Capt. R. C. Wilson, a prominent merchant and citizen of Henning, Tenn., is the
son of James and Nancy (Lankford) Wilson. The father was born in Sumner
County, Tenn., in 1801, and his mother in Middle Tennessee, in 1802, and they
were married about 1821. Eight children — four sons and four daughters —
were born to them; two sons and three daughters are living. The mother was a
member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; the father was not connected
with any church; in politics he was a Whig, and died in the spring of 1858,
the mother surviving until 1867. Capt. Wilson is of Scotch-Irish descent, and
was born in Stewart County, Tenn., May 6, 1836, and was raised on a farm, with
limited opportunities for acquiring an education. He remained with his
parents until twenty-one years of age, then commenced clerking in a store at
Lineport, Tenn., with A. C. Richards & Co. At the beginning of the war he
volunteered in the Fourteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers (Confederate
Army) as a private, and at the reorganization of the regiment was made first
lieutenant, and soon after promoted to captain, which rank he held until the
close of the war. He was in all of the engagements with his regiment up to
the battle of Gettysburg, when he was captured and held as a prisoner at
Johnson’s Island until the close of the war. After the war Capt. Wilson
commenced clerking at Linton, Ky., and was married there September 24, 1867,
to Miss Alice Wilkinson, who was born in Christian County, Ky., December 21,
1844. No children were born to this marriage, and Mrs. Wilson died August 20,
1870. October 22, 1872, our subject married Miss Emma Bowers, who was born in
Haywood County, March 21, 1849. Of three children born to this marriage two
died in infancy, and the other, James Blucher, born August 10, 1875, is still
living. Mrs. Wilson was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and died
September 1, 1877, and June 1, 1879, Capt. Wilson was united in marriage to
Mrs. Susie Cox (Bowers), who was born in Haywood County, June 17, 1854. One
son and a daughter have been born to this union: Annie Belle, born April 30,
1880, and Joel Wellington, born May 31, 1884. Capt. Wilson has been engaged
in the general merchandise business at Henning, Tenn., of the firm Wilson &
Bowers, since 1874, meeting with marked success, although his business houses
were destroyed by the disastrous fire that occurred in Henning, May 7, 1886.
Capt. Wilson and wife are leading members in the Christian Church. In
politics he has abandoned all party ties and stands boldly for prohibition; he
is a Mason, and is financial secretary of the Henning Lodge of K. of H., and
is a most pleasant, agreeable gentleman and an astute business manager.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN