My name is Walter Robertson (Bobby) Wilson. My fathers name was Walter Wilson. He was sheriff of Drew County for several years and owned two farms in the county. He died in 1950 or 1951 when I was just a child. I went to Monticello Schools from grade one until graduation in 1955. My mother, Lucille (Robertson) Wilson and I lived at 304 West McCloy St, just a block from the town square. I went in to the Army in 1957 to help support her. She died in 1958. We had many close friends in Monticello. I don't think I have any living relatives still residing in Drew County. I was wondering if any one had any information of my father, Walter Wilson and his ancestors? I think someone said at one time that my father came from Georgia. Any information you have or a location I can go to find out about this family surname would be greatly appreciated. .

Bobby, I found your parents in the Drew County cemetery book. They are buried in Oakland Cemetery. Walter Wilson was born Nov. 4, 1870 and died Mar. 7, 1951. How amazing that your dad was born just a few years after the Civil War ended! I am in awe. Do you remember any stories that he told you as a child? It seems that Walter was married twice (that I can tell) before he married your mother. I hope this isn't a shock to you. I don't know his first wife's name, but according to census records, he had a surviving son, Winifred, by her. His second wife's name was Bertie. Bertie is also buried in Oakland Cemetery. According to the book, she was born Nov. 3, 1897 [Melissa's note: This cannot be right. According to the census records, Bertie was born in November 1878. 1897 is more likely her year of marriage.] and died Mar. 21, 1928. There are 2 children of Bertie and Walter, buried in Oakland Cemetery, who died young: Bert Wilson, b. Sept. 5, 1901 and d. Sept. 23, 1901, and Ruby Wilson, b. Mar. 8, 1904 and d. Feb. 31, 1905. Walter and Bertie seem to have married around 1897, as the 1900 census shows them married for 3 years. They had a daughter, Nettie C., born in July 1899. Walter seems to have led a varied career. In the 1900 census, his occupation is listed as "county clerk". In the 1910 census, Walter is listed as a farmer on a general farm. He and Bertie have added to their family: Earl, born ca 1901 (1910 census says this is a son, but I think this is a mistake and it's actually a daughter), Lucile (?), born around 1906, and Louis, born around 1908. The 1910 census says that Bertie has had 6 children but only 4 are living, which corroborates the information gathered in the cemetery records. In the 1920 census, Walter is listed as "James W. Wilson". His occupation is listed as bookkeeper, but I cannot make out the industry. It is "general _____". Bertie and Walter did not have any more surviving children. Their family consists of Nettie C. (age 20), Edna E. (age 19 -- must be Edna Earl), Lucile or Lucida M. (age 13) and Edwin (?) L. (Louis, age 12). There also appears to be a granddaughter in the household named Josephine. I cannot make out her last name, but it almost looks like Stephens. I cannot be sure. She is 1 year and 4 (?) months old. I cannot tell whose child she is. And Carolyn already sent the information from the 1930 census. In the census records I looked at, Walter consistently gave his birthplace as Arkansas and his parents' birthplaces as Georgia. Given this starting point, I looked in the 1880 census for Walter and found a possible match. Living in Veasey Township of Drew County are Lewis R. Wilson, age 32, born GA and his wife Georgia A. Wilson, age 36, also born in GA. Their oldest son is Walter, age 9. Other Wilson children are Robert W. (age 7), Lewis K. (age 5), Sarah N. (age 3) and Jennie T. (age 2). There is also a 2-year-old named Nelson Lambert living in the household. I don't know how he fits into the family. More research needs to be done to confirm if this is your Walter Wilson. I am going to look in the book "Old Times Not Forgotten" to see if it mentions your Wilson family. I will report my findings in a separate message. --Melissa -----Original Message----- From: Bobby Wilson [mailto:bobbywilson5@comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 6:03 PM To: ARDREW-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ARDREW] Surname: Wilson My name is Walter Robertson (Bobby) Wilson. My fathers name was Walter Wilson. He was sheriff of Drew County for several years and owned two farms in the county. He died in 1950 or 1951 when I was just a child. I went to Monticello Schools from grade one until graduation in 1955. My mother, Lucille (Robertson) Wilson and I lived at 304 West McCloy St, just a block from the town square. I went in to the Army in 1957 to help support her. She died in 1958. We had many close friends in Monticello.

Bobby, I think this is your Wilson family: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ardrew/jamie6.html This seems to confirm my suspicion that your Walter Wilson was the son of Lewis (B, not R as the 1880 census transcription said) and Georgia Wilson. --Melissa -----Original Message----- From: Bobby Wilson [mailto:bobbywilson5@comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 6:03 PM To: ARDREW-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ARDREW] Surname: Wilson My name is Walter Robertson (Bobby) Wilson. My fathers name was Walter Wilson. He was sheriff of Drew County for several years and owned two farms in the county. He died in 1950 or 1951 when I was just a child.