Wilcox Family
It is impossible to trace the genealogy of the Wilcox family to a very remote period, not farther than 1745, at which time Abel Wilcox, a resident of Connecticut, moved from Hebron, that State, to Sandersfield, Mass. His wife's maiden name was Susannah Hall. To them were born six children: Abel, Abijah, Jerusha, Hetty, Susannah and William. Abel, Jr., was united in marriage with Lois Chamberlain, of East Windsor, Conn. This union was blessed with three children: Amos, Abel and Jerusha. When quite advanced in life he with his family removed to Erie County, Penn., where he remained until his death. Abijah, the second son, was drowned. William, the youngest son of Abel and Susannah Wilcox, was born in Sandersfield, Mass., August 7, 1777. February 23, 1803, he married Lucinda Gibbs, of East Windsor, by whom he was the father of seven girls and five boys. Austatia, born July 27, 1805, died April 27, 1806. George, a bright and promising youth, born March 22, 1811, died July 29, 1821, aged ten years. The remaining children lived to manhood and womanhood, all settled in Ohio and became heads of families. In 1816 William Wilcox sold his farm to a man named Granger, who had previously been to Ohio and "taken up" several hundred acres of land lying in the northeastern part of the State, near where the city of Akron now stands. William Wilcox, highly pleased with Granger's description of this land and of the surroundings, bought it before seeing the property. They packed their goods, not for passage by railroad, but for passage by wagon behind ox teams, and started for their Western home. The teams consisted of three yoke of oxen, besides one horse; these drew two heavily laden wagons. Among the things in them were 200 pounds of wool, which Mrs. Wilcox carded, spun, and in two summers had woven into cloth. After due preparation, she made it into garments for family use. The journey through the wilderness—for it was forest—was long and tedious. At one time they were delayed a week by the illness of one of the children, and an accident to Mr. Wilcox, whereby he hurt his knee, also detained them. Forty-one days from the time they left Massachusetts they arrived at their destination. They were sadly disappointed when they saw the land, for it was not what it had been represented. Granger at that time had a brother living in Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, and there was an exchange made between him and Mr. Wilcox, but not without sacrifice on the part of Wilcox, and early in the spring of 1818 they left for Deerfield, their future home. This property, situated in the eastern part of the township on the Mahoning River, they were well satisfied with, and Mr. Wilcox said, "I have blundered on a good farm." Mr. Wilcox's health failed, and June 22, 1828, at the age of fifty-one, his spirit returned to God who gave it. His remains rest in the cemetery in Deerfield. Mrs. Wilcox lived to the advanced age of seventy-eight years, dying September 16, 1862. A noble Christian woman. She sleeps by the side of her companion. Seneca, son of Lucinda and William Wilcox, born February 25, 1804, was married to Samantha Wilson, of Palmyra, June 22, 1830 (to them were born seven children: Desire, Emeline, Caroline, Lucinda, John, Cornelia and Melissa). He died November 23, 1863. Julia, born February 17, 1807, widow of Riley Halleck (she was married November 15, 1827, and became the mother of eleven children: Gibbs, Louisa, William, Lucy Ann, Marion, Joel, Betsey, Erwin, Harriet, Elijah and Benjamin). Emily was born April 18, 1809, widow of Jesse Rogers, married March 25, 1832 (seven children were the result of this union: Eliza, Edwin, Linus, Maria, Henry, Harriet and Alice.) Harriet, born December 17, 1814, widow of Caleb Steele, married June 26, 1836 (at present she resides in Alliance); William L., born April 16, 1817, died August 5, 1851, was married to Clarissa Sheets, of Berlin (they had two children, daughters); Newell D., born May 15, 1819, married December 16, 1841, to Amelia Hall, of Palmyra (two sons, Wallace and Curtis, were the fruits of this marriage), died March 1, 1881; Mary M., born August 22, 1821 (married, November 12, 1845, to Linus Sheets, of Berlin, Ohio (the result of this union was seven children: Maria, Newell, Clara, Emma, Warren, Eddie and Ellen), she died January 20, 1878; Lucinda, born February 8, 1824, married Joseph Diver, of Deerfield, November 26, 1846 (of their children, eight are living: Edwin, Ella, Gertie, John, Wallace, Julia, Minnie and Eugene), died March 4, 1877; Clarissa, born December 27, 1825, was married March 8, 1849, to Elias Mowen, of Deerfield (their children are: Alma, Marsha. Ursula, Judson and Wealthy). Alexander H. Wilcox, born in Sandersfield, Mass., November 27, 1812, acquired what education he could in the log-schoolhouse. Bereft of a father's care at the age of fifteen, he turned his energies to the trades of carpenter and joiner. Now, at the age cf seventy-two years, be displays his genius by inventing a patent fence, which is proving a success. Mr. Wilcox has built bridges over the Mahoning River, and has erected many dwellings (the first house he built was one done without recompense for his widowed mother). Of the incidents of note that have transpired during his life was the capture of two horse thieves; one he captured at Georgetown, the other at Deerfield. He returned both horses in the possession of the thieves to their owners, and received a reward of $50 for the last one taken. He was married in 1837 to Betsey, daughter of John Diver, who died August 6, 1850, leaving six children: Julia A., born February 17, 1838 (she was married November 24, 1858, to William B. Wilson, of Palmyra; died April 5, 1872); Harriet L. , born September 6, 1839, widow of Henry Carver, married August 4, 1867; George A., born October 2, 1841, married, October 3, 1866, to Calista E. Kibler, of Palmyra; Joseph, born July 20, 1843, a young man with bright prospects, died at his home May 16, 1865, in his twenty-second year; William B., born May 20, 1845, married Adelia Haines, of Deerfield, March 4, 1879; Susan C, born January 11, 1847, died September 5, 1850; Charles E., born August 5, 1849, married to Ida Packer September 28, 1872. Mr. Wilcox was married, on second occasion, in 1851, to Adaline Barrack, of Maryland, by whom he has had three children: Sarah, born November 20, 1851, died November 3, 1861; Cornelius, born June 7, 1853; James B., born March 20, 1856, married July 2, 1882, to Susanna Shively, of Deerfield. Mr. Wilcox is among the few living pioneers of this township. In politics he is a stanch Democrat. He attended Cleveland's inauguration and visited Mt. Vernon. Casting his first ballot for Jackson, he has never lost but one Presidential vote, and that was for Horace Greely. Although the hand of time has touched his hair with silver threads, Mr. Wilcox has lost none of the fire of ambition, or the vigor of his earlier manhood; his health is good, his frame elastic, and his capacity for endurance seemingly as great as ever. He is a highly esteemed and much respected citizen of Deerfield.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885