13

Children of John Wilks (Sr.) and wife Elizabeth Mead, continued

Amos Wilks, Sr.

1.8 Amos3 Wilks Sr. was born circa 1777 at Bedford Co., VA. He lived in 1794 at Chester Co., SC. He lived between 1796 and 1798 at Oglethorpe Co., GA. He married Elizabeth "Betsy" Killough, daughter of Allen Killough, on 30 Sep 1796 at Oglethorpe Co., GA., He lived in 1800 at Grayson Co., VA. He lived in 1807 at Hatchett's Dist., Oglethorpe Co., GA. He immigrated circa 1812 to Maury Co., TN, and before 1814 to Lauderdale Co., AL.

Amos had a blacksmith shop and grocery on the Chickasaw Trace, selling to the Indians and travelers, before it was cut as a Military Road by Andrew Jackson and the area was open for settlement, as stated in an address by Hon. William B. Wood in 1876. ". . . it was not until 1813 that any considerable settlements of white people were made in this county . . . An old man by the name of AMOS WILKES told me he came to this county before Gen. Jackson opened the Military Road, which runs through this county, and which still remains the great thoroughfare from this place to Nashville. I do not know when the road was cut, but it was sometime between 1812 and 1814. WILKES settled about 3/4 miles from where we are now assembled, on the Military Road; and there is to-day some old oak trees, and a well, to be seen, just beyond Mr. Chas. Finley's, where WILKES built his cabin. He opened a blacksmith shop and a grocery, and did a thriving business with the Indians and emigrants. It was along this road that Gen. Jackson marched his army of Kentuckians and Tennesseans when he went to New Orleans. He crossed the Tennessee river at the mouth of Cypress creek, which was ever afterwards called the Military Ferry." Andrew Jackson wrote of the Trace in his memoirs, complaining of mosquitoes, mud, etc. It is today the beautiful Natchez Trace National Parkway from Nashville to the Mississippi River at Natchez.

The brothers Amos and John Wilks Jr. lived in Lauderdale Co., AL, before 1818. Amos and Elizabeth "Betsy" Killough sold land to Thomas Williams on 18 Feb 1821 at Lauderdale Co., AL. " . . . previous to the sale of lands in Lauderdale Co. that was authorized by the general government, Amos Wilks and William McKnight agreed to purchase property in Sect. 17, Range 11, Twp. 2. They agreed to divide this land . . . 2 Dec 1818." On 29 Aug 1822 Amos signed a bond to give the deed when McKnight paid the one-half of the succeeding installments, "McKnight is to have the land that lies on the N. side of said line in said 1/4 Section 17, etc."

Amos and Elizabeth deeded the 1/4 Section 17 to McKnight in 1825, in 1826 they sold the NW 1/4 of Section bordering McKnight to Thomas Williams, and in 1827 sold William Fullerton the S. 1/4 of Section 17 on 29 Aug 1822 at Lauderdale Co., AL.

He sold one-half part of a certain bluff or parcel of rocks on Little Cypress Creek to Thomas G. Williams on 15 May 1826 at Lauderdale Co., MO. He appeared on the census of 1830 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He and Francis R. Wilks a $250 trust deed from Francis P. to Amos Wilks Sr. for "personal estate, 3 horses, two bay and one gray, one Sorrel mule, one Waggon and five pair of Waggon Harniss," payable to Amos Aug 1842 in Aug 1831 at Lauderdale Co., AL.

AMOS WILKS (Sr. or Jr.?) purchased land from John Arnett (Sheriff), administrator of the estate of John MARRS, whose daughters Minerva and Alsie married Amos Wilks, Jr. and John's son Philip Wilks on 27 Mar 1832 at Lauderdale Co., AL.

He was mentioned in a letter by his nephew Samuel Newman Wilks to his brother Henry in Bedford Co., VA, letting him know he had safely arrived at Florence, was 27 days on the road, traveled the whole distance alone except for his dog and horse, which he'd had to trade at Wythe Co., VA, "I have been at Bens and Jabes [Beard, brother-in-law] land and UNKLES JOHN and Amus and it is as good as I ever seed and it appears to be healthy" with John Wilks Jr. on 9 Dec 1834 at Lauderdale Co., AL.

Amos and his sons were enumerated on the census of 1840 at Lauderdale Co., AL.

In Jul 1844, Amos wrote a letter to Henry Wilks in Bedford Co., VA, " . . . ABNER Wilkes & ELIZABETH Wilkes Heirs of your brother JOHN WILKES Dec has become of age, that is 21 years old & wishes to receve thier part of thier father's estate. They have both left BENJAMIN WILKES & Elizabeth is living with mee & as I consider it my duty to assist the fatherless I have undertaken to inquir into their bisness and as I understand that you adminnesterd on the estate of JOHN WILKES Decest & BENJAMIN Wilks was their guardeen I want you to send mee a full statement of how much you have paid to Benjamin for rents or any other way & what the land is worth if not sold & what ABNER's house brought at the sale & ELIZABETH's saddle sold for and a full account of the whole matter as they want to settle with thier guardeen & in complying with my request you will oblige.

Your friend etc.
AMOS WILKES Sen. A brother to your father"

He and wife Elizabeth "Betsy" Killough sold their land in Lauderdale Co. and moved to Lawrence Co., MO, with their family, and Amos's grandnephew Abner Phillip Wilks (son of Samuel's son John Wilks and wife Susannah Rider) to Lawrence Co., MO.

Amos Wilks, Senr., wrote a his will dated 20 Jun 1846 at Lawrence Co., MO:

Wife, ELIZABETH, Sons, JESSE M. Wilks, AMOS WILKS, Junr., and FRANCIS P. WILKS, Grandsons, AMOS WILKS, Junr., and SAMUEL WILKS, sons of son AMOS WILKS, Junr. Daughters MATILDA, wife of JACOB LINGLEY, and RUTH G., wife of JACOB P. YOUNG. Grandsons, ROBERT H. T. and JESSE M. WILKS, Junr. Grandsons ROBERT A. WILKS and JESSE M. WILKS, Junr., and JOHN T. WILKS, sons of son FRANCIS P. WILKS. Exr., son JESSE M. WILKS. Witnesses: John C. McNatt and Wilson Fulbright. Recorded 4 Nov 1850.

Lawrence Co., MO, Will Book 1, 1846-1884, p. 16.

He appeared on the census of 15 Oct 1850 at 47th Dist, Lawrence Co., and died by 31 Oct 1850 at Lawrence Co., MO, when his will was recorded in court.

Children of Amos Wilks, Sr., and Elizabeh Newman:

1.8.1 Ruth G. Wilks was born on 1 Nov 1797 at Oglethorpe Co., GA. She married Jacob Phifer Young, son of Henry Young Sr. and Salome "Sally" Pfeiffer, on 15 Oct 1812 at Maury Co., TN. She died on 2 Aug 1850 at Lawrence Co., MO, at age 52.

1.8.2 Matilda Wilks was born circa 1808? She married Jacob Shrygley on 6 Nov 1823 at Lauderdale Co., AL.

1.8.3 Jesse M. Wilks was born on 14 Dec 1808 at TN. He was "a regularly ordained minister of the Society called Christian is authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony. Issued and recorded 5 Mar 1832" on 5 Mar 1832 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He married Lucy Christian A. Terry, daughter of Jeremiah Terry and Winifred Holt, circa 1833. He and Francis R. Wilks appeared on the census of 1840 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He was as called "Elder Jesse M. Wilks, C. C," when performed several marriage ceremonies recorded between 1843 and 1844 at Barry Co., MO. He and Lucy Christian A. Terry appeared on the census of 15 Oct 1850 at 47th Dist., and the census of 30 Jun 1860 at Lawrence Co., MO. Known as "Elder Wilks," he had performed a wedding in Fleming Co., KY, on 2 Nov 1860. In 1870 he and Lucy appeared on the census at Titus Co., TX. Back to Missouri, they were on the census of 1880 at Springfield, Greene Co., MO. Jesse died on 14 Jun 1892 at Laclede Co., MO, at age 83.

1.8.4 Francis R. Wilks was also known as Francis P. Wilks. He was born circa 1810 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He owed his father, Amos Wilks Sr., $250 and signed a trust deed from Francis P. to Amos Wilks Sr. for "personal estate, 3 horses, two bay and one gray, one Sorrel mule, one Waggon and five pair of Waggon Harniss," payable to Amos Aug 1842 in Aug 1831 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He married Mary Carr on 10 Jan 1836 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He and Jesse M. Wilks appeared on the census of 1840 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He married Elizabeth ____ before 1850 and appeared on the census of 15 Oct 1850 at 47th Dist., Lawrence Co., MO. He immigrated in 1857 to Arkansas where he died in 1873.

1.8.5 Amos Wilks Jr. was also known as Robert Amos Wilks according to descendant Jeffrey Vaillant, based on the death certificate of his son Amos Keller Wilks. He was born on 16 Jan 1814 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He or Amos Sr. purchased land 27 Mar 1832 at Lauderdale Co. from John Arnett (Sheriff), administrator of the estate of John MARRS, the neighbor whose daughters he and cousin Philip Wilks (son of John Jr.) married. Amos Wilks, Jr. married Minerva B. Marrs, daughter of John A. Marrs and Nancy J. Stone, on 21 Apr 1834. Philip Wilks married Alcie/Alsie Marrs on 13 May 182427 Mar 1832. Amos Wilks Jr. became administrator of father-in-law John A. MARRS' estate in 1836 at Lauderdale Co., AL. He appeared on the census of 1840 at Lauderdale Co. He died on 8 Jan 1871 in Arkansas at age 56.

One of Amos Wilks Jr's sons, Amos Keller Wilks III, was born 1842 in Springfield, Greene Co., MO, and by the census of 15 Oct 1850 he and family were at 47th Dist., Lawrence Co., MO. He married Louisa Hines. Amos Keller Wilks III enlisted 1861 in the Confederate Army, Lawrence Co., and ended his service 1865 at Shreveport, LA, when Lee surrendered. He spent at least the the next fifteen years living in Arkansas, but in the 1900 census he lived in Bartlett, Bell Co., TX. In 1913 he applied for a Confederate Pension from the State of Texas while living in Miami, Roberts Co., and was receiving one, No. 23536, until he went to visit his children in California. The Texas pension was only for Texas residents. He wrote a letter to Mr. Auditor of Confederate Pensions in Austin on 18 Nov 1919, stating he came to California to visit his children, had been there about 8 mos., and would return home by 25 of Nov, asking that his pension be forwarded to Miami, TX, "I am 79 years old, I surved 4 years in the Southern army and made a true Soldier fighting for our Just Rites was wonded in the Battle of Vicksburg . . . have no income attal." A. K. WILKS Before he could return to Texas, however, he died 17 Feb 1929 at Downey, Los Angeles Co., CA.

Tressa V. Cox, b. 1902 Lawrence Co., MO, d. 1932, Wichita Falls, TX, wife of Joseph R. Amster, daughter of Hattie B. Wilks, granddaughter of Jesse Mead Wilks & Rhoda C. Hilton, great-granddaughter of Francis P. Wilks, son of Amos Wilks, Sr. & wife Betsy Killough	Tressa & Joseph's daughter Mary Frances Amster (1932-2010) and husband Charles V. Briggs (1931- ), md. 13 Mar 1953 Photos courtesy of their daughter Dot Sykes

Page Updated 26 Nov 2011

OurTexasFamily Home

to Table of Contents