Prof. John W. Wilcox, Principal of the village schools of Scales Mound- occupies an enviable position among the educated and literary people of Jo Daviess County. He takes pride in his calling, aiming to excel, and keeps himself thoroughly posted in all matters pertaining to education. He was graduated from the German-English College of Galena, and as an instructor ranks among the foremost in the county.

Prof. Wilcox is of excellent English stock, being the son of William and Grace (Cliff) Wilcox, who were natives of Cornwall County, England, and the mother born near Land's End, in 1829. The paternal grandfather, John Wilcox, was a miner by occupation. Grandfather John Cliff was born and lived in Cornwall County until 1844. He then emigrated to America, and coming to Northwestern Illinois purchased Government land in the vicinity of Weston, Elizabeth Township, which be improved and occupied the remainder of his life, dying in 1856, at the age of sixty-one years. He was a worthy citizen and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The father of our subject received but a limited education, and entered the Cornish mines when young. Upon reaching manhood he determined upon a change, and accordingly secured passage on a sailing-vessel bound for the United States. He landed in New York City and came directly to this county, locating at Elizabeth, and engaged in mining. The mother came to America with her parents when a maiden of fifteen years, and after a voyage of many weeks landed at (Quebec. Thence she came, accompanied by her parents, to this county. The father continued mining in Elizabeth until 1850, then started overland with oxen for California. He arrived at Hangtown, now Placerville, after a journey of about four months. During the latter part of the journey he suffered from exposure, and died six days after his arrival on the Pacific Slope, in August, 1850, when but twenty-seven years old. His remains were laid to rest in that region.

In due time, after the death of her first husband, the mother of our subject was married to Mr. Thomas Dower, a native of Cornwall County. England, who came to America in 1842. and settled in East Galena in 1851, where he built up a farm. Upon this the mother spent the remainder of her days. [Missing away .Tune 30. 1882. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John W. was her only child by her first marriage. Of her second marriage there were born nine children: Thomas, now a resident of Kansas, near Abilene: Mary, a resident of Council Hill, who married Thomas Trevarthen; William is farming in East Galena Township; Hattie died when about six years old; Samuel is farming in Scales Mound Township: Sarah G. died at the age of nine months; Joseph M. operates on the home farm: Susan married Albert Bastian; Sarah (2d) is at home with her father.

Prof. Wilcox, a native of this county, was born at Weston, Feb. 9, 1849, and was reared in East Galena, where He the scenes of his first recollections. He remained at the farm with his mother and stepfather until reaching his majority, receiving a limited education in the district school. Then starting out for himself he found employment in the smelting furnace of Hon. H. Greene, near Elizabeth, where he labored two years. He had in the meantime determined to secure more learning and saved his means for this purpose. He now entered the German-English school at Galena, Jan. 15, 1872, took the regular Normal course, and continued his studies three 3*ears, with the exception of vacations, when he employed himself on a farm and in teaching school. He was graduated June 17, 1875, and going to Milwaukee. Wis., became a teacher in Waukesha County. In the spring of 1876 he taught in the Ninth Ward of the Cream City, and remained there until June. 1877. The next important event in the life of our subject was his marriage, July 12. 1877, with Miss Mary E. Lawny. who was born in Weston, this county, Aug. 17, 1855. In the fall following the Professor and his bride took up their residence in Scales Mound, and our subject assumed charge of the public schools, with which he has since been connected, with the exception of one year. He completed n neat and comfortable residence in the summer of 1883. which is situated in the village of Scale? Mound. This tasteful home is the frequent resort of the intelligent and cultivated people of the community. In addition to this properly Prof. Wilcox owns 160 acres of land in Dixon County. Neb. He is also greatly interested in bee culture, and has an apiary of twenty hives. The little household includes three children—William Alva. Henry Leroy and Edna May.

The wife of Prof. Wilcox is the daughter of Henry and Margaret (Quilliam) Lawry, the father a native of Chacewater England, and the mother born at Glenn May Isle of Man. Dec. 25, 1818. The paternal grandfather, John Lawry was also born in Chancewater, in 1775. and followed mining as an occupation his entire life. He died in his prime, in 1820, at the age of forty-five years. The paternal great-grandfather was a farmer in Cornwall County, and died near Chacewater at the great age of one hundred and two years. Grandfather William Quilliam was born on the Isle of Man. where he in later years became the owner of a farm. Upon this he spent his last days. The father of Mrs. Wilcox was reared in the village of Chacewater and entered the mines when quite a little boy of only seven or eight years of age. When a youth of sixteen years he took a man's place. Three years later he went to the Isle of Man engaging there also in mining, and was there married in 1885. He followed mining, and was employed in the Foxdale mine a period of sixteen years, and until 1846. That year he set sail for America, landing, after a voyage of thirty-two days, at New York. Soon afterward he made his way to Chicago. Ill., and from there to Jo Daviess County, locating at Elizabeth, in the vicinity of which he engaged in mining a few years, then purchased 160 acres of land which he improved. He carried on farming and mining combined until 1867, when he retired to a small place near Weston village, where he lived until 1880. He then returned to Elizabeth and died Oct. 12. 1883. The mother is still living and makes her home in Galena. Both became identified with the Methodist Church many years ago, indeed while in England, and upon coming to the United States lost none of their interest in the cause of religion. They were the parents of eight children, namely: Fanny, deceased; Henry, Margaret. Joseph. Maria, Mary E..and William; John is deceased. Henry during the late Civil War served one year in the 96th Illinois Infantry.

Transcribed by Christine Walters - Portrait and Biographical Album of Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties, Illinois (1889)