Biography of A. G. wilkes

A. G. Wilkes, who on the 27th of January, 1910, departed this life, was identified with the pioneer development of the west and for many years was numbered among the highly respected citizens of Howard county. He devoted considerable time to general farming and stock raising, and his diligence and perseverance were the elements of growing success. He was born in Chautauqua county, New York, May 4, 1861, a son of John and Henrietta (Starks) Wilkes, who were also natives of the Empire state. They removed westward with their family when their son, A. G. Wilkes, was a youth of seventeen years and the father purchased a farm upon which they resided throughout the remainder of their days and which is now occupied by Mrs. A. G. Wilkes. Year after year the father carried on the farm work and his labors wrought a marked transformation in the appearance of the place, which he converted into a valuable farm property. He was thus busily engaged to the time of his demise, which occurred in 1891. His widow survived him for about two decades, passing away in 1911.

A. G. Wilkes obtained his education in the district schools of his native county and after the removal of his parents to Iowa he assisted his father in clearing the land and developing the home property, being thus engaged for about a year. He then began work in the pineries of Wisconsin, where he was employed for five years, and on the expiration of that period he was married and in connection with his brother took up carpentering, which he followed until 1889. In that year he returned to farm life and about 1894 bought his father's old homestead place and lived thereon to the time of his death. His first purchase made him the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land north of Riceville and at the time of his demise he was the owner of three hundred and sixty acres of excellent farm land in Mitchell and Howard counties, including the thirty acres in Riceville, upon which the old homestead of the family still stands. After removing to the old home farm in 1894 he devoted his attention largely to the buying and selling of stock and became one of the prominent live stock dealers of this section of the state. He won very substantial success in the conduct of that business and was thus able to leave his family in comfortable financial circumstances.

On the 3d of June, 1884, Mr. Wilkes was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Smith and they became the parents of eight children: Mrs. Gertrude Mae Slvalia, Mrs. Florence Genevieve Herdman, Mrs. Blanche Aileen Blandin, Robert John, Mrs. Amy Violet Mahaffey, Joseph Adelbert, Frederick Mason and Caroline Mary.

The family are adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Wilkes' political endorsement was given to the democratic party and for nine years he served as a member of the school board of Riceville and was always deeply interested in everything that tended to uplift the individual and upbuild the community. His support was always given on the side of progress and improvement, and his labors were far-reaching and resultant. In addition to developing his farm he was a stockholder in the electric plant of Riceville and at all times was recognized as a man of good business judgment whose labors were an element in the material development of his section of the state. To his family he was a devoted husband and father, and to those who knew him a faithful friend. He had many excellent traits of character, and his life was filled with the "many little unremembered acts of kindness and of love."

 

History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties,
By Robert Herd Fairbairn (Published 1919 - Volume II)
S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois