Early life

On April 28, 1833, Willson was born in Fitzroy, Ontario. Going to New York, he attended a district school and taught for a year. Moving on to Olean, New York

Olean, New York

Olean is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County, and serves as the financial, business, transportation and entertainment center of the county. It is one of the principal cities of the Southern Tier region of New York.The city is...

, he was involved in making daguerreotypes. In the fall of 1855, Willson move to Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...

 to study at the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

 medical department. In 1957, he started practicing medicine in the office of Dr. R. D. Lamond in Flint. Returning in 1858 to the University, Willson graduated in 1859 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. Back in Flint, he joined his cousin's, Dr. George B. Willson, practice. He serve as a Union Army major

Major

Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

 in the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. In 1861, he was a surgeon to the Tenth Michigan Infantry. Willson was transfer to the Eight Michigan Infantry. He was honorable discharged in March 1863 because of ill health. On May 18, 1865, he married Rhoda Crapo, daughter of Governor Henry H. Crapo

Henry H. Crapo

Henry Howland Crapo was the 14th Governor of Michigan during the end of the American Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction.-Early life in Massachusetts:...

. That same year, he was sent to Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 as the appointed Michigan military agent. Willson joined and was active in two Civil War organizations: the Grand Army of the Republic

Grand Army of the Republic

The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...

 and the Loyal Legion

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...

. On the death of Henry Crapo, the Willson move into the Crapo Mansion in Flint at First and Clifford (now Wallenberg Street) Avenues, now known as Willson Park and part of the University of Michigan–Flint Campus.

Political life

He was elected as the twentieth mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of the City of Flint

Flint, Michigan

Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...

in 1879 serving a 1-year term. Additional, from 1881 to 1884, Willson served on the City of Flint School Board. As a trustee for the Michigan School for the Deaf, Willson served a six year term.

Post-political life

Willson became involved in businesses serving as Flint Gas Company's and Genesee County Savings Bank's president. His wife died on May 8, 1907 and buried in Gleenwood Cemetery.