One Township's Yesterdays Chapter XXVII  

WICKIZER

"The WICKIZER family, _ says MC DONALD, "traces its American founders to Pennsylvania, and is enriched and strengthened by the blood of both Scotch and German nationalities. On the maternal side the strain comes from the Old Dominion. The course of migration on the, part of the paternal ancestors was by way of Ohio to Indiana, and of the members of tile maternal family it was direct to the Hoosier state."
The family of JAMES M. WICKIZER represented the pioneer element of Marshall County, different members migrating from Fairfield County, Ohio, in the early 'fifties and locating near Poplar Grove, Union Township.

Tracing back, we find that James M. WICKIZER's parents were JOHN B. and ANNIE (BROOKE) WICKIZER. John B. was born in Pennsylvania in 1803, and died in Fairfield County. Ohio, in 1843. He was a son of ANDREW and MARY (BENNETT) WICKIZER.

ANDREW WICKIZER, a native of Pennsylvania was One of Your [four] sons, namely:

Abraham
Conrad
Jacob
Andrew

born of German born parentage, the parents having emigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany in an early day.

The children of ANDREW and MARY WICKIZER were

Asa
William
John B.
Conrad
Rebecca
Lydia
Wealthy
Hannah
Rhoda
Mary
Rosanna
Sallie
Elizabeth

In a very early day, Andrew Wickizer and family emigrated to Ohio and swilled in Fairfield County, where he died in 1844, aged seventy-five years. He was a farmer by occupation, and a Must or Mason.

The children of JOHN B. and ANNIE (BROOKE) WICKIZER were

Hannah
George W.
Thomas J.
James M.
Andrew J.
John Q.
Jacob S.
Sarah J.
Pulaski

The father died in 1843, and soon afterward the widowed mother and her children determined to move to Indiana. They came one fall and settled in Marshall County, Where the mother died in 1879, aged seventy-six years.

James M., born in Fairfield County, Ohio, February 23, 1831, was not yet of age when he came to this section with his mother. His youth was spent on a farm, and in his native county in Ohio he had gained a fair education in the Greenfield Academy. He came to Marshall County in the fall of 1850, and in the winter of that year began teaching in the district schools of the county, and afterward taught some nine or ten terms. In March, 1860, he entered the general merchandising business; he opened and operated the first store in Argos. This he conducted until 1882, when he retired from business on account of poor health and removed to a farm. His wife was REBECCA WILLIAMS, daughter of MERRILL WILLIAMS, an early settler of Marshall County and at one time one of its wealthiest land owners and business men. [ children were]

Frank M. became editor and Proprietor of the "Argos Reflector."
George
Albert
Corben W.
Richard
Samantha

The mother died, and JAMES WICKIZER married his second wife, ALICE HAINES, who died in 1853. There was one son, Elmer Otis.

The WICKIZER lands in Union Township were originally and still are in the eastern section, near the township line.