My Genealogy Hound

La Fayette Wilcox, one of the old and prominent citizens of Polk County, Mo., was born in Cabell County, W. Va., October 23, 1837, his parents being Erasmus D. and Jane (Stamps) Wilcox, natives, respectively, of Massachusetts and Virginia, the former’s birth occurring in 1803 and the latter’s in 1811. The father left his native State when a young man and went to Virginia, where he met and married Miss Stamps, and resided until 1844, when he came to Polk County, Mo., and located in what is now Benton Township, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, his capital at that time being very limited. He was also engaged in selling Seth Thomas clocks, and, too, followed steam-boating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers as captain. In 1856 he turned his stock and farm over to his sons and embarked in mercantile pursuits on Lindley Creek, which he continued until his death, October 16, 1861, when he was killed by Federal troops, he having been a captain of a company in the Confederate army. He was a finely educated man and was very successful in every enterprise in which he engaged, being one of the wealthy citizens of the county at the breaking out of the Rebellion. For many years he had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and was always very liberal in his contributions to churches and schools. He was a life-long Democrat. To him and his first wife, who died in Polk County, Mo., March 3, 1846, were born seven children, five of whom are living: R. H., a farmer of Audrain County, Mo.; William A., a resident of Bolivar; Cornelia, a resident of Texas; La Fayette; and Albert, a farmer of Boone County, Mo. His second wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Smart, bore him two children: H. B., a farmer of Boone County, Mo., and Mary J., a resident of Taylor County, Iowa. His last marriage (to Miss Martha Batton) resulted in the birth of a daughter, Irena, who resides in Carroll County, Ark. His widow is also residing there. La Fayette Wilcox received his rudimentary education in the common schools of Polk County, and finished his education in Danville College in Virginia. After completing his college course he returned to Polk County, Mo., and turned his attention to farming and stock raising, which he has very successfully continued up to the present time, the property which he now has being the result of good business ability and energy, as his father lost all his property during the war. February 12, 1860, he was married to Miss Mary E., daughter of William B. Hunter, of Bolivar. She was born in Washington County, Tenn., October 28, 1842, and her union with Mr. Wilcox has resulted in the birth of quite a large family, these children living: William E., Charles S., Fanny, Minnie, Mary T., Bertie and A. J. All the sons are engaged in farming. James, another son, died when three years of age. Mr. Wilcox is a Democrat; a member of the A. O. U. W., and is one of the highly esteemed citizens of the county.