Wilcox, Edward

WILCOX, GAREY, LYNN, THOMPSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/24/2009 at 10:43:43

Wilcox, Edward

In such men as Edward Wilcox, one of the well known citizens of Jasper County, there is peculiar satisfaction in offering their life histories as justification for the compilation of works of this character - not that their lives have been such as to gain them particularly wide notoriety or the admiring plaudits of men, but that they have been true to the trusts reposed on them, have shown such attributes of character as to entitle them to the regard of all. "Ed" Wilcox, as he is familiarly known, is a genial and generous soul, ever willing to lend a helping hand when his services are needed, and he experiences no trouble in either making or retaining friends.
Mr. Wilcox was born in Rockford, Floyd County, Iowa, June 8, 1867, and is the son of Joseph and Huldah (Garey) Wilcox. The father was born in Columbus, Ohio, March 1, 1837, and the mother in Smethport, McKean County, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1846; they were married in the latter state on December 7, 1865. The father had come to Iowa with his widowed mother in the early days here, and the Wilcoxes have thus figured more or less prominently in the up building of the county. When the Civil War came on Joseph Wilcox turned from the pursuits of agriculture and in 1861 enlisted in the Third Iowa Battery at Dubuque, in which he served four years and three months as a brave and efficient soldier. After his first enlistment expired he re-enlisted as a veteran and was in the western division of the Union army under Generals Curtis, Siegel and others. Some of the many engagements in which he took part were those of Pea Ridge, Pine Bluff, Ball's Bluff, Fort Smith, Helena and others. He was never wounded, captured or in a hospital, and he was honorably discharged at the close of the war.

Jasper County has had no better citizen than Joseph Wilcox, and his death, on January 27, 1890, caused the many who knew him to mourn the loss of a truly good and useful man. Besides being a farmer, he was a blacksmith and general artificer and was widely and favorably known. His widow is now residing on the home farm in Palo Alto Township. Their family consisted of four sons and two daughters, namely: Mary, who married Alfred Lynn, since deceased; James was next in order of birth; William is now deceased; Harriett married Homer Thompson, lives on a farm in this county, as does also Franklin.
Edward Wilcox grew up on the farm and was educated in the home schools. He has devoted his life to tilling the soil and his efforts have been amply rewarded. He owns a small tract of very productive land, and in connection with this he also operates his mother's homestead adjoining. He is a man of known public spirit and has served Palo Alto Township in many ways; he has been a member of the school board for many years and is president of the same at this writing. He has also served two terms as township clerk, and has held several Township offices, being regarded as a faithful and conscientious public servant.

On November 4, 1891, Mr. Wilcox was united in marriage with Sylvania V. Garey, daughter of Johnson and Ellen Garey, natives of Pennsylvania. They were extensive farmers and well known landowners, both being now deceased; Sylvania, who married Mr. Wilcox, was their adopted child. To Edward Wilcox and wife three children have been born, all living, namely: Letha May, who was born September 11, 1892, is teaching in the county schools; Nina June, born September 13, 1894; Willis Frederick, born April 2,1898.

Mrs. Wilcox is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and their two daughters belong to the United Presbyterian Church, and are active in the general work of the church and serving the local congregation as organists. Politically, Mr. Wilcox is a Democrat, and, fraternally, he belongs to Central Lodge No. 73, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; also Encampment No. 16, of Newton, Iowa. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 997.