He was the son of Alexander Wilson (b.1758), a native of Huntly, Aberdeenshire, who came to Quebec City where he was a merchant, magistrate and later Seigneur of Granville.

Wilson established a hardware business, and became a prosperous and respected merchant near the Montreal waterfront.

Protestant journalists such as John Dougall of the Montreal Witness persisted in accusing the mayor for the Gavazzi Riots.

When in September 1855, at Ignace Bourget's request, Wilson received the cross of commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great from Pope Pius IX, the Protestant press resumed its accusations against the man responsible for the "St Bartholomew of Montreal."

In 1852, he became a member of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada and, following the creation of the Canadian Confederation in 1867, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada in the new nation's capital Ottawa as a Conservative party representative for the riding of Rigaud.