James Grant Wilson
| James Grant Wilson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 28, 1832 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | February 1, 1914 (aged 81) New York City, New York |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York |
| Spouse(s) |
Jane Emily Searle Cogswell (m. 1869; her death 1904) Mary H. Nicholson (m. 1907; his death 1914) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
William Wilson Jane Sibbald |
| Education | Bartlett's College Hill School |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States Union |
| Service/branch | Union Army |
| Rank |
 Colonel Bvt. Brigadier General
|
| Unit | 15th Illinois Cavalry Regiment |
| Commands | 4th U.S.C.T. Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
James Grant Wilson (April 28, 1832 – February 1, 1914) was an American editor, author, bookseller and publisher, who founded the Chicago Record in 1857, the first literary paper in that region. During the American Civil War, he served in the Union Army and became a brevet brigadier general in 1865. He settled in New York, where he edited biographies and histories, was a public speaker, and served as president of the Society of American Authors and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.
James Grant Wilson was born on April 28, 1832 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the son of the poet William Wilson and his second wife, Miss Jane Sibbald of Hawick. In infancy, he moved with his family to the United States, where they settled at Poughkeepsie, New York. He had two younger brothers. Wilson was educated in Poughkeepsie at College Hill, and continued his studies in the languages, music, and drawing, under private teachers.
Eventually, he joined his father in business as a bookseller/publisher, later becoming his partner. In 1855, Wilson started on an extended journey, his tour of Europe and its capitals. Upon his return in 1857, he settled in the growing city of Chicago, Illinois, where he founded the Chicago Record, a journal of art and literature. It was the first literary paper published in that region. He also became known as a speaker.
During the Civil War, Wilson sold his journal and entered the Union Army late in 1862. He was commissioned as a major of the 15th Illinois Cavalry, commanded the 4th U.S.C. Cavalry as colonel, and left the Army in 1865 as a brevet brigadier general. His middle brother was killed at Fredericksburg, Virginia, and his youngest brother also served.
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