In August 1870, Lester and Emma had the opportunity to entertain the civilian members of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition for dinner in their home on the evening before they left Bozeman on their historic expedition to Yellowstone [REF].
In 1882, along with Nelson Story, J.E. Martin, Broox Martin, and Edwin Lewis, Willson helped capitalize one of the first banks in the county, the Gallatin Valley National Bank.