Our Wilson Ancestors – Bradley Wilson and Generations Further Back.
[much of this taken from a typed compilation of unknown authorship
 – but very possibly written by Florence P Hunter and Vera L. Price
  - descendants of L. D. Wilson Sr ]

 

1.       Bradley Wilson [ 1769-1842] was born in Petersham, Worcester,  Massachusetts and married Mary Gill, nicknamed Polly.  The following is what was copied from an old Deseret News article by Adriene young:   “In 1808 Bradley Wilson went with his family to Willsborough, Essex, New York, with the intent of locating his family of seven boys on farms surrounding him.  But he found that part of the country too thickly settled for this purpose so about 1825 he again took up the line of course of the empire and found his way with his wife and sons into Ohio, where they settled in Perry, Richland County.   After all seven boys were married and had homes built, their father could see the smoke arising from all seven chimneys from his own house.

 

In the spring of 1836 Oliver Granger and George Albert Smith came into the neighborhood as Mormon Elders.  They were received with coldness and refused the use of the school house to hold their meetings, as well as threatened with violence unless they left the locality.   Learning of the condition of affairs and knowing it was the usual custom for other denominational preachers to have the use of the school house, the Wilson boys told the Elders they would constitute a committee of seven t help them.   Accordingly notice was given out and the meeting held with the boy guarding against disturbance.

 

The next day Oliver Granger told them they would yet join the church – but received the answer from the old gentleman:  “I guess not”. The Elders left and had not been on the road many hours when a man on a wagon overtook them with the summons to return.   The defenders of the previous night had reconsidered and were ready for baptism, which took place May 3rd 1836. 
Selling out their farms all the family removed the same year to Missouri, where they all settled at Tinneys Grove, not many miles from Far West.   Here the troubles and the mobbings and drivings of 1838 found them.  They stood the hard times after moving to Nauvoo from its rise to its downfall.

 

The History of the Church Volume 4 Page 408 speaksa of their baptisms.

George Clinton, Lewis Dunbar and Bradley Barlow Wilson all three settled in Ogden, Weber County, Utah.  Whitford Gill settled in Farmington, Utah. Henry Hardy in St George, Utah where he worked at the coopers trade.  Wilson Ward and Wilson Lane in Ogden were named after these three Wilson brothers.

 

From excerpts taken from the biography of George A. Smith:  “I preached to a large congregation on Bradleys porch in the township of Perry, Richland Co., Ohio on the evidence of the Book of Mormon. “

 

Elder George A. Smith & companion Don Carlos Smith, missionaries in Missouri in the year 1838, having walked all day and part of the night with no place to stay till two in the morning when they came to the door of Whitford Gill Wilson of Tinney Grove, and were welcomed in to stay the night, to warm their chilled bodies, and were fed by members of the church. The day was 25th of December in Missouri.

 

Bradley had 39 grandchildren when he died in 1842 (Nov 15th) in Nauvoo.
His sons became known as the Seven Brothers after the exodus from Nauvoo.  Guy Carlton died on the plains, but the other six all lived and died in Utah – faithful to the last, with the exception of the youngest, Bushrod Washington, who went to san Bernadino California and remained there until his death.

 

“History of Springfield, Vermont:

Daniel Gill [1734-1793 and father of Polly Gill] was a pioneer of the Gill family, a carpenter and millwright who came from Exeter, Rhode Island about 1770.   He was elected a member of the legislature in 1784 and again in 1792, and while attending the session in the latter year he was presented with a petition signed by 195 inhabitants of Springfield and vicinity bearing date of October 19 1792 appointing him and Captain Abner Bisbee agents to select homestead for them in Upper Canada, in response to a proclamation issued by John G Simcoe, Governor of the Province.  Returning from that mission he was taken sick and died at Suez, New York, Dec 7 1793.  He married Mercy Whitford of New jersey and from this union her ancestry goes back to royalty.  One of her ancestors Frances Latham [1609-1677] was known as the “Mother of Governors” as so many distinguished men have descended from her through hr 4th husband William Vaughn.  [see: http://pages.prodigy.net/reed_wurts/heraldry/latham.htm ]

   

2.       Deliverance Wilson [1737-1805 married Sarah Smith].  Two of his seven sons out of 10 children, Deliverance Jr and Bradley were part of the Mormon pioneers immigrating to Utah with their families.   
[ Also see: http://www.orsonprattbrown.com/CJB/1824-1888-John-Martin-Brown/stephen-fairchild-wilson.html ]
 

3.       Joseph Wilson  [1692--1743 Married Rebecca Phelps]  - township of 6 miles square in the unappropriated lands of Providence, they being a competent number for such a settlement.  The place where they are desirous is situated in the western part of this providence beginning 6 miles from Rutland northwest corner to the westward thereof and running to the westward 6 miles and bounding southerly on Rutland township which will accommodate the settlers for a town between this and the Naraganset Township.  The proprietors numbered 71 and 72 after the minister settled upon his division, but he did not arrive until 1738, others settled in April 1733.   It was called until it was incorporated a town, Nichewaug.

It was called, until it was incorporated as a twon, “Nichewaug”.  Very few of the original proprietors settled in the plantations of Nichewaug.  In 1750 the names of f47 of the 61 families then actually settled in town are given in a report to the general court and the name of Joseph Wilson alone appears on the list of first proprietors.   The conditions of the grant required only 60 families to be settled on the granted territory within three years and the privilege  of postponing actual settlement beyond the period of 3 years was conferred for a pecuniary consideration.   Rev. E. B. Wilson in his address in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the town says: “A tradition exists that Joseph Wilson built the first house in town, near the residence of Mr. David C. Page and the tradition sometimes adds he was the first white man who spent a winter here.   If Mr. Simeon Houghton who settled on what is known as the Charles Wilder place, was not here as early as Mr. Wilson he certainly was not much behind him.

Taken from the “History of Worcester County, Massachusetts Vol. 2” also from “History of Petersham 1637-1947” by Mabel Coolidge – the same Petersham book lists Joseph Wilson during the revolution as a private in Captain J. Wheelers company of minutemen which marched on alarm of April 19 1775 and served 12 & 1.2 days.

 

4.       Jeremiah Wilson [1665-1743] married Hannah Beman and had 10 children residing in Mass.  Wills to prove his lineage are found in Middlesex County Records, in Massachusetts.

 

5.       Benjamin Wilson [1637-1666] the eldest son of Robert  Wilson,  came to America soon after his father’s death returning later to care for the estate.   He married Ann or Anna – surname unknown.  She was admitted to the church in Charlestown, Mass.  29 Feb 1660.   The inventory of Benjamin’s estate was taken 9 Jan 1666, he having perished at sea.  This information taken from Wyman’s history of Charlestown.  Other sources for information are from Mr. Savage in his Genealogical Dictionary of New England Vol 4 page 582.  Also the Salt Lake City Gen. Soc. The Wilson manuscript has some good information – but not all has been found accurate.

 

6.       Robert Wilson [1612-1644], our common ancestor was born in England and owned property in Warwickshire, England.  Stoneleigh Abbey (which was a religious building) was to have been owned by him.  But there has been no real proof whether he really owned it or not.   He did own property such as farm land and houses and in London he owned property in “Frying Pan Alley”.  According to family tradition and the Family Organization manuscript entitled “Report to the Wilson Association, USA” Made by Harrison O. Smith – AD 1866 – it claims he was a millionaire. His wife’s name was Alice Susan Ram.

 

7.       Robert Wilson [1561-1644] of London England – married Katherine Rudd

 

8.       Robert Wilson [1531 - ????] of England – married Margaret Wood