Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920
Biography of Elizabeth B. Wilson, 1865-?
By Nicole Heaton, independent historian
Miss Elizabeth B. Wilson was probably born in Maryland around 1865. Much about her life is obscure, and it is unknown when she died. Her parents are listed in census records as originally from Ireland.
Miss Wilson likely never married. She is listed as “single” in census records dating from 1900 - 1930. Throughout those decades, she lived with Wesley Bennett and his wife, Mary Bennett, in Howard County, MD. It is believed that Mary Bennett and Elizabeth Wilson were sisters.
Wesley Bennett was a farmer, real estate agent, and a salesman at a coal yard. He assisted Miss Wilson in buying and selling property in and around Ellicott City, MD.
There is an historic home in Woodstock, MD, c. 1900, called the Wilson-Bennett House. It is described as “one of the larger, and more grand, Queen Anne's in Howard County.” The property was purchased in 1892 by Wesley Bennett. Mr. Bennett sold the property to Miss Wilson in 1894. The Bennetts and Miss Wilson then built a house, where they lived together until it was sold by Miss Wilson in 1903.
In 1908, Wesley Bennett purchased the Pue-Fulton Farm, a 49-acre property south of the Ellicott City Historic District. It was later transferred to Elizabeth Wilson's name. It was divided and half of it sold. In 1915, Mary E. McCoy was added to the deed under Miss Wilson. Miss McCoy is listed in the 1920 census as single, close in age to Miss Wilson, and living with two elderly boarders. Whether they all lived within the same household or maintained separate residences is not noted. Unfortunately, the relationships between the Bennetts, Miss Wilson, and Miss McCoy are unknown.
In 1927, Miss Wilson transferred the farm property to Charles H. and Elizabeth W. Cook. Again, the relationships between the Bennetts, Miss Wilson, and the Cooks is another unknown.
Miss Elizabeth B. Wilson is listed in the History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 6, 1900-1920 as a representative of Howard County in state suffrage conventions.
Sources:
Ida Husted Harper, History of Woman Suffrage, Vol. 6 1900-1920. New York: J.J. Little and Ives Company, 1922. [LINK]
https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Howard/HO-1052.pdf
https://data.howardcountymd.gov/scannedpdf/Historic_Sites/HO-859.pdf
"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M32H-KT6 : accessed 10 June 2019), Elizabeth Wilson in household of Wesley R Bennet, Election District 3, (north part), Howard, Maryland, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 82, sheet 4A, family 53, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,624.
"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2FJ-2HG : accessed 10 June 2019), Elizabeth Wilson in household of Wesley B Bennett, Ellicott, Howard, Maryland, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 51, sheet 13A, family 259, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 562; FHL microfilm 1,374,575.
"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M63W-6LC : accessed 10 June 2019), Elizabeth Wilson in household of Wesley Bennett, Ellicott, Howard, Maryland, United States; citing ED 58, sheet 11B, line 89, family 234, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 653; FHL microfilm 1,820,653.
"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M63W-6LZ : accessed 10 June 2019), Mary E Mccoy, Ellicott, Howard, Maryland, United States; citing ED 58, sheet 11B, line 90, family 235, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 653; FHL microfilm 1,820,653.
"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X342-4DC : accessed 10 June 2019), Elizabeth Wilson in household of Westly B Bennett, Ellicott City, Howard, Maryland, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 3, sheet 4A, line 49, family 93, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 876; FHL microfilm 2,340,611.