Maricopa-Cochise County AZ Archives Biographies.....Fickas, Benjamin A. 1848 - living in 1896
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 5, 2005, 3:29 pm

Author: McFarland & Poole

p. 470-471

  BENJAMIN A. FICKAS. Maricopa County, Arizona, may well be proud of the amount
of brains possessed by her representative citizens, for, taken as a whole, there
are none brighter, more intelligent, or with more ability or push in any
direction, and among the number is Benjamin A. Fickas. Like many of the
representative men of the county, he was born in the East, his birth' occurring
in Warrick County, Indiana, July 6, 1848, and he there received a good practical
education. In the year 1863 he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and
Forty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of
hostilities. After that he went to Missouri, made his home there until 1872, and
then went to San Diego. Cal., where he remained until 1876. From there he made
his way to Tombstone, Arizona, and later became clerk of the District Court and
filled other positions of trust in that place, being a member of the Territorial
Council in 1880 and 1881. Mr. Fickas was largely interested in the formation of
Cochise County at that rather stormy session. He has been closely identified in
educational and lodge matters since living in Arizona, being school trustee at
the organization of schools in Tombstone. At the present time he is president of
the Phoenix School Board. He was the first Grand Chancellor, Knights of Pythias,
of Arizona, and the first member initiated in the endowment rank of that order
in Arizona. He was supreme representative of that body from 1886 to 1890 and now
(1896) is supreme representative to 2.000. Mr. Fickas has been prominently
connected with the Ancient Order United Workmen since 1881 and has given
liberally of his time and money to the same. He has been a prominent member of
the I. O. O. F. ever since he reached his manhood years. At any and all times he
takes a decided interest in the politics of Arizona and was unanimously elected
chairman of the Territorial Democratic Committee of Arizona in 1894. It is
hardly necessary to add that he is an uncompromising Democrat, and a staunch
supporter of his party. In the month of July, 1880, Mr. Fickas was married to
Miss Mary Ella Moody of Warrenburg, Mo., and of one of the oldest and most
highly respected families of that State. Four children have blessed this unicn,
two sons and two daughters. viz.: Elizabeth Jane, William Moody, Mary Ella and
Melville Phillip. Mr. Fickas is very domestic in his taste and is a devoted home
man. He organized the Valley Abstract Company in 1887 and has been president of
that institution ever since. He enjoys the full confidence of the county and of
the Territory as a conservative man, and has a host of warm friends.


Additional Comments:
From:

A Historical and Biographical Record of the Territory of Arizona
Published by
McFarland & Poole, Chicago, 1896


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