Person:John Wilson (217)

John Minnich "Jock" Wilson was a coal miner, prize fighter, civil engineer, artist, poet and author. He worked in the coal mines in the vicinity of Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana from the age of thirteen until he was 25. Jock served in both World War I and World War II as a civil engineer in the U.S. Marines. He wrote two books of poetry, "Pan with a Pick" in 1930 and "Black Diamonds" in 1947. He won an Avery Hopwood major award (University of Michigan) for his autobiographical novel, "The Dark and the Damp" in 1950. The book was published by E.P. Dutton & Company in 1951.

Jock attended the Red Roof School, Jasonville High School, Garfield High School, Rose Polytechnic Institure (now Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology), the Detroit School of Fine Arts, the Haywood Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Michigan.

He supported his family as a civil engineer in both the public and private sectors. However, his true love was the arts. One family story goes that Jock would often work two days straight without sleep to turn out a week's worth of civil engineering work for his employer so he could have the rest of the week off to paint. Obituary from March 12, 1961 Terre Haute Tribune:

JOHN M. WILSON. ARTIST-AUTHOR, SUCCUMBS

John Minnich Wilson, 63, a former resident and well-known author and artist, died Saturday morning at St Joseph's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich., following a four-year illness.

He was the author of two books of poems, "Pan with the Pick" in 1930 and "Black Diamonds" in 1946. He also wrote the novel, "The Dark and the Damp" published in 1950. For the novel, he received a Hopwood Award in 1952. His oil paintings also received numerous awards and have been exhibited in the city.

He was a graduate of Garfield High School, attended Rose Polytechnic Institute and was graduated from the University of Michigan in 1951. He also attended an art school in Detroit.

In both World Wars he served as an engineer in the Marine Corps. He was employed as an engineer most of his life and was ar one time surveyor for Vigo County.

Member of Engineers

His memberships included the Michigan and Indiana Association of Civil Engineers, Sigma Nu Fraternity, Scarab Club at Detroit, the Elks Lodge of Sullivan, and the American Legion Post at Santa Claus, Ind.

He is survived by the widow, Mary; two sons, John Jr. of Decatur, Ill. and Perry of Ann Arbor; two daughters, Mrs. Herbert C. Burton of Montgomery, Ala., and Mrs. Richard Wallace of Evanston, Ill,; two stepchildren, Charles McGregor of Canoga PArk, Calif., and Mary L. McGregor of Ann Arbor, Mich.

Two brothers, Dr. Perry Wilson of Madison, Wis., and Gayle Wilson of Wichita, Kan.; two sisters, Mrs. D.A. Legg of San Jose, Calif., and Mrs. Joseph Langley of Culver City, Calif., and 11 grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. at St Francis Catholic Church in Ann Arbor. Burial will be in St Thomas cemetery.

1. ↑ John David Wilson. JD Wilson's Genealogy Web. (RootsWeb.com).