-teams, in company with John and Charles Bodley, both of whom settled in Salem Township. There was but one house in the township at that time, a log structure on the farm now owned by the E. T. Hammond estate. Mr. Wilson's was the second. His wife died in 1840, and in 1846 he sold his farm and made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Brown, till his death, Nov. 4, 1880. Mr. Wilson united with the Presbyterian church when twenty years of age, and after getting his cabin built invited his neighbors to hold religious services there. He organized the first Sunday-school in the township at his house. He lived a consistent, Christian life, and at his death left the example of a well-spent life. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had a family of nine children, seven born in Ohio and two in Steuben County -- Mary Jane, died in September, 1847, aged twenty-one years; Margaret Ann, wife of John Colwell; Elizabeth C., wife of Samuel Brown; Kate E., wife of Edmund Shepardson; Melcena, wife of Sylvester Holiday; James H.; Edwin H.; Abram Devitt, deceased; Rebecca D., wife of Lucius Meeks.

Submitted by Kim Davoli

E-mail: davoli82@juno.com