Birch Wilson

Birch Wilson as he appeared around the time of American entry into World War I in 1917. L. Birch Wilson Jr. (1883–1974) was an American political activist, newspaper editor, and civic employee. Wilson is best remembered as a member of the governing National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of America during the 1920s and the éminence grise behind the Socialist mayoral administration of J. Henry Stump in the city of Reading, Pennsylvania as well as the editor of the Reading weekly newspaper, The Labor Advocate. His wife, Lilith Martin Wilson (1887–1937), was a three term member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly during the decade of the 1930s.

Biography

Early years

L. Birch Wilson Jr., publicly known by his middle name, was born February 7, 1883, in Reading, Pennsylvania, at that time a small city of about 45,000 people located in the Southeastern part of the state. Wilson's father was an iron molder and the working-class family's financial means were limited. Wilson was educated in the local public school system but was forced to drop out after completing just one year of high school.

After leaving school, Wilson worked as an apprentice sign painter, working 60 hours a week for 5 cents an hour, payable at the end of one year. The group somewhat implausibly claimed a membership of over 1800 roughly two weeks later.

In November 1917, Wilson was a Socialist candidate for the Reading city council, running alongside future Mayor of Reading J. Henry Stump. In 1920 he was the party's candidate for the United States Senate from Pennsylvania.

Wilson was first elected the State Secretary of the Socialist Party of Pennsylvania in 1918, remaining in that post until 1923. The next year Wilson stood for statewide office as the Socialist Party's nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.

In 1940 Wilson filed papers to run for Pennsylvania Auditor General but he thought better of the matter and formally withdrew from the race on August 30.

Later years

Wilson retired in 1965. As he had fathered no children and left no direct heirs, Wilson's estate was divided equally by a niece and two nephews, after a specified $500 was left to The Weekly People, official publication of the Socialist Labor Party of America.