The 2014 Wilson, Greer and Associated Families Forum 1

by Glenn N. Holliman

The weekend of July 18 -20, 2014, cousins, both distant and close, gathered in Boone, North Carolina to share family stories and histories.  The first evening, a number of us gathered for a common meal greeting previous acquaintances and new family members.  On the morning of July 19, at the community room of the Boone Public Library, we shared histories, watched a power point of the story of the Wilson and Greer families and were both educated and entertained by our common ancestor - John Wilcoxson (1720-abt 1790).

 Front row left to right: Connie Burns, Bina Forrester Gray, Shirley F. Marcus and Betty E. Ankers. Second Row: Ann Osborne Dunn, Wendy Hodges, Phil Marcus, Jackie Farrington, Bonnie H. Steelman, Jennifer Bundy, Kathryn Wilson, Linda Donnelly Wilson, Jeanette Suggs and Shirley Sorrell.  Back Row: Dr. Greg Adams, Gary Hodges, Glenn Holliman, Johnny R. Greer and Chase Bundy.

 A special treat was the premier presentation by Gary Hodges, a fifth great grandson of John Wilcoxson, who is seen left, dressed in period costume. Gary shared the story of the Pennsylvania Quaker family of Squire and Sara Morgan Boone, who along with their children (including famed frontiersman, Daniel) and in-laws (John Wilcoxson being one) braved the wilderness of western North Carolina and Kentucky in the 1700s.  "John' told the story of the siege of Ft. Boonesborough during the American Revolution, where both he and his wife Sarah Boone Wilcoxson, took refuge on occasion.

Below, out of costume, Gary encourages family members to join the Daniel Boone Society and reminded all that we were eligible for membership in both American Revolution and Confederate ancestral organizations.  Gary has information and lineages he is happy to share.

In later articles, we shall be posting additional photographs and lineages of those attending.  My thanks to all who attended. For information on Gary Hodges' email address, write me at glennhistory@gmail.com. GNH, seventh great grandson of Squire and Sara Morgan Boone.

From the Scrapbook of Shirley Sorrell 8

by Glenn N. Holliman


Shirley Sorrell, great great grand daughter of Isaac and Caroline Greer Wilson, continues to share photographs she has collected of her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins.


Below, a picture in the 1940s of Roger Donnelly, left, followed to the right by Mayme Donnelly.  Next moving right is John T. Sutherland and his wife, Mayme's daughter, Rebekah Donnelly Sutherland.  The picture was taken at the Mayme Donnelly home in Sutherland, North Carolina.

Below, in 1937, in Sutherland, a picture was taken of the oldest children of Bessie and Conley Wilson, who are also the grandchildren of John (1855-1928) and Rebecca Wilson (1862-1952) who is sitting center on the front row. 


Back row, left to right are:  Bessie's oldest son, Boyd Wilson and his wife, Lexie holding the baby named Gloria.  Then Coney's oldest son, Argus and his wife, Grace Wilson holding baby Betty.  Finally on the back row is Conley's daughter Marie and husband Don Marsh with baby Shirley Marsh. 


In the front, left is Bessie Wilson Wilson holding Boyd's son, Robert.  Then Rebecca Wilson Wilson and finally Conley Wilson. 

Robert James Wilson was born August 25, 1932 and died of leukemia on August 16, 1950.  Gloria Jeanette Wilson entered life on October 5, 1934, William Boyd Wilson March 9, 1936 and Annabel Wilson, July 31, 1938.

Corrections, additions and your own photos, most welcome.  GNH

We invite you to rediscover your heritage at a Wilson, Greer, Wilcoxson, Osborne, Forrester, Adams and other families Forum, Saturday, 9 :30 am, July 19, 2014 in the community room of the Boone, North Carolina public library.  Sunday, July 20th is also the annual Wilson Homecoming at Sutherland United Methodist Church in Ashe County.  Join us for dinner, 6 pm at the Rustica restaurant in Boone, NC on Friday, July 18th.

For details and schedule on the above event and web site, watch this space and/or contact glennhistory@gmail.com.  Isaac and Caroline Greer Wilson are great, great grandparents of this writer.