I came to Texas in the Fall of 1837, and stopped for a time in what is now know as Rusk County, but then Nacogdoches County, near the place now known as Mt. Enterprise, then known
as Williams Settlement. About the same time [blank] Rooter and Rev. Littleton Fowler came to this country as missionaries.
Some time in the Spring of 1838 Bro. Fowler visited our Settlement and preached at the house of my neighbor Mr. Elliot, and formed a little class. This was perhaps the first protestant sermon ever preached in that region. During the Summer of the same year Bro. Campbell preached for us one time. In the following Fall, in consequence of Indian depredations, the little society was
broken up; all northern and western Texas was occupied by Savages. During that year I went to the neighborhood of Douglass [blank]; and then for the first time I met the now sainted Henderson D. Palmer, when he was conducting a protracted meeting. There were several penitents at the Altar, and I trust much good was accomplished. My father, Rev. John Wilson appointed meetings during the year, until we were driven by fear of Indians from this settlement. We settled back in San Augustine County.
The Rev. Samuel A. Williams was appointed for the year 1839, to labor in this field, which he served with great usefulness and success. His labors have left their impress in all that country. His name is embalmed in the hearts of the people to be in everlasting remembrance.
In 1844 I was appointed to the Franklin Circuit embracing the whole region from the junction of the Brazos and Navasota to the falls of the Brazos. The cities of Milikan, Bryant, Calvert, Hearne
and Bremond have since grown up within the bounds of that one circuit. This was then Indian frontier work; and what some would call a very "hard field." On my way to this circuit I very narrowly escaped being drowned. I was an entire stranger to the country through which I had to pass. I came to the Navasota River, and found it overflowed from hill to hill. I enquired (sic) about the practicability of endeavoring to cross the water, and was directed a certain route as to the best and safest. I started through the flowing sheet of water, and had proceeded near a half mile when I was hailed by the ferryman in a boat, to warn me of the dangers ahead. But for this timely information I would have gone forward, and most likely have perished.
I found that the river at that place was about two miles across. The ferryboat was bearing the Rev. W. C. Lewis to his new field of labor. I was glad to return to the shore where I spent the night in company with Bro. Louis, and I crossed the river safely the next morning.
During this year I was very sick and came near going to my long home. Rev. J.M. Wesson was my Colleague. We both received for this year not above thirty dollars stipends.
In 1845, I was appointed to the Fort Houston circuit as junior preacher, with Rev. M.H. Jones in charge. I remained on this work until July, when the Presiding Elder sent me to what was then called Kings Borrow Country ( which became Kaufman ) to form a new mission. On the way to this work it was necessary to spend one night in the solitudes of the forest. The distances being so great between Settlements that it could not be traveled in a day. I was then, in fact, deemed the Pioneer Preacher.
I reached a Settlement on Four-mile Prairie ( now Prairieville ), preached and formed a small class; from thence I crossed Cedar Creek without roads or fords, a distance of six miles to one Mr. Wards' place ( near what is now Kemp ); left an appointment, then crossed Kings Creek winding my way through the tangled grass a distance of ten miles, which brought me to the house of one Mr. Dameron (John Damron - early Kaufman Co. pioneer who lived near what is now called Lively ). Near by was a little log School House the first of the kind ever erected in all this country; then we fixed a stated appointment.
From that place I went to Kings Fort, where a small congregation was gathered in a short time for preaching. From thence I went to College Mound, and thence on to Moores Settlement ( near where 429 crosses into Hunt County ), on the waters of the Sabine River. From thence to McKenturfs ( McEnturff - another early settler in the Quinlan area ) lower down the Sabine. From that appointment I crossed the Sabine without boat or bridge; sometimes when it overflowed, swimming my horse and walking a log frequently under water to what was then known as Hobb's Settlement. ( this would have been 1845 when the first persons settled at College Mound )
Here I found some living Methodist. This was in what is now Hunt County, not far from Judge Hookers. From that point I crossed the Sabine to Prices School House. This was the second School house built in this region. From this place I went back to Four-mile, starting the circuit again. Soon the field was enlarged.
The settlement on the East Fork of the Trinity, now the Town of Rockwall was taken into the circuit in 1853. The circumstance which led to my first visit to this new settlement are to me of thrilling remembrance.
The Presiding Elder of the District Rev. Daniel Paine having attended my quarterly meeting and being enroute to his next appointment near Honey Grove, invited me to accompany him. We started from Kingsboro early in the morning. Having heard of this settlement on the East Fork, we started in that direction. We got the best information we could in reference to the way and traveled on until late in the evening. I insisted that we had missed the way, but Bro. Paine contended that we were right; and when night came on we were still in the vast unbroken prairie, with a certainty of finding no human habitation to shelter us from the falling dews, and the chilling
breeze. It was indeed an unpleasant situation. We adjusted ourselves to our fate, and staked or hobbled our horses to graze on the sward, and laid us down hungry and cold upon our grassy bed to sleep. I, being a back woodsman slept very well, but it was Bro. Paines first night out of doors in the cheerless wilderness, and he slept but little. Next morning we were early on the way, not being detained for breakfast. We traveled but a short distance together that day,
he took to the right fork and I took the left.
Ultimately he took breakfast about 9 o'clock the following Sunday night, about five miles from Bonham. But I reached one Mr. Kings (Samuel King - early Rockwall area settler ) in the Rockwall Settlement about 10 o'clock that same Saturday morning; remained over Sabbath, and preached to the five families in that neighborhood. Here, as was the uniform custom, my horse was foraged at the end of a lariat.
I continued nearly two more years on this mission. During the time I was obliged to swim the Sabine and its tributaries not less than seventeen times, often for want of houses lying out in the open prairies and cheerless forest, hungry, cold and wet. For two years labor in this field I received from the people about twenty dollars in money, and but little of anything else. Still I look back to this period as one of the happiest in my ministerial life. I have my reward in the conscienciness [sic] of having tried to do my duty and in the hope of the long and peaceful rest that remains for the weary, minister of Christ.
The country then embraced in my work has since been divided into three or four circuits. I still reside within the bounds of this memorable field of my early toils. Now after an elapse of 23 years full of precious memory, and illustrious with the deeds and toils, sacrifices and adventures of missionary life I find myself among Strangers. Here I was once familiar with nearly every human face.
But now there are few remaining of my former comrades. One by one they have passed away, to their endless homes, while I am left to linger upon these shores, a standing monument to link the reminscences(sic) of past pioneer adventures with the progress of the present age. My race is well nigh run. My course is nearly finished. I will soon gain the prize.
I have seen the rise and progress of Methodism in my adopted state for 33 years. Nearly an entire generation has lived and died. The happy associations of the past, and the bright hopes
of the future are my comfort and solace. Soon I shall be in the better land. But this church will still live and the Master will carry on his work as if I had never lived. When I have ceased to breathe the Great Head will raise up another more worthy of my place to carry on the work.
(Manuscript in a ledger belonging to W.C. Young, now in the Fondren Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas.)
NOTES:
W.K.Wilson was born in Georgia - 3 May 1808, son of John Alexander Wilson and Anne Kinney. He died 18 Aug 1872. He is buried in Wilson's Chapel Church Cemetery, south of Kaufman. A place named for him.
He married 3 Oct 1847 in Newton Co TX to Caroline Elizabeth Trotti. She is buried next to him, and surrounding him are more than fifty graves of his siblings, children, grandchildren and other relatives.
He is on the 1850 Nacogdoches Co TX Census, the 1860 Panola Co TX Census & the 1870 Kaufman Co TX Census.
Wilson made Kaufman TX his home in 1861, sent here during the war between the states to minister and preached at the church there until his death.
His children were:
Harriett Jane - 1849
John B D - 1851
Louisa Caroline - 1854
Martha - 1857
Mary - 1857
William P - 1859
Charles J - 1861
Walter E - 1863
