William A. Wilson

William A. Wilson

WILLIAM A. WILSON (1830-1891)
Perquimans County, NC
by Robert E. Stokley

William A. Wilson was born in Perquimans County, NC about 1830. He was the son of Thomas
Wilson and Elvy (WHITE) Wilson. It would appear that he lived with his father Thomas until such
time that he married an began to raise his own family. He married Susan Ann Jordan
(1830-ca.1875) sometime about 1851/52. She was the daughter of Eliza Jordan.

William continued to farm until May, 1865 when it was apparent that North Carolina would
secede from the Union. On May 16, 1861, at Hertford, NC, four days before North Carolina
actually seceded, he enlisted in the Perquimans Beaureguards, a company which became Co.
F, 27th Regt. NC Troops(Infantry). He was mustered in as a Corporal and eventually was
promoted on September 1, 1864 to the rank of 2d Lieutenant commanding the company. His
first action was in North Carolina at the Battle of New Bern in March of 1862. On his September
29, 1887 application to the Pickett-Buchanan Confederate Veterans Camp in Norfolk, Virginia
he listed his involvement in the following battles: Richmond July, 1862, the Seven Days fight;
Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17, 1862; Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862; Bristow
Station, October, 1863; 2d Battle of the Wilderness, 1864; Spotsylvania Courthouse, 1864;
minor battles to Petersburg, 1864; Reaves Station, August 24, 1864; Hatcher's Run, February,
1865. On September 1, 1864 he was elected 2d Lt. and commanded Company F until the end
of the war. In March and April, 1865 he and his company were detailed to western North
Carolina to round up army deserters. Although most of the 27th NC Regiment surrendered at
Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia with General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, Lt.
Wilson and his company was surrendered by General Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina. on
April 27, 1865. He was paroled at Greensboro, NC on May 1, 1865.

After the war he returned to Perquimans County and farmed. He and Mary Ann had seven children:
M. Thomas, Joseph T., Jesse, mary Elizabeth, William A., Ellen, and Catherine Louisa. Mary Ann
died between 1870 and 1880 as she does not appear in the 1880 census. After 1880 William moved
to Norfolk, Virginia where he worked as a stockyard superintendent for the S. Perry & Company.
In 1887 he was residing at 35 Nebraska Street in Norfolk. It is believed he died in 1891 but his
burial site is unknown.