MATTHEW WILSON

My GGGGgrandfather, by James A. Strain

Matthew Wilson, husband to Elizabeth Caldwell, was the father of Mary "Polly" Wilson, who married Robert Strain, my GGGgrandfather.

Matthew Wilson's Will which names his grandsons, James Strayn and Matthew H. Strain.

An obituary of Matthew Wilson's youngest son, Matthew Harvey Wilson, published in “The Abbeville Press and Banner” on September 2, 1848 (reprinted in the Banner on 30 Sept. 1908), tells the story of three generations of my Wilson ancestors. Matthew Harvey Wilson, Esq. died while a soldier serving in the Mexican War.  He was the youngest brother of my GGGgrandmother, Mary (Polly) Wilson, who married Robert Strain.

Lieut. Jas. M. Perrin pronounced a chaste and beautiful eulogy upon the life and character of the deceased.  In order, he said, to show something of the character of the son, it was necessary to look back to the parents, and we would find in the deceased a verification of the Proverb: “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  Matthew Wilson, the father, was born on the 1^st of January, 1768, in the county of Antrim, Ireland; his father was a Covenanter, or Presbyterian.  At the age of six years he emigrated with his father to this country, who settled a farm on Calhoun’s Creek, in this District, and died about the commencement of the Revolutionary struggle. At his death, he left two sons, James and Matthew Wilson, the father of the deceased. James being grown, took an active part in the Revolution. He belonged to that independent and patriotic band of partizans who, in the darkest hour of South Carolina gloom, never desponded. Chased and hunted down by the Tories, who had laid waste our country and bathed it in blood, he and his companions were compelled to make their homes in the forest, returning to visit their families only by stealth. They, however, permitted no opportunity to pass without retaliating upon the foe, and when he least expected it, dashed like a thunder-bolt upon him. It was in an encounter like this that James Wilson and his comrades were overpowered and shamefully put to death.

Matthew Wilson was at that time was only 15 years old--too young to bear arms in his country's cause, but not too young to serve her. For a long time, he was bearer of despatches from one Whig post to another, a position of great difficulty and danger.

After the close of the war he returned home to his mother, she having married Robt. Bell. Soon after he married Elizabeth Caldwell a daughter of Jas Caldwell also an immigrant from Protestant Ireland, and settled on Calhoun's Creek, among the first settlers of that portion of our district. He was a member of Upper Long Cane Church and one of its strong pillows--was an elder under the Rev. Mr. Wilson and during the Pastorship of the lamented Dr. Barr. He had a family of 12 children 6 sons and as many daughters all of whom lived to be grown.  He died in the year 1834 in the 67th year of his age.

The Children of Matthew Wilson and Elizabeth Caldwell are:

Robert C. WILSON was born 6 NOV 1789, and died 5 NOV 1832. He married Elizabeth (Betty or Betsy) Lucinda REID, daughter of Hugh REID and Margaret REID. She was born 7 OCT 1786, and died 29 JUL 1838.

Mary (Polly) WILSON was born ABT 1791. She married Robert STRAIN, son of David STRAIN and Nancy MONTGOMERY. He was born 1794 in Abbeville Dist. SC, and died FEB 1833 in Abbeville Co. SC.

James Caldwell WILSON was born ABT 1793. He married PHARR.

Elizabeth Ann WILSON was born 4 FEB 1796, and died 12 DEC 1872. She married Samuel REID 20 JUL 1815, son of Hugh REID and Margaret REID. He was born 10 AUG 1788, and died 24 JUL 1857 in Abbeville Co. SC.

Jane WILSON was born 17 JAN 1798, and died 18 AUG 1830. She married Issac HADDEN, son of William HADDEN and Elizabeth DEFOUR. He was born 15 AUG 1799.

Jemimah WILSON was born 25 JUL 1800 in Abbeville, SC, and died JAN 1872 in Talladega, AL. She married Samuel HOUSTON 12 JAN 1819 in Abbeville, SC. He was born JUN 1796 in Abbeville, SC.

Hannah WILSON was born 22 SEP 1802, and died 22 JUL 1827. She married Hugh KIRKWOOD, son of Nathan KIRKWOOD and Sarah. He was born 21 JAN 1801, and died 11 OCT 1855 in MS.

John Harris WILSON was born 8 OCT 1804 in Abbeville Dist. SC, and died 25 FEB 1869.

Hugh Reid WILSON was born 8 OCT 1804 in Abbeville Dist. SC, and died 18 JUL 1883. He married Mary Ann PERCELL 1828. She was born ABT 1808, and died 1828. He married Mary.

Leroy Caldwell WILSON was born 15 MAY 1807, and died 23 JUL 1886. He married Rebecca Evaline GORDON ABT 1835, daughter of Robert Campbell GORDON and Rebecca. She was born 7 JAN 1808, and died 12 MAR 1871.

Matilda Vashti WILSON was born 11 AUG 1809, and died 23 AUG 1857 in Tampa, FL. She married Franklin BRANCH 16 DEC 1830, son of BRANCH. He was born in Vermont, and died 21 AUG 1882.

Matthew Harvey WILSON was born 7 APR 1812, and died 13 DEC 1847.