ship in the American Society of Civil Engineers; to the presidency of the Society of Civil Engineers of Cleveland, Ohio; was commander of the Commandery of the District of Columbia, of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States; and has served as president of the Columbia Hospital for Women, as president of the Training School tor Nurses, as a member of the board of directors of the Reform School for Girls, and is President of the Board of Trade, "Washington, District of Columbia. He was a member and vice-president of the board of directors of the Corcoran Art Gallery, of the executive committee of the Citizens Relief Association, of the Anthracite Coal strike commission in 1902-03; vice-president of the Thomas Jefferson memorial association; member of the Washington National Monument Society, member of the board of visitors at the United States military academy, 1904; member of the Federal Commission to investigate the disaster to the steamer General Slocum, June-October, 1904; president of the Federal commission in connection with the sale of Choctaw-Chickasaw coal lands 1904-05 and chairman of the citizen's Presidential Inaugural committee, November 1904-March 1905. He was always a Democrat in politics, but took no part in the party campaigns. He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church and held the position of vestryman of St. Thomas' parish, District of Columbia, for over ten years, and was registrar of the parish. He was an original incorporator and a director of the National Episcopal Cathedral foundation.
As a child "his strongest desire was to please his parents"; as a page in the senate he was early brought into contact with distinguished men in public life, and this contact aroused his ambition; while his life as a soldier cultivated his patriotism and made it his greatest ambition to serve his country to the best of his ability.
He was married November 5, 1861, to Augusta Bertha Waller, who died June 17, 1902. Their only child died in infancy. General Wilson has done a large measure of work toward beautifying the city of Washington. His advice to young men who desire to attain true success and happiness in life is to "love God and your country; practise honesty, sobriety, industry; do your best in every duty devolving upon you; be invariably punctual both in private and public life; live strictly within your income; have absolute control of your temper under all circumstances; be courteous to all, and generous to the extent of your ability."
