BIO: Hon. James Sharp WILSON, Beaver County, PA
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of
Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y.,
Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 17-21.
_________________________________________________________________
HON. JAMES SHARP WILSON, the highly esteemed president judge of the
Thirty-sixth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, whose portrait appears on the
opposite page, is an honored and talented attorney and a respected citizen of
Beaver. Rarely do we find in the state or even in the United States, a man so
young as Judge Wilson occupying so important a position, or one so mature in
his profession. Judge Wilson has not yet reached his thirty-seventh milestone
in age, but he comes from a distinguished family, and has inherited the power
of leadership to a marked degree. It is said by some, that he is now the
youngest member of the Pennsylvania judiciary.
Like many of our best men, he was born on a farm. His birth occurred in
Franklin township, Beaver county, November 10, 1862. Early in life, he
displayed his ambition for knowledge, and soon matured not only mentally, but
physically. As a student in the public schools, he was ambitious, and at the
early age of fifteen years, he began teaching a district school, and was very
successful in
18 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
this task. While teaching he was also a student, preparing for a college
course. He entered Geneva College at Beaver Falls, from which he graduated in
1885, receiving the degree of A. B. Since then the degree of A. M. has been
conferred upon him by the same institution. After his graduation, he became a
law student under Hon. Henry Rice, of Beaver, and while pursuing that study,
he taught at intervals in the academy at Harmony, Pennsylvania. Judge Wilson
was admitted to the bar of Beaver county, June 4, 1888, and with his active
brain and ambitious spirit, he rapidly became a leader in the political
organization of his favorite party, which was the Republican.
In 1895, he received the nomination for president judge of the Thirty-sixth
Judicial District, and although the conflict was a close one, he was
victorious, and as usual, carried off the honors. He fills the chair with
dignity and his numerous friends predict for him as brilliant a career on the
bench as he has had in political leadership. By his ability and success he
proves himself to be a worthy scion of the Wilson family, so noted for its
prominent men. Judge Wilson is genial, cheerful, kindhearted, and obliging,
and ever ready to do a charitable act. In his religious views, he was reared
a Presbyterian, and steadfastly adheres to its faith, being a member of the
church of that denomination.
Judge Wilson was united in marriage with Sarah I. Hazen on December 25,
1888. Mrs. Wilson is a daughter of Nathan Hazen, whose sketch is found
elsewhere in this volume, and a granddaughter of Samuel Hazen, of both of
whom mention is made in the sketch of Christopher C. Hazen. Judge and Mrs.
Wilson have a handsome modern home, with the Judge's private office adjoining
it, on the corner of Market and Second streets. This fine residence was built
in 1890, and is surrounded by spacious lawns, broad walks, and handsome and
ornamental shade trees. This home is rendered truly happy by the presence of
the following little ones who surround the fireside: John Howard, born
February 1, 1890; James Sharp, Jr., born June 5, 1894; Hugh Hazen, born March
9, 1898, and Mary Elizabeth, born June 5, 1899. The Judge is included among
the membership of many fraternal societies, is past master of the F. & A. M.;
past grand of the I. O. O. F.; the Elks, and others. Judge Wilson is a son of
the late John II. Wilson,; grandson of Thomas Wilson, Jr., great-grandson of
Thomas Wilson, Sr., and great-great-grandson of Hugh Wilson.
Hugh Wilson was born in County Cavan, Ireland, in 1689, and was a son of
Hugh Wilson, who was an officer in King William's army, and was one of the
three men who crossed the River Boyne, July 1, 1690,-facing great danger. For
this act of heroism, he was rewarded with a tract of land containing one
hundred and sixty acres at Cootehill, County Cavan, Ireland, where he
established a country seat. His son, Hugh, married Sarah Craig, and in 1728
came to America (history says), to escape religious persecution, settling
near Bethlehem in Northampton county, Pa., in what was known as the "Irish
Settle-
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ment," and was composed entirely of Old School Presbyterians. Hugh Wilson
was one of the commissioners selected to locate a site for the court house
and jail, which was built at Easton. He was also one of the first justices of
the peace, and assisted in holding the first court held in Northampton county,
Pennsylvania. He purchased seven hundred and thirty acres of land, and
received his title for the purchase in March, 1737. With his son Thomas, he
was interested in flouring mills. On retiring from active business, he
settled with his sons in Buffalo Valley, Pa., where he spent the last days of
his life dying in 1773, and being buried in the churchyard at Lewisburg. The
following are his children's names: William, who was born in Ireland, and
became a merchant at Philadelphia, but was later located in the West Indies;
Mary Ann, wife of Francis McHenry; Elizabeth, wife of Captain William Craig;
Thomas, who married Elizabeth Hayes; Charles, who married Margaret McNair;
Samuel; James; Margaret, wife of William McNair; and Francis, who returned to
Ireland, became an Episcopal minister, and was later appointed tutor for the
family of General Lee, of Virginia.
Thomas Wilson, great-grandfather of the subject hereof, was the next in
line, and was born in Allen township, Northampton county, Pa., in 1724. When
he attained the age of twenty-one years, he erected a flouring mill, with his
father, and, by contract, furnished flour for the continental army; he
received his pay in continental money, and in doing so lost almost his entire
property. Selling what little remained, he took the proceeds and, with his
family, located in Buffalo Valley, Union county, in 1792. There he purchased
a tract of forest land, and cleared some in order to cultivate the soil. This
was about one mile from Lewisburg, where the county- fair grounds and
buildings are now situated. Thomas died in 1799, at the age of seventy- four
years. He married Elizabeth Hayes, a daughter of John and Jane (Love) Hayes.
Mrs. Wilson, in 1803, some years after her husband's death, sold the
property, and with her sons, William and Thomas, removed to Beaver county,
Pa., where her death occurred, in 1812. Their children were: Hugh, born
October 21, 1761, and married to Catherine Irwin; Sarah, wife of Richard
Fruit; Elizabeth, wife of James Dunken; William, who married Ann White;
Thomas, Jr., grandfather of the subject hereof, who will be mentioned later
herein; Mary, wife of Jonathan Coulter; Jane, who was unfortunately drowned
while young; James; and Margaret, wife of John Thomas. Thomas Wilson, Jr.,
grandfather of James Sharp, was born June 17, 1765, and settled in Beaver
county, in 1803. He purchased a tract of land in Franklin township, built a
log cabin and engaged in clearing the land. In those early days, as there was
little or no chance to market the timber, the first clearing was done by
felling and burning the trees, so that a place might be prepared in which to
raise grain and vegetables for household subsistence. The chief aim of the
pioneers and
20 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
settlers of that period was to establish a home and rear a family. They
were happy with children around the old and spacious fireside. Game was
plentiful, the creeks were alive with fish, and wild animals abounded. Here
Thomas Wilson, Jr., spent the remainder of his days, and saw much of the
forest of his youth, turned into blossoming fields under a good state of
cultivation.
He was an active, energetic man, proud of spirit, and austere in business
relations, yet kind and charitable to his neighbors. He was united in
marriage with Agnes Hemphill, October 7, 18o6, and reared a family whose
names are as follows: James, born September 19, 1807, and married to Margaret
Morton; Nancy B., born December 25, 1808, and joined in wedlock with David
Frew; Jane, born March 31, 1810, unmarried; Eliza, born June 5, 1812, who
became the wife of Robert Fullerton; Thomas, born November 26, 1813, whose
life partner was Mary Davidson; Mary A., born February 6, 1816, who died
single; William, born May 7, 1818, who is also single; Col. Joseph H., who
was born May 16, 1820, and died May 30, 1862; John, father of the subject
hereof, whose career will be mentioned later; Francis S., born July 2, 1824,
and wedded to Caroline Wallace; and Craig B., born December 24, 1827, and
joined in matrimony with Elizabeth Pontius. The old homestead formerly owned
by Thomas Wilson, Jr., grandfather of James Sharp, is now owned by the heirs
of Francis S. Wilson.
John H. Wilson, father of the subject hereof, was born May 22, 1822. He was
reared a farmer, and chose that vocation for his life work. He was a man of
sterling qualities, and of a notably energetic disposition. From the very
start, his life was successful; little by little he accumulated property. His
home was in Franklin township, where he passed the closing years of his life.
Mr. Wilson was looked upon as one of the leading men of his vicinity; a man
who was not only thorough in his agricultural operations, but in all his
actions as well,-taking great pride in improving and beautifying his place.
He served one and one half years as county commissioner. At the time of his
death, June 16, 1892, Mr. Wilson owned several farms in the eastern part of
the county.
March 18, 1849, the elder Mr. Wilson led to the hymeneal altar, Mary E.
Mehard, daughter of James Mehard, who came from Ireland to America and
located near Wurtemburg, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Wilson was of Scotch-Irish
descent. She preceded her husband to the grave more than three years,-
passing away to her final rest on April 28, 1889, at the age of fifty-nine
years. This highly respected couple reared a family of six children, viz.:
Nancy Jane; Christiana Orr; William L.; Omar T.; James Sharp; and Loyal W.
Nancy Jane was born December 26, 1849, and was twice married, her first
husband being Dr. J. M. Withrow, and the second being James A. Jackson; she
now resides in North Sewickley township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania.
Christiana Orr, wife of J. G. McAulis, of Lawrence county, Pa., was born
February 17, 1852. William L. was born May 2, 1854;
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he wedded Anna Hilman, and resides on the homestead farm. Omar T. was born
March 4, 1857; he was joined in matrimony with Virginia West, Hon. James
Sharp is the subject of this review. Loyal W., M. D., was born March 25,
1866. He chose for his wife, Emma Weitz, and now practices medicine in New
Castle, Pennsylvania.