Samuel Cherry Wilson was born in Randolph County, the son of David and Rebecca Cherry Wilson. David and Rebecca had six children: Mary Ellen (1851-1944). m. Jacob Henry Hissong; Margaret Ann (1854-1908), m. Robert James Miller; Samuel Cherry (1858-1931). They had three other babies who died in infancy. Then Rebecca died in 1862 and David moved near Walnut Hill in Marion county. There he married Caroline Sinclair and they had 16 children. The first two girls died in infancy; James Lemuel (1865-1918), m. Eva Mamley; Jennie (1866-1906), m. John Mandrel; Rachel m. Charles McMillon;Martha Cordellia; Martin Henry (1870-1904); Rebecca. m. Sawyer Dickerson; Joseph (1876-1924) m. Dovie Chriswell; Louisa (1878-1972), m. John Gibson Raines; Laura (1880-­1940); Hugh (1881-1957); Lulu (1885-1962); Bell. first married to Ed Flanagan and later to Thomas McKelvy; Cora (1883­-1923), m. David Alex Brough; Mamie (1888-1961), m. Fred Osborn, a brother to Lulu's husband, Ben. Altogether, David Wilson had 22 children.

Samuel's great grandfather, James Wilson and his wife migrated from Ireland to South Carolina in 1775. Later they settled near Sparta, where he died .

In 1878 Samuel married Almanza Artellia Stephens (1859­-1938). He bought 40 acres of land from the Illinois Central railroad and built a log house where all 5 of their children were born. He cleared the timber and farmed. In 1895 he built a large frame house. This homestead has stayed in the family for almost a hundred years. His granddaughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Harlow, are living there now. Children of Samuel and "Ally" were: Albert Arthur (1879-1919), m. Sarah Ellen Williams and they had one son, Arthur, who died at 13 years of age; Leliah Edith (1880-1881); Mary Lurene (1887­1965), m. Ernest Watkins Hails and they had five children. (I) Earl Virgil Hails (1907-1964), (2) Ruby Thelma (1909), m. Everett Delano Savage. (3) Ruth Pearl (1910), m. Joseph Lee Harlow and they had Mary Alice, Marie Annette and Joseph Leo Harlow. Jr. (4) Edith Mary Hails (1911), m. William Leroy Robison and they had Mary Janet and William. (5) Clarence Ernest Hails (1913). m. Beatrice Peoples and they had two sons. Wayne Lee and Harold Ray. Samuel and Ally's fourth child was Tracey Opel (1886-­1929). m. John William Champ and had two sons, Claud and Iven. The fifth child was Stella Dean Wilson (1892-1912) who died of TB when she was 19 years old.

Source: "Facts and Folks A History of Jefferson County, Illinois"
Jefferson County Historical Society
Printed by Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX - 1978 Page 351

Submitted by Sandy Whalen Bauer