GEORGE E. WILSON:
An Inventory of the George E. Wilson and Family Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Wilson, G. E. (George Edwin), 1857-, creator. | |
| Title: | George E. Wilson and family papers. | |
| Dates: | 1878-1902. | |
| Abstract: | Correspondence from George E. Wilson and other relatives living in Stillwater, Minnesota to George's brother Nathan H. Wilson. | |
| Quantity: | 0.25 cubic feet (1 box). | |
| Location: | P2627 |
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
George Wilson was born March 23, 1857. He moved to Stillwater, Minnesota from Woodville, Maryland in about 1878. George worked in the lumber mills and then tried farming only to return to Stillwater where he worked for the Northwestern Manufacturing and Car Company and later was superintendent of the Minnesota Thresher Manufacturing Company and secretary of the Northwest Thresher Company. George Wilson married his wife Lena in 1896. Their daughter Rachel was born in 1897 and their son Evan was born in 1899. His brother Albert moved to Stillwater in about 1875 and had a stationery business there. He lived with his family in Oak Park outside of Stillwater. Nathan Wilson was at home in Woodville, Maryland and at school. Later his jobs took him to Oregon, Illinois, and other states.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The collection primarily consists of George Wilson's letters to his brother Nathan offering advice on his education, career, and other interests; commenting on Nathan's news from their family home in Woodville, Maryland; discussing political and financial issues; and describing his own life, work, and activities in Stillwater. George also sends news of their brother Albert, his family, and Albert's stationery business in Stillwater. There are a few letters written by George's wife Lena that tell of their marriage in 1896 and of their children, Rachel and Evan. Several letters written by Albert and his daughters give more information on their family.
Though his comments about his own work are often brief, George Wilson notes the successes and failures of the companies for which he works, and he relates how events such as fires and floods affect the businesses. Wilson's employment can be followed through the company letterhead he uses. Letters appear on Stillwater Mills, Northwestern Manufacturing and Car Company, Minnesota Thresher Manufacturing Company, and Northwest Thresher Company letterhead, the last two also listing George Wilson's name and position in the company.
Wilson makes occasional references to the Stillwater Prison that probably relate to the close connection between Wilson's employers and the prison. The Northwestern Manufacturing and Car Company used the prison's manufacturing shops and extensively used contract prisoner labor in addition to its civilian employees. After going into receivership, it was bought out by the Minnesota Thresher Manufacturing Company which continued to use the prison shops and contract prison labor.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. George E. Wilson and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 16,037
Processing Information:
Processed by: Anne Levin, July 2005
Catalog ID number: 990037016660104294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| P2627 | George E. Wilson correspondence: | ||||||||||
| In his letters Wilson gives brief accounts of his work, weather conditions in Stillwater, the growth of and changes to Stillwater, his entertainment and leisure activities such as going to the Opera House or fishing, visits with his brother Albert in Oak Park and with extended family living in Minneapolis and St. Paul, agricultural information, national politics, and local and national economic issues. | |||||||||||
| 1878, 1882-1887, 1889. | |||||||||||
| In 1878, George Wilson writes from Stillwater where he is about to start work as a miller. In 1882 he has returned to Stillwater after an unsuccessful attempt at farming and plans to resume work in the "car shops." Wilson lives at first with his brother Albert and his family and later boards in various Stillwater rooming houses. In one letter he describes boarding in the Stillwater Prison in an unused guard's room (October 7, 1882). There is one letter from George Wilson to his father (May 18, 1889). | |||||||||||
| In regard to his work, Wilson writes about a fire that destroyed the company's woodworking shops and put him and a few hundred others out of work (January 20, 1884), that the company is under a receiver in May 1884, and he writes on Northwestern Manufacturing and Car Co. letterhead about "working a crew of men already educated as Criminals" and refers to the Prison Mirror newspaper (August 24, 1887). | |||||||||||
| 1894-1897. | |||||||||||
| Wilson's letters in the 1890s continue to describe his experiences in Stillwater. His letters of this period appear on letterhead of the Minnesota Thresher Manufacturing Company and list him as "Geo. E. Wilson, Supt." He sends a newspaper clipping and writes about a flood in May 1894 that damages his company's shops at the prison, and at the end of 1894 he writes about the Minnesota Thresher Manufacturing Company ceasing its operations, though in his letters it appears that he continues to work for the company. Wilson tells of spending time with his "country girl" and their marriage set for April 28, 1896. In his letters of June 4 and 7, 1896 Wilson details Masonic information for Nathan. | |||||||||||
| 1900-1902. | |||||||||||
| George Wilson's correspondence with Nathan for these years mostly concerns the health of their father and family matters in Maryland. He also gives some information on his wife and children, a trip they make to Maryland, and his job. He writes on Northwest Thresher Company letterhead which lists him as "George E. Wilson, Secy." On March 23, 1902 he notes that it is his forty-fifth birthday. | |||||||||||
| Wilson Family correspondence, 1875-1900. | |||||||||||
| Miscellaneous correspondence of various Wilson family members. Some letters refer to Uncle Ed (or Edd or Eddie): this is George Edwin Wilson. In 1875 Albert writes from Stillwater to his brothers in Maryland, and in an 1887 letter to Nathan, he writes on the letterhead of his Stillwater stationary business, Burlingham & Wilson. Letters written to Nathan by Albert's daughters Flora, Cora, and Inez give information about their family. George's wife Lena tells Nathan about her marriage to George and the birth and growth of their children. Also included are a few items from extended Wilson family relatives. | |||||||||||
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
- Places:
- Stillwater (Minn.).
- Persons:
- Wilson, Albert.
- Wilson, Cora.
- Wilson, Flora.
- Wilson, Inez.
- Wilson, Lena.
- Wilson family.
- Organizations:
- Burlingham & Wilson (Stillwater, Minn.).
- Minnesota Thresher Manufacturing Company.
- Northwest Thresher Company.
- Northwestern Manufacturing and Car Company (Stillwater, Minn.).
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