Stuart Wilson

by


In the years prior to the outbreak of hostilities in 1775, Stuart Wilson operated a bookstore in Albany at the Elm Tree Corner.*

He is said to have been the son of John Wilson, to have emigrated from England with his wife, and to have settled in Albany in 1753. Traditional sources have linked him to soldier-turned-frontier trader James Gregg. He also is said to have been a relative of New York State Governor George Clinton.

In October of 1759, he advertized his craft and wares at his Albany venue in the New York Mercury.

Following receipt of a license, he is said to have married Jane Gregg in New York in February 1760. A son, John Gregg Wilson, was christened at the Presbyterian church in New York City in February 1767.

In March 1762, he was identified as a "merchant of Albany" when he posted a bond to administer the estate of the deceased former sheriff Richard Miller.

He advertized in the short-lived initial run of the Albany Gazette in 1771 and '72. After that, his name drops from the annals of Albany.

The name of Stuart Wilson has not yet been encountered in our sweep of community-based resources nor in our ongoing review of Internet-based resources. With puzzling unanswered questions, we move on for now.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Stuart Wilson has not been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. A basic Google search provides hours of fun.

*That unverified snippet has been repeated in an embarrassing number of traditional sources and sadly represents the tiny core of available information on Stuart Wilson in Albany.

Presently, we are attempting to follow up on several leads on the origins and life of this woman.





reluctantly posted: 10/30/11