JOHN FRANK WILCOX.

JOHN FRANK WILCOX.
Among the few old-time “cow men” that are left—men who rode the range in the days when it was not uncommon for the Indians to “put them on foot”—is John Frank Wilcox, who for more than forty-seven years has been connected with cattle interests in Wyoming. The story of his life cannot fail to prove of interest to his many friends and acquaintances. He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa. June 16, 1854, although the place was then called Kanesville. His parents, Hiram and Evaline (Clarke) Wilcox, had removed westward from the state of New York to Wisconsin in an early day and later to, southwestern Iowa, in which country they were pioneers. Hiram Wilcox was a shoemaker and tanner by trade. John F. Wilcox had such common school advantages as were afforded in a new country and when thirteen years of age he started out to work for others. At that time he was employed in Unionville, Missouri, working as a boy around horses in a livery stable, and later he worked in Glenwood in a similar manner. He left that town with a drove of horses that Henry Miller was bringing overland to Fort Collins, Colorado. Mr. Wilcox, after reaching Fort Collins, found employment at driving a team. Leaving there, he made his way to Wyoming in 1871 and in the country north of Cheyenne rode the range for several years. Those were the days when the life of the cowboy was vastly different from conditions to be met at the present time. In 1879 he first made his way into the Platte valley, where he rode the range for Red Tom and Lew Swan, who had one of the early cattle outfits in the valley. Since that time Mr. Wilcox has had a continuous connection with business interests in the Platte valley, either for himself or others. In 1883 he took charge of the L 7 Cattle Company’s outfit and for several years was foreman for this Chicago company, or during the time they operated in the valley. He took up a homestead on Cow creek, where he was engaged in ranching but later sold his interests there. He was in business at Encampment for a few years and later resumed the cattle business, which he has since followed. In 1883 Mr. Wilcox was married by John Crawford, justice of the peace, to Miss Emma Baggott, a daughter of Amos and Miriam (Knowles) Baggott, who were pioneers in the Platte valley, where they settled in 1878. Mrs. Wilcox was born November 16, 1868, in Staffordshire, England, and was but a girl of eleven years when her parents emigrated to America. The children of this marriage are as follows: Fanny Isabel, the wife of Phil Gallick of San Francisco, and who by her first marriage had a daughter, Mabel Marie Lordier, who lives with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox; Edna Mae, the wife of Ernst Brothers, who is interested in the Ross Mercantile Company at Rock River, Wyoming; Amos, who is associated with his father in the cattle business and who married Lutie Carver, of Encampment, by whom he has three children—Winnie, Amos, Jr., and John Clifford; John F., who married Mae Elam of Texas and resides in Saratoga with his wife and two children, Mildred Mae and Frankie Evelyn; and Mabel Marcella, the wife of Thomas Keigley, of Laramie, by whom she has one daughter, Gertrude Louise. Since 1909 Mr. Wilcox has resided on the ranch where he now lives and where in 1915 he built his excellent residence, which is one of the best homes in the valley. In politics Mr. Wilcox is a republican but not a politician, yet no one takes keener interest in the party’s success. He has never sought office, preferring to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his business affairs, and for more than fifty years he has been connected with the live stock industry. He is a remarkably well preserved man. In hi,s younger days he was a noted shot with a six shooter. Notwithstanding his early associations with cowboys whose standard of morals was ofttimes not very high, he never played cards and never used, tobacco. He was a steady, reliable young man and always stood high in the esteem of his employers. He has seen wonderful changes in the valley since he first came into it. He and his wife from point of length of residence are the oldest couple in the valley and none are more highly respected in ’the county.

Among the few old-time “cow men” that are left—men who rode the range in the days when it was not uncommon for the Indians to “put them on foot”—is John Frank Wilcox, who for more than forty-seven years has been connected with cattle interests in Wyoming. The story of his life cannot fail to prove of interest to his many friends and acquaintances. He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa. June 16, 1854, although the place was then called Kanesville. His parents, Hiram and Evaline (Clarke) Wilcox, had removed westward from the state of New York to Wisconsin in an early day and later to, southwestern Iowa, in which country they were pioneers. Hiram Wilcox was a shoemaker and tanner by trade.
John F. Wilcox had such common school advantages as were afforded in a new country and when thirteen years of age he started out to work for others. At that time he was employed in Unionville, Missouri, working as a boy around horses in a livery stable, and later he worked in Glenwood in a similar manner. He left that town with a drove of horses that Henry Miller was bringing overland to Fort Collins, Colorado. Mr. Wilcox, after reaching Fort Collins, found employment at driving a team. Leaving there, he made his way to Wyoming in 1871 and in the country north of Cheyenne rode the range for several years. Those were the days when the life of the cowboy was vastly different from conditions to be met at the present time. In 1879 he first made his way into the Platte valley, where he rode the range for Red Tom and Lew Swan, who had one of the early cattle outfits in the valley. Since that time Mr. Wilcox has had a continuous connection with business interests in the Platte valley, either for himself or others. In 1883 he took charge of the L 7 Cattle Company’s outfit and for several years was foreman for this Chicago company, or during the time they operated in the valley. He took up a homestead on Cow creek, where he was engaged in ranching but later sold his interests there. He was in business at Encampment for a few years and later resumed the cattle business, which he has since followed.
In 1883 Mr. Wilcox was married by John Crawford, justice of the peace, to Miss Emma Baggott, a daughter of Amos and Miriam (Knowles) Baggott, who were pioneers in the Platte valley, where they settled in 1878. Mrs. Wilcox was born November 16, 1868, in Staffordshire, England, and was but a girl of eleven years when her parents emigrated to America. The children of this marriage are as follows: Fanny Isabel, the wife of Phil Gallick of San Francisco, and who by her first marriage had a daughter, Mabel Marie Lordier, who lives with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox; Edna Mae, the wife of Ernst Brothers, who is interested in the Ross Mercantile Company at Rock River, Wyoming; Amos, who is associated with his father in the cattle business and who married Lutie Carver, of Encampment, by whom he has three children—Winnie, Amos, Jr., and John Clifford; John F., who married Mae Elam of Texas and resides in Saratoga with his wife and two children, Mildred Mae and Frankie Evelyn; and Mabel Marcella, the wife of Thomas Keigley, of Laramie, by whom she has one daughter, Gertrude Louise.
Since 1909 Mr. Wilcox has resided on the ranch where he now lives and where in 1915 he built his excellent residence, which is one of the best homes in the valley. In politics Mr. Wilcox is a republican but not a politician, yet no one takes keener interest in the party’s success. He has never sought office, preferring to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his business affairs, and for more than fifty years he has been connected with the live stock industry. He is a remarkably well preserved man. In hi,s younger days he was a noted shot with a six shooter. Notwithstanding his early associations with cowboys whose standard of morals was ofttimes not very high, he never played cards and never used, tobacco. He was a steady, reliable young man and always stood high in the esteem of his employers. He has seen wonderful changes in the valley since he first came into it. He and his wife from point of length of residence are the oldest couple in the valley and none are more highly respected in ’the county.