Margaret Drynan Wilson dies.

West Wilson lived along through the usual deprivations and hardships of the early settler, and in the winter of 1860 his wife (Margaret Drynan) was taken sick and died.  It was a mild day in March.  Incidentally the door was standing open.  His wife had just died, and a rooster, just like it wanted to add it's insult to his grief, stepped across the threshold of the open door, and crowed right into the house.  As I was told, that was the last crowing Mr. Rooster did.  West went out and killed it.  I could venture a  guess that in driving the rooster away from the door, he was a little rough about it and swung a club at it, which in my way of thinking was both proper and excusable, under the circumstances.

Years went by and West made arrangements to set up a monument for Margaret, but in the lapse of time and the obliteration of grave marks and topography, there was some uncertainty between two graves as to which was his wife's.  He felt he would be able to identify the remains.  His wife's hair had been cut in her sickness, but on opening the grave, it revealed that the hair had continued to grow for a time after death.  But in the shape of the skull, and what was left of a homemade black walnut coffin that was made by Geo. Sloss, and other identifications that he knew of, he was convinced it was his wife's grave and the monument   was erected there.  It is a tall stone and has stood there like a  sentinel for over seventy years.  After three years, West married again, to Barbara Kennedy, and had four more children, Sara, John West, Christina Barbara, and Dalton Kennedy Wilson.   West lived on to the age of eighty-six, and is buried by the monument he erected in Crystal Cemetery.  (Fom Pioneer Wilson Story)

When James West Wilson was 11 yrs. old, his mother, Margaret Drynan Wilson died, leaving nine children.  His older sister, Janet, was only 14 yrs. old, next were twin sisters, Margaret and Jane, who were 12 yrs. old, then James West,  Agnes, 8 yrs. old, Catherine, 6 yrs. old, William Drynan, 4 yrs. old, Henry Lusk, 2 yrs. old and the baby, Grace who had been born 2 months before their mother died.  Grace only lived three years.  It was during this time that  their Aunt Margaret would come over to watch over the children.  Many times, during the winter months, she would have the children stay in bed to keep warm.  (From James West Wilson Story)

Source:  Pioneer Wilson Family by D.K. Wilson
   Find a Grave Memorial Memorial# 50059727
   Wilson, Margaret Drynan