Henry J. Young Award - Roger B. Wilson, July 2026

​Roger Wilson, who has been on the board of the Stewartstown Area Historical Society for many years and edits the Society’s newsletter, is a well-versed historian of southeastern of York County which includes Hopewell, Peach Bottom, and Fawn Townships. He is a descendent of many early settler families. A family reunion for him meant getting in line for a Reese’s Peanut Cup from H. B. Reese himself, who was born a stone’s throw away in Bridgeton.

In 1947, Roger’s family returned back to their native York County, Pa. from Phoenix, Arizona and settled on a 229-acre farm which was abutted by Muddy Creek, near Bridgeton. He and his five siblings had a rich upbringing on the farm. After graduating from Kennard-Dale High School, he served four years in the United States Air Force before attending Millersville State Teachers College where he would find his life’s work in teaching. Roger taught 4th grade and later 6th grade students for a total of twenty years at the Delta-Peach Bottom Elementary School in the South Eastern School District. He eventually became an Assistant Professor of Science Education at Millersville University where he taught students for seven years; later he taught part-time at Towson University.

Over the years he has written or co-authored the following five books which represent in-depth
histories of southeastern area of York County:

• Too much ice cream, Not enough paint. Growing Up on a Pennsylvania Farm, 1947-1958, Roger B. Wilson, 1999.
• Centre Presbyterian Church History 1780-2000, New Park, Pennsylvania, Copyright @ 2001, Edited by Rev. James L. Billet and Roger B. Wilson.
• The River and the Ridge, 300 Years of Local History, Peach Bottom Township and Delta,Pennsylvania, Cardiff and Whiteford, Maryland., Roger B. Wilson, Ed. D., Donald C. Robinson, James L. Morris, and David B. Glenn, D.D.S. First printing, Baltimore, 2003; Second printing, Baltimore, 2009,by Old Line Museum.
• Yesteryears In Southern York County, Book Two, Published by Stewartstown Area HistoricalSociety, 2010. Book committee members: Nathalie (Grove) Clugston, Kathryn (Brown) Jordan; Rebecca Manifold, Roger Wilson, and Douglas Winemiller.
• One Room, One Teacher. From One Room Schools to the Consolidation of the South Eastern School District, by Roger B. Wilson and Kathryn B. Jordan. Copyright @ 2016 Roger B. Wilson

Roger has given numerous programs over the years on One Room Schools. One in particular was reviewed by Stephen H. Smith on his YorksPast column in 2012! Roger was one of the presenters chosen at the 2023 annual conference of the Country School Association of America. CSAA is a national organization of academics, historical interpreters, and  schoolhouse enthusiasts who have an annual conference in different areas of the country. The 2023 conference was held in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The theme of the conference was Country Schools: the Keystone of American Education. Roger’s presentation was the “Influence of Women Teachers in the Early 20th Century.