Biographical Sketch of John L. Fickas, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** John L. Fickas, of Warrensburg township, was born in the home of his father on the farm which is now owned by the son in Warrensburg town- ship, on July 17, 1859. He is the son of James and Nancy (Baker) Fickas. James Fickas was born in 1833 in Boone county, Missouri, and when four years of age came to Johnson county with his father and mother, Adam and Susan (McDonald) Fickas, who located first in Warrens- burg township and then one year later, in 1838, settled on a farm one fourth miles east of the present location of "Bowmansville," the store and shop of Mr. Bowman, and on this place both the mother and father died. Mrs. Adam Fickas died in 1875 and twenty years later, in 1895, she was joined in death by her husband. They were buried in the ceme- tery on the homestead. At the time of his death, Adam Fickas was the owner of thirteen hundred acres of land in Johnson county. Nancy (Baker) Fickas was born in Tennessee, the daughter of James Baker. She was married to James Fickas in Pettis county and to them were born six children: Jacob, deceased; Sarah, who is married and now Mrs. Raabe, residing in Iowa; John, the subject of this review; Laura Belle, the wife of W. M. Wallace, of Vernon county, Missouri; Luvenia, the wife of J. C. Leary, of Warrensburg, Missouri; and Malinda Ellen, the wife of Hill Hunter, of Knob Noster, Missouri. A more comprehensive history of the Fickas family will be found in the sketch of Adam Fickas, which appears elsewhere in this volume. James Fickas died February 21, 1917. Nancy (Baker) Fickas died June 27, 1907. James Fickas was stricken with total blindness on March 30, 1864 and he was cared for to the end of his days by his son, John Fickas. He was an industrious and ener- getic man and even after he was blind he was able to cut wood and gather corn and do a man's work on the farm. There has never been in Johnson county a more remarkable exemplification of patient, corageous endurance, of strong will power, of true fortitude. Mr. Fickas was truly a "man worth while." In district school Number 55, John Fickas received his education. He has always lived on the farm where he now resides and was never away over ten days in his life, remaining with his parents as long as they lived and on the homestead, which he inher- ited, ever since they have been gone. The farm, which comprises one hundred sixty acres of land that were partly entered by the father from the government and partly by the grandfather, the land costing one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre. John Fickas has in his possess- ion the old land patents, signed by the President of the United States many years ago. On this place, Mr. Fickas is engaged in farming and stock raising, devoting much attention to raising cattle, hogs, horses and mules. March 21, 1886, John Fickas and Mary E. Galyon were united in marriage. Mrs. Fickas is the daughter of George Galyon, who died when she was an infant. To John and Mary E. Fickas have been born five children: James A., who is city mail carrier of Warrensburg; Lulu R., the wife of Earl C. Joy and they reside in Idaho; W. C., who is unmarr- ied and resides in Idaho; Ernest E., who married Cecil Curtis and resides in Montana; and Ethel B., who lives at home with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Fickas are highly respected and esteemed in Johnson county where the Fickas family has long been held in the highest regard. Mr. Fickas is a worthy member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Modern Brotherhood of America. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================