William Wilson (April 27, 1794 – April 29, 1857) was an American jurist. Born in Loudoun County, Virginia, Wilson studied law in Virginia. In 1812, he served in the United States Army under General Andrew Jackson in New Orleans, Louisiana during the War of 1812. In 1817, Wilson moved to Kentucky and then settled in Carmi, Illinois. Wilson was admitted to the Illinois Bar. In 1819, Wilson was elected to the

Illinois Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the State of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five ap ...

and served until 1848 when the Illinois Constitution of 1848 went into effect. He served as chief justice of the supreme court. Wilson was a Whig and later a Democrat. In 1848, Wilson resumed his law practice. He died in Carmi, Illinois.'History of White County, Illinois,' Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois: 1883, Biographical Sketch of William Wilson, pg. 504-506

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, William 1794 births 1857 deaths People from Loudoun County, Virginia People from Carmi, Illinois United States Army personnel of the War of 1812 Illinois lawyers Illinois Democrats Illinois Whigs 19th-century American politicians Chief Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court