Lester S. Willson

Early years Lester Willson was born in Canton, New York, on June 16, 1839, the son of Ambrose and Julia Willson. He was one of seven children and had at least two brothers, Davis and George. His brother Davis would play a prominent role in Lester's later career as a businessman in Montana. He attended public schools in Canton and graduated from a prominent Academy before working as a clerk for two years and then volunteering for the Union Army in 1861.

Civil War experiences

Willson enlisted in Company A, Sixtieth New York Volunteers, August, 1861, was enrolled second sergeant September 9, 1861, a lieutenant October 3, 1862, first lieutenant and adjutant November 17, 1862. He was offered a captaincy on the same day the adjutant's commission was received, but declined. He was made captain August 2, 1864, lieutenant-colonel October 1, 1864, and colonel May 17, 1865. Willson left the regiment July 17, 1865, as a colonel. On March 12, 1867, he was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers "for gallant and meritorious services under General Sherman, resulting in the fall of Atlanta, Georgia."

Lester Willson left New York in April 1867 taking a much less arduous route to Bozeman. The Bozeman Trail was now closed because of Indian trouble so Lester traveled by Union Pacific passenger train from Chicago to Platte City, Missouri. From there, stagecoaches carried General Willson to Denver, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Utah, and on to Virginia City, Montana. He met with then Territorial Governor of Montana, Thomas F. Meagher in Virginia City and arrived in Bozeman on May 22, 1867.

In August 1870, Lester and Emma had the opportunity to entertain the civilian members of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition for dinner in their home on the evening before they left Bozeman on their historic expedition to Yellowstone.

Willson was a board member on the first executive board of the Agricultural College of Montana when it was established in 1893.

In 1882, along with Nelson Story, J.E. Martin, Broox Martin, and Edwin Lewis, Willson helped capitalize one of the first banks in the county, the Gallatin Valley National Bank. The bank failed during the Panic of 1893 and never reopened.

Montana politician While serving in New York, Willson became active in the Union Party (Republican), politics which he brought with him to Montana. Shortly after arriving in Bozeman, Willson was instrumental in the establishment of a Bozeman chapter of the Union League, a quasi-ritualistic, patriotic society (Republican) in the hope that Montana politics would soon be dominated by Republicans. Willson soon became a Union Party elector for the 1867 federal elections. In September, 1868 he won a seat in the Montana Territorial Legislature representing Gallatin County, Montana.

Emma and Lester Willson had three children. Only one, Fred Fielding Willson survived to adulthood. Fred Willson became a prominent Bozeman architect and was responsible for a great many Bozeman buildings still standing today. He designed the Gallatin County High School, which was named Willson School in his honor when the building was converted from a high school to a middle school. The building now serves as the administrative hub for Bozeman Public Schools.

Lester Willson died on January 26, 1919.