1108. Joseph Wilcoxson
(1456) was born on 20 Jan 1762 in
Norfolk, CT./Simsbury, CT. He died in 1849. He has reference number 644. Joseph
served in the Revolution. Joseph and his family were among the early settlers
of the town of Worth, Jefferson Co., NY.
"The Town of Worth, the smallest town in the county, is also the most elevated
area in the county, being from 1200 to 1500 feet above sea level. It occupies
the southeastern-most corner of Jefferson County, with Lorraine to the west,
and Rodman on part of its northern boundary. All its remaining border is with
Lewis County. Of the named communities in the township, Wilcox Corners became
Worthville, Worth Center is a small hamlet, and Diamond and Fredericks Corners
make up the original names. A recent map also shows Bullocks Corners, and Seven
by Nine Corners. The northeast quarter of the town was sold in 1803 for $7,662.
to a company comprised of Timothy Greenly, Joseph Wilcox, and Elihu Gillette.
They sold over twenty lots from this section, most to Connecticut families."
From Haddock's "History of Jefferson County" the following account
of Joseph appears:
"In 1803 he came by way of Redfield (to Worth, NY) making the journey in
the month of March with an ox team hitched to a sled. There were no roads or
bridges and they were guided only by blazed trees. Reaching the sandy creek then
swollen by a recent freshet they were at a loss to cross it. But the strong native
sense of the pioneer is equal to any emergency. A tree was felled across the
stream so as to form a footbridge over which the load was carried piece by piece.
The oxen were then urged into the stream and swam across, carrying the sled with
them and then a cord was fastened around the necks of their three hogs and these
were safely piloted over. Upon reaching the spot selected for his home, Mister
Wilcox erected a log house which had a puncheon floor, bark roof and for a window
a sheet of paper oiled so as to admit the light. The winter winds would sometimes
take away a portion of the roof admitting the snow to a depth of several inches."
This same account mentions that Joseph and his son Sterling, built the first
sawmill in Jefferson County. This was in the year 1816.
He was married to Hannah
Banning in Dec 1784 in Barkhamstead, Litchfield Co., CT.
Hannah Banning(1457) died on
15 Mar 1839. Joseph Wilcoxson and Hannah Banning had the following children:
+2061 i.
Chloe Wilcox.
2062 ii.
Samuel Wilcox(1458) was born
on 2 May 1787. He has reference number 1019. This could be the Samuel who married
Abigail Bulkeley and resided in Whitestown, NY.
+2063 iii.
Luman Wilcox.
+2064 iv.
Colonel Sterling Wilcox.
+2065 v.
Daniel Wilcox.
2066 vi.
Lucy Wilcox(1459) was born on
26 Mar 1797.
2067 vii.
Clarissa Wilcox(1460) was born
on 25 Jan 1802.
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