Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 501
SYLVESTER L. HICKOX

Sylvester L. HICKOX, who is one of the pioneer settlers of Harrison Township, and who came to the county in the spring of 1868, will form the subject of this notice.

He was born in Fair Haven, Conn., March 19, 1825, the son of Darius and Ann (LOYD) HICKOX, natives of England and Connecticut, respectively. The father was born in England in 1779, and died November 10, 1840. He was married in 1820, to Anna LOYD, who was born in the town of Stratford, in 1803, and died March 31, 1849. The father was a traveling salesman for a map-publishing concern. Sylvester L., our subject, was reared in Connecticut, and at the age of sixteen, engaged at the carriage trade, working at this for five years, and then formed a partnership with a Mr. OLMSTEAD, with whom he was associated for two years, after which our subject assumed full control and conducted the business for twenty years, manufacturing all kinds of buggies and carriages. After disposing of his business, he removed to this county, where he has since resided. Our subject had no capital with which to commence life save good business qualifications and plenty of pluck, two leading factors in any branch of business. His life has been a success, as is evinced from his present home surroundings.

Mr. HICKOX was married May 2, 1849, to Mary WHITE BISSELL, who was born in Schoharie County, N. Y., February 10, 1827. She is the daughter of George C. and Elizabeth (WHITE) BISSELL. The former was born in Bolton, Conn., July 20, 1792, and died in December, 1882. He was the son of George and Lois (CONE) BISSELL. Elizabeth (WHITE) BISSELL was born in South Hadley, Mass., January 27, 1800, and died in May, 1867. She was a direct descendant of Peregrine White, the first child born on the Mayflower. The father of Mrs. HICKOX followed various pursuits for a livelihood, being a stone-mason by trade. He also followed farming, school teaching, was an instructor of vocal music, and a temperance lecturer. Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children�Anna E., born May 3, 1851, wife of Dr. Dwight SATTERLEE, o Dunlap; Edward I., born March 18, 1856, who died march 11, 1890. While he was in the employ of the railroad company he fell from the top of the train, the cars passing over his left leg, severing the main artery; Robert N., born April 7, 1864, dying November 10, 1864.

Mr. and Mrs. HICKOX are consistent Christians, belonging to the Congregational Church, and always assisting in every Christian work, he having been Deacon for sixteen years.

Politically, he has always been a Republican, and has officially represented his township as trustee, member of the school board, etc.

Mr. HICKOX first came to the county alone in the autumn of 1867, thoroughly investigated the country, and brought his family here the following spring, when he made a purchase of eighty acres of land, on section 21, of Harrison Township, of which twenty-five acres have been broken; and this was all that distinguished this track of land from the vast sea of prairie grass surrounding it. There were only three houses to be seen, in any direction, and the scene was indeed one of rare beauty, yet not to be fully appreciated by this New England family, who had been reared within a cozy home, nestled in among the New England Hill where the landscape was ever a feast to the eye. Our subject at once began the erection of a building, first building his barn, which he arranged to live in until his house was completed. His farmhouse was a frame structure 20x30 feet, with fourteen-foot posts and was the first of its kind built in this part of the county. This served to stimulate others and soon the country began to put on a different appearance, and neat farm-houses sprang into existence in all direction; but to Mr. HICKOX is due the credit of setting an example. The first two or three years of their residence in the county, they had little produce to sell, but managed to turn off a small quantity of garden truck, and were compelled to pay extravagant price for all of what they could not raise. For instance, they paid $1.00 for four pounds of granulated sugar; $1.00 for four pounds of dried peaches; with coffee, flour, dress goods and muslins all correspondingly high. They were compelled to undergo nearly all of the hard ships co-incident with pioneer life; but all has changed under the influences of civilization. The transition was great. The great prairie sea, with its blooming flowers and wild animals, has been transformed into a fertile, well-tilled garden-spot, where every quarter section of land has a beautiful farm-house with groves and orchards surrounding them, and all bespeak of culture and prosperity. All of these early sacrifices must needs have been made. No one appreciates this wondrous change more than our subject and his good wife, who came from New England to become pioneers in Western Iowa. They can now look out upon a well-settled country, and view large trees of their own planting, while their fields are waving with golden grain.

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