Biographical Sketch of Jefferson D. Wilcoxon, Johnson County, Missouri, Columbus Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** J. D. Wilcoxon, a well known and progressive farmer and stockman of Columbus township, is a member of a prominent pioneer family. He was born August 7, 1861 on his father's farm in Lafayette county, located near the county line between Lafayette and Johnson counties. Mr. Wil- coxon is a son of William S. and Mrs. Lucinda (Ramsey) Wilcoxon, the former, a native of Bullitt county, Kentucky and the latter, of Clark county, Kentucky. The father was born July 8, 1821 and the mother, November 14, 1826. They were the parents of eight children: John L., born April 2, 1846 and is now of Eldorado Springs, Missouri; James T., born February 26, 1848 and died in infancy; Sarah Elizabeth, born January 31, 1850, now deceased; Susan L., born January 14, 1852, now deceased; Adkin Lee, born March 13, 1854, and is now residing at Odessa, Missouri; Baxter Allen, born January 15, 1856, now deceased; Jefferson Davis, the subject of this review; and Mattie Kate, of Lafayette county, born April 16, 1865. All the children, excepting J. D. and Mattie, were born in Johnson county. The mother died Sept- ember 19, 1876. Mr. Wilcoxon again married, his second wife being Eliza J. Hughes, of Pettis county. William S. Wilcoxon came to Missouri from Kentucky in the early forties, making the trip thence by boat and locating first in Howard county. In 1844, he came to this part of the state and for many years resided on a farm in Lafay- ette county. When the Civil War broke out, Mr. Wilcoxon and his oldest son, John L., enlisted in the Confederate service and for four years fought under General Price for the principles they firmly believed to be right. After the war ended in 1865, Mr. Wilcoxon re- turned to his home in Lafayette county and shortly afterward moved to the farm in Johnson county now owned by his son, J. D., the subject of this review. At the time of his death, March 4, 1892, Mr. Wilcoxon owned 110 acres of land. He was an industrious, honest, conscientious citizen, a man who well merited success. J. D. Wilcoxon attended school in Johnson county in district Number 86. He has always lived on the home place, which now comprises 300 acres of land located partly in Columbus township and partly in Lafayette county, being on the line between Lafayette and Johnson. This place is an upland farm, originally timbered. It is on the Odessa-Columbus road and one of the beautiful country homes of this county. There are three barns on the farm, furnishing an abundance of room for both feed and stock, and the place is well watered. Mr. Wilcoxon raises hogs, cattle, horses, and Oxford sheep and finds the last named his most profitable stock and the best paying investment on the farm. January 7, 1883, Jefferson D. Wilcoxon and Fannie S. Atkinson, daughter of Daniel S. and Anne O. Atkinson, of Lafayette county, were united in marriage. Both parents of Mrs. Wil- coxon are now deceased. To this union have been born nine children: Daniel S., a successful farmer of Lafayette county; James Allen, at home with his parents; William S., a minister of the Methodist Episco- pal church, South, who just completed an 8 year course in college at Fayette, Missouri; Carl F., who is at present at Camp Funston in train- ing with the National army for service in France, member Company G, 356th United States Infantry; Lucinda, who is a student in the college at Fayette, Missouri; Harold W.; Maurice E., a junior in the Odessa High School; Evelyn; and one child, a daughter, died in infancy. The Wilcoxon residence is an attractive home, a house of eight rooms, nice- ly painted and kept in excellent repair. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcoxon are highly valued and respected among the county's best and most enterpris- ing citizens. They are rearing one of the finest families in this section of the state. ==================================================================== 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 ====================================================================