Thomas Brown Wilson

From "Lexington" by Mary Wilson and Sharon Y. Asher, published sometime after 1975.

THOMAS BROWN WILSON

Thomas Brown Wilson, or "Uncle Brown" as he was familiarly called, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania on September 15, 1820. He was employed on his father's farm until seventeen years of age when he was apprenticed to learn the tanner's trade. Soon after completing his apprenticeship he married Ann Lowry and settled on a farm near Lexington, Indiana. He also conducted a tan yard in connection with this farm.

Thomas and Ann Wilson were the parents of seven children -- Nancy Elinor, Francis G., Harriet, Lydia Ann, Thomas Addison, Caroline J. and Eveline Margaret.

In 1858 he quit the business of tanning and, for several years, engaged in merchandising. Unfortunately this endeavor was not successful for him and he eventually lost all his property.

Uncle Brown Wilson was very kind and a good neighbor, often visiting and caring for the sick. He was quite a musician in his day and played beautiful Scotch airs on his flute. He also taught old fashioned singing schools in the country school houses.

When a boy he manifested a talent for rhyming that would have gained him some fame perhaps had he pursued it. The issues in the election of 1892 suggested the following lines to him. (He died a couple of weeks after this poem was written, still clear in his mind and active to his last day.)

The good old days when I was young are much to be lamented;

For people lived so happy then, and always were contented.

They had enough for present use, and never strove for righes;

In summer wore tow linen clothes, in winter bucks kin breeches.

In wooden troughs and other ways, beef hides were tanned to leather;

And made our shoes for rainy days, or for inclement weather.

We ate our meals with pewter spoons, and paid but little taxes ;

Cut down trees to catch the coons, with blacksmith's hand made axes.

For meal we punctured bits of tin, on this the corn was grated;

Then sifted it with sheep skin sieves, with holes well perforated.

Fat bears and bucks we killed for meat, and then we shot wild turkeys;

Some would even possum eat, like old time Southern dandies.

For any kind of sweetening goods, we did not pay the money;

For hollow trees throughout the woods, were stowed with luscious honey.

But little money had we then, yet each one a great defender;

Of sound finance, and coon skins made a lawful legal tender.

Politics in those good old days, was one united faction;

For all the votes we ever cast, Were for old General Jackson.

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