CAPTAIN SYLVESTER D. NOKES was born in Franklin county, New York, February 11, 1835. His father was John Nokes, born March 20, 1809, and his grandfather was Jacob Nokes, of New England. He was a farmer who died at an advanced age in Brown county, Illinois, and his wife's name was Mary ____, who bore him seven children. She died in Brown county about ten years after her husband, aged eighty years. John Nokes came West from New York in 1842, and settled in Brown county on 160 acres of new land, it being part of his present farm. He brought his wife and six children with him in a covered wagon. He rented for several years and then built a hewed log house. Much of his land was prairie of the most productive kind. He resided on this farm for about twenty years.
The Captain was a volunteer in the One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, Company E, enlisting August 9, 1862. He went as Second Lieutenant, and was mustered out as Captain, to which post he was promoted in 1864, in the place of Captain Munford, resigned. He was absent from his command on account of a gunshot wound in the thigh received on the Red river. He was all through that campaign, was in the two days' fight before Nashville, Tennessee, and in the charge on Fort Blakely. He has sixty acres of orchard land, apples, peaches and grapes. He keeps ten to twelve horses, fifteen to twenty head of cattle and fattens about fifty hogs per year. His orchards return him the best interest on his money. He built their fine brick farm house in 1881. The schooling of the Captain is limited, but he is well informed and a great reader.
He was married about the age of twenty, to Anna J. Dodd, who was nearly sixteen. She was the daughter of William and Julia Ann Richardson Dodd. Her father was of Green county, Illinois, and her mother of Bradenburg, Kentucky.
The living children of Captain and Mrs. Nokes are: Mrs. Carrie Bradney, living in Missouri; Mrs. Mary V. Wright, at home; Oscar e., living at the Mounds; Birdie May, a young lady at home; Irwin Grant; and Jessie.
The Captain has been a Republican, but now is an Alliance man. He is justly proud of his war record.