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John M. Wilson, farmer and stock raiser of Jefferson County, is a 
native of Abbeville County, S. C., born in 1818, and is the eldest of
eight children born to Ephraim and Fannie (Link) Wilson, natives of
South Carolina, where they were reared, and married about 1816.  About
1820 they came to Jefferson County and were the first to settle on
James Creek.  After living there for about ten or twelve years they
removed to McNairy County, Tenn., where they remained for about four
years, and then returned to Jefferson County, Mo., where, with the
exception of a few years spent in Arkansas, they made their home. The
father was a farmer and mechanic, and was in good circumstances at the
time of his death, which occurred in 1862.  His father, John Wilson,
was of Irish descent, and came to Jefferson County about 1820, where
he died, after making several trips between Missouri and South Carolina.  

Both parents of John M. were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  

The subject of this sketch was reared at home and educated in the 

primitive log schoolhouses of early times.  In February, 1839, he was 

united in marriage to Miss Adaline Graham, daughter of William and
Margaret Graham, who were formerly of Tennessee, but pioneers of Jefferson 

County.  Immediately after marriage Mr. Wilson located twelve miles west 

of Hillsboro, where he has lived for nearly fifty years. He has about 

1,300 acres of choice land, and is one of the largest land holders of 

Jefferson County.  He has no children of his own, but has reared four 

and partly reared others.  He is taking considerable pains in improving 

the stock of the community, especially cattle and horses of the Durhamn 

and Norman breeds, respectively.  In politics Mr. Wilson is a life long 

and stanch Democrat, and has voted for every Democratic president since 

attaining his majority.  He and wife are members of the Missionary 

Baptist Church.