Person:William Stilson (3)

History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Ed. and comp. by J. H. Wheeler. 2 vols. Chicago: Lewis Pub Co., 1910

WILLIAM B. STILSON

William B. Stilson, a retired resident of Mason City, Iowa, living at 223 East Fifth street, first came to this part of Iowa in the winter of 1856-57, and is familiar with its early history, its growth and its development. He was born in Preble county, Ohio , February 25, 1832 , son of Sylvanus S. and Eleanor (Bishop) Stilson.

Sylvanus S. Stilson was a native of New York state, from whence when a youth he accompanied his parents and other family members of the family to Hamilton county, Ohio , and later to Preble county. At the latter place when a young man he taught school and subsequently went to Cincinnati and worked in a packing house. His father was born in Connecticut , and died at Elkhart , Indiana , to which place he had gone with his son Sylvanus S. From Indiana the latter moved over into Illinois and settled in McHenry county. That was in 1837. There he entered a claim, and for a number of years successfully carried on farming. He and his wife spent their last years at Mason City , Iowa , at the home of their son Abner. Of their eight children, James M., a veteran of the Civil ward, died several years since at the home of a son in Hancock county, Iowa ; William B., the subject of this sketch, was the second born ; Abner R., and Oliver H., both veterans of the Civil war, are deceased, the former having died in 1908, at Mason City, Iowa, leaving a widow and two children, the latter having died in 1909 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He had been a resident of Cerro Gordo county two years, and Abner R. had lived here since the later '60s. Horace died in Illinois , at the age of twenty years. Of the daughters, Laura and Eleanor, the former is the widow of J. G. Bailey, and early resident of Mason City , who died here in 1908, and the latter and her husband, John McMillan, are both deceased.

William B. Stilson, in referring to early days in Cerro Gordo county, said that his brother, James M., came here with an Indian trapper and hunter in 1855, before Mason City was laid out. He afterward acquired title to land in Owen township, now Portland township, which he subsequently sold to William B. The two brothers made a trip to Chippewa Falls , Wisconsin , in the winter of 1857-8, William B. taking several yoke of oxen and produce, which he traded as part payment for his brother's land in Cerro Gordo county, the purchase price being five dollars an acre. James M. married and settled at Chippewa Falls . The summer previous to this, William B., in company with A. J. Churchill, did considerable breaking of prairie. They put up a comfortable shanty in which they kept "bachelor's hall," and two years later, when Mr. Stilson returned to Iowa , bringing with him his wife, he settled on this land and here carried on farming successfully for a number of years. He made his home on the farm until 1871, when he moved into Mason City . The last few years he has been practically retired from active work, having sold the farm. During the Civil war Mr. Stilson served one term as sheriff of Cerro Gordo county, and again, in 1871, he was elected to this office and served a second term. Also at different times he filled various other offices. He was one of the first county commissioners of Cerro Gordo county, and later he was street commissioner of Mason City , an office he filled for fifteen years. It was during that time the most of the pavings and crossing of the city were built.

On February 9, 1859, Mr. Stilson married in McHenry county, Illinois , Miss Mary Stevens, who was born in Wayne county, Pennsylvania , February 2, 1834 , daughter of Silas Molby and Juliette (Kellogg) Stevens, natives of Vermont and Pennsylvania respectively. Her grandfather Kellogg was an aide of General Washington in the [Revolutionary] war. Mrs. Stilson was one of a family of seven children, the others being as follows : Homer, who died in Vermont ; Asher M., of Oregon, but for many years a resident of Cerro Gordo county ; Marcus, a veteran of the Civil war who lost an arm at Gettysburg, and some years since died in Illinois ; James, a Civil war veteran, died in Dakota several years ago ; Esther, wife of John Pearson, died in Pennsylvania, leaving two daughters ; Harriet, wife of N. P. Jensen of Portland township, Cerro Gordo county. To Mr. and Mrs. Stilson have been given two daughters, Ida A., and Julia Eleanor. The latter was the wife of Willard H. Skiff and died a number of years ago. On February 9, 1909 , Mr. and Mrs. Stilson celebrated their golden wedding.

Politically Mr. Stilson has always affiliated with the Republican party, fraternally, with the F. and A. M. and the B. P. O. E. and both he and his wife are members of Chapter No. 58, O. E. S. Mrs. Stilson is also identified with the Fidelity Club and has long been an active member of the Baptist church. Miss Stilson is a member of the Sorosis Club.