The son of Judge Andrew Cook Wilson and Sarah Turner, James married Mary Ann Coughlin on 09 Sep 1873 in Brussels, Calhoun County, Illinois. She was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, but had moved to Calhoun County at the age of 10.

James and Mary they were the parents of 7 children--3 boys and 4 girls. The family lived in St. Louis, Missouri at the turn of the century. He was a farmer there, and Mary ran a rooming house. At that time, 4 of their 7 children were still living, but the only child still living at home was a daughter, Claudine.

James and Mary's marriage ended in divorce, most likely in 1900. He was double listed on the census that year. James was listed as living with Mary in St. Louis and also as living with his father and step-mother in Batchtown, Illinois. That entry reported his marital status as divorced and that his son Martin lived with him.

After James and Mary were divorced, she moved to South Dakota in 1907. At least 3 of their children, Sarah, Martin and Claudine, also moved to South Dakota.

Mary filed a claim on the Cheyenne River and lived with Sarah and her family. Claudine resided in South Dakota with her brother, Martin, and his wife.

Claudine went on to become a dentist. Her husband, DeLorme Blackburn Robinson, was also a dentist. They eventually lived in Kansas City, Missouri for many years.

James' former wife, Mary, died in 1917.

Children from first marriage: 3 sons, 4 daughters.

James married Sarah Reeves on 01 Aug 1906 in Calhoun County, Illinois. Sarah had been married before to James Tannehill and was the mother of 8 children, with at least 3 still living at home when she married James Wilson.

The Wilsons moved to Lincoln County, Missouri and were the parents of 2 children before moving back to Calhoun County.

Sarah died in 1940.

Children from second marriage: 2 daughters.

After Sarah passed away, James moved to Alton, Illinois and lived with his daughter, Luella Mager. He lived there until 15 Oct 1945. James suffered a fall and was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. He remained there for the final 6 months of his life with a broken hip.

A newspaper article about James was published on 03 May 1946 in the Alton Evening Telegraph. It stated that he was celebrating his 95th birthday that day at St. Joseph's Hospital and that hospital attendants were planning to bring him a birthday cake and gifts.

James' sister, Fannie Shannon, died in May of 1946. Less than 12 hours before funeral services were scheduled to begin for her, James died at St. Joseph's Hospital.

According to Illinois death records, James died exactly 1 week after his 95th birthday. (Birth year on stone seems to have been rounded off to 1852.) His obituary also has his age at the time of death as 95 years.

He was survived by 3 daughters Luella Mager of Alton, Rebecca Snyder of Seattle, Washington and Claudine Robinson of Kansas City; 1 son, Martin Wilson of Washington; 3 step-daughters, Trena Meekins and Ida Schuster of Alton, and Fredica Sanders of Foley, Missouri; and 1 half-brother, Robert Wilson of Alton.

James was buried next to his second wife, Sarah, on 12 May 1946.

Father of:

Andrew C. Wilson

Sarah F. "Sadie" Wilson Evans

Margaret W. "Madge" Wilson Albert

James "Martin" Wilson

Laura Wilson

Dr. Claudine Wilson Robinson

Ford Wilson

Luella Jane Wilson Mager Funk

Rebecca E. Wilson Snyder Caselton

Step-father of:

Andrew Tannehill

Irene W. Tannehill

Frederica Tannehill

James' siblings:

Rebecca Wilson Powell Bain

Abigail Wilson Inman

Jane Wilson Flagge

Elizabeth Wilson

John F. "Ford" Wilson

Frances "Fannie" Wilson Shannon

Henry B. Wilson

James' half-siblings:

Infant Wilson

Robert Newton Wilson

James' step-brother:

Edward Ferdinand McCoy