Texas Legislators: Past & Present

James Charles Wilson

Full Name: James Charles Wilson
Birth date: August 24, 1816
Death date: February 7, 1861

Terms of Service

Senate, 4th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ Legislature
11/5/1851 - 11/7/1853
House, 3rd ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ Legislature
11/5/1849 - 10/15/1850

(1) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Act passed Feb. 2, 1853, 4th Legislature, 1st C.S., ch. 4, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950 1950.
(2) Senate District 19, represented Matagorda, Wharton, Colorado, Jackson, Calhoun, and Victoria counties. Act approved Jan. 16, 1850, 3rd Legislature, ch. 44, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950 1950.
(3) Wilson escaped from [Perote] prison on July 30, 1843. Back in Texas he lived in Brazoria, where he became district clerk on March 1, 1845. He represented Calhoun, Jackson, Matagorda, and Wharton counties in the House of the Third Legislature. Handbook of Texas Online .
(4) Clark Owen, in special election 10/28/1850, sworn 11/18/1850, succeeded James C. Wilson, resigned before 10/15/1850. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(5) Roster of members elect of the 3rd Legislature, Matthewson, R.C., Texas State Gazette (Austin, Texas), 9/29/1849, p. 6, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
(6) 4th Legislature, Regular Session - Presented credentials, qualified, and took his seat, 11/5/1851, p. 9. Senate Journal .
(7) James Charles Wilson was district clerk of Brazoria County in 1844; Senator from Matagorda County; Floresville, the county seat. Historical marker, Wilson County. Texas Historic Sites Atlas (Texas Historical Commission) .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Other Resources

Census of 1850 - JC Wilson, Matagorda County, age 31, estimated birth year 1819, birth place - England, home in 1850 - Matagorda, Texas.
Census of 1860 - Jas C. Wilson, Belmont & Gonzales Post Office, Gonzales County, age 41, born in England. FamilySearch . 1860 1850
WILSON, JAMES CHARLES (1816-1861). Handbook of Texas Online .
James Charles Wilson (1818-1860) — birth date 8/21/1818; death date 2/7/1860. Died of tuberculosis at his home in Gonzales, Gonzales County, TX. Original interment at Askey Cemetery; reinterment in 1936 at Texas State Cemetery, Austin, TX. Political Graveyard: a Database of Historic Cemeteries .
Wilson was in Capt. Fisher's company at Mier where he was captured. He returned to Brazoria, Texas and later represented Calhoun, Jackson, Matagorda and Wharton counties in the 3rd Texas legislature and served also in the 4th legislative session. Wilson made his final home in Gonzales County where he died 7 Feb 1853. "DeWitt Colony Biographies," Sons of Dewitt Colony Texas 1997.
Wilson, James Charles. Texas State Cemetery .
Biographical sketch, p. 211. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861 1990.