ON. JOHN W. WILSON, commandant of the Soldiers' Home of Grand Island, is a citizen soldier, who has made his way through life by his own efforts, and has risen on the strength of his own merits. He was born in Indiana December 19, 1838. His mother died when he was twelve years of age, leaving him in the world to struggle for an existence. He received a good education in the public schools and enlisted in Company H, Fifty-seventh Indiana Infantry, in 1861. He was promoted to first duty sergeant, and in 1863 received a commission as second lieutenant from Governor 0. P. Morton. He was never absent from duty a day from the time he enlisted until he lost his right arm in the battle of New Hope Church May 27, 1864. He participated in many important engagements, was knocked down by the bursting of a shell at Mission Ridge, and his sword was shot to pieces in the same battle. After the war he took a commercial course and read law. He located at Kearney in 1879, and later removed to Keith county. He established the Paxton Pilot, and was one of the first to launch forth in the reform movement in the sixth district. He was nominated, though not a candidate before the convention,
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for state auditor in 1894. The next year he received the appointment to his present position, and was at that time judge of Keith county. Since 1890 he has been a loyal and able populist.

OL. JAMES M. FOWLER, the newly appointed commandant of the Milford Soldiers' Home, was born September 24, 1844, in Jennings county, Indiana, where he resided until 1866, moving thence to Missouri, where he farmed for eight years. He came to Nemaha county, Nebraska, in 1874, and was elected sheriff twice, and served as justice of the peace for two years. He afterwards moved to South Omaha in 1882, and was elected police judge. He had for some time been engaged in the packing houses of that city as manager of one of the departments and was still so employed at the time of his appointment. He was a brave soldier and enlisted in Company H, Twenty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, and took part in the engagements of Second Bull Run, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and accompanied Sherman in his march to the sea. He witnessed the surrender of Atlanta. Commandant Fowler was married January 19, 1871, to Miss Sarah A. Deputy, of Jennings county,