William Jackson Montgomery WILKINSON Genealogy

William Jackson Montgomery Wilkinson
Birth Date Nov 29, 1833 (says 1828 on gravestone in Pioneer Rest, Menard Texas)
Death May 14, 1919 (says May 15, 1919 on gravestone)
Married to (1) in 1869 to Martha Carolyn Spiller (B. Dec 22, 1852, d Dec 11, 1873)
(2) on Dec 22, 1876 to Nancy Rosary Miers (B. Feb 7,1860, d Jul 15,1955)

Children:

Martha Carolyn (1874)
Neil Buie (Aug 1870)
Emma b 1878 married May 1 1902 to Ed Mears
Alice b. Aug 1879 married Max Russell 19Dec1907, d 1954
William Jackson b. 2 Oct 1880, m. Sadie Tillman, d 1958
Lucius Q.C. Wilson Lamar b. ? , m. Mayme Louise Turner
Frank Walker b 5Feb 1885 m 1930 to Clara Wilhelm
Archibald Baker b. m Sept 3 1913 Mary Godfrey
Charlie McClure m Virginia Thurman
Ernest Grover m Mabel Oliver
Edgar Bryan m Elizabeth Bihl

Summary:
William Jackson Montgomery Wilkinson was born and raised in Jefferson County, Mississippi. There are two passed down rumors for the same time period of his youth. One was that as a youth he travelled up to Tennessee using the Natchez Trace and would log and raft down to New Orleans. There is a story that one time he was camped on the Natchez Trail. Two “gentlemen” came in and asked to camp with him for the night. He got suspicious and got up in the middle of the night and hiked and swam river to get much further up the trace. Never saw them again. He later went in 1849 to California as part of the Gold Rush. He got malaria while crossing Panama, made it to San Francisco then turned around and came back recuperating for two years at home in Union Church Mississippi. The other rumor is that he travelled over to Louisiana around 1849 spent five years there logging, rafting and raising Cain and got the Fever (malaria) then went home for two years to recover (This is documented in Cattle Industry and Cattlemen of Texas and Adjacent Territory but it also says he then went to Coleman County which does not jive with paragraph below of 1860 arrival).
Next rumor still not substantiated. He then traveled to Texas about 1855 where he served in the Texas Rangers in Culberson County as a Captain. (Two people said this in their notes no written sources stated, Culberson County was not around till after 1900! Maybe Callahan?, maybe Coleman (but Coleman has list of those at Camp Colorado and he is not included.)

William Jackson moved to Coleman County then Brown County in 1860 before the Civil War where he had a 350 head of cattle on a ranch high up on Pecan Bayou farthest out of any ranch. This is specifically documented in an interview with him in 1910 by Marvin Hunter. A Mr. Key was nearby (maybe Watt Key his friend from Mississippi whom he partnered with many times later.) During the Civil War he served in the Frontier Regiment that was retained on the border as protection against Indian raids. This
included the Dove Creek Fight with the Kickapoos in 1863 (no documentation yet). One story, which was published in Frontier Times magazine, was that in 1864 he found an Indian with a broken leg on Burnt Branch near Caddo Peak. He and Willis Holloway a nearby rancher helped the Indian bringing him food and water till the Indian recovered. WJ was wild horse hunting about 8 months later, found a loose horse and upon trying to capture him was surrounded by 5 indians who apparently set the horse out as a decoy. Their leader called out something and stopped the others from shooting him. He was ordered to dismount and unsaddle and sit while being watched. His guns, 2 heavy colts and a good gun(?rifle) were not taken. They shared food, water and some tobacco. He slept that night and next day it was quiet when he woke. They had left that night. He rode up Caddo Peak, spotted a large group of riders and rode down to them. He met up with Jim Mulkey and a group of rangers under Captain JJ Callan (listed as the Captain for TST in the area) trailing a group of Indians who had raided to the south. It was felt that this was a rear guard that had captured him. His conclusion was that the Indian he helped must have been there and saved him.

William Jackson married Martha Carolyn Spiller in 1869 in Coleman County. They moved in 1870 to Menard County (Martha had lived in Menardville). They lived at Peg Leg a stage stop 12 miles south of Menard on the San Saba River. He and his partner Watt Key raised cattle and took them to market. The first cattle drive was to Ft Sumner New Mexico to an Indian Reservation where he was paid by the military in worthless script. He then took two herds north to Kansas and made good money but it was very difficult. So next set of herds he took to New Orleans where he made good money and his partner Watt Key took a couple of more to Kansas. See “The Post Hole Banks” in Coronado’s Children by J. Frank Dobie. The story is that normally he took the gold he received form the cattle sales back to his house. One time when he was away taking a herd to market his wife Marilyn Spiller was sick. As she got worse she decided to hide the money (guess of $10k). No one knew where she hid the gold. So when she died the secret went with her. Some think she hid it in a post hole for a pen that was being erected. It may or may not have been discovered.

WJ Wilkinson married Nancy Mires December 22, 1876. Their honeymoon was to travel to the border buy 1000 sheep and bring them back to Menard, the first herd of these in the County.

William Jackson purchased the Clear Creek Ranch (stories are from 15 to 70 sections of land) west of Menard in 1878. He died there in 1919. The land was divided later among the children eventually being sold in the 1970’s to outside of the family.

William J Wilkinson to John C Wilkinson for $480 for forty acres Feb 22, 1860 as per patent.
Historical and Biographical Record of the Cattle Industry and the Cattlemen of Texas- 1959 Antiquarian Press, page 426, W.J. Wilkinson
Hunter’s Magazine of Frontier History by Marvin Hunter November 1910 interview about capture by Comanche Indians. Reprinted August 3rd, 1989 Menard News.
Need to check Texas Rangers history? Two sources say he served as Captain in rangers.? For possibly serving in Culberson county as a Texas Ranger. But Culberson county not around till 1900s. Texas State Archives should have the info but only hard copy.
Records on cattle drives to New Orleans? Cattleman’s museum does not have any info. No source found on web. Great Western Trail went through area north to Kansas.
Frontier Regiment, 4th CPL 28 Brigade Texas State Troops CSA on gravestone. This was unit covering the Brown and Coleman County area.
WJM grandparents were Daniel King Wilkinson and Elizabeth Osborne Braiden of Jefferson County, MS. Daniel had brothers and sister in Amite County MS and brother in Smith County, TN. Daniel first settled in Smith County Tennessee with brother, Allen. He served in militia as an ensign in 1809. He was at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and the Battle of New Orleans in War of 1812. In Jefferson County he was Constable, justice of peace and a county commissioner.
WJM grandparents were Neill Wilkinson, wife Margaret, of Cumberland County, NC. He had several brothers - Archibald, Duncan, Angus etc who settled there too. He was farmer but very literate from surviving letters. Arrived approximately 1765 in NC. In 1771 land purchase his name was Neill McCuilkin (or McQuilkin) and in 1772 it was Neill Wilkinson. He fought on patriot side under Marion and Green. Some of his brothers may have been loyalist. Surviving letters indicate his father was Duncan McQuilkin. Most settlers in area are from Kintyre, Argylshire. Highland scots.

Thanks to Mike Wilkinson for sharing this information. If you are related to this family and would like to share information, you can email him at mlwilkinson@aep.com

NOTE:  While I strive for accuracy in all transcriptions, please be advised that typing errors may be present.  I would suggest you always verify my online information with a copy of the actual record.

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