PORTLAND – Barbara Wilson, beloved aunt to her nieces and nephews, peacefully passed away following a brief illness at Maine Medical Center on August 16, 2020. Barbara, born September 9, 1923, was the daughter of Howard Wilson (1887-1948) and Ethel (Huston) Wilson (1893-1990) of West Falmouth, Maine. The Wilson clan’s progenitor and original immigrant was Gowen Wilson (1618-1696) of Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Following his indentured service in Massachusetts, Gowen was an original signatory of the Old Kittery Oath of Allegiance to Massachusetts in 1652. Gowen’s Grandson, also a Gowen (1690-1769), moved to Falmouth around 1740 and the Wilson’s of the Falmouth (greater Portland) area descend from him including Revolutionary War Veteran, Major Nathanial Wilson (1740-1818). The Huston clan’s progenitor and original immigrant was William Huston, Jr. (1705-1786) an Ulster Scot from Antrim, Ireland, arriving in Falmouth as a young teenage indentured servant in the fall of 1718. In 1735, William Jr. established the original Huston homestead at Duck Pond (Highland Lake) based upon the Patent (Land Grant) from King George the Second, recorded on Dec. 18, 1729. The Huston’s of Falmouth descend from William Jr. and his two brothers, John and George who arrived about 10 years after William Jr. with their father, William Sr. In 1951, Phillip Harris wrote the definitive history of the Huston’s of Falmouth and Barbara’s mother Ethel (Huston) Wilson was his primary source of information, but when she read his history, she simply said: “He got it wrong!” The above sequence of the Huston’s arrival is intended to provide proper accounting by our family historians, including Aunt Barbara, to once and for all “Get it right!”Aunt Barbara’s great-grandfather, William M. Huston (1843-1895) was a veteran of the 25th Maine Regiment in the American Civil War; her Uncle “Bill” Willis Wilson (1890-1966) was an ambulance driver for the US Army in France during World War I; and her brother, Winfield Wilson was a U.S. Navy veteran of the South Pacific in World War II. Barbara, as her mother before her, loved her family history and its many branches that extend into the familiar names of the community including Leighton, Morrison, Pride, Jordan, Waite, Knight, Merrill, Hall, Gerrish, Ingersoll, Woodbury, and Hawkes. On her mother’s side, the Hawkes line can be traced back to original immigrants on the Mayflower.Barbara had her own history of achievement. Following graduation from Falmouth High School in 1942 she served as a civilian employee at the Navy Supply Pier in Portland during WWII. Following the War, she began her nearly four decades of employment with The Travelers Insurance Company (1947-1984), including service as District Administrator before retiring as the supervisor of the Commercial Lines Department. During the majority of her time with The Travelers, she resided with her mother at West Falmouth Corner where she would ride the bus every day into Portland. Years ago while riding the bus, she would occasionally see her cousin Jimmy’s children and they wondered who was this lady who seemed to know who they were. Barbara believed Greyhound kept the bus line open for her as she was eventually its only passenger. When Barbara and her mother moved from West Falmouth Corner to Forest Park in 1979, the bus service was discontinued the day after her last ride to work.In addition to her full time employment with The Travelers, she was a constant companion to her mother, a volunteer with the Coast Guard issuing I.D. Cards to waterfront workers, a member of Falmouth Grange #29, a Past Chief of Falmouth Temple #100 of the Pythian Sisters, and a Past President of the Pythian Sisters State Secretaries.In the early 1980s she began a companionship with Carlton Thurston that lasted over three decades until she became a resident of the Clark’s Terrace at the Park Danforth in Portland in 2019. She enjoyed her time at Park Danforth where she was greatly comforted by the staff and also her cousin Jimmy’s children, yes, those children on the bus from years ago, Nancy (Wilson) Latham and Lynda (Wilson) Jensen, who assisted her in her affairs and provided frequent companionship as they shared many stories and remembrances about our family.She was a Woman of Maine – no nonsense, never owned a credit card and never had any debts, and perhaps some might say a bit stubborn – she would definitely say she was stubborn. She loved her clambakes from Bayleys in Scarborough and her Amato’s Italian sandwiches – but perhaps she favored the sandwiches from Eddies on Auburn Street as it was near her brother Raymond’s house.Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Ethel, her three siblings, Raymond Huston Wilson (1912-1970), Elizabeth Frances (Wilson) McSwain (1913-2002), and Winfield Wilson (1915-1957), and her nephew, Raymond Howard “Sonny” Wilson (1934-2015).She is survived by her nieces: Pamela (Wilson) Ebsworth, Ronale (Wilson) Rielly, Barbara (McSwain) Rubin, and Mary McSwain; her Nephews: Alfred McSwain Jr., Peter McSwain, Richard McSwain, and Stephen (Wilson) Larimer; and her former companion, Carlton Thurston. You may share your condolences or memories at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com.Remembrances may be made to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

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