Editing Henry Wilson (section)

==Early life and education==
Wilson was born in [[Farmington, New Hampshire]], on February 16, 1812, one of several children born to Winthrop and Abigail (Witham) Colbath.{{sfn|Haynes|1936|p=322}} His father named him Jeremiah Jones Colbath{{sfn|Haynes|1936|p=322}} after a wealthy neighbor who was a childless bachelor, vainly hoping that this gesture might result in an inheritance.{{sfn|Abbott|1972|page=1}} Winthrop Colbath was a militia veteran of the [[War of 1812]]{{sfn|New Hampshire Adjutant General 1868|p=203}} who worked as a day laborer and hired himself out to local farms and businesses, in addition to occasionally running a sawmill.{{sfn|Haynes|1936|p=322}}

The Colbath family was impoverished; after a brief elementary education, at the age of 10 Wilson was [[Indentured servitude|indentured]] to a neighboring farmer, where he worked as a laborer for the next 10 years.{{sfn|Haynes|1936|pp=322–323}} During this time two neighbors gave him books and Wilson enhanced his meager education by reading extensively on English history, American history and biographies of famous historical figures.{{sfn|Haynes|1936|p=323}} At the end of his service he was given "six sheep and a [[yoke]] of [[oxen]]." Wilson immediately sold his animals for $85 (about $2,200 in 2021), which was the first money he had earned during his indenture.{{sfn|Haynes|1936|p=323}}

Wilson apparently did not like his birth name, though the reasons given vary.{{sfn|Myers|2005|p=8}}{{sfn|McKay|1971|p=11}} Some sources indicate that he was not close to his family, or disliked his name because of his father's supposed intemperance and modest financial circumstances.{{sfn|McKay|1971|p=11}} Others indicate that he was called "Jed" and "Jerry," and disliked the nicknames so much that he resolved to change his name.{{sfn|Myers|2005|p=8}}{{sfn|Abbott|1965|p=8}}{{efn|That his name change resulted from disrespect of his father or lack of closeness with his family are belied by the fact that some of his relatives followed him after he relocated to [[Natick, Massachusetts]], including brother George A. Colbath.{{sfn|"Current events: George A. Colbath, a brother of the late ex-Vice President Henry Wilson, died at Natick, Massachusetts"|page=2}} In addition, Winthrop and Abigail Colbath moved to Natick in 1848.{{sfn|Abbott, Vol. 2,|1965|page=353}} Winthrop died in Natick in 1860,{{sfn|"The Grave (From the Boston Traveler)"|page=1}} and Abigail died there in 1866.{{sfn|"Henry Wilson's Funeral: Burial at Dell Park Cemetery"|page=5}}}} Whatever the reason, when he turned 21 he successfully petitioned the [[New Hampshire General Court]] to legally change it.{{sfn|Scales|1914|p=501}} He chose the name Henry Wilson, inspired either by a biography of a [[Philadelphia]] teacher{{sfn|Abbott|1972|page=6}} or a portrait from a book on English clergymen.{{sfn|Abbott|1972|page=6}}