Joseph Stricklen was born Nov. 14, 1869 at Lawrence County, Ohio. He spent his boyhood days at home until Jan 10, 1889 when he was married to Ollie Christian at Cattlesburg, Kentucky, to this union were born seven children Amos, Henrietta, Charles, John, Joe, William, Oscar. They lived happily together until March 26, 1902, when Mrs. Stricklen passed away. He then kept the children at home together until July 29, 1903, when he married Sella Frye of Wellston. They lived in Ohio until July 18, 1908. At this time, they went to St. Charles, Mich. and lived there until Nov. 11, 1912, then came to Bicknell to make their home, to this union have been born 9 children, Addaway, Clifford, Gilbert, Melvin, Garnet, Lawrnia (Lorna), Charlotte and Mary. He leaves to morn his loss his wife Zella (Sella) and Addaway aged 16, Clifford 15, Gilbert 13, Melvin 11, Lawrnia (Lorna) 8, Charlotte 6, Mary 4, and 6 sons in Akron, Ohio and aged mother and father, of Wellston, Ohio, 2 brothers James of Virden, Ill and Charles of Bicknell. 3 sisters Mrs. Charlotte Henke of San Francisco, Cal, Mrs. Ida Boggs of St Charles, Mich, and Mrs. Carrie Snyder of Flushing, Mich, and a host of other relatives and friends. He was member of I.O.O.F. for the past 25 yrs and a member of the Order of Eagles of Bicknell, In. and the Baptist Church. He died March 26, 1920, at the age of 50 years.

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"Long Illness ends in death for well known miner"
After an illness and failing health covering a period of more than 2 years, death came yesterday afternoon to Joe Stricklen. Mr. Stricklen was only 51 yrs. old, having been born in 1868 in Lawrence Co, Ohio. He leaves a wife and children; Amos, Charles, John, Joseph, William and Oscar, sons in Akron Ohio; and Addaway, Clifford, Gilbert, Melvin, Lorna, Charlotte and Mary. 3 children preceded him in death; Henrietta, Garnet and a infant. Last June Mr. Stricklen underwent an operation at Vincennes and last Oct he went to Chicago for radium treatments. On Nov 2nd he underwent an operation for rectum trouble in Indianapolis. He suffered a paralytic stroke yesterday morning at 6 o'clock and did not regain consciousness. Mr. Stricklen was one of the best known miners of the field and his many friends of the field and his many friends will regret to learn that he has lost the long, hard, fight against ailment. The funeral will be held Monday afternoon at the Baptist Church
26 March 1920, Bicknell, Knox, Indiana
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Family researcher, Wilma (Strickland) Coats' notes state;
"During Joseph's life in Bicknell he was active in politics, served as Councilman from 2nd Ward, during term of Tyler Lawton, socialist major of Bicknell."
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Family tells stories of Joe being very lighthearted and a bit of a tease.
Sella Frye was a good and proper nanny for Joe and his 1st wife Olive. When Olive passed, Sella moved back home. A year later, Joe begged Sella to marry him. Joe TEASED her and said the kids would have to go to the orphanage if she didn't marry him.
Joe knew that Sella loved the kids. They had a good marriage. Joe also teased his daughter Addaway with her name. He would teasingly say, hey Getaway, hey Oneway, hey Thisaway, hey Thataway etc.

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There was a funeral procession in town for Joe. He was well known and liked by all. He was the "fixer" when there were problems with the coal mine machinery. Joe saw his brother George accidently shot in the forehead when they were just teenagers. The boys were getting ready to go to Sunday School. That had to have had an impact on his personality.

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Joe passed in 1920. However, he was interned in the Bicknell Cemetery on, Feb 3, 1925. It was at that time in 1925 that Joe's widow, Sella, requested a U.S. Military Veterans Headstone. Also interned in this family lot are; space #2 Joe Stricklen Jr. buried Feb 1925, space #3 Sella Stricklen buried Oct 21, 1941, space #4 is empty, space #5 Henry Smith Jr. buried July 25, 1936 (This is Joe's grand child through his daughter, Mary) space #5 also has "Infant Stricklen" buried April 13, 1918. This is Joe and Sella's last baby, space #6 Lorna Mae (Stricklen) Wilkes buried 2 Dec 1987, next is Lorna's husband Sherman Wilkes who was cremated at passing in 1992 but not interned until 2007, lastly is George Lee "Burl" Wilkes buried 20 July 2007.
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Working in the coal mines was very hard and dangerous work.
There is movie which shows life in the coal mines.
"The Molly Maguires" (1970) with Sean Connery.