JAMES WILSON, JR.  Death took away in the person of James Wilson, Jr., one of the finest types of business success and personal integrity that Auglaize County ever knew.  Though he died May 3, 1913, the sense of loss is still strong with his many associates and friends.  Death came to him early, and yet not before he had brought his years to a full fruition of accomplishment and influence.  His was a life well lived, with well-ordered purpose, with stanch integrity and with a character that still seems to remain and impress itself upon the community where he spent nearly all his years.
     He was born at St. Mary's, Ohio, Sept. 21, 1847, a son of James and Clara (MCKee) Wilson.  His paternal grandparents were natives of Ireland.  His father was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, Jan. 1, 1810, moved to Ohio when three yeas of age, and was a pioneer settler at St. Marys.  A blacksmith by trade, he followed that occupation at Piqua and at St. Maryss, and afterwards was elected county auditor of Auglaize County and removed to Wapakoneta, where he lived until his death.  He was married in 1846 to Clara McKee, who was born July 12, 1825, and died Oct. 10, 1854.  Their three children, all now deceased were James, William and Belle.
     As a biography and an appreciation of the late Mr. Wilson's career, no better words can be chosen than those which appeared in a local paper at the time of his death.  This article is quoted in part as follows.
     "While his father was a blacksmith, James Wilson, Jr., was apprenticed to the printer's trade and served ten months in the usual duties of a printer's devil.  Stronger attraction came then with the roll of drums and other military pomp and carried him off as a recruit to the army.  After ten months of this occupation as a private in Company C of the One Hundred and Eighty-second Regiment Ohio Infantry, during which he fought at the battle of Nashville, being then only seventeen years of age, Mr. Wilson returned to his native county.  He entered the office of his father, who was then county auditor, and remained there for six years.  In 1871 he relinquished that position and entered the Farmers Bank, owned and organized by Samuel Bitler serving as cashier for fourteen years.  Then he became a lumberman, why or how is not exactly known, but a man who is born to be a lumberman will find his way into the business somehow.  He learned it under J. M. Leiter, who afterward became identified with the Bridal Veil Lumber Company of Bridal Veil Oregon.
     "In 1884 Mr. Wilson took entire charge of the lumber business and in 1895 purchased Mr. Leiter's interest.  His business ability, the high esteem in which he was held by the people of Wapakoneta, found for him an important place in all the business affairs of the community.  He held a number of positions of trust and importance, coming in close contact with men and their affairs, and leaving with them an impression but for their good.  To every one he gave a hearty welcome and an enthusiastic interest in their welfare.  Mr. Wilson served as president of the Union Association of Lumber Dealers for a number of years.  At that time it was aptly said: 'It is alright for the office to seek the man, but it's a good idea for a man to stay around where he can be found.'  That was a very apt characterization of the aggressive enterprising man who seemed naturally to gravitate into positions of honor and preferment.  It was said of him at the time he took upon his shouders this office that:  'If the office is looking for another type of man, however, it will not find him standing around in the way, but can always discover him quietly and faithfully performing the duties that already belong to him.  There is no one who has any acquaintance with James Wilson Jr. of Wapakoneta but will recognize at once that most capable, most enterprising, yet most modest individual should be classified most emphatically in the latter category.'
     "In Wapakoneta Mr. Wilson was clerk of the village from 1874 to 1880, was a member of the board of education from 1881 to 1887, and 1892 to 1895.  He was an original member of the board of waterworks trustees.  He was prominently identified with the Wapakoneta Building and Savings Company for a period of twenty-nine years asa its secretary.  He was a member of the board of directors of the old Wheel Company for a stock holder and director of the First National Bank, at the time of his death being one of the oldest directors of this institution in point of service.  He was also identified as treasurer of the Auglaize County Agricultural Society for several years.
     "At the time of his death Mr. Wilson was holding the offices of secretary of the Royal Arcanum; secretary of the Wapakoneta Building and Savings Company; treasurer of Wapakoneta Chapter R. A. M.; secretary of the Soldiers Relief Commission; treasurer and trustee of the Presbyterian church, in which he was a prominent and earnest member, and secretary of the Green Lawn Cemetery Association.
     "Even in the midst of his busy life Mr. Wilson enjoyed his lodges and was prominently identified with a number of them.  Particularly was he strongly identified with the Masons.  He was a member of Hamer Lodge No. 167 F. & A. M., of which he was a past master; Wapakoneta Chapter No. 183, R. A. M.; St. Marys Council No. 81 R. & S. M.; Antioch Shrine, Dayton; Toledo Consistory, Valley of Toledo; Shawnee Commandery Knights Templar of Lima; Wapakoneta Lodge No. 1170, B. P. O. E.; Duchouquet Lodge No. 165 Knights of Pythias; Wapakoneta Council No. 301 Royal Arcanum; Kyle Post No. 41 G. A. R.; and Hoo-Hoo Order of Lumbermen and the Osyrian Cloister, two important organizations among the lumbermen of the country."
     On September 14, 1869, Mr. Wilson married Miss Sarah Trimble.  She was born at St. Marys, daughter of Judge A. H. and Charlotte (Granger) Trimble.  Judge Trimble was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Oct. 22, 1817, and died Sept. 19, 1864.  His wife was born near Rochester, New York, Aug. 21, 1820, and died Aug. 16, 1880.  They were married at Fredericksburg, Ohio, Mar. 30, 1841, lived in Fredericksburg and Wooster and afterwards moved to St. Marys.  Judge Trimble was a very prominent man in Auglaize County.  He had a dry goods store at St. Marys until he was elected county auditor.  He was the second man elected to that office in the county and served two terms, until he was elected probate judge and filled that office two terms.  On retiring from the office he engaged in the boot and shoe business at Wapakoneta until his death.  Judge Trimble was not only possessed of exceptional businss ability but both he and his wife were people of the highest culture.  Mrs. Trimble is credited with the distinction of having brought to Auglaize County the first sewing machine.  All the family were very active and prominent in the Presbyterian Church, and Judge and Mrs. Trimble were charter members.
     Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. JAmes Wilson, only one of whom now survive, and she and her widowed mother make their home at Wapakoneta.  Jennie, the oldest, died in 1903, the wife of R. B. Anderson, an attorney at Wapakoneta, and she is survived by three sons, the only grandchildren of Mrs. Wilson.  These grandchildren are:  James, now attending college in Philadelphia; Walter, who is employed in New York City; and Robert, a senior in the Wapakoneta schools.  Alice McKee Wilson, the second daughter, is a graduate of the Wapakoneta High School and of Oxford College for Women, and for eleven years was a bookkeeper for her father, had a very close knowledge of his business affairs and was entrusted with the task of settling his estate.  The next three children, James Van Horn, Walter Wade and Frank Trimble all died of diphtheria within a period of ten months at the respective ages of eleven, nine and eight years.   The sixth and youngest child, Clara Louise, was the first of the children to die.
 Source:  History of Northwest Ohio  Vol. II - Published by The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago & New York - 1917 - Page 724