Wilson, James William 17 Dec. 1832–2 July 1910 James William
Wilson, engineer, was born in Granville County, the son of the
Reverend Alexander, a noted Presbyterian clergyman and educator,
and Mary Willis Wilson. He grew up in Alamance County, attended
the Caldwell Institute in Greensboro, and was graduated from The
University of North Carolina in 1852. Choosing the profession of
civil engineer, he became a rodman on the survey of the Western
North Carolina Railroad and was soon promoted to assistant
engineer. Wilson settled in Morganton in 1856 and in 1861
married Louise Erwin, of McDowell County, who bore him ten
children. When the Civil War began, Wilson returned to Alamance
County and raised Company F, Sixth North Carolina Troops. He
became captain of the company and was later promoted to major
and assistant quartermaster on the staff of General Stephen D.
Ramseur. Wilson took part in most of the campaigns of the Army
of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battle in 1862 to
Cedar Creek in 1864. In late