According to the book, "Wilsons From New England, Volume K, Scotch Wilsons from Central Massachusetts, James Wilson deposed in Oakam on August 20, 1832, "that he was born 4 April 1754 at Graystreet, seven miles from Londonderry, Ireland, on the road to Newtown; that when he was eighteen years of age his father, William Wilson with his wife, four sons and three daughters emigrated to America; that they landed at Philadelphia and took passage to Boston, thence journeyed to Oakham at the invitation of his father's brother who was then a resident of that place and the he has continued to reside at said Oakham and Barre. In a supporting deposition Rev. Samuel Tomlinson of Oakham stated that he was well acquainted with Mr. William Wilson who removed from Ireland with his family; that William had four sons, James, Robert, William and John and that James is the person now applying for a pension. [Revolutionary War Pension, Application, S6398]". Ken Stevens in his book on the Wilsons, summarizes James' Revolutionary War Service: "he first enlisted at Barre, in the spring of 1776, for six months and served under Capt. Hawes at Roxbury, Dorchester and other areas near Boston. He enlisted again in December 1776 for three months in the company commanded by Capt. John Oliver, in Col. Sparhawk's regiment, and served in the Jerseys under Gen. Washington. His third enlistment was as corporal in Capt. Thomas Lord's company of Col. Job Cushing's regiment which marched to Bemis Heights, after the surrender of Burgoyne, they proceeded to Tarrytown and White Plains."
James in on the 1790 census of Barre: one male +16 [self], one male -16, two females.

According to Worcester Co., MA Probate Court Records, file 66403, Jane died intestate and administration was granted to her only son, James B. Wilson, on 23 August 1849. Her husband was still alive at this time, as shown by his pension application.