SILAS McCASLIN WILCOX

Silas McCaslin Wi1cox, eighth child of Samuel Allen and Martha Parker Wilcox, was born January 10, l854 at Hamburg, [Fremont County], Iowa. His parents had taken up a homestead on Nichnabotna Creek [Nishnabotna River] after being driven from their home in Nauvoo and were working hard to gather enough means to follow the Saints west. Before his birth his mother went out and sheared sheep, washed, spun and wove the wool into white flannel for her layette, some into checked and plaid woolsey for the girls dresses and some into jeans for the boys' pants. Little Silas had at least a warm welcome. Two kinds of warmth awaited him – warm flannel and warm hearts eager to see and love him.

The family remained on their farm near what is now known as Hamburg until Silas had reached the age of seven years. A little sister called Phebe and a little brother, Boyd, had been born into the family since Silas' advent. The farm had grown into two hundred acres of rich well-stocked land. Then the parents decided to sell and follow the rest of the Saints toward the setting sun. They received cattle in part payment and they were driven across the plains. Silas was no doubt allowed to ride one of the other boys' horse and follow the herd for a change once in awhile. But what a tiresome journey it must have been for those small children. They arrived in Salt Lake City, October 7, 1861 traveling in the David H. Cannon Company. They settled in Cedar Valley. Here Silas no doubt played with Indian boys, went "sego digging" and rode ponies as other pioneer boys did. One of the early school's he attended was taught by his brother John.

It is supposed that he helped his father with the sawmill, farm and store when not in school. He attended the B. Y. Academy, but it is not known how long.

When he was eighteen (1872) Silas and his brother Adam took their father's cattle to Bear Lake Valley where Adam was to run them on shares. During a hard winter most of the cattle were lost.

Silas spent most of his time during the remainder of his life prospecting in and around Bear Lake Valley.

by Martha Wilcox Hacking, niece

Although Silas was never married and had no children of his own, he was a very welcome visitor of his nephews, nieces, and neighbors children. They loved to hear of his adventures and the wonderful stories he would tell.

Mattie Mourtsen, daughter of Silas' sister Phebe, says: "He was at our house a great deal of the time for several years. He was always interested in mining and in prospecting. I used to like to watch him wash the gold from the bags of dirt he brought from the mine. He told me a number of times; "If the mine pans out" he would send me to college and buy me lots of nice things. I believe his intentions were to make all his relatives rich. His castles were high. He had been taught the gospel as all of Grandma's children had. He had good morals. I never heard him use any kind of improper language and he was clean in habits."

Excerpt of the Silas McCaslin Wilcox Life Sketch published in the Samuel Allen Wilcox Family Bulletin 1951 # 8.

Silas died in Montpelier, Bear Lake, Idaho, United States

From reading his Death Certificate , his legs were run over by a train. The train severed his legs just below the knee.