JOHN WILSON AND RUTH WILBURN WILSON

'A red headed Irishman'

Barack Obama apparently has Irish roots on multiple branches of his family tree.

A fair amount of attention has been given to Falmouth (or Fulmuth) Kearney, Obama's great-great-great grandfather on his grandfather's side. Kearney sailed from Ireland -- Moneygall, County Offaly, according to some researchers -- to New York in 1850, when he was about 18.

But two generations before, Obama apparently already had relatives of Irish and Scotch descent living here -- his great-great-great-great-great grandparents on his grandmother's side, according to family accounts.

"John Wilson was a red headed Irishman; Ruth Wilborn was of Scotch blood," a descendant wrote in a 1931 letter.

"They married at gilford court house in N.C. and drifted into KY, then Ohio and settled in Ill. where they remained and about all of their 16 children remained there," wrote Gabe Brown, a great-grandson of the Wilsons. "I saw some Wilborns in KY. They said the old way of spelling the name was Wellborne. They had fine black hair and blue eyes and were quiet clean men with comfortable homes."

Some reseaarchers say Wilson actually died in Missouri around 1830.

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"John Wilson was a red headed Irishman; Ruth Wilborn was of Scotch blood. They married at gilford court house in N.C. and drifted into KY, then Ohio and settled in Ill. where they remained and about all of their 16 children remained there. The Sarah Edwards that was in Neosho was a daughter of James Wilson. I have been at the house of James Wilson in Ill. And he was here 45 or 50 years ago. He was a clean quiet man of more than ordinary intellect.

"His oldest son died last year. I have spent some pleasant time with him. His wife was lilliard of Neosho. He has a son Bailey Wilson who is a noted instrumental musician, he often teaches classes in large cities. He played in Washington for T. Roosevelt.

"He has only one foot, he recently lived in Des Moines IA. ... I saw some Wilborns in KY. They said the old way of spelling the name was Wellborne. They had fine black hair and blue eyes and were quiet clean men with comfortable homes. "

From a letter written in 1931 by Gabe Brown, a great grandson of John Wilson and Ruth Wilburn Wilson. Transribed and supplied by Dr. Robert Mardock, husband of Mary Louise McCurry Mardock, a great-great-great-granddaughter of the Wilsons and great-granddaughter of Harbin W. McCurry.