[1][2] She was born on April 24, 1872, in Sacramento, California, to Marcellus Crane Tilden and Elizabeth J. Ralston.
By 1880, Wilson’s family resided in Virginia City, Nevada, and her father was practicing as an attorney.
Her maternal grandfather was James Harvey Ralston, a judge and state senator who enter politics in both Sacramento and Virginia City.
[3][4] On July 23, 1893, Wilson passed the bar and became the first female in Nevada admitted to practice law.
She was also noted as convincing the 1893 Nevada Legislature to give women the ability to become attorneys like their male counterparts.