James Stewart Wilcox married (01.) to Catherine (?), before 1860 in Yates County, New York. This marriage failed, as the story has been told, because Catherine has an emotional problem. She'd get angry, scream and holler, throw things around and start beating on James. He took it for several years hoping she'd calm down, but she never did. So he left her and then her brothers would find James and beg him to come back. Finally, it got so bad that James left the state and didn't tell anyone where he was going. He walked all the way to Michigan and stopped for a while to visit with his Uncle Amos in Branchport County, Michigan. While he was there he meet a couple from his hometown, who were now living in Wisconsin. They begged James to come home with them, which he did. To keep his wife's family from finding him, James took on the alias last name of Williams. Soon after arriving in Wisconsin, James found work on the farm of Albert Vedder in Winnebago County. There, one of Albert's daughter's, Agnes, captured his heart. James married March 1867, Agnes Catherine Vedder, daughter of Albert Vedder and his wife, Magdaline, nee, Vedder. James and Agnes had two children. Their daughter Jessie lived only one day. Six years later, Jennie was born. This little live wire kept them busy, and they never had any more children. James was a man who loved animals, farming and nature. He was friendly and outgoing, yet his wife was shy and private. James loved music and dancing, but his wife did not feel it was lady like, or Christian to dance. She never stopped him from having a good time at the country socials though. James and his family loved to picnic on the banks of Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. They loved family gatherings at the Vedder homestead. But, James had relatives in Livingston County, Michigan, and about 1894, he decided to move his family there. James bought a farm on Fisher Road in Oceola Township. The farm proved productive and his family lived off the land. He had cattle, chickens, duck, and pigs. He grew wheat and corn to feed the animal. He took some of the wheat and corn to the mill for breads. They made their own molasses and apple butter, and had cranberries in a marsh. The small stream running through the property gave an abundance of watercress, and they even had delicious morrel mushrooms growing on the property. James planted a large orchard with every fruit he could find that would grow in the area. In back of the house stood a big grape arbor. He loved nature and nature responded with her abundance of foods. One other thing that needs to be mentioned was James loved to sing and possessed a wonderful voice. He'd sing from morning to night and even the neighbors would listen as he worked in the fields singing to the top of his voice. James was ever ready to help a neighbor in need. He made shoes for his own family and patched many a shoe for his neighbors. James was a hard working man, independent and industrious. When he was in his late seventies, they were husking corn and the weather was bitter cold. James had on mittens and a loose thread caught in the machinery pulling his hand in. Before they could stop the machine, James had lost his left hand. Stunned and bleeding he walked over to the well and began pumping cold water on it. His helpers tied a bandage around his arm and then took him into Howell, in a horse and buggy to the doctors. That never stopped him more than a day or two, and he was right back to work on his farm. James had lost his wife, Agnes Catherine not long after moving to Michigan. Agnes died 25 Oct 1900, but James never remarried. He always said no one could ever take her place and no one ever did. James lived a long life, dying at the age of 96 on 8 Feb 1937. Both James and Agnes are buried in the Van Keuran Cemetery, Livingston County. In 1978, their daughter Jennie died and she is buried beside her parents.
Sources: 01.) The 1880 Federal Census, Nepeuskun, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, page 149-C James S. Williams (alias name used) (sic Wilcox) age 37, B. NY, farmer Agnes Williams, wife, age 33, b. NY 02.) The 1910 Federal Census of Oceola Township, Livingston County, Michigan, page 311a, line 22: James S. Wilcox, head of household, age 67, wid., b. NY, farmer Alvira, sister in-law, 30, b. NY, wid. Lewis, nephew, age 14, b. NY 03.) The 1930 Federal Census of Oceola Township, Livingston County, Michigan, page 231a, line 41: James Wilcox, head of household, age 86, b. NY, farmer Linus Reed, grandson, age 16, b. MI
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