Historic Walking Tour - J. O. Wilson House

Significance

"Stephen Dow Beckham, 1976 

The James H. Wilson house is a one-and one-half story, wood frame house in the Queen Anne Style which stands on the northwest corner at 340 S.W. Fifth Street. The building has a hip roof with gables on all elevations. There are three brick chimneys; one has a corbelled top. The exterior is shiplap; most of the upper story is covered with imbricated shingling. The windows are one-over-one double hung sash. Bands of colored panes surrounded most of the upper panes in the window casements. There is a transom above the front door. The verge boards are decorated on the gable ends. The house is well kept and has a well-landscaped yard. 

James H. Wilson erected this house in 1891 just prior to his marriage to Effie M. Handy. Wilson was born August 31, 1863, in Corvallis. He was a son of Bushrod and Priscilla Wilson. His father was born in 1824 in Maine. Between 1840 and 1843 his father served on the bark Harvest as a whaler in the Pacific Ocean. In 1850 Wilson sailed to California and then to the Umpqua River. Wilson later settled in Corvallis. The younger Wilson worked in the civil engineering office of the Oregon Pacific Railroad Company and served as Benton County's deputy clerk for six years under his father. James H. Wilson was admitted to the bar in October, 1892. The Wilsons were Presbyterians. 

This house was purchased in 1901 by Alva C. White. The Roesners purchased it in 1934. 

"J.H. Wilson." Portrait and Biographical Record of Willamette Valley, Oregon. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Co., 1903, p. l342. 

Pat Mackie, 1980 

This very well kept house is in the Queen Anne style. It has a hip roof with gables on three elevations and an abbreviated tower on the right side of the house. Drop siding is used in combination with upper story fishscale shingles. There is one bay window with cutaway windows and one square bay. Windows are one-over-one double hung and most upper portions are surrounded by small panes of flashed glass. A pair of triangular shaped stained glass windows are tucked under the roofline and overlook the front porch. There is a transom over the front door. Ornamentation consists of gable apron, applied decorations to the heavy vergeboard and bracketed porch. There are two chimneys, one with a corbelled top. The integrity of this house has been maintained within the interior as well as the exterior, i.e., original woodwork, doors, hardware, fireplace with oak mantel, etc. 

James 0. Wilson erected this house in 1891 prior to his marriage to Lulu Smith. He was born in 1861 to Bushrod and Priscilla Wilson. His father was active in the early development of Corvallis, holding elected office of County Clerk for over 25 years, helping to establish the State Agr. College, and one of the founders of the Oregon and Pacific Railroad. James also was involved with the OPRR, became deputy to the County Clerk and later County Judge. Although this house is already listed on the State of Oregon Inventory of Historic Properties, there is a great deal of misinformation on the form filled out by Stephen Dow Beckham, dated June 26, 1976. The exterior of the house is drop siding and there are only two chimneys, not three. Mr. Beckham states that the house was erected by James H. Wilson and then gives a brief biographical sketch on Joseph H. Wilson, who was the brother of the real property owner, James Offin Wilson. I know James 0. Wilson and his wife, Lulu Smith Wilson were the owners as I have the Abstract of Title in my possession. They lived in the house from 1891-92 to 1901. 

-Pat Mackie 

Addendum to Statewide Inventory and National Register Forms 

New-found information reveals that the J. 0. Wilson house was built in 1892 and not in 1891 as previous forms state. The 1976 Statewide Inventory form has already been corrected by Pat Mackie, owner of the house, to state that J. 0. Wilson, and not J. H. Wilson, was the original owner. The following newspaper article, which clears up these issues, also states the name of the architect of the house: 

1. "J. 0. Wilson has let to A. F. Peterson the contract for the erection of a cottage at the corner of Adam's and 5th Streets. It will stand on a stone foundation and will contain six rooms, with a very convenient interior arrangement. When completed, it will be one of the neatest and coziest homes in the city." 

Sources Consulted

• Corvallis Gazette-Times, June 24, 1892.
• "Bushrod W. Wilson." Portrait and Biographical Record of Willamette Valley, Oregon. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Co., 1903, pp. 971-72.