By David R. Schleper

General Thomas W. Wilson and his wife, along with his son, 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.

At that time, many kids were in two gangs in St. Paul. The upper town boys would have contests against the lower town boys. Sometime the two groups would have pitched battles.

In 1851 in St. Paul, C.M. 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 a number of 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 10 years old, but was braver than any others in St. Paul that year!

Another time, Major Wilson 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 a number of men as she said, “Can’t you save that valuable package?” She pointed to Daniels House, which was in flames, and looked around. No one responded.

“I’ll go!” said Major Wilson, and he did! He brought out the valuables, and just as he go out of the building, the whole framework fell in with a terrible crash! The brave traits of Major Wilson caused him to be in prominence. The adult population praised him, and he was lionized as a hero by the boys in St. Paul.

Major Wilson and his brother were engaged in trading with the Dakota Indians at Shakopee in 1853. He was one of the only white boys in the place, and the Indians called him “the little black head.” Major Wilson gained knowledge of the Dakota language and habits, and even 30 years later, the Dakota Indians would see him and remember “the little black head,” as they used to call him.

In 1855 until 1857, Major Wilson attended school in Granville, Ohio. He then returned to Minnesota and farmed until 1861, where he joined the Union army. He was promoted step by step, each time for meritorious conduct.

In 1864, C.M. was captured and taken to Andersonville prison. He was also prisoner in Monticello, Florida, and Florence, South Carolina. In Florence prison, he escaped with 15 others, but was recaptured by the use of bloodhounds. Three of the 15 prisoners were killed by the bloodhounds, while seven more died before reaching the Florence prison again. Major Wilson 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.

Major Wilson, who was born in 1842 in Ohio, was a rather slender, wiry man, who was full of energy. He used his indomitable will-power 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 in his disposition, social in nature, a natural schemer, persistent in his efforts, and devoted to his friends.

(Some information from Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Biographical Sketches of Old St. Paul by Thomas McLean Newson, 1886.)