DUANE
Duane's take
The way the marker tells it, here's the story of John William Wilson of Delta County. Born October 3, 1841, in Tennessee — died September 8, 1920 — and in between those two dates, he packed in enough living to fill a dozen ordinary lives. He farmed the land surrounding this very site, raised his family here, built things here, and ministered to people here for decades.
But before all that, there was a war. In 1862, Wilson enlisted in the Missouri Infantry to serve in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. And that October — October of 1862 — he was at the Battle of Corinth when a severe wound tore into his left leg.
What happened next is the kind of detail that lodges in your memory and stays there: he was left for dead on that field. To survive, he ate grains of corn scattered across the ground. The leg was partially paralyzed for the rest of his life.
He carried Corinth with him every single day. Now, a man who walked away from that — if you can call it walking — could've been forgiven for turning inward, for keeping to himself and his fields. And Wilson did farm.
He kept farming all his life, because here's the thing about pioneer preachers in that era: they were paid only in goods. He once received a gallon of syrup for his services. A gallon of syrup.
For the word of God. But the call to preach came after something struck him even harder than that wound at Corinth. His young daughter, apparently drowned, was miraculously revived.
After that, he decided to serve the church. In 1866 he had married Sarah Ann George, and together they would raise twelve children. He preached locally and he rode a circuit — out across the county, the roads whatever they were, the weather whatever it brought.
He also built one of the first cotton gins in Delta County, and in 1887 he bought the old Cyrus C. Taylor homestead, two hundred fifty feet north of here, a place that had been built back in 1859. Wilson was known throughout the county — not just as a preacher, not just as a farmer or a builder, but as a man of a particular quality.
His benevolent manner made him what folks remembered as a popular marrying parson. And when his eldest daughter was widowed, he took her and her six small children into his home. Just like that.
That was Wilson. A man who'd eaten corn off a battlefield to stay alive long enough to come home, plant his roots, and give what he had — to his family, to his community, to anyone who needed a kind word or a wedding ceremony or a roof over their heads. The marker calls it kindness and charity to his fellow man.
Out here on this Delta County road, it feels like something a little closer to grace.
What the marker says
(October 3, 1841 - September 8, 1920) Beloved Methodist minister of early Delta County. Lived and farmed on land surrounding this site. Born in Tennessee. Enlisted in Missouri Infantry in 1862 to serve in Confederate Army during Civil War. Sustained severe wound in left leg at Battle of Corinth, October, 1862, and was left for dead. To survive, he ate grains of corn scattered over field. Leg was partially paralyzed for rest of his life. In 1866 he married Sarah Ann George. They had 12 children. Decided to serve church after his young daughter was miraculously revived after apparently drowning. In addition to preaching locally, he also rode a circuit. He continued farming, however, because pioneer preachers were paid only in goods. He once received a gallon of syrup for his services. Wilson built one of the first cotton gins in Delta County and in 1887 bought the old Cyrus C. Taylor homestead (250 ft. N), which was built in 1859. Throughout his long life, Wilson held the esteem of citizens all over county. His benevolent manner made him a popular "marrying parson." After eldest daughter was widowed, he took her and her six small children into his home. Wilson is remembered for his kindness and charity to his fellow man.