Wilson, Thomas Benton

Posted By: Wally Garchow
Date: 21 October 2004

transcribed from Frazer Wilson's History of Darke County, 1914, v. 2, pp 491-492

THOMAS BENTON WILSON.

The career of Thomas Benton Wilson has been an interesting one in that it has been filled with experiences in various fields of endeavor. Both as merchant and farmer he has won success, both in Ohio and Indiana, and today his farm in Brown township, a tract of one hundred and sixty acres, is considered one of the very valuable properties of Darke county. Mr. Wilson was born on the old homestead place, located about one mile northwest of Ansonia, Darke county, and is a son of John L. and Maria (Gephart) Wilson.

Mr. Wilson's birth occurred November 23, 1865. He was given good educational advantages, first going to the public schools of Ansonia, where he was graduated, and in the meanwhile spending all of his spare time in assisting his father to operate the home farm. Later he went to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he took a full course in the Eastman Business College and was graduated with honors, in the class of 1884. He then returned to his home, but shortly thereafter went to Petersburg, Pike county, Indiana, at which place he was engaged for a time in the grocery business. After this experience he again came home and took up agricultural work, renting land for farming for seven years, this property belonging to his father. Succeeding this, Mr. Wilson was for five years a r dent of Ansonia, where he lived a retired life, was then twelve years located at Peru, Ind., as superintendent of eight hundred acre farm belonging to Dr. C. J. Helm, and the spring of 1913 came to his present farm, where he has erected a handsome home, provided with modern conveniences of all kinds, as well as substantial barns and outbuildings. Mr Wilson is a progressive business man and has ever sought advance the interests of whatever community has been scene of his activities.

On June 20, 1888, Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Em Quimby, daughter of Abraham and Anna (Hoffhines) Quimby, the former born at Newark, N. J., and moved to Ter Haute, Ind., in young manhood. In that city Mr. Quimby became prominent as the proprietor of a large woolen mill and in that community his children were reared. They we as follows: Emma, who married Mr. Wilson; George, who now deceased, and Mary L., who married Mr. Hendricks. Later the family moved to Petersburg, Ind., and in the public school of that place Mrs. Wilson completed her educational training. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have had one daughter, Georgianna. They are consistent members of the Presbyterian church, and in political matters Mr. Wilson is a Democrat.

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