Person:Edward Wicks (2)

He was reared and attended school in Elba, NY and learned thecarpenters trade and worked on a farm while a young man. Shortlyafter marriage he came to Michigan and bought several farms in thetownship of Cooper during the 15-16 years he resided there. About 1870, he came to Kalamazoo and rented a house on Academy St.,for one month and then bought the home at 437 West Cedar Street, builtthe house and lived there until his death. For a time Mr. Wicks conducted a meat shop on Main St., now MichiganAve., and later, on South Burdick St., where Gilmore's Men's store isnow located, after which he did occasional jobs carpentering. When he came to Kalamazoo the place was yet a village and he was oneof the pioneers who helped to make it grow. He was a Mason, served in 1859 on the Kalamazoo Village Council asSupervisor in 1859 and was a Republican in politics. At one time heattended the Friends Church and later became a member of the FirstMethodist Episcopal Church and served as an official of that church. He bought land in Allegan county [80 acres, Sec. 31, Range 13-W, town1N] on March 10, 1856. In 1880 Joel Vail, Phebe Vail, Flora & Sheldon Allen and their sonClaude all lived with Edward's family.

1. ↑ Scott Benz. Elba, NY Town Historian, Family group sheets, photos, wills, andnewspaper clippings..
2. ↑ Newspaper Article.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Kalamazoo Library Local History collection.
4.   Census records.
5.   Government Land Office Records.
6. ↑ He died suddenly of apoplexy while walking the streets of St. Ignace,Michigan. His funeral was conducted by the pastor of the FirstMethodist Episcopal Church of Kalamazoo.
7. ↑ he was buried with Masonic Honors.