By: Zach Alesandrini and Molly Baldes
Mrs. McKenzie's Sixth Grade
1996-1997
On January 14, l999, we received an e-mail from Kellie
Michelle Wilson, the great-granddaughter of Fearn R.
Wilson. She gave us much more information about Mr.
Wilson. The following is directly from Kellie:
Fearn Robert Wilson was born on June 24, 1887 in Troy,
Indiana. When Fearn R. Wilson moved from Indiana to
Pekin, Illinois in 1910, he originally lived at 1001
South Capitol Street. That house burned down around
1948, but was
rebuilt and has since been torn down. Jefferson Elementary
School has since been extended over that property. Fearn
R. Wilson later lived at 1520 South Capitol Street,
which is still at the corner of Koch Street and South
Capitol.
Fearn R. Wilson worked for the Illinois
Central Railroad Station which was located on Washington
Street at the railroad tracks approximately two blocks
east of South Second Street. He was a station master
there. My father
remembers as a child visiting his grandfather at work.
According to my father, Fearn R. Wilson worked on some
type of Western Union teletype system and would radio
to different people and radio stations.
Fearn R. Wilson was married to Wilhelmina
(Minnie) Kuecks (pronounced "Keeks," whose
father and mother used to own what is now called Woosley
Funeral Home) on April 16, 1911 in Pekin, Illinois.
They had three boys (Fearn Forrest, Charles Robert,
and Karl Harry) and two girls (Lenora Faith -- died
at the age of 20 and buried in Lakeside Cemetery --,
and Henrietta Loraine.) Fearn Forrest Wilson is my grandfather.
He passed away about four years ago. Of all Fearn R.
Wilson's children, two are still alive, and both reside
near Seattle, Washington -- Henrietta Loraine Collier
and Karl Harry Wilson. Henrietta and Karl are living
together as Karl is ill, and Henrietta is taking care
of him.
Fearn R. Wilson died in September, 1953
and is buried in Lakeside Cemetery, approximately 500
feet north of the mausoleum (My Dad tells me his picture
is on the gravestone.)
My grandfather, Fearn Forrest Wilson,
married Bertha Mae Sperry and together had two boys:
my father, Fearn Forrest Frank, and my uncle, Robert
John Earl.
My father, Fearn Forrest Frank Wilson,
married Carla G. Isele and currently live in Kirtland,
Ohio. Together they have three children; all girls:
Kellie Michelle (me), Fearn Anita (guess they had to
keep the "Fearn" name going
somehow!) and Andrea Robyn. Fearn Anita and Andrea Robyn
are twins, born 12/3/1976. I was born eight years earlier
on 6/8/1968. None of us are married at this point. My
Dad's younger brother, Robert John Earl Wilson, has
two children (John and Janean) from a previous marriage
and lives with his wife, Judy, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Both my cousins are married, and my cousin John has
two children.
