A portrait of John Wilson at 33 years old and his first wife, Rose Bartholomew, in 1859. The are both seated for the picture. John Wilson has a beard and mustache. He is wearing a suit and white shirt with a high standing starched collar and broad black cravat. His wife is wearing a dress with matching shawl and white collar. John Wilson was a Portland businessman and avid book collector with broad interests. In 1900, Mr. Wilson left the Library Association of Portland his personal collection of more than 8,000 volumes, with the stipulation that the books be made available free to the public.