Per his WWI Draft Registration Card: he was born in Prosperity, SC. He was single at the time and lived at 2218 Gadsden St. in Columbia, He worked for the State of SC as a city circulation clerk.

From his obituary found in The State 06 February 1960: Oscar H. Wilson, 71, for many years an American Legion leader, died at the Veterans Hospital at 12:30 yesterday afternoon after an illness of several years. For some weeks his condition had been serious. When a young man in his teens, Mr. Wilson joined the circulation department of The State and was city circulation manager for a number of years, resigning to become circulation manager of The Columbia Record, which position he left to enter private business. An ardent legionnaire, Mr. Wilson, affectionately known to many as "Doc," became adjutant of Richland Post in which position he served with conspicuous devotion until his health failed. He headed the funerals committee of Richland Post and in that capacity attended services for hundreds of former service men, planting on each grave an American Legion marker. He also would remove the flag from the casket, fold it and present it to the nearest relative. He continued this practice long after he became sick and often at personal sacrifice. The body of no military man was returned to Columbia for at least 30 years that he did not meet the train. And in many ways he was helpful to bereaved families. A strong man, both physically and in character, Mr. Wilson was a person of firm views but one of genial personality and a good sense of humor. So his friends were numerous. As long as his strength permitted he attended Legion and 40 and 8 conventions and when in newspaper work was a jolly addition to all press gatherings. In 1949 The State carried a magazine article on Mr. Wilson's many services to the families of veterans, and to others, the article being entitled "Mr. American Legion." He was state vice commander of the Legion at a time when there was only one vice commander instead of several. He was a charter member of both Richland Post No. 6, The American Legion, and Voiture 1025, 40 and 8. He was a one time post commander and year after year was the post chaplain and service officer. He held every office in the gift of Post 6 except sergeant at arms. Mr Wilson was born in Prosperity, April 17, 1888, a son of the late George Mendenhall Wilson who died in 1905 and Mary Jane Bowers Wilson who died in 1932. He moved to Columbia when he was a little boy and since 1907 had lived in the family residence at 2218 Gadsden Street, the second home built in that part of the Elmwood section. Surviving are three sisters all of the home, Miss Carrie A. Wilson, Miss Ella P. Wilson and Miss Jennie L. Wilson; three brothers, L. C. Wilson of Spartanburg, Thurston A. Wilson of Raleigh and H. Odgen Wilson of Washington, D. C. He also leaves two nieces and two nephews, Mrs. R. C. Herring of Lumberton, N. C., Miss Nancy Lou Wilson of Raleigh, Earle B. Wilson of Darlington and T. Adger Wilson of Chapel Hill. Mr. Wilson was long a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church from which the services will be held at an hour yet to be set but likely Sunday afternoon.