William B. Wilson and Margaret Tollett Wilson
William B. Wilson was born on December 24, 1782, probably in Burke County, North Carolina. He was the son of Greenberry Wilson and Temperance Bradshaw.
The Wilson family moved to the Sequatchie Valley of Tennessee in 1806, an area that would become Bledsoe County.
William's father died in Bledsoe County in 1812. He was apparently concerned about his son at the time of his death, because his family wrote a letter to him:
State of Tennessee, Bledsoe County
William G. Wilson your father died his death the 4th day of June and was buried the 5th of June and he desires you to quit your way of living in sin - cussing and swearing and drinking and said he wants you to meet him in heaven and there to rain with him in love - tho he doubts and said he's afraid that he will lift up his eyes in hell. But he wants you to go to heaven William Wilson his son
Greenberry Wilson
Advice to his son William Wilson
Green B. Wilson his hand on pen
Charles Wilson
Cary Wilson
Mary Wilson
Tempy Wilson
Greenberry willed "the mill Shole" to William. William also acqired 120 acres of land in Bledsoe County in 1817 (Bledsoe Co., TN Deed Book C, p. 4-5; Land Grant #1952).
William married Margaret Tollett in Bledsoe County, Tennessee in 1817. Margaret was born November 30, 1788 in Montgomery County, Virginia (or Elbert County, Georgia), the daughter of John Tollett and Margaret (Peggy) Brown.
William and Margaret lived in Morgan County, Alabama from about 1818 until about 1836. There they had eight children: William Sewel Goodhue Wilson, Temperance Wilson, Margaret Wilson, Greenberry J. Wilson, John Tollett Wilson, Cara Wilson, Thomas H. Benton Wilson, and Nancy Wilson.
The family came to Texas about 1837. They first settled in Robertson County, then moved to Milam County in 1842. The following excerpt describes their arrival.
Early Days in Milam County
Reminiscences of Susan Turnham McCown
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v050/n3/contrib_DIVL6073.html
In 1842 William Wilson, father of Goodhue Wilson, came into the settlement. When we saw them coming, we thought it was a body of Indians, and hasty preparation was made for defense or flight, as might be found most advisable. After a few trying moments we began to rejoice greatly as we found it was friends coming to join us in the wilderness. The Lamkin family was with the Wilsons. After our scare had subsided, we were much interested and amused as we watched the ap proaching procession. In those early days means of transporta tion were limited, and yet it was vitally necessary that the pioneer take with his family into the wilderness every thing needed to provide clothing and food; and so some of the Wilson and Lamkin servants were carrying spinning wheels, some had lambs in their arms, as a flock of sheep was being brought along, and others had useful household or farming utensils. Luxuries these brave and hardy people might not have, nor would they be greatly missed, but all the things needed for frontier life they brought with them.Wilson located on Little River about three miles above Cam eron on the land now owned by his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lizzie Wilson, while Mr. Lampkin settled in South Bend just below Cameron, where some of the family still reside. In this same year, 1842, Mr. W. W. Oxsheer brought his bride, Miss Martha Kirk, and settled on the place on the river where he died more than fifty years afterward. In 1902 he and his wife celebrated their golden wedding at the old homestead.
William died in 1846 in Milam County, Texas. Margaret lived several more years, and died in 1873 in Milam County.
See an excerpt from the book History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. (Chicago, IL: Lewis, 1893), p. 335-337, at http://www.geocities.com/milamco/milam-864.htm.