Peter Wilson Sr. (abt. 1746 - 1825)

Born about 11 Nov 1746 in Ordiquhill, Banffshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Duryea) Wilson — married 3 Feb 1781 in New Barbadoes Township, Bergen, New Jersey, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Aug 1825 at about age 78 in New Barbados, Bergen, New Jersey, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Marcia Benjamin [send private message] and Patty Gavin [send private message]

Biography

Peter was born around 1746 in Ordiquhill, Banffshire, Scotland.^[1] He marriedCatharine (Durijee) Wilson in 1781 in New Barbados, Bergen, New Jersey, United States.^[2] They were both listed in their daughter's birth records.^[3]

According to Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography 1600-1889:

Wilson, Peter, educator, b. in Ordiquhill, Banff, Scotland, 23 Nov 1746; d. in New Barbados, N.J., 1 Aug., 1825. He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, where he paid particular attention to classical studies. Removing to New York City in 1763, he soon found employment as a teacher, and was called to be the principal of Hackensack (N.J.) academy, where, over the front windows of his residence, his own and his wife's name are still be seen cut in the stone. In 1775 he threw himself with great zeal into the political movements that preceded the Revolution, and from 1777 till 1783 he served in the New Jersey legislature. In the latter year he was appointed to revise and codify the laws of that state. In 1789 he was elected professor of Greek and Latin in Columbia, and he held the office until 1792, when he resigned to become principal of Erasmus Hall, Flatbush, L.I. In 1797 he was recalled to Columbia as a professor of Greek and Latin and of Grecian and Roman antiquities, which chair he filled until 1820, when he was retired with a pension by the trustees. He received the degree of LL.D. from Union in 1798. He published "Rules of Latin Prosody, for the Use of Schools" (New York, 1810); "Introduction to Greek Prosody" and "Compendium of Greek Prosody" (1817); together with editions of Sallust, Longinus, the Greek Testament, and revised Dr. Alexander Adams" "Roman Antiquities" (1826). As added by Patty Gavin by 10 Jan 2018.

Research Note

The Hackensack cemetery records also lists a Sarah, wife of Peter Wilson, who died 22 Feb 1777 aged 34 yrs, 6 months. No birth surname given for her unless it means to say she was also nee Wilson. Same page as for husband.

Sources

1. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY68-Y5D : 16 September 2021), Peter Wilson, 1746.
2. ↑ "New Jersey Marriages, 1678-1985", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29L-SQ74 : 20 January 2020), Catherine Duryee in entry for Peter Wilson, 1781.
3. ↑ "New Jersey Births and Christenings, 1660-1980", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZZ8-ZQZ : 14 February 2020), Sara Wilson, 1781.

• Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography 1600-1889.

• Cemetery Record Peter Wilson LLD b Scotland died 21 Aug 1825 aged 79 years, https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6961/42037_647350_0314-00054?pid=188954&key=Uhttps://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6961/42037_647350_0314-00054?pid=188954&clickref=1101l6rxVScj,1101l6rxVScj&o_xid=01011l4xx5&o_lid=01011l4xx5&o_sch=Affiliate+External#?imageId=42037_647350_0312-00073