Wilson C. Edsell

Wilson Canfield Edsell served in the Michigan Senate, representing Allegan County, in 1865-66, 1877-78, and 1881-82. He was born in Pike, Pennsylvania on 8 July 1814 and raised on a farm attending common (public) schools. In 1835, he enrolled at Oberlin College and helped found Olivet College in 1843. He served the college as a trustee, secretary, and treasurer for six years before settling in Otsego, Michigan in 1849. He made his living there as a lawyer, justice, and Michigan Asylum trustee. His party affiliation was Republican initially, but later converted to the Prohibitionist party. [ [http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;rgn=full%20text;idno=bad6021.0001.001;didno=BAD6021.0001.001;view=image;seq=253;page=root;size=s;frm=frameset; State Published Biography] ]

Edsell was the founder of the first National Bank in Otsego, as well as the sole contributor to the construction and provision of the town's Opera House. [Archie Nevins & Dorothy Dalrymple, "As It Was in Otsego" (Otsego: Otsego Bicentennial Committee, 1975), p. 18-19.]

Wilson was the son of Jesse Edsell and Polly Canfield.

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