William E. Wilson (Indiana politician)


William Edward Wilson was an educator, businessman, and government official from Indiana. He served one term in the United States House of Representatives.

Early life

Born in Mount Vernon, Indiana, Wilson was the son of Jay W. Wilson and Mary Wilson. He attended the public schools of Posey County and Evansville Commercial College. He then remained with the college as a teacher, and later purchased the school, and served as principal from 1888 to 1904. After retiring from the school, Wilson worked as an accountant for a wholesale hardware company and secretary-treasurer of the Evansville insurance business run by his wife's family.

Political career

He served as deputy auditor of Vanderburgh County, Indiana from 1910 to 1912, and clerk of the circuit court of Vanderburg County from 1912 to 1920. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1920 to the Sixty-seventh Congress.
Wilson was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-eighth Congress. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1924 to the Sixty-ninth Congress. Wilson's unsuccessful race for reelection, during which the Ku Klux Klan actively opposed him, was later chronicled by his son in an article for American Heritage magazine. After leaving Congress, Wilson was president of the Lincoln Savings Bank, and he was later employed by Chrysler.

Death and burial

He died in Evansville, Indiana, September 29, 1948. He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Family

In 1900, Wilson married Nettie Cook, the daughter of Stephen H. S. and Esther Cook. They were the parents of two children, including author and college professor William E. Wilson.

Magazines

Books

Newspapers

External sources