Robert Harrison Wilson

Robert Harrison Wilson, son of Oliver Porter Wilson and Jane Elizabeth Johnson was born in Greene County, Georgia on December 13, 1858. He was the youngest of four children—Martha Jane Wilson, William Oliver Wilson, Mary Ann Wilson, and Robert Harrison Wilson. Robert is my 2nd great grand uncle. Our nearest common relatives are his parents, Oliver and Jane. His sister Mary, who married James C. Lankford, is my 2nd great-grandmother.

On June 5, 1860, one-year-old Robert and his family lived in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. His father was a wagoner with a personal estate valued at $300. Martha, William, and Mary were attending school and Robert’s mother was unable to read and write. They lived next door to Nathan Augustus Hobbs Jr. and his wife Harriet (Tiller). Nathan was the son of Nathan Augustus Hobbs Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Lankford. His sister was Caroline B. Hobbs, my 3rd great-grandmother. Three years after this census was taken, Nathan would be gone—killed on July 2, 1863 in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania while serving with Company C of the Georgia Third Infantry Regiment during the Civil War.

By July 24, 1870, Robert was the only child left in their Penfield home. Robert’s father worked as a carpenter, his mother kept house, and Robert at age 11, was a day laborer. At age 19, Robert married Martha C. Backus, daughter of Augustus “Gus” Backus and Mary A. Partee, in Greene County on February 24, 1878. Together had nine children—Augustus Oliver Wilson, Jasper Alford Wilson, Warren Thomas Wilson, Walter Adolphus Wilson, Charles “Charlie” Carson Wilson, Clifford Robert Wilson, Sarah “Sallie” L. Wilson, Wiley Barton Wilson, and Martha Leila Wilson.

Robert Wilson and Martha Backus' marriage certificate (click to enlarge)

On June 23, 1880, Robert and his family lived in Skull Shoals, Greene County, Georgia. They lived next door to his maternal grandmother Mary (Partee) Backus and her mother Elizabeth (Carr) Partee. Robert’s parents, Oliver and Jane, lived next door to Elizabeth Partee. Robert was a farmer while Martha kept house.

On June 21, 1900, Robert and his family lived in the Seats District of Morgan County, Georgia. Robert worked as a farmer with Gus, Jasper, Warren, Walter, and Charlie as farm laborers. Clifford and Sarah were both at school. Martha was enumerated as having had nine children, all of which were living. Everyone except for the two youngest in the house, son Wiley and daughter Martha, could read, write, and speak English.

On April 28, 1910, Robert and his family lived at Long Shoals and Greensboro Road in the Hutchinson District of Greene County, Georgia. Robert now, like his father, worked as a carpenter, building homes. His sons Charlie and Clifford both worked as laborers in a saw mill. Martha was again enumerated as the mother of nine children, all of which were living. Everyone in the house were able to read and write. Sarah, Wiley, and Leila were attending school. In 1919, Robert worked as a carpenter for the Union Seed and Fertilizer Company in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia. On June 30, while doing repair work on one of the Union Seed buildings, “he lost his balance and fell” from a 12-foot scaffold. Although rushed to University Hospital, Robert received a fracture at the base of his skull and died shortly after arrival. He was 60 years old. 

The Augusta Herald, July 1, 1919

Following a funeral service held at his home on July 2, Robert was buried at Westover Memorial Park in Augusta. An obituary published in The Augusta Herald noted that Robert was survived by six sons (Charles, Clifford, Wiley, Augustus, Jasper, and Warren) and two daughters (Sarah and Leila). The death certificate listed his marital status as “widowed.” To date, I have been unable to determine when his wife Martha and son Walter died.

References

• Charlie Carson Wilson and Clifford Robert Wilson, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57730537/robert-harrison-wilson: accessed 27 March 2022), memorial page for Robert Harrison Wilson (13 Dec 1858–30 Jun 1919), Find a Grave Memorial ID 57730537, citing Westover Memorial Park, Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Darleen Miller (contributor 47198771).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35331087/walter-adolphus-wilson: accessed 05 April 2022), memorial page for Walter Adolphus Wilson (12 Apr 1885–8 Jan 1952), Find a Grave Memorial ID 35331087, citing Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Darleen Miller (contributor 47198771).
• Jasper Wilson, Commonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death no. 30984, January 1938.
• Robert H. Wilson and Martha C. Backus marriage license, State of Georgia, Greene County, February 1878.
• Robert H. Wilson Falls to His Death, The Augusta Herald, Augusta, Georgia, July 1, 1919.
• Robert H. Wilson, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certificate of Death no. 8177.
• United States Federal Census, Hutchinson, Greene County, Georgia, 1910.
• United States Federal Census, Militia District 160, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• United States Federal Census, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, 1860.
• United States Federal Census, Scull Shoals, Greene County, Georgia, 1860, 1880.
• United States Federal Census, Seats District, Morgan County, Georgia, 1900.