More of the book, "Wilson - Enke Descendents"

Included in this excellent book are the obituaries of William Wilson and that of Lydia Wilson. I'm going to skip ahead to a recollection of Irene Carrington Daugherty (my grandmother) of her grandparents, the William Wilsons.

"William Wilson came from Bedford, Iowa by covered wagon. He was a carpenter by trade. His wife, Lydia Enke Wilson, was of German Descent. Grandpa Wilson had fought in the Civil War, and had been wounded. They had a hired hand, since Grandpa was unable to work in the fields because of war wounds.

Grandma Wilson said carpenters' wives had the poorest houses. She said she used to sit and cry when she first came to the Dakotas. The farms were so far apart and she was lonely. Note: They probably had a sod house, as did all the first settlers, until their house was built.

Grandpa Wilson was a prosperous farmer. Everyone knew him as "Uncle Billy" Wilson in Wessington. He was a kind man, had blonde hair. Grandma Wilson was a good housekeeper and a beautiful seamstress. She made butter and sold it to Decker and Co., in Chicago, who paid an excellent price for her product which was shipped by train to them.

Grandpa was a scholar and loved to read, had a sizable library. Irene recalls helping him do his chores, since he was always in pain from his old war wounds.

Grandma Wilson always insisted on a family reunion on every holiday, after their children grew and had families. Irene remembers playing with all her cousins at these times. They would use an old water tank for a boat, and go sailing on the slough from the artesian well. She remembers the children being so impatient...they had to wait until all the grownups ate before they were allowed to eat and they were hungry. Perhaps it is because of these frequent reunions that all the cousins became so close and such good friends, continuing the practice of frequent family reunions when they grew up and had families of their own.

Both grandma and Grandpa lived to be in their late 70's. The year that he died, they were going to live in the hotel in Wessington that winter but Grandpa became ill and died of pneumonia. Grandma spent the remaining 8 years living with her children. She wanted her own bed, dresser, etc. and would move lock, stock and barrel each time she moved in with each of their children. She died while living with Rosella (Del)."