Untitled Document

Jacob Fickling

Farmer of Cambridge Township, resident on section 13 , was born Feb. 6. 181 2, in Wilton , Norfolkshire, England . His parents, Nathan and Mary (Stead) Fickling, were natives of England , and they both died in London . They had eight children, named Jacob, Rebecca, John, Sarah, Jabez, Zenas, Jabez (2d) and one other child who died in infancy. The first Jabez fell when he was nine years old and broke his neck. The second child of the same name lived to come to the United States with his brothers John and Jacob.

Jacob landed at Quebec , in June, 1845, after a passage of 52 days. While he was in the queer Canadian city, the great fire occurred there, and he went thence to Toronto, and after a few days passed there in prospecting he proceed to Niagara Falls, and there he found employ at the trade which he had learned in his native land. He went thence to Buffalo , where he took lake passage for Chicago on the steamboat " New Orleans ." The boat crossed Lake Erie , but went down in the river St. Clair, while passing through the straits to Lake Huron ; and, instead of going to Chicago , Mr. Fickling went to Detroit . His next removal was to La Fayette , Ind. , where he remained until after the Christmas following, working as a shoemaker. From there he came to Danville , Ill. , and there he was married. In 1846 he went to Peoria . Not long after he arrived there, he and his wife took possession of a farm a short distance from the city, where they lived about zo years and where their nine children were born.

In February, 1867, Mr. Fickling sold his farm and removed to Henry County . He bought a farm of 120 acres of an excellent quality of land, of which he took permanent possession and on which he has prosecuted his agricultural projects with satisfactory results.

His wife's name was Susan Draper before her marriage, and their union was celebrated April 9, 1846. Mrs. Fickling was born Dec. 18, 1823, in Clermont Co., Ohio. She is the daughter of James and Mary (Peyton) Draper, and her parents were natives of Pennsylvania. They came thence to Vermillion Co., Ill., where their lives terminated.

Mr. and Mrs. Fickling have ten children, one having been born to them since their removal to the town ship of Cambridge. Their names are as follows : William Edward, Mrs. Mary Shreck, Sarah J. (died in infancy), Rebecca, Mrs. Lucy Elliott, Mrs. Alice Wasser, James, Mrs. Ida Wilkey, and a second William, named for the oldest son who lost his life in the military service of the United States. The latter was a volunteer soldier and enlisted in Co. B, 11th Ill. Vol. Ca y. Lucy, wife of Ervin Elliott, is the mother of three sons,—George, Charles and Glenn.

History of Henry County

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Illinois Ancestors