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James Theodore Dudley Wilson
James Theodore Dudley Wilson
Mayor of Houston
	In office; 1874–1875
Preceded by	Thomas Scanlan
Succeeded by	Irvin Capers Lord
Second term
	In office; 1877–1878
Preceded by	Irving Capers Lord
Succeeded by	Andrew J. Burke
Personal details
Born	July 4, 1820; St. Louis, U.S.
Died	November 23, 1902 (aged 82); Houston, Texas, U.S.
Spouse	Mary Adaline Corneila Cone
Children	Four sons, two daughters
Residence(s)	Houston, Texas
Profession	merchant

James Theodore Dudley Wilson (July 4, 1820 – November 23, 1902) was a soldier, merchant, banker, and mayor of Houston.

Early life

Wilson was born in St. Louis on July 4, 1820, to Margaret Pendergrast Wilson, the first wife of Robert Wilson, a co-founder of Houston. Margaret died in 1823, after which he lived with a variety of relatives and friends in Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, and Mississippi.^[1]

Career

Already working as a clerk as a teenager in Kentucky, Wilson moved to Texas. His first job there was as a sales clerk for W. C. White in Columbia. He enlisted as a private in the Texas Army in 1836. In 1837, he moved to the new temporary capitol of the Republic of Texas, Houston. He followed his father, Robert Wilson, a co-founder of Houston and a merchant there.^[1]

In 1874 Texas Governor Richard Coke appointed Wilson to replace Reconstruction mayor Thomas Howe Scanlan. An election later that year retained Wilson as mayor through 1875.^[1] Installed as mayor just months after the start of the Panic of 1873, Wilson learned that he inherited about $1.4 million in debt just after the special election for mayor extended his tenure to the rest of 1874. Facing high-levels of municipal debt and declining tax revenue, the fiscal crisis was so desperate that Wilson even paid into the bond fund from his personal account. The rate of municipal revenue could only meet about half of its obligations for its bond interest. Wilson met this dilemma by prioritizing the interests of Houstonians at-large over the interests of the bondholders.^[2]

Personal life

Wilson was married Mary Adaline Cornelia Cone. They had six children.^[1]

Death

Wilson died on November 23, 1902.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Muir, Andrew F. (July 27, 2017). "James Theodore Dudley Wilson". Texas Handbook Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
^ Platt (1983), pp. 50–52.

References

Platt, Harold L. (1983). City Building in the New South: The Growth of Public Services in Houston, Texas, 1830–1910. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 0-87722-281-9.