Louis Dicken Wilson
Encyclopedia
Louis Dicken Wilson was an North Carolinian
politician and general in the United States Army
. He served in the General Assembly of North Carolina and the North Carolina Senate
for in various terms between 1814 and 1846. Wilson County, North Carolina
is named in his honor.
He was a member of the Democratic Party
. His traditional opponents during elections where Whigs
.
in Edgecombe County, North Carolina
. After receiving an education at the local academy, in 1807 he moved to Washington, Connecticut
where he worked in a Counting house
. Apparently around this time he also studied law because in a few later he returned home and qualified as a Notary Public
on May 28, 1812, then on February 24, 1817 a he became a Justice of the Peace
.
He represented Edgecombe County, North Carolina
in the General Assembly of North Carolina from 1814 to 1819 and in the North Carolina Senate
in 1820 then again from 1824 to 1832. In 1835 he was a delegate to the North Carolina constitutional convention.
On December 19, 1827 he was elected Brigadier-General of the 5th North Carolina Brigade. On December 12, 1846 he requested a leave of absence from the State senate to fight in the Mexican American War. Wilson returned to Edgecombe and on January 5 was made Captain of Company A of the First Edgecombe Volunteer Regiment which summarily deployed to Mexico. On March 3, 1847 Wilson was offered the post of Colonel of the 12th Regiment of the United States Infantry by President James K. Polk
which he returned to Washington
to accept on April 9.
He died on August 12, 1847 of yellow fever
in Vera Cruz, Mexico
. He was never married and had no recorded children. He did however will Edgecombe County the substantial sum of $40,000 for helping the county's poor (of which only $12,000 was properly utilized, $10,000 lost to bad investments and $18,000 skimmed off by certain government officials during Reconstruction).
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
politician and general in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He served in the General Assembly of North Carolina and the North Carolina Senate
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The...
for in various terms between 1814 and 1846. Wilson County, North Carolina
Wilson County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2006, there 73,814 people, 28,613 households, and 19,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 199 people per square mile . There were 30,729 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile...
is named in his honor.
He was a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. His traditional opponents during elections where Whigs
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
.
Biography
He was born on May 12, 1789 to William Wilson and Elizabeth Dicken at their plantation south of Tar RiverTar River
The Tar River is a river that is approximately long, of northeast North Carolina flowing generally southeast to an estuary of Pamlico Sound. The Tar River becomes the tidal Pamlico River once it underpasses the U.S...
in Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Edgecombe County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 55,606 people, 20,392 households, and 14,804 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 24,002 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile...
. After receiving an education at the local academy, in 1807 he moved to Washington, Connecticut
Washington, Connecticut
Washington is a rural town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. The population was 3,596 at the 2000 census. Washington is known for its picturesque countryside, historic architecture, and active civic and cultural life...
where he worked in a Counting house
Counting house
A counting house, or compting house, literally is the building, room, office or suite in which a business firm carries on operations, particularly accounting. By a synecdoche, it has come to mean the accounting operations of a firm, however housed...
. Apparently around this time he also studied law because in a few later he returned home and qualified as a Notary Public
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
on May 28, 1812, then on February 24, 1817 a he became a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
He represented Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Edgecombe County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 55,606 people, 20,392 households, and 14,804 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 24,002 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile...
in the General Assembly of North Carolina from 1814 to 1819 and in the North Carolina Senate
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The...
in 1820 then again from 1824 to 1832. In 1835 he was a delegate to the North Carolina constitutional convention.
On December 19, 1827 he was elected Brigadier-General of the 5th North Carolina Brigade. On December 12, 1846 he requested a leave of absence from the State senate to fight in the Mexican American War. Wilson returned to Edgecombe and on January 5 was made Captain of Company A of the First Edgecombe Volunteer Regiment which summarily deployed to Mexico. On March 3, 1847 Wilson was offered the post of Colonel of the 12th Regiment of the United States Infantry by President James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
which he returned to Washington
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....
to accept on April 9.
He died on August 12, 1847 of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
in Vera Cruz, Mexico
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
. He was never married and had no recorded children. He did however will Edgecombe County the substantial sum of $40,000 for helping the county's poor (of which only $12,000 was properly utilized, $10,000 lost to bad investments and $18,000 skimmed off by certain government officials during Reconstruction).