WILSON, HENRY CLAY - The practice of law calls forth not only full legal knowledge and experience, but also those qualities which are requisite for the development of true manhood. The demands of the profession are very exacting in Illinois, and no one has met them more fully than Henry Clay Wilson, attorney-at-law, of Springfield. He was born in Daviess County, Ky., July 2, 1859, a son of John J. and Sarah A. (Meeks) Wilson. The family is an old one in both Virginia and Kentucky, and its representatives are also found in southern Pennsylvania. Its establishment in America took place in colonial days.
Henry Clay Wilson was educated at Central Normal College in Indiana. He was brought up on a farm and alternated work on it with teaching until he opened his law office in Springfield, in 1890, having then been a resident of the city for two years. Strong in his adherence to the Republican party, Mr. Wilson has been called upon to support its principles, and served as a member of the General Assembly of Illinois during 1893 and 1894, and was the Republican nominee for Congress from the Twenty-first congressional District in 1908 and again 1910, but was defeated, owing to Democratic majority. He is the founder of the Henry Clay Wilson Political School, which he established and incorporated in 1904, and is one of the best-known men, politically, in his part of the State. He is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, a Knight of Pythias, and a Red Man; is a member of the Hamilton Club, of Chicago, and belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, of Springfield. He is ex-President of the Board of Education and is on the Board of Associated Charities. His sympathies are with the Presbyterian Church, of which he is an attendant.
In August, 1888, Mr. Wilson was married to Theressa McCoyne, and they have five children: Roscoe, Blaine, Reed McKinley, Jennie June, Charles Francis Eugene and Robert Proctor.
Mr. Wilson has a large practice, and also is deeply interested in real politics, having always preached and practiced integrity in political act ivies. His property holdings are confined to his excellent home in Springfield, where he and Mrs. Wilson entertain their wide circle of friends with true Southern hospitality.