Santa Clara County
Biographies
ELBERT JOSEPH WILCOX
ELBERT JOSEPH WILCOX. The lineage of this California pioneer of
1853 is traced back to an early period in the settlement of America, when John
Wilcox, the founder of the family in the new world, crossed the ocean from
England and became one of the original property owners in Hartford, Conn. In
the capacity of surveyor, he helped to lay out the city in 1639, and in 1643-44
held office as surveyor of highways, also served as commissioner in 1650. Had
his life been prolonged, doubtless his fellow-citizens would have honored him
in many ways, but in 1651 he passed from earth. His wife, Mary, died in 1663.
Both were of the Congregational faith in religion. John Wilcox, Jr.,
who represents the second generation of the family in America, was born in
Hartford, and for his second wife chose Katherine Stoughton, daughter of
Thomas Stoughton, of Dorchester, Mass. Of their union, which was
solemnized January 18, 1650, a son, Samuel, was born
November 19, 1658.
Samuel Wilcox, Jr., was a son of Samuel Wilcox, Sr., by
his wife, Abigail, whose family name was Witmore or Whitemore. He was born February 20, 1683, and
married Esther Bushnell, by whom he had a son, Elijah Wilcox, born
January 14, 1720, and a soldier in the patriot army during the
Revolutionary war. Spared to an advanced age, he passed from earth
April 12, 1809. By his marriage to Abigail Churchill he had a
son, Elijah, Jr., born January 11, 1747, and who through active life
followed farm pursuits. The third wife of Elijah Wilcox, Jr., was
Lois Warner, by whom he had a son, Linus, born
in Middletown, Conn., March 12, 1799, and in all his active years a
follower of farm pursuits, also the owner of the old homestead at Middletown, where
he died March 15, 1883, at the age of eighty-four years. In religion
he followed the faith of his ancestors and identified himself with the
Congregational Church.
April 9, 1818, Linus Wilcox
married Anner Clark, who was born in Middletown, of
old Puritan stock, and spent her entire life in Connecticut. Their family
numbered the following-named children: Walter Wilson; Justus Joseph,
who died at fifteen years; Leverett L., a farmer
until his death in Pennsylvania; Mrs. Amelia Condon, who lives near
Meriden, Conn.; Elbert Joseph, of San Jose, Cal.;
Mrs. Sarah Emma Huff, of New Haven, Conn.; Wallace Watson,
who is engaged in the manufacturing business in Boston, Mass.; Mrs. Celestia Elizabeth Chase, of Meriden, Conn.;
Wilbur Justus, superintendent of the city waterworks of San Jose, Cal.;
Enoch, who enlisted in the Civil war as a member of a Connecticut regiment and
was killed in battle; Carlos Arvine, who
occupies the old home in Connecticut; and Isabel Anner,
Mrs. Booth, of Meriden, Conn.
At the old home in Middletown, Conn., Elbert Joseph
Wilcox was born July 19, 1829, being a son of Linus Wilcox.
In October, 1852, he took passage on the Flying Dutchman and sailed around the
Horn, arriving in San Francisco January 29, 1853, after a voyage of
one hundred days. At once he joined his wife’s
brother, J. O. McKee, in San Jose. In 1856 he bought an interest in a
grocery business on First street, but two years later
sold out and became one of the proprietors of the Morgan house. After a time he
purchased his partner’s interest and bought the site. In 1867 he replaced the
building, which was one of the first frame hotels in San Jose, with a portion
of the present structure of brick. In 1871 he erected the balance of the Wilcox
block, 69x138 feet in dimensions, two stories in height, and standing on San
Fernando street. In the same year he bought the shoe
stock of McGowen & Co., and moved it to
his new building, where he conducted a shoe business until 1900. Since then he
has been retired from business cares.
Rev. Horace Bushnell performed the ceremony at Hartford,
Conn., August 24, 1852, which united in marriage
Elbert Joseph Wilcox and Sarah McKee, a native of Cromwell, that
state, and during girlhood a student in Meriden Female Seminary. Her father, a
seafaring man, brought a ship around the Horn in 1849, and with him came his
son, J. O. McKee, who has since resided in San Jose. Six children
were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox, three of whom are living.
Anna K., a graduate of Gates Institute, resides with her parents. Edith,
who was a member of the first class graduating from Leland Stanford University,
is the wife of W. A. Beasly, of San Jose.
Elbert Joseph, Jr., a graduate of the Lick school in San Francisco,
is now connected with the American Canning factory as a draughtsman. Formerly a
member of the board of trade, Mr. Wilcox is now connected with the chamber
of commerce. Politically he is a pronounced Republican, and on that ticket was
elected to represent the fourth ward in the city council. On the organization
of the free library, he became a member of the board of trustees and continued
in that position for fifteen years. He is identified with the Santa Clara
County Pioneer Association and takes a warm interest in the meetings of that
society. With his wife he holds membership in the First Presbyterian Church of
San Jose, with which he is officially connected as a deacon and to the
maintenance of which he is a regular and generous contributor.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 18 February 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
361-362. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marie
Hassard.