My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES H. WICKS, though a resident of Panama, Chautauqua county, New York, is one of the active, progressive and enterprising real estate dealers in the beautiful and well-known summering place of Lakewood in the same county, He was born October 15, 1849, in the town of Ellery, Chautauqua county, New York, and is a son of James H. and Sophia (Ward) Wicks. Paternal grandfather, John Wicks, was of English extraction, born in Saratoga county, New York, and immigrated to Chautauqua county in 1818, settling in the town of Ellery. While here he pursued the occupation of farming, until he was borne to his last resting place at a green old age. Grandfather Andrew Ward was a native of the widely-known Mohawk Valley, but, like many of his predecessors, followed the star of empire on its western course. He located in the town of Ellicott, where he took up, cleared and improved a large tract of land, on which he continued to reside the remainder of his life. Considerable of his life was spent in active military service, which he regarded not only a duty but as an extreme pleasure. He married Angelina Trueax, who lived to be over one hundred years of age, and bore him seven children, five boys and two girls. James H. Wicks (father) was born in Saratoga county, New York, on August 2, 1817, removed to the town of Ellery where he lived for a time, then removing to the town of Gerry where he died March 1891. He was accounted a good farmer and an upright citizen. He held the office of justice of the peace for sixteen years continuously, at the hands of the Republican party, and was also an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His first wife, Sophia Ward, bore him five children: Jane married to Walter Strong, a farmer of the town of Gerry; Lavina, married to L. F. Hadley, farmer and stock-dealer, now living in Jeffrey county, Missouri; Andrew W., married to Minnie Scofield, lives at Panama, Chautauqua county, but is engaged in the real estate business at Lakewood; he was assistant librarian of the New York Assembly in 1890 and is active in the politics of his party; and John W., (adopted son) graduated from Cornell University and is at present superintendent of city schools of Dunkirk, New York. By his second wife, Asenith Corl, he had two children: Mary, married to Francis Rose, a farmer living in the town of Gerry; and Etta, unmarried. James H. Wicks was married a third time to Eliza Pickard.

After passing through the common schools of his native county, Charles H. Wicks, our subject, supplemented his education in the Jamestown High school. He first took up the profession of teaching, became principal of the Clymer and Panama Union schools successively, and held the same for ten years. In 1878 he was elected school commissioner for the first district of Chautauqua county and held that office until 1891, the longest continuous service of any commissioner in the State. At the expiration of his term, he embarked in the real estate business at Lakewood in conjunction with his brother Andrew, which business they have pushed with vigor and advantage ever since. The business outlook for this energetic firm was never brighter than at present, and they are looking forward to a still more prosperous and profitable era. Both members of the firm belong to the I. O. O. F. at Panama.

Charles H. Wicks married Florence R. Robbins, a daughter of Levi H. Robbins of Clymer New York, and has two children: Carrie Jane, born March 12, 1883; and Mary E., born November 4, 1889.