William Wilcox, b. 7 Oct 1823

HANCHETT, STEPHENS, DAVIS, CLINE, HUNT, MARTIN, BURDICK, LUNDBECK, EATON, MOORE, BATTLES

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 11:19:43

William Wilcox bears the distinction of having been a resident of this county for a period of nearly fifty years - dating his arrival from the spring of 1840. He is a native of Aylmer, Province of Ontario, Canada, and was born near the city of St. Thomas, Oct. 7, 1823. His parents were Ebenezer and Jael (Hanchett) Wilcox, natives respectively of Montgomery County, N.Y., and the State of Connecticut. The paternal grandfather, John Wilcox, it is supposed was born in New England in 1760, and he followed agricultural pursuits.

John Wilcox, Sr., the paternal great-grandfather of our subject, was born April 15, 1732, in one of the New England States, probably Connecticut. He was married Aug. 28, 1759, to Anna Stephens, who was born Jan. 26, 1734, and they became the parents of the children born as follows: Ebenezer, Jan. 5, 1760; John, Jan. 12, 1762; James, Feb. 18, 1764; William, Feb. 18, 1766; Ann, March 17, 1768; David, Jan 18, 1770; Levi, Dec. 17, 1772; Amy, Feb. 28, 1774, and Dina, May 14, 1776. Their eldest son, John, was married to Miss Lois Auger, Feb. 26, 1784. They removed from Connecticut to Montgomery, N.Y. Prior to this, however, he had served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. In the Empire State they took up their residence on a tract of new land from which they constructed a comfortable homestead and there spent the remainder of their days. John Wilcox departed this life Nov. 10, 1848, and his wife Lois, April 29, 1851. Their children were born as follows: Ebenezer, Mar. 14, 1786; Elizabeth, Mar. 19, 1788; David, Dec 23, 1790; Anna, Oct. 19, 1794; Prudence, Aug. 1, 1796; Lois, April 5, 1798; Mary, Jan. 21, 1800.

Ebenezer Wilcox, the father of our subject, was born in Montgomery County, N.Y., and was married to Miss Jael Hanchett in April 1807. He resided in his native county until 1818 then going over into Canada settled at Aylmer, in the Province of Ontario, where they lived until 1839, then set out for Iowa Territory. In the meantime during the Canadian Rebellion, Ebenezer Wilcox was cast into prison and confined there ten months under sentence of death by hanging. His doom, however, was averted with that of many others, a pardon being granted by the Queen of England.

Upon coming to Iowa, the father of our subject, settled upon a tract of wild land in Monmouth Township, where he and his family experienced all the privations and hardships of pioneer life. The mother passed away in 1845 and Mr. Wilcox died ten years later, in 1855. They were the parents of nine children, the record of whom is as follows: John was born April 26, 1808, and now a veteran of eighty-one years, is still living and a resident of Maquoketa; Anna E. was born Aug. 24, 1809, became the wife of Warren Davis, and died in Canada; David H. was born Feb. 2, 1811, and is a resident of Washington, Oregon; Maria was born June 10, 1813, married Leonard Cline and lives in Aylmer, Canada; Nelson, who was born July 8, 1815, died in infancy in New York State; Harmon S. was born Dec. 16, 1817, settled in Miami County, Kan., in 1860, and died there Oct. 9, 1888; Abner T. was born July 18, 1820, and residing in this county until 1888, then removed to Amite City, La.; William our subject, was next to the youngest born; Ebenezer, Jr., died in Canada at the age of four years.

The subject of this sketch spent his early life in his native county, and in July 1840, made his way to Iowa Territory, since which time he has been a resident of this county. On the 8th of September he was united in marriage with one of its most estimable young ladies, Miss Angelia, daughter of Levi and Lucy (Martin) Hunt. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox settled on a farm and our subject for some time thereafter confined his attention to agricultural pursuits. After a time he engaged in merchandising at Mill Rock, and was also postmaster there for many years. About that time he met with the loss of considerable property, but finally recovered from his misfortunes and is now well-to-do. He has occupied several different farms in this county, and is now the owner of 300 acres here besides a quarter section in Dakota. He was at one time the owner of over 1200 acres of land.

Mr. Wilcox in the spring of 1889 decided to retire from his hitherto arduous labors, and accordingly took up his residence in Baldwin. In politics he is a straight Republican, and has served as Justice of the Peace for many years, also officiating as Notary Public, and has made out a great many legal documents. Mrs. Angelia (Hunt) Wilcox, was born in Orange County, Vt., July 17, 1831, and spent her childhood and youth under the parental roof, attending such schools as the county afforded, and developed into a teacher. This profession, however, she followed but a very short time as she became a bride in the sixteenth year of her age. She, however, continued her studies after this event. Her mother was an excellent nurse and practiced medicine to some extent in her neighborhood. The daughter finally followed in her footsteps and subsequently took two courses of lectures in the Medical College of Iowa City. She still practices - under the Homeopathic system - and has all the business she can conveniently attend to. She is a most estimable lady greatly respected in her community and a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

To Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox there were born three children, one of whom, a son, Theodore M. died in childhood. The survivors are Jael, the wife of Alfred Burdick, of St. Joseph, Mo., and Sherman W. who is raising fine horses in this township, this county.

Levi Hunt, the father of Mrs. Dr. Wilcox, was likewise a native of Orange County, Vt., and was born March 18, 1800. He was married to Miss Lucy Martin, Dec. 17, 1820. This lady was born in Connecticut Dec. 8, 1800. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hunt resided in Vermont, until 1841; they then emigrated to Essex County, N.Y., and three years later, in 1844, came to Iowa Territory and settled in South Fork Township, this County. The father followed agricultural pursuits and died Oct. 6, 1850. The mother survived her husband for a period of thirty years, passing away on the 28th of Feb. 1880.

To the parents of Mrs. Wilcox there were born the children who are recorded as follows: Sarah Eliza was born Nov. 10, 1820, and was first married to George Lundbeck; her second husband was Levi Eaton, and she died in Freeport, Ill.; Eunice was born March 13, 1825, became the wife of Sylvester Moore, and died in Orange County, Vt.; Abigail was born Feb. 15, 1826, became the wife of Samuel Battles, and died in this county; John V., was born Aug. 17, 1828 and also died in this county; Angelia, Mrs. Wilcox, was the next in order of birth; Abner N. was born May 26, 1834, and is a resident of Monmouth Township, this county; Josiah K. was born April 30, 1840, and is also a resident of the same township.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)