Dr. William B. Willson
Dr. Willson was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, in 1789. He studied medicine there and received his diploma from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He located at West Union in the summer of 1816, and the same year he was married to Ann Newton, daughter of Rev. William Williamson. It must have been a case of love at first sight, as he was married soon after locating at West Union. He continued to practice medicine at West Union until his death, July 21, 1840. Dr. Willson was an old-fashioned Virginia gentleman in every sense of the term. He stood high in his profession and as a citizen, and was a devout and faithful member of the Presbyterian Church. His home in West Union was on the lot now occupied by the miller, Plummer. As a man, Dr. Willson was inclined to take the world easy. He did not trouble people with his opinions and did not desire to be inflicted with theirs. He was conscientious and worked hard. There were no drug stores in his day, and he compounded all of his medicines and consequently had to keep a stock of those on hand. He was the only practicing physician in West Union between 1816 and 1840, except Dr. William Voris, who was in West Union a short time. He would go at the call of a patient the coldest night in the year and would often ride eighteen or twenty miles in the most inclement weather, and it was to this exposure that he owed his early death. He usually had several young men students at his home, and among them were Dr. William F. Willson, his nephew, who has a separate sketch herein; Dr. Thomas Smith Williamson, also sketched herein; Dr. Hamilton; Dr. David McConaghy, and Dr. Henry Loughridge. His son was also a student with him. When he was out on professional business, his wife could compound a prescription as well as he. He often boarded a number of students in order to have them under his direct care. In that day, people did not send for a physician for every little ache and pain. They made it a rule not to send for one unless desperately sick, and then the physician was expected to ride furiously to reach the patient and to give him heroic treatment when he did reach him.
During the cholera epidemic in 1835, Dr. Willson was called away to attend a cholera case at some distance. A brother of the patient had come for him and was waiting to accompany the doctor. While waiting, the brother was attacked by the dread disease. It became a question what to do. In the dilemma, the Doctor consulted his wife. She at once proposed that she should take care of the case of the messenger, and would carry out the Doctor's directions, while he should visit the brother. This was done and her patient recovered.
Mrs. Ann Newton Willson, wife of Dr. William B. Willson, was born in South Carolina in 1793. Her father, already mentioned, is sketched elsewhere. After her husband's death, in 1840, she resided in West Union until 1851, when she took up her residence in Catlettsburg, and later, with her daughter, Mrs. Hugh Means, at Ashland, Kentucky, with whom she resided until her death. She had three full sisters and one half sister. Her full sisters were Mrs. Esther Kirker, Mrs. Robinson Baird and Mrs. James Ellison. Her half sister was Jane Williamson, who has a sketch herein. Mrs. Willson had much more will power than any of her full sisters. Her step-sister, Jane, was more like her than her full sisters in respect to will power. She might be said to have been an imperious woman, yet she had her own way without creating great antagonisms. Her great force of character she derived from her mother, who was a woman of the strongest convictions and great will power. Her mother's convictions on the subject of teaching the Bible to her slaves caused her to defy the laws of South Carolina against teaching slaves to read, and when she could do it no longer, to take those slaves through the wilderness eight hundred miles and locate in another wilderness where she would be free to carry out what she believed to be right. The same spirit animated her daughter, Mrs. Willson, and she would stop at nothing to carry out what she deemed to be right. No sacrifice would be considered for a moment in deterring her from any course she deemed to be right and duty. She had unflinching nerve, great self-reliance and most excellent judgment. These qualities stood her in good use in aiding her husband in the practice of medicine. In the cholera scourge of 1835. she went from house to house, caring for the sick with untiring energy. She had no fear of the disease, and her great will thrice armed her against it, but unlike the Rev. Burgess, she did not defy the dietary of cholera times. In assisting her husband, she acquired an unusual knowledge of remedies, and never hesitated to apply or use them in emergencies when her husband was absent.
She was an ardent Abolitionist, outspoken on all occasions. Her earliest impressions of the institution of slavery set her against it. She was a born reformer and had she lived in the days of the martyrs, she undoubtedly would have been one of the principal ones among them. While she was chiefly self-educated, she was always an earnest, eager learner and desired to impart to others those truths so dear to her and the contemplation of which filled her soul. It was her delight to share with others whatever she possessed of material or spiritual good. She had no pride or vanity. She was free from self-consciousness and was never troubled for an instant as to what the world thought of her opinions. She was guided by her own conscience and reason, enlightened by her strong religious faith. She was aggressive at all times for what she believed was right. Her stern faith took the practical form. She was always desirous of doing good for others. As old age came on, the strong-willed woman became the indulgent grandmother. The old earnestness and zeal never abated but they were tempered by a large tolerance, a wider sympathy and a gentler spirit. She was always ambitious to be doing good herself, and wanted to see her friends about her, and particularly her young friends, doing something in the service of religion. That spirit within her never abated with her years, but continued until her demise. The writer, as a child, knew her as an aged woman, but he always felt that she carried sunshine with her and had that feeling whenever in her presence, and she made this same strong impression on others which she made on children. Of all women who have lived in Adams County, there are none who have done more good or have been more useful in their day and generation.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900