Eligah W. Wickware was born 14 September 1846 in Logan County, Kentucky
to Alpheus and Martha Eve (Hughes) Wickware, and was listed as age 4 in
the 1850 census with his parents in Logan County. He traveled with his
family to Washington County, Arkansas between 1860 and 1870.
In 1870 Washington County census, Elijah was listed as age 22,
living with his parents. While in Washington County, he must have purchased
land, as he was listed on the 1871 Washington County tax list as E. Wickware.
Yet, he was listed on the 1880 Crawford County, Kansas census, living with
his brother, Irving, and next door to his parents.
1880 Crawford Co., KS, Baker Twp, 9 June 1880, SD1 ED53, pg 23, #221 #221
Wickwire, Elijah w m 31 bro farming and batching KY KY KY
Irving w m 26 bro farming and batching KY KY KY
He returned to Washington County, settling at Stoney Point, while
his parents and siblings moved on to other areas. He was again listed
on the Washington County tax list for 1883 [Book #55, pg 171].
Elijah, now 40, began courting Emily Jane Maxey. Jane was 17 years
younger than he was. But defying the age difference, on 23 December 1881
in Washington County, Elijah married Emily Jane, the daughter of Radford
and Selinda (White) Maxey of Clear Creek Township in Washington County.
Elijah and Emily were members of the Elm Springs and Johnson community.
Elijah was called 'Lige by his friends. Elijah would now use his farming
skills to provide for his family.
The Christmas of 1887 was a joy for the Wickwares, as they
celebrated the birth of their first child, John Young Wickware, was born
13 December at Stoney Point.
Elijah was accepted "by recommendation" into Shady Grove Baptist
Church in Springdale, Washington County in 1888. He was a member until
he was dismissed later that year to help organize the Stoney Point Baptist
Church, Stoney Point, a small community west of Johnson.
Just missing Christmas two years later, a daughter, Martha Pearl,
would be born 29 January 1890. And again, a joyous Christmas gift would
arrive in 1891, with the birth of their third child, Cora Selinda, on 23
December.
Elijah paid personal property taxes in Washington County in 1890 [E.
Wickware, page 174]. A plat map of the Elm Springs Township was made
between 1892 and 1894 showed Elijah owning land in Section 21, next
to his father, Alpheus.
The birth celebrations could be short-lived in the hard times that
pressed on the American farmer. Elijah and Emily's son, Louis Franklin
Wickware, was born on 7 March 1896, lived a little over a month before
passing away on April 2nd. He was buried at Stuckey Cemetery where his
headstone reads, Louis Franklin Wickware March 7, 1896 - April 22, 1896.
Elijah paid taxes in Washington County in 1895 [page 276].
The following year again brought joy and sorrow with the birth of
their son Clyde Wickware on March 22, 1897, and his death the next day
on March 23rd. He was buried beside his brother, Louis, where his
headstone reads Clide Wickware March 22, 1897 - March 23, 1897. The
following year Jane's father would die, on November 24, 1898, and her
mother, Selinda, would move in with them.
Elijah and Jane welcomed the birth of their youngest daughter, Ollie
Mae, 22 February 1899. Elijah and Emily would work the family farm
to feed their family, often selling eggs for 12 cents a dozen, to buy
staples that could not be home grown. They were humble, loving
people, who looked out for their neighbors and friends. With the
loss of two sons, their daughters were taught to work in the fields,
along with son John, something the girls dreamed of escaping when they
grew up.
1900 AR, Washington County, Elm Springs Township, #65
Wickware, Elijah 53 KY KY KY
Emily J. 38 AR IN AR
John 12 AR KY AR
Pearl 10 AR KY AR
Cora 8 AR KY AR
Ollie 1 AR KY AR
Maxey, Salinda 57 AR AL IL mother-in-law
I have not found Elijah in Washington County census of 1910. A
closer look at the microfilm must reveal him, as he was definately
living in the Stoney Point/Elm Springs area at that time. He was listed
in the 1915 Washington County tax list [E. Wickware, Book 69, pg 208].
One night, in 1917, Emily Jane arrived home after taking care of a sick
friend, walking through cold, rainy weather, and caught pneumonia. She
was only sick for a short time, before she was too weak to fight the
pneumonia. She passed away on 15 May 1917 and was buried in Stuckey Cemetery.
Without his friend and mate of 30 years, Elijah soon grew lonely,
with only his daughter, Ollie, still living at home. John had moved to
Springdale, Cora was living in Johnson, and Pearl had moved to Bisbee,
Arizona. Elijah and Ollie decided to go live with Pearl in Arizona.
Mabel (Wickware) Dixon, the daughter of John Young Wickware, remembers
the family taking Ollie and Elijah to the train in Springdale, with
the snow blowing through the air. Ollie and Elijah arrived in Bisbee,
but Elijah was too sick to travel farther. He passed away on November 29,
1921 in Bisbee (Cochise County), and is buried there.
Below is a photo of Eligah W. and Emily Jane (Maxey) Wickware.
Wickware Webpages
Children of Eligah W. and Emily Jane (Maxey) Wickware