Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2023

C.M. Wilson was born in 1842 in Ohio. When he was nine years old, he moved to Minnesota Territory in 1851. In Thomas McLean Newson’s book, Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Biographical Sketches of Old St. Paul in 1886, he writes about some of the people who lived in St. Paul, and biographical sketches of old settler-colonists. He writes about the settler-colonists from the earliest settlement of St. Paul from the east, as well as those from Europe who moved here, and continued to 1857. One person who he writes about is C.M. Wilson, the boy who engaged in trading with the Dakota in Sha K’ Pay, Minnesota Territory in 1853.

C.M.’s parents, General Thomas W. Wilson and his wife, along with C.M., came to St. Paul in 1851. C.M. attended Miss Harriet E. Bishop’s school for a year and also attended a mission school that was run by Rev. Breck. “C.M. was one of the oldest scholars living of both these schools.”

At that time, many kids were in two gangs in St. Paul. The upper-town boys would have contests against the lower-town boys. Sometimes the two groups would have pitched battles. “When quite young, he seemed to possess not fear, and was at one time the captain and leader of the upper town boys vs. the lower town, and all old citizens can readily recall many contests between these two factions, some of which ended in pitched battles,” said Thomas McLean Newson, p. 326.

In 1851 in St. Paul, C.M. Wilson and his friends heard screams in the direction of the upper levee of the Minnesota River. C.M. and his friends ran to the area of the river and saw people pointing to a man who was sinking into the water for the third time. Although there were several grown people witnessing the struggle, no one moved to save him. C.M. pulled off his boots, jumped into the river, and swam to the man, who was sinking below the surface. C.M. seized the man by the hair and pulled him to the shore. Everyone was impressed with C.M., who was only ten years old, but was braver than any others in St. Paul that year!

Another time, C.M. was at an old house, called the Daniels House, a wooden building of four stories on the upper levee in 1852. Suddenly, it was in flames, A lady boarder frantically and piteously looked up into the faces of several men as she said, “Can’t you save that valuable package?” She pointed to the Daniels House, which was in flames, and looked around. No one responded.

“I’ll go!” said C.M., and he did. He brought out the valuables, and just as he got out of the building, the whole framework fell in with a terrible crash! The brave traits of C.M. caused him to be in prominence. The adult population praised him, and he was lionized as a hero by the boys in St. Paul, according to Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Biographical Sketches of Old St. Paul in 1886. C.M. and his brother were engaged in trading with the Dakota Indians at Sha K’ Pay, Minnesota Territory in 1853. He was one of the only white boys in the place, and the Indians called him “the little black head,” said Thomas McLean Newson. C.M. gained knowledge of the Dakota language and habits, and even thirty years later, the Dakota Indians would see him and remember “the little black head,” as they used to call him.

In 1855 until 1857, C.M. attended school in Granville, Ohio. He then returned to Minnesota and farmed until 1861, where he joined the Union army. Major Wilson was in a company of George Stoneman, Jr. (1822-1894), a United States Army cavalry officer. Major Wilson was promoted step by step, and each time for meritorious conduct.

In 1864, Major Wilson was captured and taken to Andersonville prison. He was also a prisoner in Monticello, Florida, and Florence, South Carolina. In Florence prison, he escaped with fifteen others but was recaptured using bloodhounds. Three of the fifteen prisoners were killed by the bloodhounds, while seven more died before reaching the Florence prison again. Major was held in high esteem by his fellow prisoners.

After the war, Major Wilson helped build railroads and became inspector of customs. He married Miss Miller of Ohio in 1871. They had two children, a son and a daughter. His wife died in 1884, according to Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Biographical Sketches of Old St. Paul.

Major Wilson was a rather slender, wiry man, who was full of energy. He used his indomitable willpower in his aims and in his purpose. He had a very active brain, backed by nerve, and entered earnestly into his enterprises. He was liberal according to Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Biographical Sketches of Old St. Paul. C.M. was liberal in his disposition, social in nature, a natural schemer, persistent in his efforts, and devoted to his friends.

Bibliography

McLean Newson, Thomas. Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Biographical Sketches of Old St. Paul in 1886.