Born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on August 16, 1835. One of 14 children, he grew up in a farming community near the birthplace of Robert Burns. His family immigrated to America in 1852, settling in Connecticut before moving to Iowa in 1855, establishing a farm near Traer in Tama County. He attended the public schools and Iowa College (now Grinnell College) in Grinnell, Iowa. He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1867, and served as speaker from 1870 to 1871 before becoming a professor of agriculture at what is now Iowa State University, where he encouraged the work of George Washington Carver. Wilson was also appointed to the Board of Trustees (now Regents) of Iowa's public higher educational institutions, serving from 1870 to 1874. In 1872, he was elected to represent Iowa's 5th congressional district as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. It was during this time that he became known as Tama Jim to distinguish him from the Iowa member of the senate, James F. Wilson. In 1874, Wilson was re-elected, serving a second term, but returned to Iowa in 1877. That year he was appointed to the Iowa State Railway Commission, where he served for six years. Wilson's former home in Washington, D.C. In 1882, he ran for Congress for the third time, this time against Democrat Benjamin T. Frederick. Wilson seemingly defeated Frederick in a very close race, but Frederick soon contested the election in the U.S. House. Wilson had been issued an election certificate by the State of Iowa, enabling him to be seated during the contest. The 1882 elections gave Frederick's Democratic Party control of the House. Returning to Iowa from Washington for the second time, Wilson rejoined the faculty at Iowa State, where he would serve as Professor (now Dean) of Agriculture and director of the agricultural experiment station from 1890 to 1897. After leaving office at age 78, Wilson retired in Iowa. He died in Traer on August 26, 1920, ten days after his eighty-fifth birthday.

Born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on August 16, 1835. One of 14 children, he grew up in a farming community near the birthplace of Robert Burns. His family immigrated to America in 1852, settling in Connecticut before moving to Iowa in 1855, establishing a farm near Traer in Tama County. He attended the public schools and Iowa College (now Grinnell College) in Grinnell, Iowa. Mr. Wilson was sent to the state legislature in 1867 to secure acts to prohibit stock from running at large. Barbed wire had not come into use and fencing was not to be had for all the fields. He secured a beginning along this line that resulted in the county option laws under which the prairie homes have been settled. He developed an aptitude for managing men and became a leader in the legislature of that day. He was re-elected to the Thirteenth and Fourteenth General Assemblies, 1870 and 72, and was made Speaker of the House in the Fourteenth. He became a professor of agriculture at what is now Iowa State University, where he encouraged the work of George Washington Carver. He was also appointed to the Board of Trustees (now Regents) of Iowa’s public higher educational institutions, serving from 1870 to 1874. In 1872, he was elected to represent Iowa’s 5th congressional district as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. It was during this time that he became known as “Tama Jim” to distinguish him from the Iowa member of the senate, James F. Wilson. In 1874, Wilson was re-elected, serving a second term, but returned to Iowa in 1877. That year he was appointed to the Iowa State Railway Commission, where he served for six years. In 1882, he ran for Congress for the third time, this time against Democrat Benjamin T. Frederick. Mr. Wilson seemingly defeated Frederick in a very close race, but Frederick soon contested the election in the U.S. House. He had been issued an election certificate by the State of Iowa, enabling him to be seated during the contest. The 1882 elections gave Frederick’s Democratic Party control of the House. Mr. Wilson returned to Iowa from Washington for the second time. He then rejoined the faculty at Iowa State, where he would serve as Professor (and Dean) of Agriculture and director of the agricultural experiment station from 1890 to 1897. After leaving office at age 78, he retired in Iowa. He died in Traer on August 26, 1920, ten days after his eighty-fifth birthday. Source: From Wikipedia

Born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on August 16, 1835. One of 14 children, he grew up in a farming community near the birthplace of Robert Burns. His family immigrated to America in 1852, settling in Connecticut before moving to Iowa in 1855, establishing a farm near Traer in Tama County. He attended the public schools and Iowa College (now Grinnell College) in Grinnell, Iowa. Mr. Wilson was sent to the state legislature in 1867 to secure acts to prohibit stock from running at large. Barbed wire had not come into use and fencing was not to be had for all the fields. He secured a beginning along this line that resulted in the county option laws under which the prairie homes have been settled. He developed an aptitude for managing men and became a leader in the legislature of that day. He was re-elected to the Thirteenth and Fourteenth General Assemblies, 1870 and 72, and was made Speaker of the House in the Fourteenth. He became a professor of agriculture at what is now Iowa State University, where he encouraged the work of George Washington Carver. He was also appointed to the Board of Trustees (now Regents) of Iowa’s public higher educational institutions, serving from 1870 to 1874. In 1872, he was elected to represent Iowa’s 5th congressional district as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. It was during this time that he became known as “Tama Jim” to distinguish him from the Iowa member of the senate, James F. Wilson. In 1874, Wilson was re-elected, serving a second term, but returned to Iowa in 1877. That year he was appointed to the Iowa State Railway Commission, where he served for six years. In 1882, he ran for Congress for the third time, this time against Democrat Benjamin T. Frederick. Mr. Wilson seemingly defeated Frederick in a very close race, but Frederick soon contested the election in the U.S. House. He had been issued an election certificate by the State of Iowa, enabling him to be seated during the contest. The 1882 elections gave Frederick’s Democratic Party control of the House. Mr. Wilson returned to Iowa from Washington for the second time. He then rejoined the faculty at Iowa State, where he would serve as Professor (and Dean) of Agriculture and director of the agricultural experiment station from 1890 to 1897. After leaving office at age 78, he retired in Iowa. He died in Traer on August 26, 1920, ten days after his eighty-fifth birthday.