became manager. Thus he was El Paso's first regular hotel keeper, and settled here in late 1856. He became a lawyer in 1870, after serving as Police Magistrate, Justice of the Peace, auctioneer, and real estate conveyances in the war days and after. He purchased the "El Paso Hotel" site and building from Gibson, Lot 12, Block 43, on March 12, 1857. Gibson had intended it for a store and changed it into a hotel building.

WILSON, Amos Q. – Early Palestine minister and Civil War veteran. He was born June 12, 1830 and died May 30, 1909. He is buried in die Secor Cemetery. He attended the Church of Christ.

WILSON, Jonathan R. and Sarah Ann – Jonathan was the son of Nathaniel Wilson, and came to Woodford County with him to the Metamora area in 1835. He was born in New Hampshire on February 27, 1823. Shortly after arriving here, he helped complete the section surveys in the Woodford County townships, carrying surveyors chains. Jonathan purchased the E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of Section 20 in Greene Twp. on February 6, 1850, and other land soon after, moving there that year.

WILSON, Nathaniel – Father of Jonathan R. Wilson. He was from Barnstead, New Hampshire, and moved to near Metamora in 1835. He entered and purchased land in Sections 17-19 and 20 in Greene Twp. in 1850 and moved there that year, as did his son.

WOODS, Gabriel S. – He is one of the Woods family who lived in the Gabetown area in the early 1850's. Gabriel was the first township clerk of Greene when it was formed in 1855. He enlisted in Company D., 108th Illinois Infantry in the Civil War, and became a Second Lieutenant. Most histories credit his nickname "Gabe" with the naming of Gabetown. However, there was also a storekeeper named "Gabe" Gish there, and the Pleasants family thought the town was named for him.

WOODS, James and Elizabeth – James was one of the Woods family which lived near Gabetown in the 1850's. James and Elizabeth Woods sold the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 9 in Greene Twp. to Leland and Elizabeth Cram on April 25, 1855, and for them was named the old Cram School.

WOODS, John and Susan F. – Of the same family as James Woods. They came from Roanoke, Virginia in 1851 and settled the W 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 29, with other land on the east.

WOODS, William W. – Born in Pennsylvania in 1813, he migrated into Greene Twp. in 1856 as did many others from the Keystone State. Probably unrelated to the other Woods families, he built his cabin one-half mile east of the Greene Town Hall.

WOOSELY, E. A. – Came to Woodford County from Kentucky in 1830 and finally settled on the W 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 29, Palestine Twp. An early store was on his land, across the road from what became the "Shepard" school. The little settlement was sometimes called "Poketown." He was a farmer and stockman.

WORK, Samuel – Samuel lived in Panola in 1855, where he served with S. G. Lewis as first police magistrate.

Page 413

Go to previous page

Go to next page

Go to El Paso Story gateway page