Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

een more than meritorious; Mr. Wilson
had led in most of the public movements
in Willimantic political, commercial, and
social—and he had gained the sincere re-
spect of the community b) his conscien-
tious life and comprehensive understand-
ing of public matters. At our time he
was chairman of the Willimantic School
Board; was elected as Representative
from that district to the State Legislature
in [895, during which session he was ap-
pointed to serve on the committee on
cities and boroughs. For three years he
was a member of the Old high school committee,
and his high standing in the town
is shown by the fact that he was thrice
reelected to the Board of Burgesses, act-
ing as such in the years 1S8S-89-90-91. In
1892 and [893 he was first selectman. Not
only in civic affairs was he prominent
professionally he was honored, in [886
being elected by his confreres to the pres-
idency of the Connecticut Pharmaceutical
Association. And in matters of business
organization, he must have been able, as
he was for some years vice-president of
the Willimantic Building and Loan As-
sociation, as well as of the Willimantic
Board of Trade.
Fraternally a Mason and an Odd Fel-
low, these two orders, immediately fol-
lowing his death, indicated by resolutions
the respect in which he was held by the
members of the lodges with which he had
been affiliated. And in church work Mr.
Wilson was active, for several years being
chairman of the Congregational Ecclesi-
astical Society.
Mr. Wilson married (first) June 4,
1879, Gertrude Seaman, of Babylon, Long
Island, and to this marriage one son was
born, Raymond, on November 24, 1885,
but who died on February 16, 1914. Mrs.
Gertrude (Seaman) Wilson died in September,
1893, a "d was interred in Wil-
limantic Cemetery. On December 20,
1894, Mr. Wilson married (second \ Lucy
;
ENCYCD IPEDIA OF P.K xiRAPHY
299
Byles, daughter of Andrew and Martha
(Sharp) Byles, of Ashford, Connecticut.
Mrs. Wilson is a woman Of many accomplishment^
and Strong initiative Prior
to her marriage, she had been at work in
Boston, and had gained fjood repute in
medical circles of that city, having for
some years been a skillful nurse in |:
ton hospitals. She took up nursing a- a
profession, and was a graduate of the
Boston City Hospital. In addition, by
reason of her ancestry, she was admitted
a member of the I laughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution, and of late years ha- been
a prominent member of thai zation.
and especially of the Anne Wood
Elderkin Chapter at Willimantic. She
comes of an old Colonial family, for five
generations resident on the ancestral farm
at Ashford, Connecticut, where she v
born. And in the maternal line, she is a
great-granddaughter of Robert Sharp, a
Revolutionary soldier, who enlisted from
Pomfret, Connecticut.
The children of Frank M. and Lucy
(Byles) Wilson are: Dorothea, who v
born on August ,}. [896; she is now a stu-
dent at Miss Wheelock's Kindergarten
Training School at Boston, having re-
solved to take up educational work ;
and
Milton Andrew, who was born on December
10, 1897, and is now at Dartmouth
College.
In [908, Mrs. Wilson removed to Weth-
ersfield, Connecticut, where she has since
resided, and has endeavored to provide
her children with educations such as will
fit them for useful positions in life and so-
v. and where she continues to actively
interest herself in association work.
SHANKLIN, William A., L. H. D.. LL. D.
Clergyman, Educator.
Ordained to the ministry of the Methodist
Episcopal church in 1889, Dr. Shank-
lin entered upon pastoral work while yet