Читать книгу History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 3 - Группа авторов - Страница 36

Mr. Willson is serving as justice of the peace in North Salem, a position which he has filled for twelve years, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is thoroughly impartial in meting out justice, his opinions being unbiased by either fear or favor, and his fidelity to the trust reposed in him is above question. He is regarded as one of the leading and highly respected citizens of North Salem township, and it is, therefore, consistent that he be represented in a work whose province is the portrayal of the lives of the prominent men of Westchester county.

Mr. Willson is a native of Somers township, and is the only child of Nehemiah and Eliza Ann (Smith) Willson. The father was born in Lewisborough township, this county, December 14, 1806, and was a son of Justice and Phoebe (Searles) Willson, farming people. The birth of the grandfather is supposed to have occurred on Long Island, New York. His children, all of whom save one are deceased, were: Thomas, who was a farmer of Wisconsin; Belinda, who became the wife of Rev. George Coles; John, a farmer, who died in Massachusetts; Nancy, who was the wife of William Rogers, a silver manufacturer of Hartford, Connecticut; Nehemiah, the father of our Subject; and Electa, who is the only one living, is unmarried and resides in Hartford. The children born to Rev. George Coles and wife were as follows: Mary Frances, who married Rev. Erastus O. Haven, who was one of the leading educators of this country and was a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal church for many years prior to his death; Elizabeth, who married Rev. George W. Woodruff, D. D., a Methodist Episcopal minister belonging to the Eastern conference of New York; George W. J., who served through the civil war and is now clerking in New York city; and James S., who also was one of the boys in blue, died in the service. In connection with farming Nehemiah Willson, our subject's father, conducted a store in North Salem and for some time he served as supervisor of that place. Politically he was first a Whig and later a Republican. He died in 1889, and his wife passed away in 1884, honored and respected by all who knew them.

Elbert S. N. Willson has always made his home upon his present farm of thirty acres, and to general farming has devoted much of his time. His education was acquired in the North Salem Academy. He now gives special attention to the raising of chickens, having upon his place some very fine specimens of Buff Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks, and has won several premiums at the poultry fairs in New York. He is one of the leaders of the Republican party in his township, and is quite influential and prominent in public affairs, having since 1886 most acceptably filled the offices of assessor and justice of the peace.

On the 19th of October, 1859, Mr. Willson wedded Miss Mary J. Todd, who was born in Lewisborough township November 24, 1836, a daughter of Abraham and Maria (Wescott) Todd. Three daughters bless this union: Eliza Ann, wife of Theodore Knapp, a farmer of Lewisborough township, by whom she had three children, — Lillian, Arthur and Ernest; Florence W., wife of Gilbert B. Burr, a farmer of Ridgefield, Connecticut; and Loretta B., wife of Gilbert M. Anderson, a clerk in New York city, by whom she has one child, Gilbert M., Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Willson and their children are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he is officially connected, and the family are held in high esteem by all who know them.