By Regina Lorenz
James Wilson was born Dec. 29, 1876, in Texas. His father was Robert Wilson, a Civil War veteran who was previously written about in this column. James, just like his father, has a very common name, and there were probably thousands of James Wilsons born about the same time as him in Texas.
The Wilsons moved to Kansas for a short duration before coming to Nebraska, and they moved to Osmond in 1906, when he married Goldie Beatrice Salisbury. According to his obituary, James was a faithful member of the Modern Woodman camp of Osmond, No. 2169.
As far as military service, I could find nothing definite. There is an Army Register of Enlistments from 1899 for a James B. Wilson, which would put it right after the Spanish-American War, but without the complete middle name, it could be another James B. Wilson. There is also a World War I draft registration card.
Other than those, there is no mention of his service, not even in his obituary or in his brief centennial book listing. However, just like a couple others, he is listed as one of the Legion’s departed members.
James died at the relatively young age of 58, on May 31, 1934. He had entered St. Vincent's Hospital shortly after the first of the year, but returned to his home in February where his illness gradually became more serious.
James and Beatrice did not have any children. She died 36 years later, and they are both buried in the city cemetery.
