Surnames: WILSON AUSTIN WEBSTER BAKER GRUSH KNODE BERDROW

----Source: HUMBIRD ENTERPRISE (Humbird, Clark County, Wis.) 09/18/1915

Wilson, Orin (9 MAR 1832 - 9 Sep 1915)

Orin Wilson, for forty-six years a prominent resident of this vicinity (Humbird, Clark County, Wis.), died at three o'clock Thursday afternoon, Sept. 9, 1915, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Elmer Austin in Stevens Point. Mr. Wilson was eighty-three years and six months old at the time of his death. He had been sick for more than eight years and for the past seven months had been confined to his bed. Death was caused by diabetes.

The deceased was born on March 9, 1832, in Franklin Co., N.Y. He came to Wisconsin soon after reaching his majority, stopping at Madison and La Crosse a short time before coming here. In 1855 he located on a 225 acre tract of land just west of the village and out of it developed, during the course of years, one of the finest farms in this section. On May 20, 1864, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage with Miss Alvira Webster and the family made their home on the farm until advancing years and failing health caused them to relinquish it and move to town some seven years ago. Later the house in the village was sold and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson went to Ladysmith to live with their daughter, removing with the latter to Stevens Point two years ago.

The golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson was celebrated at Stevens Point on May 20, 1914.

The death of Orin Wilson removes a man who was most prominent in the early affairs of this town and county. When one looks upon the highly developed farms and prosperity of this section he can hardly realize the change has been made in less than the span of a lifetime. When Mr. Wilson came it was practically a wilderness. For twenty-nine years he served as chairman of the town of Mentor; being defeated at times, only to emerge as victor at the next succeeding election; and while there were many who differed with him on public matters, no one ever doubted his honesty or questioned his integrity. In town and county matters Mr. Wilson was always an active participant. Many of the early roads in the county he helped to lay out. It is commonly stated that when the West Wisconsin (now the Omaha) railroad was built through here that he and the president of the road became fast friends and that he named the village after the president and builder of the road, Jacob Humbird.

To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson eleven children were born; his wife, five sons and three daughters surviving him. The sons are Asa D. of Chippewa Falls; Henry of Ladysmith; Sylvester of Minneapolis; John R. of Oshkosh; and Orin A. of Stevens Point. The daughters are Mrs. Laura Baker of Ladysmith; Mrs. Blanch Grush of Humbird; and Mrs. Mary Austin of Stevens Point. Two sons and one daughter are dead. One of the daughters, Mrs. Harriet E. Knode, died thirty years ago here. Lawreston Wilson died at the age of three years, about thirty years ago., and Hezekiah Wilson was killed in a railroad accident at Hawkins six years ago. One brother, Asa Wilson of Nicholville, N.Y., survives the deceased. A sister, Mrs. Harriet Berdrow, died fifteen years ago in California.

Prayer service was held at the Austin home in Stevens Point Saturday evening, and the remains were brought here on the early train Sunday morning. Funeral services were held at 2:00 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Methodist Church, of which the deceased was a member, conducted by Rev. F. M. Prucia. Burial was in the Mentor Cemetery in the family lot beside the three children who have preceded him in death. Pallbearers were A. Fradenburg, H. A. Sparkes, C. B. Travis, C. D. Fowler …(the rest of May copy was cut off)