Thomas J. Wilson Jr.

Thomas J. Wilson, son of Thomas J. Wilson, Sr., and Elender L. Wilson was born June 22, 1878 near Gentryville, Gentry County, Missouri and passed away at his home in Edgemont, So. Dak., Saturday, January 22nd, 1955.

In 1883, Tom's father joined Mr. Sweat who had formed a colony to migrate to Western Nebraska. At that time the railroad extended west only to Valentine, Nebr., so from there the Sweat Colony progressed by covered wagon to what is now Chadron, Nebr., in Dawes County. After their father had filed on a homestead on Bordeaux Creek, he returned to Missouri to get his family and acted as a guide to a second colony of ten families returning to Nebraska.

Tom grew to manhood in Dawes County and worked on the Spade ranch for a while, then in 1900 Tom, a brother, Ed Wilson, Oscar Jones and Ed Jones came to Niobrara County, Wyoming at that time a part of Converse County, to find grass for their cattle trailing them from Chadron.

On February 3, 1901, he was united in marriage to Grace M. Glenn at Chadron, Nebr., and to this union one daughter, Dorothy was born.

In 1901, he filed on a homestead on Mule Creek and lived there until 1910. Tom and Albert DeGering were in partnership on this ranch for several years, until Albert homesteaded on his own ranch. In 1910 Tom sold out to the Spencer brothers and moved back to Chadron, Nebr. where he built a new house in Chadron and lived there about a year, then moved to the home place on Bordeaux Creek, but he liked ranch life and Wyoming much better so in 1913, he and his family moved back to Wyoming and filed on an additional homestead on Alkali Creek, making their home with Billy Hanson until the new home was built.

Tom had been very active and continued to operate his ranch up until he became ill in September. Since 1953, he had spent part of the time in Edgemont, driving back and forth to the ranch until his health failed last fall.

He is survived by his wife, one daughter, Dorothy Morris, two granddaughters, Eleanor Whitsel, and Lucille Redfern, and a great-granddaughter Janet Redfern, all of Chadron, Nebr., and two brothers, John E. of Citrus Heights, Calif., and J. Curtis of Wheatland, Calif. and many nieces and nephews and other relatives, also Alberta Glasby, who has made her home with the Wilsons since 1928 and her niece, Beth who has been with them the last eight years. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, one brother and four sisters.

Funeral services were held at the Congregational Church in Edgemont, So. Dak., January 25th with Rev. Costikyn officiating.

Honorary bearers were Chris Christian, Chas Hanson, Jimmy Hammel, Roy Sutherland, Otte Hill and Albert DeGering.

Pallbearers were Albert Glasby, Ted Jones, Paul McDaniels, Earl Darrow, Allan Coates and Roy Boner. (Edgemont Tribune)