Wilson, John P.

John P. Wilson (1844-1923), along with his partners John Hume Kedzie, and Luther L. Greenleaf formed the Ravenswood Land Company, and in 1869, they purchased and developed 194 acres near the Chicago & North Western Railway tracks in the City of Lake View.

John P. Wilson drafted the laws under which the Sanitary District of Chicago was created. But he also helped establish Children's Memorial Hospital through an incentive clause in his will.

Wilson was crippled as a youth, and this halted his ambition to be a farmer. Instead, he became a lawyer and made a reputation as a real estate specialist when he successfully litigated land ownership questions after the Great Chicago Fire. Later on he was counsel for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1892 and 1893.

But it was Wilson's will that helped Children's Memorial Hospital. Wilson divided his estate of several million dollars among his three children, with an extra provision for the hospital. Specifically he promised the hospital one third of a million dollars if and only if it could raise twice as much money from other sources. If the hospital failed to raise the cash, it would receive only $50,000.

One daughter, Martha Wilson, who was a director of the hospital, left her sickbed in 1923 and personally set out to raise the money. After Thomas D. Jones, contributed half of the amount needed the goal was reached.

Ironically, by raising money to justify the will's conditions with regard to the hospital, Wilson's children were in effect taking money out of their own pickets. If the hospital had failed to raise the specified amount, more money would have gone to Wilson's children.