Representative Franklin Wilcox View All Years

On the morning of December 3, 1900, occurred the death of Franklin Wilcox, at Burlington, Iowa, at the ripe old age of ninety years. He was among the first settlers of the State of Iowa, coming to the territory as early as 1836 and settling in what was known as the half breed tract in Lee county. Mr. Wilcox was born at Addison, Vermont, June 24, 1810. His parents soon afterwards removed to Portage county, Ohio. On coming to Iowa Mr. Wilcox purchased 2,000 acres of land in the “Half Breed Tract.” He soon afterwards removed to Commerce, Illinois, afterwards known as Nauvoo. He returned to Lee county in 1841 and in 1845 removed to Des Moines county, settling in Union township where he engaged in farming until 1863. His last settlement was in Burlington, where he lived until his death. On the breaking out of the war Mr. Wilcox was one of the first to offer his services to his country, enlisting in Co. K, 33d Illinois Infantry, in May, 1861. He served three years and enlisted again, remaining in the service until the close of the war. He participated in all the engagements in which his regiment took part. There served with him his second son, Pliny, who was killed. The confidence and respect of his fellow-citizens in his ability and integrity were shown Mr. Wilcox on numerous occasions. He held various important public positions, was sheriff of his county, which he also represented in the State Legislature in 1862, member of the board of county supervisors, and justice of the peace for fifteen years. In politics he was a Whig and later a Republican.