History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Thomas S. Wilson
THOMAS S. WILSON was born at Steubenville, Ohio, October 13, 1813. He graduated at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and immediately entered upon the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in 1834 and located in Dubuque in October, 1836. In 1838 he was appointed by President Van Buren one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the new Territory of Iowa. He accepted the position and entered upon the duties of the office before he was twenty-five years of age, serving until Iowa became a State. The first Legislature having failed to elect Supreme Judges, he was one of the three appointed by the Governor to fill the vacancy. He lacked but one vote of being nominated for United States Senator at the time General Jones was chosen. In 1852 he was elected judge of the District Court, holding the position until 1863. He was employed as counsel in one of the most important suits ever tried in Iowa involving millions of dollars. The Chouteau heirs claimed title through the grant to Julien Dubuque of the vast tract of land embracing the lead mines and the city of Dubuque. Reverdy Johnson, one of the greatest lawyers of the country, was employed by the St. Louis heirs to prosecute the claim. The city of Dubuque employed Judge Wilson and Platt Smith to defend in the United States Circuit and Supreme Courts. They were successful in both courts in defeating the claim. While judge of the Territorial Court, Mr. Wilson rendered the first decision liberating a slave brought by his master into Iowa. He died on the 16th of May, 1894, after having served as a lawyer and judge for fifty-eight years. He outlived nearly all of his pioneer associates of 1836.