U.S. Senator James F. Wilson House

Between 1863 and 1895, this historic home was the residence of U.S. Senator James F. Wilson (1828-1895), who was one of Iowa's most prominent politicians in the second half of the 19th century. It was originally built in 1854 by attorney William L. Hamilton and located on a 41-acre farmstead estate. This is why the house is set back further from the street than the other homes. Wilson served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1857-1859; in the Iowa Senate from 1859-1861; in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1861-1869; and in the U.S. Senate from 1883-1895. He was a staunch advocate for federal civil rights protections of former enslaved people and was one of the managers of the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson. The house, which remains a private residence, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

James F. Wilson was born in Newark, Ohio on October 19, 1828. His father, who was a carpenter, died in 1839 which forced Wilson to work to support the family. However, he continued to attend school when time allowed. When he was thirteen he became a harnessmaker apprentice and worked in the trade until 1851. During those years he studied law under the guidance of Supreme Court Justice William Woods and passed the bar exam that year (or possibly 1852). Wilson practiced law in Newark until 1853 when he moved to Fairfield and married his wife, Mary.

His stature rose in the community and he was elected to Iowa's constitutional convention in 1856. The next year, he was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives. In 1859, he was elected to the Iowa Senate and served until 1861 (he was also that body's president). Wilson was one three candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 1st District in 1860. The one who was elected, Samuel Curtis, chose to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War. Wilson was selected to take Curtis' place and he won the special election October 1861.

During his time in the U.S. House of Representatives, Wilson belonged to the "Radical Republican" faction of the party, which advocated for the immediate end of slavery (before and during the Civil War) and the granting of civil rights to former enslaved people. In 1861, Wilson introduced a resolution that prohibited the Union Army from returning fugitive slaves; the resolution was later adopted. Wilson also voted for the impeachment of President Johnson and, as noted above, served as a manager during the impeachment trial.

Wilson was reelected two more times but chose not to run for a fourth term in the House. President Ulysses S. Grant nominated Wilson to be the Secretary of State but he declined and instead became the director of the Union Pacific Railroad, a position he held for eight years. Wilson unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 1872 but was elected in 1882 and again in 1888. He served on several committees including the Committee of Mines and Mining and the Committee on Expenditures of Public Money.

Soon after his first term began, Wilson proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to grant the federal government greater power to enact laws that protect citizens from civil rights violations perpetrated by other citizens. The purpose of the proposal was to prevent racial discrimination. It came in response to the recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court that declared the 13th and 14th amendments did not give the federal government the authority to abolish racial discrimination by private citizens.

Wilson and his wife, Mary, had two sons and a daughter. His property in Fairfield was a small farm and included two artificial ponds, one of which was stocked with ornamental fish. The other pond had an island in the middle with a one-room hut Wilson used to write and reflect. The house had gas lighting and heat was provided by a steam system. Wilson died in 1895 but Mary lived in the house until she died in 1916. The next owner of the house was historian Charles Fulton, who wrote the History of Jefferson County in 1912.

"An Unnecessary Move." The New York Times. December 14, 1883. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1883/12/14/106266955.pdf

"Death of the Slaves Friend." The New York Times. April 24, 1895. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/04/24/102455902.pdf.

Page, W.C. "Wilson, U.S. Senator James F. House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. January 24, 1991. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/90002130_text.

"Wilson, James Falconer." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed November 25, 2021. https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/W000594.