Sam Wilson (abt. 1895 - 1962)

Descendants

Died 3 Jan 1962 at about age 67 in Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States

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Biography

Sam Wilson is a part of US Black heritage.

Sam Wilson was born about 1895.

According to his daughter Mary, Sam "was tall, fair, good-looking," and a friend of her aunt Margaret's husband. Nothing much was known of his background. He was from Louisiana, probably New Orleans. Most of his family were dead; he'd spent some time in jail--why was never clear.^[1]

In 1940 a Samuel Wilson, age 19, was a prisoner in the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Sunflower County, Mississippi. He had resided April 1, 1935 in Hancock County, Mississippi.^[2]

Sam married Johnnie Mae Lewis (1914 - ). Their daughter was Mary Wilson (1944 - 2021).

Sam died on 3 Jan 1962 in Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States aged ~66.

Research Notes

• I believe it is likely this Sam Wilson is Mary's father. The birth date is different than that in the coming source, but it's the right name in the right place at the right time. "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (Census record : accessed 10 February 2021), Sam Wilson in household of Henry Ford, Beat 3, Washington, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 76-20, sheet 9B, line 73, family 192, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2075.

Another Sam Wilson, also in Washington County, Mississippi, age 43 and divorced (widowed is crossed out), was with housekeeper Katharine Thomas, age 45, b. Mississippi.^[3]

• From an article interviewing Mary: Sam Wilson worked on riverboats, but was a butcher by trade. She didn't know much about his family, but thought they may have been originally from Louisiana. See https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69877542/ (Clarion Ledger, Jackson, Missisippi, page 49, Nov 11, 1990.)

Sources

1. ↑ "Dreamgirl and Supreme Faith: My Life as a Supreme," by Mary Wilson, p. 9
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB3W-G6B : Sun Mar 12 23:21:05 UTC 2023), Entry for Samuel Wilson, 1940.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB3J-QQH : Thu Mar 16 16:36:01 UTC 2023), Entry for Sam Wilson and Katherine Thomas, 1940.