From the History of Lawrence Co., MO., Volume III, Page 92 (written in 1915) :

A close knowledge of the conditions which surround one, good judgment in taking advantage of opportunities presented, and the ability to do the necessary work to carry one's undertakings to a successful finish, are requisites that are bound to land one at the top sooner or later. Richard S. Wilks had all these qualifications. He was born in Giles county, Tennessee, on August 24 1832, and was brought to Lawrence county, Missouri by his father in 1837. He got his first schooling in an old log house, with a hole cut in the logs for a window and rude benches for seats. His principal book of learning was the old Elementary speller and all writing was done with a quill pen. Necessarily, his education was somewhat limited, but he was not to be kept down on that account. He took every advantage he could get to store his mind with knowledge, meanwhile working on his father's farm and growing up to a strong and vigorous manhood, making a good equipment for the life he was to lead.

In 1850 he was married to Willie C. Cavener, also a native of Tennessee, where she was born on January 4, 1833, she being a little under and he a little over eighteen years of age at the time. The date of the marriage was December 26th. The only capital they had to start in life with was a pair of strong hands each and a determination to mount to the top. They knew, too, that "Heaven is not reached by a single bound, but those who would rise from the lowly earth to the vaulted skies must build the ladder by which they climb, and mount to its summit round by round." So they started out with warm hearts and a determination to do their best. The first thing was to secure and outfit and rent a farm. This they did, continuing to be renters for a period of two years. Meanwhile they raised stock, bought and sold hogs, cattle and horses, and finally got to shipping on their own account. Then they moved to near Verona, where they lived on one place for twenty-three years. Disposing of this, they removed to the place where the husband now lives and where the wife died April 25, 1912.

They have had six children, the oldest sixty-four and the youngest fifty-one years of age. They are: James W., a retired farmer and transfer man of Aurora; Henry P., a rural mail carrier out of Verona; Richard Porter, operating a store at Burns, Missouri; Lucy A., now Mrs. David Chitwood, her husband being a Frisco railroad man, living at Monett, and having a large family; Nathaniel L., living at Winfield, Kansas, and building bridges for the railway company, and Susan, married to Lee Brickey, a farmer and road boss on the public highway.

Mr. Wilks was in the Missouri State Militia, in which he received a lieutenant's commission in August, 1862, and was later appointed a major. He is a dyed-in-the wool republican. He has filled all the various township offices, having been constable for four years. In 1870 he was elected to the legislature and served two terms. At that time B. G. Brown was governor. He also served as postmaster of Verona under Harrison's administration and also under McKinley. Thus it will be seen that he had political power and the good will of his friends and neighbors.

July 1, 1913, Major Wilks was married a second time, the bride being Clara Roark, who was born in Illinois on June 17, 1841. She was a widow. They are living on the home farm near Verona.