Person:Thomas Wilson (102)

Thomas WILSON lived near Irvinstown, Ireland, just across the Loch Erin from Enniskillen in county Fermanagh (now northern Ireland). Enniskillen was an important town where a large fair or sale day was held and all kinds of produce sold. Races were run and usually ended ina a free-for-all between Orange and Green spectators.

          Thomas WILSON married Elizabeth BLAKLEY , one of a large family of girls.Thomas and Elizabeth had 9 children, Newberry, Elizabeth, Guy, Andrew, Irvin, Alice, Matthew, James and Thomas. They lived on a small estate about 4 or 5 miles out of Irvinstown, the estate was called Gordadrath, and was owned by someone living in England. The Estate was not large but was more than they could handle, so they sub-let what they could not use. They grew potatoes, grain, hay, and raised cattle and hogs. When the produce was sold in the fall Thomas would borrow a fine rig and hitch up his best horse and clad in fine knee pants, tails and a stovepipe hat drove tp Belfast to settle up with the agent of the  owner of the estate. Thomas would alwys bring the children back nice presents.
           Thomas and Elizabeth evidently did quite well as they had a good bit of money laid by when some friends went to Australia to raise sheep in a big way. One of the friends returned from Australia and told of the sucess they had had and talked Thomas into putting all his money with them. A bad drought hit Australia and they lost everything. Elizabeth died about the same time and the Irish potatoe famine came along and made the going real bad. Thomas lost heart, took to drinking at the near by pub and drank himself to death.

           After the Irish potatoe famine, shiploads of Irish left for the Americas, Africa, Canada, and Australia. Andrew and Irvin went to Philadelphia. Penn. and then moved to Marietta, Ohio, where they worked for the Marietta Milling Company. They then went to Iowa and filed a homestead. They returned to Marietta and worked in the mill. In 1850 the remainder of the family  sold out and moved to Marietta, Ohio. In 1855 all except James moved to Iowa and settled in Delaware county Near Buck Creek. James remained in Ohio. He married and worked for the milling company until his death.