Obit: Wicker, James D. (1834 - 1897)

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Surnames: WICKER IVES GROW ENRIGHT YERKES

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 02/11/1897

Wicker, James D. (4 MAY 1834 - 7 FEB 1897)

Died, in Neillsville, Clark Co., Wis., at the home of his son-in-law, Chas. F. Grow, on Sunday, Feb. 7th, 1897, of heart failure, James D. Wicker of this city (Colby, Clark Co., Wis.), aged 62 years, 9 months and 3 days.

Notwithstanding, the death of Mr. Wicker did not come unexpected, the tidings that the final summons had come was received with profound sorrow, and threw over the whole community a mantle of gloom. It seemed that then, and not until then, did we realize that the familiar figure of "Uncle Jim" would be seen upon our streets no more; that his cheery laugh would never again be heard at our social gatherings; that we never more would feel the clasp of that hand so often extended in hearty greeting.

James Dyer Wicker was born at Ithaca, N.Y., May 4th, 1834; was untied in marriage with Adelaide A. Ives at Goshen, Conn., Aug. 7th, 1856, and the same fall, with his bride, came to Wisconsin and remained nearly two years, during which time he assisted in stringing the first telegraph wire along the old La Crosse railroad, what is now known as the Northern Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; they then returned to N.Y. and resided at Williamsburg and Tarrytown until 1872, when they removed to Independence, Iowa, resided there a year and again came to Wisconsin; they remained at Barton, Washington Co., until the fall of 1873, when they came to Colby and took up a homestead in the town of Hull, Marathon Co., and in 1882 moved into the village.

For several years he was a member of the Hull board of Supervisors and one years served as chairman of that body. Since moving into the city he has served several years as a justice of the peace, and no one ever got anything but justice in his court; he held the position of postmaster during the administration of Harrison and for the past two years and up to the time of his death, he held the office of city clerk, and in all positions he did his duty fearlessly, was impartial and honest.

As soon as he gained his majority he united with the order he loved so well, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and had, therefore been a member for over forty years. When Colby Lodge was instituted he transferred his membership from Tarrytown, N.Y., and, consequently, has been a member of Colby Lodge for years, and no member has taken a deeper interest in matters pertaining to Odd Fellowship or lived closer to the motto of the order, "Friendship, Love and Truth," than he.

Socially, Mr. Wicker was decidedly a home man. Few men think as much of home as did he. Surrounded by his devoted wife and loving children he was a perfect picture of happiness and contentment. We do not mean to convey the idea that he did not enjoy company, for he did, and those who visited at his home were always glad to go again, and his cheery laugh and sunny nature gave him a heart welcome wherever he went.

Besides the loving and devoted wife, he leaves two sons, J.H. and Ernest L.; two daughters, Mrs. C.F. Grow of Neillsville, and Mrs. J.C. Enright of Colby; two brothers, Truman of Campbellsport, and Joseph W. of Medford; one sister, Mrs. Oliver Yerkes; several grandchildren and a host of friends to mourn his loss.

The funeral was held at the M. E. Church under the auspices of the Odd Fellows, and was largely attended, and the funeral discourse, which was strictly an Odd Fellow’s sermon, by an Odd Fellow, for an Odd Fellow, was delivered by the Rev. Chas. Barker of Milwaukee, who sixteen years before performed the same service for J.D. Wicker, Sr. It was an impressive ceremony. The remains were escorted to the cemetery by thirty Odd Fellows in line and between thirty and forty teams.