Once more,
following quickly upon the heels of other sorrows of a like nature, are the
people of McKinney and Collin county called upon to mingle their tears with
and share the sorrows of a bereaved family in the loss of a kind and
generous husband and father. Upon this occasion the death angel quietly
entered a happy home at 410 South Wilcox street and gently removed from this
life unto a fairer and more beautiful one, the immortal spirit of J. M.
Wilcox, one of the oldest and most honored men of McKinney or Collin county.
J. M. Wilcox was
born near Columbia, Boone county, Mo., on June 19, 1828, and died at his
home in this city at 2 a. m. Friday, March 1, 1912. He was therefore, at the
time of his death, 83 years, 6 months and 12 days old. Mr. Wilcox was
probably the oldest business man, in point of number of years in active
business, in Collin county, he having entered the mercantile business in
this county in 1854, and the lumber business in this city in 1881. He had
always led an active life, and continued as the active head of the firm of
J. M. Wilcox & Son, up to only a few months ago. About four weeks ago he had
the misfortune to slip and fall, resulting in a serious injury to his
shoulder. From this injury he had never fully recovered, although the
immediate cause of his death is said to have been due to advanced old age,
superinduced by worry over his enforced inactivity. Although he had been
quite feeble for a long time he would never give up, and continued to go
regularly to the offices of the firm where he seemed to take great interest
in the management of the affairs of the firm in every detail of which he was
thoroughly posted.
J. M. Wilcox was
the son of Lazarus Wilcox (of Virginia) and Lucy Helm Wilcox (of Kentucky)
who emigrated to Missouri in 1820. His father was an elder in the Baptist
church of Boone county, and assisted in organizing the Bonne Femme Baptist
church of Boone county, said to have been the first Baptist church organized
in the State of Missouri.
The deceased
came to Texas from Missouri, accompanied by his brothers, Joseph and George
Wilcox, in 1844, when he was only 16 years of age. He remained only but a
year, when he returned to his native home, and entered the State University,
from which institution he graduated with highest honors in 1848. When the
gold excitement broke out in California in 1849, he was one among the first
to hasten to the land of gold and promise. Remaining there only a short
time, he returned to Missouri, where he remained until 1854. In the early
part of that year he again came to Texas and permanently settled in Collin
county. Immediately after his return to this state and county he embarked in
the mercantile business at Weston, 12 miles northwest of this city, his
being the first establishment of the kind in that section of the county. The
venture proved to be a good one, and the young business man prospered.
In the year 1856
he was married to Miss Nancy Throckmorton, the ceremony being performed by
Rev. Jesse Portman, a pioneer minister of this county. Mrs. Wilcox was the
daughter of Dr. Throckmorton, a Texas pioneer, and a sister of ex-Governor
Throckmorton, deceased.
After several
years of merchandising at Weston, Mr. Wilcox located on a tract of land at
Lebanon until 1872, when he went to Plano to engage in the lumber business.
It was during the time of his residence at Lebanon that the civil war came
on, and his sympathies being with the South he joined the confederate army,
enlisting in R. W. Carpenter's company and Martin's regiment in 1862. He
served most faithfully and valiantly throughout the war, and distinguished
himself in many encounters with the enemy.
After the war he
returned to his home at Lebanon, and became a justice of the peace, Jones C.
Moore being the constable of the district. These two officials were the only
ones who were allowed to remain in their respective offices during the
reconstruction days.
In 1872 Mr.
Wilcox established a lumber business at Plano, his being the first yard to
be put in there after the building of the H. & T. C. Railway to that point.
It was there, in 1878, that his first wife died, and the body buried at the
Rowlett Creek church cemetery. Nine children were born to this union, only
five of whom survive, as follows: George, Judge Frank E., Joe and Arthur
Wilcox of McKinney, and Mrs. S. W. King Jr. of Dallas. Only a few months ago
he had the bodies of his deceased wife and four children removed from the
Rowlett Creek cemetery to the family lot in Pecan Grove cemetery.
Mr. Wilcox
successfully conducted his lumber business at Plano until 1881 when he
removed to McKinney and established a lumber yard here. This business has
been operated continuously since that time.
In 1882 Mr.
Wilcox was married the second time to Miss Sarah J. McAulay of McKinney, a
sister of the late Dr. E. N. McAulay, deceased. The second wife, and the two
children born of this marriage, Jim Wilcox, Jr., and Miss Eddie Wilcox,
together with the other sons and daughter above mentioned, survive.
Mr. Wilcox was
one of the earliest members of the Rowlett Creek Baptist church, the first
organized in the county, and he was, and had been for many years, a member
of the First Baptist church of this city. He had always been most active in
church work, and in the early days had been teacher and superintendent of
the Sunday schools at Rowlett, Plano, and McKinney, respectively. He had
attended all services of the church as long as he was physically able to do
so.
The funeral of
this good man was held here Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, at the First
Baptist church, burial followed immediately after in Pecan Grove cemetery,
Services were conducted by Dr. E. E. King, pastor of the First Baptist
church of this city and Dr. R. C. Buckner, of Buckner Orphans' Home, Dallas.
Following were
the active pall bearers: H. Q. Smith, J. L. Franklin, S. J. Massie, D. C.
Hill, H. A. Finch, W. A. Holder.
Honorary pall
bearers: J. P. Crouch, C. M. Christie, J. S. Dowell, R. B. Whisenant, J. C.
Moore, G. W. Bowman, J. W. Webb, Rev. John McKinney, T. J. Cloyd and Judge
T. C. Goodner.
These papers
extend sincerest sympathy to the bereaved wife, sons and daughters of this,
one of the greatest sorrows that come into the life of any one—the loss of a
loved and loving parent.
Surname Index
Recommended Citation:
"J. M.Wilcox,
EARLY SETTLERS OF COLLIN COUNTY." Collin County, Texas History
and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13, 2004 ].
