Bio: Wilson, Benjamin Franklin (1859 – 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Wilson, Ruggles, Bradley, Salsich, Russell

----Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

Wilson, Benjamin Franklin (7 November 1859 – 19??)

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WILSON, president of the Wilson Mercantile Company, wholesale grocers, of Wausau, Wis., has also many other important business interests and is numbered with the most substantial and enterprising citizens of this section. He was born at Belmont, in County Middlesex, Ontario, Dominion of Canada November 7, 1859. He attended the country schools there and resided with his parents on a farm. When seventeen years of age he left home and went to Manistee, Mich., where he entered the employ of Charles F. Ruggles, a banker and pine land owner, his position being that of office boy in the banking department of Mr. Ruggles' institution. Here he remained five years, during the last two years of this time being head bookkeeper. He then became head bookkeeper for Bradley Bros, of Milwaukee, pine land owners, with whom he remained four years. Mr. Wilson then returned to Manistee, where he entered the employ of the Manistee Lumber Company, and continued with them seven years as head bookkeeper. He was then again with the Bradleys of Milwaukee, which had been incorporated into a stock company known as the Land, Log & Lumber Company, becoming a director, secretary and treasurer of the latter company.

In 1897 Mr. Wilson formed a partnership with H. E. Salsich, in the manufacture of lumber at Star Lake, Wis. This business association was carried on very successfully until 1907 under the firm name of Salsich & Wilson, the output of the concern during this time being some 400,000.000 feet of lumber, lath and shingles. During a part of this time Mr. Wilson was a resident of Star Lake, but in 1901 he moved his family to Wausau. Since closing his plant at Star Lake he has devoted his time to other important concerns, having heavy investments in timber lands, lumber, paper mills and street railroads. He is president of the Wilson Mercantile Company, wholesale grocers of Wausau, Wis. He is a director of the Marathon County Bank, of Wausau, Wis. He also takes much interest in the development of a farm of 240 acres, situated three and a half miles from Wausau, and is a very successful breeder of Guernsey cattle.  

On October 4, 1882, Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Delia L. Russell, daughter of Andrew J. Russell, Manistee, Mich., and they have a family of three sons and two daughters. Mr. Wilson has ever been a dependable citizen, and while living at Manistee, Mich., was supervisor from the second ward for four years. For twelve years he was postmaster at Star Lake, Wis.