Henry Wilson, Sr, was born in about 1727 in Ulster (Northern Ireland). The names of his parents are unknown. The biography of his great-grandson, Henry Todd Wilson from the “History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison, & Nicholas Counties, Kentucky”, by W. H. Perrin, 1882 (p. 533) states:

“…The Wilson family have been noted as long-lived people, of Scotch-Irish descent, the great-grandfather coming with his parents, when an infant, to the city of Philadelphia, in which, without relatives, he was, at the age of seven years, left an orphan by the death of both parents.”

No mention is made of the circumstances under which he grew to adulthood. The following quote is taken from an article in the Danville, Kentucky. Advocate dated Apr. 4, 1884:

“The four Wilson brothers mentioned were uncles of Judge John Kincaid, deceased, who was forty years of his life a resident of Boyle county. Col. James Kincaid, the father of Judge John Kincaid, was an officer in the ‘Continental Line’ of Virginia and served under Gen George Rogers Clark in his famous expedition against the Indians and British beyond the Ohio River. He married Sarah Wilson, the sister of the brothers named above, in the fort at Harrodsburg. He went with his brother-in-law and his brother, Joseph Kincaid, to the battle of Blue Licks. Israel Wilson and Joseph Kincaid were among the slain. The Wilsons were first cousins of the distinguished Judge James Wilson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and who died a member of the United States Supreme Court. The biographer of the signers declared in his work that ‘Madison and Wilson were the most useful members of the Convention.’…”

The four Wilson brothers were John, Israel, Henry [Jr.], and another brother whose name couldn’t be remembered. The brothers were sons of Henry Wilson, Sr., although not stated in the newspaper article. James Wilson, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born in 1742, the son of William and Aleson (Landale) Wilson, and didn’t come to America until 1765. They were from St. Andrews, Scotland. Henry Wilson, Sr. is known to have been Scotch-Irish, which means Northern Ireland. The chances of their being a connection is highly unlikely.

The descendants of the four Wilson brothers and Sarah (Wilson) Kincaid thought that they were sons and daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel George Wilson (1728-1777) and Elizabeth (McCreary) Wilson (Mrs. Mamie Kincaid Larkin Chapman, NSDAR #12062; Mrs. Lucy Wilson Gorin (NSDAR #69458, Mrs. Annabel Lee Burns, NSDAR #111096). The Burns application states that Lieutenant-Colonel George Wilson was the father of 5 children:

1. John, was killed in the battle of Blue Licks
2. Henry, born 1761, married Franky Faulkner
3. Sarah, married James Kincaid
4. one daughter, married Alec McCoy and moved to Ohio

The father of Ham Wilson was also a son of Lieutenant-Colonel George Wilson, but I do not know his name.

“There may have been other children.”

As demonstrated in the chapter on George Wilson, the “father of Ham Wilson” was George Wilson. The above five were definitely siblings. However, they were NOT children of Lieutenant-Colonel George Wilson. The clue to their parentage comes from the marriage consent for Sarah Wilson and James Kincaid:

“Please to grant James Kincaid license to marry my daughter Sarah, given under my hand and seal this the second day of February one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.

“Henry Wilson”

The witnesses were George Wilson and William Sheperd. The actual descendants of Lieutenant-Colonel George Wilson are aware of the claims of the Henry Wilson, Sr. descendants and know that they are false. So, if not Lieutenant-Colonel George. who was the father of the Wilson siblings? The answer can be found in the above marriage consent.

Worthy of note: An authentic descendant of Lieutenant-Colonel George Wilson has taken the y-DNA test offered by Family Tree DNA. A descendant of our Wilson family has taken the y-DNA test. They don’t come close.

Henry Wilson, Sr. married Mary ____ prior to 1755. They were living in Augusta Co., Virginia by 1759, and possibly long before then. They moved to Botetourt Co., Virginia prior to 1771. Henry Wilson, Sr. moved to near Harrodsburg, Kentucky in 1775. A deposition made by his son, Henry Wilson [Jr.] in 1843 to Lyman Draper stated (p. 33):

“Early in the year ‘75, Harrod with a party were exploring the country camped at Harrodburg & then at Harrod’s Landing -about 8 or 9 miles from Harrodsburg. He sent word to the McAfees (James, Robt, George, & Wm), old Henry Wilson, John & James McCoun, Thos Woods, Jerry Tilford, Sam Adams & some 5 others then making improvements in that region[,] wherever there several tastes led them (They came out early in the spring), scattering over a country of several miles, chiefly on Salt River land. To ‘belt’ or _____ a fourth or half an acre & cut the initials in a tree _____ __ the foundation of a cabin a few logs high was considered sufficient evidence of an improvement. Harrod sent word to them that he had seen Indian signs in the country & thought it best to return to the Monongahela & advised them to be on the lookout. Wilson’s was the last improvement made -it was on the west bank of Salt River, on a beautiful elevation, with a fine spring on the margin of the river. He had a bottle of rum or ‘taffy’ -a French name- which he had brought out with him from Va., & had carefully kept it in case of sickness, after his cabin foundation was laid, this was produced & the place was christened ‘Wilson’s Improvement’ -here in the fall of ‘79 he moved out his family & settled his station -two miles above Harrodsburg.”

Note the mention of John & James McCoun. The surname was actually McCown. These records indicate a geographical/ social affinity between Henry Wilson, Sr., and the McCown family. There might be a lot more to it than this. The descendant of Henry Wilson Sr., whose y-DNA was tested by Family Tree DNA did not match any Wilson, However, he did have a relevant match at an ultra-high resolution (37 marker) to several descendants of the McCown family. These matching McCowns were related to the McCown family that settled Harrodsburg at an early day. Their migration pattern that led them to Kentucky mirrored that of Henry Wilson, Sr.

My current theory is that Henry Wilson, Sr. was born Henry McCown. I think it is probable that, after his parents died in Philadelphia ca. 1734-35, young Henry McCown went to live with a Wilson family, perhaps his mother’s relatives, and assumed the surname. During the course of his life, Henry may have remained in contact with McCown relatives.

Dr. Paul K. Chinburg, a member of the Fort Hays Chapter of the Kansas Society, SAR, is a descendant of James McCoun, Sr., who was born in 1717 in Antrim, Ireland and died on Oct. 4, 1800 in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Although the details of the kinship between Henry Wilson, Sr. and James McCoun, Sr. haven’t been worked out, the y-DNA results confirm the kinship.

As the county boundaries changed, Harrodsburg was located in Kentucky Co., Virginia, then Lincoln Co., Virginia, and finally in Mercer Co., Virginia, all of which became part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1792. Henry Wilson, Sr. and family continued to live near Harrodsburg until 1791, when most of the family settled near Little Rock in Bourbon Co., Kentucky.

Mary [Surname unknown] Wilson died ca. 1794-95. Henry Wilson, Sr., married a second wife, Elizabeth (Mahan) McNickle before 1797. Henry Wilson, Sr. died in the Spring of 1820 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky.

During the American Revolution, Henry Wilson, Sr. was a defender of the frontier. He built a cabin near Harrodsburg, Kentucky in 1775, and operated Wilson Station near Harrodsburg, Kentucky after 1779. Wilson Station was the embarking point for a number of campaigns under the command of General George Rogers Clark during the latter part of the Revolutionary War.

Many details regarding Wilson Station can be found in “Stockading Up”, by Nancy O’Malley, 1987 (p. 277-279):

“Henry Wilson’s Station

“Henry Wilson was one of several Wilsons who entered the Mercer County area at an early date. The land court records of 1779-1780 (Wilson 1923) attribute the station (also called Fort Liberty) to Henry Wilson, Jr. and locate it on a branch of Salt River, about two miles north of Harrodsburg and three-fourths of a mile below McAffe’s Upper Station (William McAfee’s Station). James McAfee’s journal (Draper mss. 4cc-28) relates that Robert McAfee built a cabin for his family in 1779 at Wilson’s Station, three miles northwestwardly of Harrodsburg, where George May had his surveying office. However, this location does not agree with Robert B. McAfee’s report that the station stood on the high ridge east of Salt River just below the mouth of Dry Fork (McAfee 1927). This location is southwest of Harrodsburg and coincides with the location of Henry Wilson’s land grants. Primary documentary evidence for both sites appears to be equally good; however, the reasons for both being called Wilson’s Station are unknown. Judging from locational clues described by James McAfee and the Land Court, the station northwest of Harrodsburg stood on William McAfee’s land in the vicinity of present Judd Siding (Figure IV-76). No field verification of this possible site was attempted.

“The other site, described by Robert B. McAfee, was field checked. A house depression of rectangular plan was noted in a pasture 500 feet north of a modern brick house presently owned by the Peterson family on Dry Branch Road. Henry Wilson acquired land in this area on two Treasury Warrants of 400 and 1000 acres, surveyed in 1780 and 1784 and granted in 1782 and 1786 respectively (Brookes-Smith 1976:230; Virginia Survey Book 1, p. 37; Book 10, p. 432). The survey calls for the 400-acre tract state that the beginning corner was on the south side of Salt River about one-half mile from Wilson’s Station, thus clearly indicating that one site known as Wilson’s Station was in the vicinity. Reconstruction of the neighboring Wilson tract and Robert McAfee’s 400-acre grant indicates that Wilson’s Station was in the 1000-acre tract. The plats and station are shown in Figure IV-81.

“The site thought to be Wilson’s Station concurs well with historical clues. It is located on the east side of Salt River just below the mouth of Dry Branch. Its dimensions are approximately 20 by 40 feet which would accommodate a sizeable building suitable for court sessions which are known to have been held here. It is designated 15Me50 by the Office of State Archaeology.

“The structural remains take the form of a rectangular depression which demarcates the north, west and south sides of the rectangle. The depression so formed may have been used as a shallow cellar with the main floor built over it. The front of the structure would have been to the west, facing Dry Branch Road. The embankment consisted of organically rich, cultural midden, containing nineteenth century debris such as canning jar fragments and ceramics. Limestone blocks were also noted. The site continued to be occupied into the nineteenth century, perhaps until or even after a nearby frame house (next to the modern brick structure) was built around the 1850s. Obviously, the later debris obscured the earlier remains, making verification of a pioneer occupation difficult without more extensive excavation.”

On April 26, 1780, Henry Wilson entered a claim for 1,000 acres in Kentucky, by virtue of a warrant for preemption, on both sides of the Salt River joining David Adams on his lower end and Robert McAfee, and to run up joining Briscoe and Davis for quantity (Old Kentucky Entries and Deeds, Jefferson Co. Book A, page 26) This land was purchased with preemption Treasury Warrant No. 54, which was purchased for 400 pounds from the Commonwealth of Virginia on Feb. 26, 1780, entitling Henry Wilson to 1,000 acres in the Kentucky District. A sworn statement by three witnesses proves that Henry Wilson was eligible for a preemption warrant:

“Kentucky County Sct.) We do hereby certify that Henry Willson is intitled to the preemption of one thousand acres of land at the State price in the district of Kentucky[,] he having built a cabbin on a tract of land lying on the Town Fork of the Salt River[,] including McAfees upper station[,] in the year 1775[,] to include such improvements. Given under our hands at Harodsburgh the 26 of October 1779. [Signed by] Wm Fleming, Edmund Lyne, James Barbour[,] Test[:] John Williams Jr. C.C.C”

Some family historians have attributed both the purchase of the 1,000 acre tract and the existence of Wilson Station to Henry Wilson, Jr. Their contention is that there was no Henry Wilson, Sr., since in their erroneous opinion, Henry Wilson [Jr.] was the son of Lt. Col. George Wilson. In order to make their erroneous opinion work, they have to assert that Henry Wilson, Jr. was a few years older than he really was. The tradition is that Henry Wilson [Jr.] was born Mar. 1, 1754 in Fairfax Co., Virginia. Henry Wilson [Jr.] was a noted Revolutionary War soldier and has been described by some as the “hero of Bryant’s Station”. Henry Wilson [Jr.] died in 1848 and because of both his heroism and his longevity was interviewed several times and made depositions. To get an understanding of the involvement of Henry Wilson, Sr. in the Revolutionary War, one must take a look at the service record of Henry Wilson [Jr.] and see what Henry Wilson [Jr.] had to say about the matter.
The Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort contains an article entitled, “Military History and Biographical Sketch of Henry Wilson A Soldier of the Revolution at Bryan Station.” This was compiled in the 1930s by Mrs. Mary Lou (Harris) Rust of Pilot Grove, Mo.:

“Copy of Abstract from Original Pension Application.

“Pension Record

“Wilson, Henry

“Sur. File No. 30795, Cert. No. 19290 Issued Aug. 21, 1833, Act of June 7, 1832, Ky. Agency -Va. Service $93.33 per annum from March 4, 1831.

“Applied for pension, Sept. 3, 1832

“Age 72 years. Born in Augusta Co., Va. Resided at date of Application, Montgomery Co., Ky.

“Resided at date of enlistment, _____

“Drafted in fall of 1778 and served one month under Col. Fleming.

“Vol. spring 1780 and served for three months under Capt. Geo. Scott, as Indian spy. Stationed at McAfee Station, guarding the country against Indians.

“Vol. July, 1780 in Capt. John Allison’s Co. Col. Geo. Rogers Clarke’s Regiment and served in three months expedition against the Indians on the Ohio and Miami Rivers.

“Reenlisted at once and served three months as Sergeant in Capt. Charles Gatliff’s Co., Col. Trigg’s Regiment. On guard at Bryant’s Station, Lieuts. James Ray and James McCulloch, commanded as Captain better part of the time as Capt. Gatliff went home.

“In the fall of 1781 was employed with Thos. Wilson and James Ledgewood, as Indian spys. Discovered and Indian camp up the Kentucky river and on his return was appointed Captain of a company, to march against this camp. Had a battle with Indians and lost three men. Volunteered in August, 1782, for three months under Capt. Silas Harlan, Col. Trigg’s Regiment against Indians, who had besieged Bryant Station and was in fatal battle of Blue Licks, where they were compelled to retreat.

“Out again in the same year in Capt. Simon Kenton’s Company, as a Sergeant; burned the Indian town of New Chillicothe or Piqua.

“Claimed, in all, twenty-three (23) months of actual service.

“James Ray, testified August 17, 1832, that he served with Wilson, in Capt. Gatliff’s Co. and that Wilson was a Sergeant.

“Capt. James McCulluh, testified Sept. 3, 1832, that Wilson served under him as Sergeant at Bryant Station.

“Henry Wilson lived in Va. until 1779, removed to Kentucky, where he settled with his father at Wilson Station, near Harrodsburg. Then to Bourbon Co. and in 1830, to Montgomery Co., Ky...

“Revolutionary War Record of Henry Wilson

“Date of enlistment -Fall 1778. Length of service -one month. Col. Fleming -Virginia, and from October, 1779 to October 1782, served about 23 months as Private, Sergeant and Indian Spy in the Virginia Militia under Captains Geo. Scott, John Allison, Chas. Gatleff, Silas Harlin, Simon Kenton, and James Kingcaid, and Colonels Trigg, Logan, Boone and George Rogers Clarke; he was in the Indian Expositions of 1780 and 1782 under George Rogers Clarke; in 1781 he was Captain of a Company two or three months, during which time he was in engagements with Indians.

“Battles -see above. Residence of soldier at enlistment, Augusta Co., Va. Date of application for pension, Sept. 3, 1832. His claim was allowed. Residence at date of application, Montgomery Co., Ky. Age at date of application -71 years. Born in Augusta Co., Va.

“Remarks: Soldier lived in Augusta Co., Va. until 1779, then moved with his father (name not stated) to Wilson’s Station, near Harrodsburg, Ky. and in 1830 moved to Montgomery Co., Ky...”

Note If Henry Wilson was age 72, he was born between Sep. 3, 1759 and Sep. 3, 1760. He stated in his pension application that he was born in Augusta Co., Virginia. This birthdate is supported by a deposition made in 1820, which begins:

“This deponent, Henry Wilson, aged sixty years, being first duly sworn, deponeth & sayeth that he came to Kentucky about the first of March 1779, and settled at Wilson’s Station about two miles from Harrodsburgh…”

Lyman Draper interviewed Henry Wilson, Jr. extensively in 1843. The deposition, now part of Draper Manuscripts, provides conclusive evidence that the Henry Wilson who received the land grant and built the station was in fact, Henry Wilson, Sr. Henry Wilson [Jr.] spoke of himself in third person:

Draper Manuscripts (32 J p. 60):

“Henry Wilson…

“A native of Augusta -near Stanton -born March 1st 175_ -came to Ky. with Bowman in ‘78 -raised the seige of Logan’s -a spy at McAfee’s near about 7 months -guarded parties in ‘79 through the wilderness road & then back again to Ky. His father’s station settled that fall, remained there a hunter -next year, ‘80 was a sergeant in John Allison’s Company on Clark’s campaign -also a sergeant under Harlan at the Blue Licks & under Capt. Simon Kenton, in McGary’s regt, in the fall campaign of ‘82. In ‘85, apt. Lieutenant of the town company in Harrodsburg, as Wilson’s Station was included in the limits of that company. -In ‘88 apt. Captain -on several scouts.” [underlining mine]

The final digit in the year of his birth had a six written on top of the original number, which may have been a four or a nine. Henry Wilson confirmed that he was born in Augusta Co., Virginia, and referred to the Wilson Station as “his father’s station”.

Draper Manuscripts (32 J, p. 36):

“Horse Expedition in 1780

“While Clark’s campaign of ’80 was going on against the northern Indians, the Cherokees were busy in stealing horses from the settlements –from Logan’s Fort, Boonesboro, Harrodsburg, Whitley’s, Wilson’s, & Carpenter’s Station.

“When Whitley returned, he felt vexed, and said he would have horses, too. With a faithful companion he set out to _____ Cumberland, took up the south fork of Yellow Creek, & struck the Tennessee, went on to an Indian town a short distance below where the river ___ through the mountains –got four horses & returned in safety.

“Henry Wilson Jr., learning of Whitleys success, went to see him & get directions. Eleven horses had been taken from his father’s station on Salt River & he was desirous of making good the number…”

In the above narration, Henry Wilson [Jr.] actually referred to himself as Henry Wilson, Jr. and again made reference to “his father’s station”

Draper Manuscripts (32 J p. 3-4):

“Shortly after New Years the McAfees came from Botetourt with some 20 men to raise corn –Robt., Sam, & James went out on Salt River, 2 miles from Harrodsburg, & took possession of an old improvement of Henry Wilson Sr. made in ’75, & built a block house near a fine spring, & petitioned Bowman for a party of men to be stationed there for their protection. A guard of four or five were placed there –Henry Wilson among them, on guard…”

The above testimony of Henry Wilson, Jr. clearly indicates that the improvement was made by Henry Wilson, Sr. Even though this was narrated in the third person, the suffix “Sr.” clearly indicates that this was a different person from the Henry Wilson giving the interview.

All of the quotes from Draper Manuscripts make it clear that Wilson Station was built and maintained as a fort by Henry Wilson, Sr., father of Henry Wilson, Jr. This alone constitutes public service. Wilson Station was actively used by the militia under the command of George Rogers Clark. One company is actually on record as having entered service at Wilson Station (George Rogers Clark and His Men[,] Military Records, 1778-1784”, by Margery Heberling Harding, 1981, p. 184-185 contains compiled military data for the Kentucky phase of the Revolutionary War and contains the following reference:

“A payroll of Lincoln Militia of Captain Simon Kenton Company on actual Service on an Expedition against enemy Indians under the Command of General Clark 1782” includes Henry Willson (private), James Scott (private), George Wilson (private), and Thos. Wilson (private). Henry, James, and George were side by side. Thomas was further down the list. They entered service at Wilson Station. They served from Oct. 23 to Nov. 23, 1782.”

The following public service was not mentioned in my SAR application, but is worthy of note: On Jul. 1, 1780, Henry Wilson served on a jury in a case of escheat. The other jurors were Daniel Boone, John Bowman, Nathaniel Randolph, Waller Overton, Robert McAfee, Edward Gaither, Joseph Willis, Paul Forman, Jeremiah Tilford, James Wood, and Thomas Gant. This service has usually been attributed to Henry Wilson, Jr. However, the service probably belonged to Henry Wilson, Sr., when one considers the following:

1. In most jurisdictions, people have to be at least 21 years old to serve on a jury. In this case, that means a birthdate prior to Jul. 1, 1759. If the deposition of 1820 and pension application of 1832, both made by Henry Wilson [Jr.], were correct, Henry Wilson [Jr.] was born in 1760.
2. Henry Wilson, Sr. already owned a lot of land by the time this jury was assembled.

Until the advent of my genealogical research, Henry Wilson Sr. remained one of the unknown heroes of the Kentucky phase of the Revolutionary War. Neither the DAR nor SAR had recognized him as a patriot beforehand. The service statement on my supplemental application was modified by NSSAR to say “mil Virginia Pvt”. I never claimed that Henry Wilson, Sr. was a Private. The service added was that of. his son, Henry Wilson, Jr. I hope that this article clears up the matter.

Family: (Generation 9) The 1790 census of Mercer Co., Virginia, and the 1800 census of Bourbon Co., Kentucky no longer exist. The 1810 census of Stoner Twp., Bourbon Co., Kentucky (p. 226) showed the Henry Wilson Sr. household as 00001-00101- This household contained one male born before 1765, one female born before 1765, and one female born between 1784 and 1794. Living nearby was Henry Wilson and George Wilson.

Henry Wilson, Sr. died intestate before Jan. 4, 1819 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky. He was not listed in the 1818 Bourbon Co., Kentucky tax list. Henry Wilson Sr.’s death can be inferred from a deed dated Jan. 4, 1819, in which Henry Wilson, Jr. was first identified as “Henry Wilson (senr)” (Bourbon Co., Kentucky Deed Book O, p. 60). Another deed involving Henry Wilson, Sr. was made by court order on Dec. 18, 1818 (Bourbon Co., Kentucky Deed Book O, p. 42-43). The timing of his death is based on information drawn from the lawsuit “Henry Wilson, Sr., vs. Henry Wilson, Jr.” (Bourbon Co., Kentucky Case File ____). Henry Wilson, Sr., made his complaint befor Nov. 6, 1816. Extensive depositions were taken throughout 1817. The case was filed on May 15, 1817. The case was continued in Aug. and Nov., 1817, May, Aug., and Nov. 1818, May, Aug., and Nov. 1819, and finally dismissed in May 1820. A complete abstract can be found in “Three Wilson Generations in early Bourbon Co., Kentucky: The families of Henry Wilson Sr. (ca. 1727-ca. 1818), his son George Wilson (d. 1813), and grandson, John Mitchell Wilson (ca. 1795-1823)…”, by Timothy E. Peterman. The following are excerpts:

Henry Wilson Sr. wrote the following complaint sometime between Oct. 24, 1816, and Nov. 6, 1816:

“To the honorable judge of Bourbon Circuit court in chancery sit[t]ing humbly complaining shew unto your honor your orators Henry Wilson senior and Thomas W. Breckenridge[.] That your orator Henry held and was possessed in fee of a tract of land containing between seven and eight hundred acres part of a settlement and preemption patented in the name of George Zimmerman, that your orator Henry distributed said land except about one hundred and sixty acres amongst his children giving to his son Henry Wilson an equal part with his other children, that your orator Henry had also given to his son Samuel forty nine acres of said land out of the remaining one hundred and sixty acres before mentioned, but had not conveyed to his said son the legal title thereof…that your orator Henry about this time had become indebted to his son Henry in the sum of about two hundred and fifty dollars, and being desirous to pay and satisfy said debt bargained and sold to his said son Henry the aforesaid forty-nine acres in payment and satisfaction of said debt…that your orator Henry presented said deed to his son Henry, who made some objections saying it was blotted… that you orator Henry is almost ninty years of age and his sight very much impaired… that said Henry the son of your orator Henry… your orator Henry sold and conveyed to your orator Thomas W. Breckenridge the remaining part of the one hundred and sixty acres of land…”

On February 25, 1817, the following depositions were taken:

“The depositions of sundry witnesses taken to be used as evidence on the part of the complainants in a suit in chancery depending in the Bourbon Circuit Court, wherein Henry Wilson and Thomas W. Brackenridge are complainants & Henry Wilson jun. are the defendants,… Margaret Brackenridge being of lawful age and first duly sworn deponeth and saith, that she has lived with Henry Wilson the complainant almost since her remembrance for upwards of two years,… she heard Henry Wilson complainant and his son Henry the defendant make a contract about the sale of some land… which Henry the father had bought of Samuel Wilson, another son, who had resided thereon…and said Henry the son observed that he had procured a printed deed and that his brother George Wilson had filled it up for him…

“Questioned by defendant. This deponent [Margaret Breckenridge] states that she was twenty five years old last November that when she went to live with old Mr. Wilson he could read with spectacles…, that she this deponent is the sister of the complainant Thomas W. Breckenridge and that she is the niece of old Mrs. Wilson the wife of the old man, that the old man is now & has been for a long time heretofore very weak & feeble, but seems to have his senses very well, that the old man’s wife is younger than the the old man but how much she don’t know, that the old man is sometimes ruled by his wife, but at other times is not.

“And further saith not

“Margret Brackinridge”

On April 9, 1817, Robert Mitchell & William Rogers made the following deposition:

“The deposition of Robt. Mitchell of lawfull age taken at the house of Henry Wilson Senior in Bourbon County… that he [Robert Mitchell] was present some years ago at the house of Geo. Wilson when Henry Wilson Jr. applied to him the said George…”

These depositions show that:

1. Henry Wilson Sr. had a son named Henry Wilson, Jr.
2. in 1816, Henry Wilson, Sr. stated that he was “almost ninety years of age,” an indication that he was born in about 1727. His age was not challenged by the defendant.
3. Henry Wilson Sr. had a son named Henry Wilson, Jr.
4. Henry Wilson Sr. had a son named Samuel Wilson.
5. Margaret Breckenridge, age 25 in 1817 (born 1792) and had lived with Henry Wilson, Sr. for several years. [age 16-26 in 1810 with Henry Wilson].
6. Margaret Breckenridge was the sister of Thomas W. Breckenridge.
7. Margaret and Thomas Breckenridge were niece and nephew of Henry Wilson, Sr.’s second wife, Elizabeth (Mahan) (McNickle) Wilson.
8. Robert Mitchell was at the house of George Wilson when the deed was drawn up. This is noteworthy since the first wife of George Wilson was Polly Mitchell.
9. George Wilson did NOT make a deposition. Since he was an important witness to the matter, this is an indication that he died prior to Feb. 1817.
10. Henry Wilson Sr. claimed that he deeded equal amounts of land to each of his children. None of these have been found.

The tax lists of Bourbon Co., Kentucky show that Henry Wilson, Sr. owned the following amounts of land in the years specified:

• 1793-1794, 700 acres
• 1796, 530 acres on Hinkston River
• 1797-1800, 530 acres on Brush Creek
• 1802, 200 acres on Drurly Creek
• 1803-1804, 200 acres on Hinkston River
• 1804, 200 acres on Hinkston River
• 1805, 200 acres on Brush Creek
• 1806, 200 acres on Hinkston River
• 1808-1809, 150 acres on Hinkston River
• 1810-1806, 100 acres on Hinkston River
• 1817 ___ acres on Brush Creek
• 1818 gone

Deeds cannot be found to verify all of these reductions. Henry Wilson, Sr. lost 300 acres in an 1801 lawsuit. The 1820 census…

The 1830 census…

1. Henry Wilson, Sr. and Mary (_____) Wilson had several children:
2. John Wilson (born mid-1750s, killed Aug. 20, 1782, in the Battle of Blue Licks.
3. (?) Israel Wilson mid-1750s, supposedly killed Aug. 20,, 1782 in the Battle of Blue Licks). [his existence cannot be verified by any source, other than the 1884 newspaper article cited in the Background section]
4. Henry Wilson, Jr. (born Mar. 1, 1760, died No,v. 1, 1848 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky), married Sep. 12, 1782, in Lincoln Co., Kentucky to Frances Faulkner (born/ died).
5. George Wilson (born ca. 1762, died before Nov. __, 1813 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky), married 1) Jul. 29, 1786, in Lincoln Co., Kentucky to Polly Mitchell (born 1766, died Aug. 5, 1803 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky), married 2) before 1809 to Elizabeth ______ (born, died).
6. Sarah Wilson (born May 3, 1767, died 1840 in Camden Point, Platte Co., MO), married Feb. 4, 1784, in Lincoln Co., Kentucky to James Kincaid (born Mar. 10, 1763 in Albemarle Co., Virginia, died Jul. 8, 1841, in Camden Point, Platte Co., MO). Their son, John Kincaid, was elected state representative in Kentucky in 1819, 1836, and 1837, served in the U.S. Congress from 1829 to 1831 and served as a presidential elector for John K. Polk in the 1844 Electoral College.
7. (?) James Wilson (born, died), married Mar. 25, 1791, in Bourbon Co., Kentucky to Margaret Scott (born, died). Initial speculation by genealogists suggested that James Wilson and Margaret (Scott) Wilson were the parents of John M. Wilson (about 1795-1823) and ancestors of my Wilson line. The evidence that debunks this can be found in the chapter on George Wilson. [an authentic connection is suggested, but not proven, by a deed dated Apr. 21, 1800, in which Henry Wilson [Jr.] sold land to James Wilson (Bourbon Co., Kentucky Deed Book E, p. 292-293), James Wilson witnessed a deed of Henry Wilson [Jr.] in 1800. James Wilson made a bond with Henry Wilson, Sr., George Wilson, and Samuel Wilson to John Scott]
8. Nancy Wilson (born Aug. 17, 1771, died Jul. 22, 1851, in Union Twp., Ross Co., OH), married May 20, 1792 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky to Thomas McCoy.
9. Samuel Wilson (born, died after 1803), married before 1797 to Jane.
10. (?) Robert Wilson (born, died). [witnessed deed of Samuel Wilson in 1797]
11. (?) Andrew Wilson (born, died). [witnessed deeds of Henry Wilson [Jr.] in 1795, 1800]