Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/553

 which built the first Capitol at Des Moines and furnished it free of rent to the State for many years. He was a prominent Democratic politician until the Rebellion began, when he entered the military service as adjutant of the Fourth Iowa Infantry and as the war progressed became a warm supporter of Lincoln's administration. Mr. Williamson made a fine officer and won rapid promotion to lieutenant-colonel, colonel and for a long time commanded a brigade. He was in Sherman's march to the sea and participated in most of the battles of that army. Near the close of the war he was promoted to Brigadier-General. He was chairman of the Iowa delegation at the National Republican Convention at Chicago which in 1868 nominated General Grant for President. In 1877 General Williamson was appointed commissioner of the General Land Office at Washington, which office he held until 1881, when he became land commissioner of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, and afterwards president of the company. He died on the 7th of September, 1902.  DAVID S. WILSON was one of the pioneer lawyers and editors of Dubuque. He was born at Steubenville, Ohio, on the 19th of March, 1825. Coming to Dubuque in 1839 he began the study of law with his brother, Judge Thomas S. Wilson. For several years he was editor of the Miners' Express which he conducted with ability. In 1846, when barely twenty-one, he was elected to the House of the Eighth Legislative Assembly. He served as a lieutenant in the Mexican War and was prosecuting attorney two terms. In 1857 he was elected to the Senate of the Seventh General Assembly, serving four years. When the Civil War began Mr. Wilson became a leader of the “war Democrats” and made an able speech against secession. In 1862 he was commissioned colonel of the Sixth Cavalry which was sent against the Sioux Indians then engaged in the Minnesota massacre. In 1864 Colonel Wilson resigned his command and returned to Dubuque, resuming the practice of law. In 1872 he was appointed circuit judge and soon after district judge, serving until 1878. He died in Dubuque, April 1, 1881.  JAMES WILSON was born at Ayrshire, Scotland, on the 16th of August, 1835, and received an academic education. He came to America in 1851 and took up his residence on a farm in Tama County, Iowa. Mr. Wilson was elected on the Republican ticket in 1867 to the House of the Eleventh General Assembly and served by successive reëlections until 1873. He was Speaker of the House in 1872 and was chosen one of the regents of the State University. He was elected to Congress in the fall of 1872, from the Fifth District and reëlected at the expiration of his first term. In 1884 he was defeated for Congress by Mr. Frederick the Democratic candidate. Mr. Wilson was for many years a writer on farm topics and was chosen Professor of Agriculture at the State Agricultural College at Ames and Director of the Experimental Station. In 1897, upon the 