Crawford County IA Archives Biographies.....Wicks, B. F. 1825 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net//copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net//ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 9, 2007, 2:32 am Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1893) B. F. WICKS, one of the well-known pioneers of Crawford county, was born near Jamestown, Chautauqua county, New York, December 14,1825, a son of John Wicks, a native of Genesee, same State. The latter was a son of John Wicks, a Revolutionary soldier, and of French descent. Our subject's mother, nee Abigail Hartwell, was born in New York, a daughter of Daniel Hartwell, who was a son of a Revolutionary soldier. John and Abigail Wicks were the parents of fourteen children, eight sons and six daughters. They both died in Bureau county, Illinois. The father was a millwright by trade, a Whig politically, and religiously a member of the Methodist Church. B. F. Wicks, the seventh of eight sons, was reared and educated in his native county, and in early life was engaged in surveying for a time. At the age of twenty-two years he removed to Bureau county, Illinois, and was a resident of that county before the railroad was built. In 1854 he came with ox teams to western Iowa, remained at Boone several days, and then settled on Government land in this county. Mr. Wicks erected a log cabin, 16 feet square, and, on account of Indian troubles, had to attach the barn to the house. He was elected the first County Treasurer of Crawford county, and later was a candidate for County Clerk with Thomas Dobson, but they received the same number of votes, and, after casting lots, the latter won. The trading-post was then Council Bluffs, seventy-five miles distant, and there were no bridges over the streams. In 1861 our subject returned to Bureau county, Illinois, but eight months later came again to this county. He has a good dwelling house on his farm, 16 x 24 feet, a barn 32 x 32 feet, with a, brick basement, and has 190 acres in the place. In 1884 he came to Deloit, where he erected a one and a half story house, 14x22 feet, which is surrounded by a beautiful lawn. Mr. Wicks was married in Chautauqua county, New York, in 1853, to Christina Klock, who was born and reared in that county, a daughter of John B. and Margaret Klock, both deceased in Bureau county, Illinois. They were the parents of fifteen children, seven sons and eight daughters. The father was a farmer by occupation, was a Whig in his political views, and religiously was a member of the Methodist Church. Our subject and wife have had two children: Carrie, wife of William McKim, of Decatur county, Iowa; and Anna, deceased at the age of sixteen years. Mrs. McKim has six children: Roy, Edna, Bernice, Bertie, Ava and Arthur. Mr. Wicks takes an active part in the Republican party, held the office of County Treasurer in an early day, and was County Supervisor two years. Both he and his wife are worthy and active members of the Reorganized Church of Latter-Day Saints. Additional Comments: Extracted From: BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties, Iowa. Containing Portraits of all the Presidents of the United States, with accompanying Biographies; a Condensed History of Iowa, with Portraits and Biographies of the Governors of the State; Engravings of Prominent Citizens of the Counties, wth [sic] Personal Histories of many of the Early Settlers and Leading Families. "Biography is the only true history."—Emerson. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1893. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ia/crawford/bios/wicks102nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/iafiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb