Below is a copy of the family information of Rev. Joseph Wesson.
He was a famous Preacher in many Counties of Indiana and Illinois.
He came to Gibson Co Indiana about 1810 from Tennessee.

Given to Kristen Williams by Larkin B. Price on 5-6-2004
History Wesson Family
Written for Mrs. Emma Borah Holman by her
Uncle Van R. Price

January 27,1908

I will now give you as best as I can an account of our relation on my mother's side (Wesson). Joseph Wesson and his wife, I believe her name was Elizabeth Adams anyway her maiden name was Adams, and she was of the old family of John Adams and Quincy Adams; I think a cousin of J.Q. Adams, I am sure of that family. I do not know where they were born or where they were married, that is grandmother and grandfather Wesson, but they moved from Tennessee. I think from the middle of Tennessee, in 1810 and settled in what is now the town of Owensville, in Gibson County, Indiana. Mother was about, I think the oldest child and she was about 8 years old when they came to Indiana, and was 18 years, 5 months, and 24 days old when she was married to my father. I have heard her spoken of as a very pretty young lady by those who were acquainted with her at that time. Her brothers were Newton, who married a Mary Madox, James who married Miss Celia or Clara, I forgot her maiden name, but have seen her. She is quite a society lady and too aristocratic for Uncle, and he thinking her so pretty, tried to humor her in everything, which caused him to fail. My father thought a great deal of him. They had 2 sons. I believe they were twins, Fountain and Fleming. They both lived to manhood. Fount was in the Civil War. Their mother married her second husband, David Ayers, but they are all dead. Next brother was William, who married in Indiana, and with several children moved to Logan County, Illinois. Lived there until after the war, I think, about 1870, then they settled in Kansas where Uncle and Aunt both died. Uncle was out here osme 25 years ago. He and I stayed with your mother since your father's death. Probably you remember him. I forgot if it was before you were married. He was the youngest brother of my mother. If I recollect, her sister was next younger then she was, she was nicknamed Peggy. She married Robert Bonner, a good man and a good husband. They had 2 children, John N. and Isabell Jane. Uncle died and Aunt married John Brothers. He was a hard worker, a hustler, but poor manager. They lived above Noble a few years after the war. When he failed they came back to Indiana, where Aunt Peggy died. She was a good woman and well respected, but had a hard life especially the latter part. They had 3 sons, Robert, William, and James Larkin, who were a credit to their father. James Larkin died near Mt. Erie at James McCleary's and was buried in Locust Grove Cemetery. I kept his grave marked. Next sister was Esther who first married a miller by trade, Ebenezer Phillips. They lived in Blairsville, Posey County. He is was that suggested my name to my parents which does not seem to me to be a very good one, but I accept it and am satisfied and as for namesakes, so far as number in my locality, they exceed Lincoln; I just now think of 7.
Aunt Esther and Uncle Ebenezer had one son that I recollect, who was Joseph Vaspasen. He was about my age. I saw him die about 50 years ago at Mr. John Moreheads, 10 miles south of Olney, and he is buried in Parkersburg Cemetery, near Parkersburg. His father died several years before and his mother married a James Bonner, a Methodist Preacher and he died before Joseph V., died; what became of Uncle Bonner, I do not know.
Next sister if I recollect was Melissa, who married first Elhanan Emerson, uncle, I think, of Charles Emerson of Albion. They first settled in Gibson County, Indiana, near grandfather Wesson's, afterwards lived in White County, Illinois, 3 miles south of Graysville, where Uncle died and Aunt Melissa married Burrel Crawford, a man much younger then her, and who survived her, then he married a Westfall and he has been dead some 10 years or more.
Uncle and Aunt Emerson had a son about my age, who died when about 12 years old. Also a daughter, Mary Catherine, who died about the time she reached womanhood; another Ella who was married to Samuel Pottis, none of whom I ever knew. Flora was the youngest. She married Mr. Cleveland and they had a family, mostly girls. They live in Graysville. Their son is principal of the Grayville Schools. They seem to be nice and respected family.
Next sister was Mary who married Charles Johnson, and Irishman. A better Christian man then Uncle Charles is hard to find. He was good to everybody and was everyone's friend, a devout and loyal Methodist, the life and power of the church, where he belonged. He raised a large family, worked hard, made lots of money, gave much away to every good cause and much to undeserving people. He and Aunt Polly died not very many years ago and not far apart. I think Uncle went first. Arthur was the oldest child. He was a fine looking young man over 6 feet tall, erect and well proportioned and had a mine smart to a finish. Joseph, the second son, married a Harrison, a relative of President Harrison. She died some 3 years ago. At the time they were living in Owensboro, Kentucky, since then, I have not heard from them. Their oldest daughter, Maraih married a Methodist Preacher, by the name of Harnell. He was for several years presiding elder in Indianapolis. Where they are now, I do not know. Joseph and wife did not have any children. The balance of Uncles and Aunt's children living in and about McCutchinsville, Indiana, some 8 miles north of Evansville, a country where land is high in price. I believe I did not write anything on Uncle Newton's family. I was better acquainted with them then any of the rest of my Aunts or Uncles on my mother's side. When I was a boy, I used to visit them and after I was large enough to go myself. They had one son, though years older then myself. he married a Caroline Sharp, a neighbor girl, about the same time William Wesson moved to Logan County, Illinois. Their first son was Filmore who now lives in Kansas and 2 others whom I have forgotten. One daughter married a man by the name of Marvel, a neighbor. The family eventually moved to Logan, County, Lincoln, Illinois, where John W. died. His widow and some of the children live there now. Pamela, Uncle's oldest daughter, married John Summers, whens he was about 17 years old. They settled about 3 miles north of Atlanta, McLean County. They lived there until 1882. They had only 2 children, Delia and Charles, they moved to Clarion, Iowa. Delia married a cousin of hers before they left Illinois; they have one son who is living here now on Pamela's farm.
Louise, another of Uncle's Children married a widower, a Mr. Hudson, a Christian Preacher, and they had one daughter, Clara. When Mr. Hudson died, Louise settled in the Christian College at Merom, and made a living boarding college students until her daughter married a Mr. Fairfield, a professor. Then they moved to first one place then another till they settled in Alfred, New Jersey, where Mr. Fairfield has charge of a college.
Louise died there last February. Joseph, another son of Uncle's was killed at the battle of Champion Hill, near Vicksburg, Mississippi. James L. died some 5 years ago, in Cynthiana, leaving 2 married daughters, Mrs. Whiting in New Harmany and Mrs. Indicut near Poseyville, Indiana, and son Oscar of same address. Widow, niece and daughter in Cynthiana. Another son, Charles who lives at Kendall, Illinois. One daughter, Ella, address, Appleton City, Missouri. Another died the same time your mother died in 1864 or 1865. Two twin girls, Mattie, who married a Mr. Berry, lives near Merom, Indiana. Mary, whom you have met, lives in Clarksville, Iowa. She married a Christian Preacher, a Rev. Hollett. She has 6 children. I had a letter from her the other day and a group picture of her children. The youngest is 3 years old. She says her sister, Mattie is rich in house and land but not so rich in children as she has only half as many and married several years before.
I forgot to say in the proper place what I intended to say about grandfather Wesson. He was a farmer and also a minister, he belonged to what was called in his day, the Campbellite Order, which eventually merged into the Campbellite Church. His belief was different from it that while he advocated Immersion, he did not claim that it was essential to salvation and believe in experimental religion, that it could be felt as well as worked. his influence can be seen in Gibson County, Indiana, Wabash County Illinois, and doubtless many other places. Verily he rests from his labors and his works do follow him. After grandmother died, he married a widow Mock and died in 1854 leaving a widow.



This is personal Information submitted by Kristen Williams.
I, Kristen, have submitted for use on the Gibson Co. Indiana Genweb Site.
This page is © Gibson Co Indiana Genweb and is not to be used for or on other websites.
For personal use only!