James Wilson (Indiana politician)

James Wilson
United States Minister to Venezuela
In office October 10, 1866 – August 8, 1867
President	Andrew Johnson
Preceded by	Erastus D. Culver
Succeeded by	Thomas N. Stilwell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 8th district
In office March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861
Preceded by	Daniel Mace
Succeeded by	Albert S. White
Personal details
Born	(1825-04-09)April 9, 1825 Crawfordsville, Indiana
Died	August 8, 1867(1867-08-08) (aged 42) Caracas, Venezuela
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Emma Ingersoll
Children	3, including John and Henry
Alma mater	Wabash College Indiana University
Military service
Allegiance	United States (Union)
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1846–1847 (United States) 1861–1865 (Union)
Rank	Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War American Civil War

James Wilson (April 9, 1825 – August 8, 1867) was a United States representative from Indiana. He and his wife, Emma (Ingersoll) Wilson (daughter of Stephen Ingersoll and Hannah Elizabeth Bullard, sister to Lurton Dunham Ingersoll, were the parents of John Lockwood Wilson, Howard Wilson and Henry Lane Wilson.

James Wilson was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 1825. He graduated from Wabash College in Crawfordsville in 1842 at the age of 17. In 1845, he graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, with a degree in law.

Wilson served in the United States military during the Mexican–American War from June 17, 1846, to June 16, 1847.

After he turned to Crawfordsville in 1847, Wilson worked in the law office of Tilghman Howard (later the namesake of one of his sons), and he was admitted to the bar in 1848. Wilson became actively involved in politics in the mid-1850s, and he was a member of the newly formed Republican Party. In 1856, Wilson decided to run for the seat of 8th District Indiana Representative. During the election, Wilson defeated Daniel Wolsey Voorhees, and Wilson officially became a member of Congress on March 4, 1857. During the congressional election of 1858, Wilson was reelected. Wilson's time in Congress came to an end on March 3, 1861. He had served in the Thirty-Fifth and Thirty-Sixth Congresses of the United States of America.

During the American Civil War, Wilson was appointed captain of Volunteers on November 26, 1862. He was honorably discharged from the military on December 6, 1865, with the rank of brevet lieutenant colonel. At the end of the war, Wilson returned to his law practice in Crawfordsville.

In 1866, President Andrew Johnson appointed Wilson to the position of Minister Resident to Venezuela. He served in this capacity from 1866 until his death in Caracas, Venezuela, on August 8, 1867. Wilson is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Crawfordsville, Indiana.

• United States Congress. "James Wilson (id: W000589)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-04-20

• James Wilson Bio and Speeches^{[permanent dead link]} at Crawfordsville District Public Library