Name Info

EDWIN LAWRENCE WILSON 1895-1971
Fathers:ROBERT,MATTHEW,MATHEW,JAMES,WILLIAM

Edwin's father nicknamed him "Biff" because Edwin would look at the lights and blink, or "Biff" his eyes at them. (However, that meaning has apparently been lost because it now means to strike someone with a fist).

Search.........Person
Gender.........male
PAF-ID.........09000004
Age............75y 9m 22d
Fam-Group......WILSON
Fam-ID.........WILSON
Citizenship....US born
Status.........deceased
Last-Marital...married

#Marriages.....2
#Divorces......1
#Sources.......9
#Events........1
#Images:.......84
#Comments......4
#Siblings......5
#Children......2

Person-Type....A
Immigrant?.....no
Immig-Known?...no
Parent?........father
Spouse?........husband
Sibling?.......brother
Child?.........son
Twin...........no
Adopted?.......

Title(s).......
Ancestor.......ancestor
RelatedToMe....grandparent
Gen-#..........03
Ahn-#..........00000000004
Religion.......Presbyterian
PoliticParty...
Ht/Wt/Eye/Hair.
Burial.........Crown Hill Cemetery Masonic section

Parents and Siblings
  1. Parent: ROBERT STITT WILSON, male, born:1856-09-16 Zanesville (Muskingum) Ohio, died:1916-01-28 (59y 4m 12d) Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, Anc:1, Dad:MATTHEW MEREDITH WILSON, Mom:KEZIAH H. HILDEBRAND, #M:1, #Cmnts:3, #SrcDocs:7
  2. Parent: IDA MELVIN, female, born:1862-01-12 Cedarville (Greene) Ohio, died:1922-07-17 (60y 6m 5d) Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, Anc:1, Dad:THOMAS K. MELVIN, Mom:ELIZABETH JANE RIGGS, #M:1, #Cmnts:2, #SrcDocs:4
  3. Sibling: Matthew Meredith WILSON, male, born:1886-01-20 Xenia (Greene) Ohio, died:1917-06-18 (31y 4m 29d) Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, Dad:ROBERT STITT WILSON, Mom:IDA MELVIN, #Cmnts:1, #SrcDocs:4
  4. Sibling: Thomas Melvin WILSON, male, born:1888-05-13 Zanesville (Muskingum) Ohio, died:1976-02-02 (87y 8m 20d) Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, Dad:ROBERT STITT WILSON, Mom:IDA MELVIN, #M:1, #Cmnts:1, #SrcDocs:6
  5. Sibling: Albert Chew WILSON, male, born:1891-06-24 Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, died:1963-10-14 (72y 3m 20d) Excelsior Springs (Clay) Missouri, Dad:ROBERT STITT WILSON, Mom:IDA MELVIN, #M:2, #Cmnts:1, #SrcDocs:5
  6. Sibling: Janie WILSON, female, born:1893-08-22 Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, died:1970 (76y 4m 10d) , Dad:ROBERT STITT WILSON, Mom:IDA MELVIN, #M:1, #SrcDocs:1
  7. Sibling: Celia WILSON, female, born:1900-01-22 Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, died:1946-06-15 (46y 4m 24d) Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri, Dad:ROBERT STITT WILSON, Mom:IDA MELVIN, #M:1, #Cmnts:1, #SrcDocs:4

Spouse(s) and Children
  1. Marriage: 1918-02-23 ?Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri
  2. Spouse: Charlotte Eakle, female, born:1898 Virginia, died:1971-1985 (73y 0m 0d) ?Missouri, #SrcDocs:1
  3. Marriage: 1930-01-01 Le Mars (Plymouth) Iowa
  4. Spouse: YVONNE JEANETTE SEARLS, female, born:1908-05-17 Sioux Falls (Minnehaha) South Dakota, died:1990-05-22 (82y 0m 5d) Excelsior Springs (Clay) Missouri, Anc:1, Dad:BURTON ORSON SEARLS, Mom:MAE FRANCES MOORE, #Cmnts:2, #SrcDocs:5
  5. ..Child: Daniel Merideth WILSON, male, born:1931-02-25 Excelsior Springs (Clay) Missouri, died:2004-06-27 (73y 4m 2d) North Kansas City (Clay) Missouri, Anc:1, Dad:EDWIN LAWRENCE WILSON, Mom:YVONNE JEANETTE SEARLS, #Cmnts:1, #SrcDocs:6
  6. ..Child: Paul Douglas WILSON, male, born:1935-06-05 Kansas City (Wyandotte) Kansas, died:2018-10-15 (83y 4m 10d) Overland (Johnson) Kansas, Dad:EDWIN LAWRENCE WILSON, Mom:YVONNE JEANETTE SEARLS, #SrcDocs:2

Events
Birth
: 1895-11-22, Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, On 01-02-1953 E.L. had a "delayed or special certificate of birth" issued for himself. He had to submit three documents to identify himself to the Missouri Division of Health. The documents were his record of graduation from the Hamilton School in Kansas City, his army discharge papers, and an affidavit of Russell Greiner. Russell was the brother of the second wife of E.L.'s uncle William Wilson. Russell was a member of the Kansas City city council. The notary public for the document was John Lodwick. John had been a friend of the Wilson family for many years. Also on the document E.L. listed the name and birth state of both his parents., ImageID: W__0219
Census
: 1900 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, Role:census federal, Edwin b.1895 OH living with parents
Census
: 1910 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, Role:census federal, Edwin b.1895 in Missouri married to Charlotte (Eakle) b.1898 in Virginia, they are living with her extended family including her widowed mother Jennie M. Bell b.1852 in Virginia, Jennie's two children Nuirman (?sp) C Bell 1876 in Virginia and Bessie Eakle b.1896 in Virginia. This family lived at 2513 E. 9th Street in Kansas City which in 2022 that is a vacant lot just west of where 9th Street intersects Prospect Ave., ImageID: W__0500
Education
: 1911-06-09, Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, Role:student, high, Original certificate for Edwin L. Wilson for graduation from the eighth grade of the Kansas City, Missouri public schools. It is dated Jun.09, 1911 and was signed by several persons from Hamilton School.
Dan Wilson high school graduation certificate from Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, class of 1949. Since his father was a school board member, his father signed Dan's certificate. Other signees included Clarence Snyder., ImageID: W__0095
Job
: 1915-1916, Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, pharmacist, drug store clerk
Military
: 1917-12-13, Age:75y 9m 22d, Riley county Kansas, Role:soldier, army, World War I, enlisted at age 22 Several pictures exist of him in uniform while in Europe.
Job
: 1918-1930, Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, Role:manager, Edwin worked for the Cook Paint Company after World War I. He traveled the four state area setting up new stores for the company and then turning it over to a local manager. While in Sioux City (Woodbury) Iowa he was talking with a local resident, Burton O. Searls, about his needing to hire someone as an artist to help with advertising. Burton called his daughter, Evon, who was at home canning jelly, and told her to drop everything and come down to the paint store immediately for an interview. She got the job then and a husband three months later.
Livedin
: 1918-1930, Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, While still serving in World War I he was married to Charlotte. After his discharge, they lived with her mother in Kansas City.
Married
: 1918-02-23, Age:75y 9m 22d, ?Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, Role:groom, Edwin and Charlotte were married while Edwin was about halfway through his service in World War I. As far as is known, despite their eight years of marriage, E.L. and Charlotte had no children. It was said that when E.L. died, Charlotte called his house and said she was 'Mrs. E.L. Wilson' which means she was still alive and maybe never remarried.
Military
: 1919-05-17, Age:75y 9m 22d, Riley county Kansas, Role:private 1st class, army, World War I, discharged He was not wounded while in the service., ImageID: W__0106,W__0124
Census
: 1920 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, Role:census federal, Edwin and Charlotte (Eakle) Wilson living at 2513 E. 9th Street in Kansas City, it was the home of her widowed mother Jennie M. Bell. Also living in the home were Charlotte's two older siblings, Nuirman (?sp) amd Bessie., ImageID: W__0475
Divorce
: 1926-11-19, Age:75y 9m 22d, Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, As far as is known, despite their eight years of marriage, E.L. and Charlotte had no children. It was said that when E.L. died, Charlotte called his house and said she was 'Mrs. E.L. Wilson' which means she was still alive and maybe never remarried., ImageID: W__0220
Job
: c1930 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, Role:owner, paint store owner, Edwin eventually decided to open his own paint store and go into business for himself. He chose Excelsior Springs as the city in which to build his business. Earlier, Edwin had visited the city Excelsior Springs while setting up a store for Cook Paint.
Livedin
: 1930-1971, Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, This family lived in several houses in Excelsior Springs, which were on the following streets: Broadway (with the Haelbins family), Tracy (after his first child was born), Kimball, Wildwood, Old Orchard (the Pyle House, which burned down), Cypress (two different houses, a smaller one at 107 Cypress in 1936 and a larger one at 113 Cypress in the early 1950's) and in 1958 to 560 Kansas City Avenue. Most of the years for the two children were spent at the two houses on Cypress Street. They had several animals including a lamb named Schultz, a goat, a dog named Butch, ducks, rabbits and birds. Evon's parents stayed with the Wilson's during the summer months during the 1940's and were planning to move into one of the two houses on Cypress Street, but Burton died before they got a chance to move.
Married
: 1930-01-01, Age:75y 9m 22d, Le Mars, Plymouth county, Iowa, Role:groom, Witnesses to the marriage of Edwin and Yvonne were the bride's father Burton and sister Arlene., ImageID: W__0111,W__0340
Census
: 1940 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, Role:census federal, Edwin Wilson family Edwin Wilson age 43 born Missouri occupation of salesman retail paint and wallpaper, Yvonne S. age 31 born South Dakota, Daniel M. age 9 born Missouri, Paul D. age 4 born Missouri.
Census
: 1950 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, Role:census federal, Edwin Wilson family 1950 census for Excelsior Springs Missouri, Edwin Wilson age 54 born Missouri occupation manager of mineral water springs system, Yvonne S. age 41 born South Dakota, Paul D. age 14 born Missouri, occupation newspaper delivery. This family lived at 112 Cypress St.
Award
: 1968 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, Role:honoree, citizen of the year
Burial
: 1971 , Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, Crown Hill Cemetery, Masonic section, ImageID: W__0583
Death
: 1971-09-13, Age:75y 9m 22d, Riverside, Platte county, Missouri, Cliff Manor Nursing Home, arteriosclerosis, He died of myocardial infarction due to servalized [?] arteriosclerosis which he had had for twelve years, ImageID: W__0154
Obit
: 1971-09-14, Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, ImageID: W__0585
Church
: ?, Age:75y 9m 22d, Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri, Barbee Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian
Physical
: ?, Age:75y 9m 22d, Role:physical, had an artificial glass eye

Places In
Le Mars (Plymouth) Iowa
Riley county Kansas
Excelsior Springs (Clay) Missouri
Kansas City (Jackson) Missouri
Riverside (Platte) Missouri

General

From the Wilson family bible, births of the members of the Robert Stitt Wilson family: Robert Stitt Wilson Sep.13, 1856 [or Sep.15, 1856 both of which differ from the Sep.16, 1856 on another page] in Zanesville Ohio; Ida Melvin Jan.12, 1862 in Cedarville, Ohio; Matthew Meredith Wilson Jan.20, 1886 in Xenia, Ohio; Thomas Melvin Wilson May 13, 1888 in Zanesville, Ohio; Albert Chew Wilson Jun.24, 1891 in Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri [sic, Zanesville]; Janie Wilson Aug.22, 1893 · in Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri; Edwin Lawrence Wilson Nov.22, 1895 in Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri; and, Celia Wilson Jan.22, 1900 in Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri. Two handwritings and two colors of ink appear on this page. All through Thomas Melvin Wilson were done by one person with one color ink. All others were done by a second person in another color of ink. This page was one of four found in the Wilson family bible.

Edwin loved history. He collected and read many books, magazines, newspaper articles, posters, Presidential campaign buttons and other memrobelia on the subject. He loved to read. His oldest child said that when he would come home late at night expecting to find everyone asleep, he would instead find his father sitting at his desk reading.

Original newspaper article about Edwin Lawrence Wilson begin chosen as Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri Citizen of the Year in 1969. His son Daniel Wilson won the same award in 1976. · · Two original newspaper articles about Edwin Lawrence Wilson running for Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri city council. The articles probably appeared in the Excelsior Springs newspaper sometime around 1934 or 1935 and list several interesting facts about E.L. · Edwin's children cannot remember their father ever wearing any kind of shirt other than a long-sleeve white shirt. Cluett C. Searls, Evon's older brother, told a story on Edwin's humor. Cluett said that Edwin and Evon were staying at Cluett's home for a few days. Cluett was about ready to go to work. Edwin was upstairs shaving and noticed the numerous bottles of aftershave that Cluett had accumulated over the years as presents for birthdays, Christmas, etc. So Edwin walked · downstairs and said to Cluett: "Question...do you expect to live long enough to use them all?" and walked back upstairs. Cluett said he laughed all the way to work that morning and it kept him chuckling the rest of the day. Edwin was very patriotic. The story that tells this best is the one told to the author at the memorial service for Edwin's funeral by a one-time neighbor of Edwin's and was backed up by Edwin's oldest child. Every night before going to bed the children would say · their prayers. Then they would stand at their bedroom window and sing "God Bless America". The neighbor often heard these two little boys singing.


Image(s) - hover Image IDs to popup full text
W__0051 - Marriage Notations in the Wilson Family Bible
W__0059 - Ten Children and Grandchildren of Robert and Ida Wilson
W__0077 - Navy Training Center Great Lakes, Illinois, Edwin and Daniel M. Wilson
W__0093 - Edwin Wilson
W__0094 - Edwin Wilson Portrait
W__0095 - Graduation Diploma of Edwin Wilson from High School
W__0096 - Edwin Wilson, Teenager, Rowing a Boat [2 copies]
W__0097 - Edwin Wilson on a Rock by a Lake [2 copies]
W__0098 - Edwin Wilson, in his Late Teens, Wearing a Duit and Hat
W__0099 - Edwin Wilson in His Late Teens with Another Boy
W__0100 - Edwin Wilson in His Late Teens
W__0101 - Edwin Wilson (head and shoulders) in WWI uniform
W__0102 - Edwin Wilson in WWI uniform
W__0103 - Edwin Wilson in WWI Uniform With Three Others
W__0104 - Edwin Wilson and Eight WWI Buddies
W__0105 - Edwin Wilson in WWI Uniform Sitting on Rail Fence
W__0106 - Military Discharge Papers of Edwin Wilson, front and back
W__0107 - Edwin Wilson and Several Posed Men all Wearing Overcoats
W__0108 - Edwin Wilson Portrait
W__0111 - Marriage Certificate of Edwin WIlson and Yvonne Searls [2 copies]
W__0114 - Edwin, Dan and Paul Wilson Portrait
W__0115 - Edwin Wilson on a Large Tricycle
W__0116 - Articles on Edwin Wilson filing for city council election
W__0118 - Edwin Wilson, Capt. Virgil Skinner and Lady at Christmas
W__0119 - Raymond Lett and Edwin Wilson
W__0120 - Edwin Wilson, Florence and Raymond Lett Side Yard at 113 Cypress
W__0124 - Military Discharge Papers of Edwin Wilson - WWII Army due to being underweight
W__0125 - Edwin Wilson at home at 113 Cypress Street
W__0126 - Edwin Wilson at Lake Maurer Picnic Table
W__0129 - Edwin Wilson, Another Man and Two Women by A Seven-Story Building
W__0130 - Edwin Wilson on Friveway of Home at 113 Cypress
W__0131 - Thomas, Albert and Edwin Wilson at Mel's home
W__0132 - Edwin Wilson in His Office as City Manager
W__0133 - Raymond Lett and Edwin Wilson
W__0135 - Phyllis Lett and Edwin Wilson
W__0140 - Wilson house at 113 Cypress Street, 5 of 5
W__0141 - Edwin Wilson in Backyard chair at 560 Kansas City Ave.
W__0144 - Edwin Wilson in Backyard at 560 Kansas City Avenue
W__0145 - Wilson house at 560 Kansas City Avenue, 1 of 4
W__0146 - Edwin Wilson in His Backyard at 560 Kansas City Ave.
W__0147 - Edwin Wilson in His Paint Store
W__0148 - Wilson Arts and Crafts Store
W__0149 - Edwin Wilson with Dog Finky Pooch at 560 Kansas City Avenue
W__0153 - Edwin Wilson Portrait
W__0154 - Military Army Letter Signed by President Nixon, Recognizing Edwin Wilson death
W__0208 - Family Births of Robert S. Wilson family per the Wilson Family Bible
W__0219 - Birth Certificate of Edwin Wilson, Affidavit by Russell Greiner - delayed issued
W__0220 - Divorce decree of Edwin L. Wilson and Charlotte Eakle
W__0222 - Wilson siblings: Albert C., Thomas M., Janie and Edwin L., Lake Maurer
W__0223 - Edwin L. Wilson in WWI Uniform including Bayonet
W__0233 - Unknown Wilson Boy: Robert Stitt, Matthew Meredith, or, Edwin Lawrence
W__0236 - Wilson house at 560 Kansas City Avenue, 2 of 4
W__0259 - Newspaper Article of Edwin Wilson as 'Citizen of the Year'
W__0350 - Edwin Wilson and sons Paul (left) and Dan in Excelsior Springs Mo in the 1960s
W__0364 - Ten Lapel Pins of Edwin Wilson
W__0370 - Family of Edwin Wilson and Yvonne Searls
W__0475 - 1920 Census for Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri with Edwin Wilson
W__0502 - 1940 Census for Excelsior Springs, Clay County Missouri with Edwin Wilson Family
W__0503 - 1950 Census for Excelsior Springs, Clay County Missouri with Edwin Wilson Family
W__0583 - Headstone for Edwin L. Wilson and Yvonne J. Searls
W__0585 - Obituary of Edwin L. Wilson in Excelsior Springs, Clay county, Missouri
WDS0084 - Wedding Reception Dan Wilson and Pat (Deaton) Wilson at Hotel Peabody
WS_0109 - Cluett Searls and Edwin Wilson
WS_0110 - Article about Marriage of Edwin Wilson and Yvonne Searls [original]
WS_0121 - Evon and Edwin Wilson with Friend Florence Lett Cisiting Excelsior Springs MO
WS_0122 - Evon and Edwin 'Biff' Wilson [2 copies]
WS_0123 - Evon Wilson, Edwin Wilson and Florence Lett in 113 Cypress side yard
WS_0136 - Evon Wilson Accompanied Edwin to Pepsi Cola Convention (city owned)
WS_0139 - Evon and Edwin Wilson
WS_0228 - Evon (Searls) and Edwin L. Wilson at 560 Kansas City Avenue House
WSM0017 - Mae F. (Moore) Searls, Daughter Evon (Searls) Wilson and Edwin Wilson
Z__0036 - Map of Counties of Iowa
Z__0043 - Map of Counties of Missouri


Sources
Wilson Family Bible notes, circa 1880

family, parents, first wife Charlotte
family


Need Info
Census-1930
Baptism-Date
Baptism-Place
WillWritten-Date
WillWritten-Place
WillProven-Date
WillProven-Place

Historical
1895-1896: Ethiopia, Italy - Ethiopia defeats Italy in the First Italo-Ethiopian War
1896: Canada - Klondike Gold Rush in Canada
1896: Greece - Olympic Games revived in Athens
1896: Philippines, Spain - Philippine Revolution ends declaring Philippines free from Spanish rule
1897: Korea - Gojong, or Emperor Gwangmu, proclaims the short-lived Korean Empire lasts until 1910
1898-1900: China - The Boxer Rebellion in China is suppressed by an Eight-Nation Alliance
1898-1902: Colombia - The One Thousand Days war in Colombia breaks out between the "Liberales" and "Conservadores", culminating with the loss of Panama in 1903
1898: United States, Cuba, Philippines - The United States gains control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines after the Spanish-American War
1899: England, South Africa - Second Boer War begins, lasting until 1902