WICKER
William Wicker appears to be the progenitor of all the Colonial families of New England bearing this surname. He was born, probably in England, as early as 1690, and settled in Leicester, Worcester county, Massachusetts as early as 1720. It is likely that he came with other Englishmen, the Browns and Southgates, though no documentary evidence is found to prove the connection between these families. He bought land in Leicester, Feb. 9, 1732, of Edmund Taylor, adjoining lands of Richard Southgate and William Brown. There is a tradition that he was descendant through the wife of Lemuel Wicker, immigrant, from Mary Chilton, "Mayflower" ancestor; and John Winslow. Curiously enough we find Samuel Winslow of Rochester, Mass., deeding his rights in Leicester to Wicker, Aug. 4, 1732. But Samuel Winslow was not a lineal descendant of John and Mary Winslow. He and Rebecca quitclaimed the Winslow rights to Rowland Taylor, Jan. 23, 1732. In 1757 Wicker divided his real estate among his children, and therefore left no estate to be settled. Presumably he died soon afterward.
He married Rebecca _____.
Children:
Samuel.
David.
William.
Rebecca, born at Leiceter, Nov. 23, 1720.
Jacob, mentioned below; John, May 2, 1726.
James, May 12, 1729.
Mercy, Feb. 1, 1740.
(II) Jacob, son of William Wicker, was born at Leicester, Jan. 5, 1723. He resided in Paxton, near Moose Hill, which was originally part of Leicester. He died there in 1789. His widow Abial asked that her son James be appointed administrator, March 30, 1789. He married (intentions dated Jan. 30, 1746-47) Abial Washburn, sister of Colonel Seth Washburn, of Leicester. She died June 30, 1812, aged eighty-six.
Children:
1. William, born 1747; lived in Hardwick, Worcester county.
2. James, 1750; lived in Hardwick.
3. Reuben, 1756.
4. Susanna, 1756.
5. Luther, 1758.
6. Lemuel, mentioned below.
7. Lucy, 1762.
8. Frederick, 1764.
(III) Dr. Lemuel, son of Jacob Wicker, was born in Paxton, July 8, 1761. He was a soldier in the revolution in Captain Joshua Whitney's company, Colonel Josiah Whitney's regiment, from July 31, 1778, to Sept. 14. He removed soon afterward to Schuylerville, New York, where he was a physician for many years. He removed at Orwell, Vermont, where is also practiced. He died at Orwell at the age of seventy-seven years.
He married Lucy Pendleton.
Children:
Catherine, Lemuel, Benajah, Charles Frederick, mentioned below; Joseph, Jacob, Thomas, Amelia and Maria.
(IV) Charles Frederick, son of Dr. Lemuel Wicker, was born at Schuylerville, Saratoga county, N.Y., March 6, 1790, died at Ticonderoga, N.Y. Aug. 12, 1867. He removed to Orwell, Vemont, with his parents and lived there until 1850, when he located at Ticonderoga. he bought a farm and followed agriculture at Ticonderoga. He was a man of unusual practical ability, sound judgment and great foresight, and was successful in business.
He married, March 17, 1816, Abigail Nickerson, born at Ticonderoga in 1795, died there July 2, 1856.
Children:
1. Gustavus Nickerson, born Jan. 4, 1817; mentioned below.
2. Maria Amanda, Aug. 30, 1819.
3. Charles L., June 6, 1823; a farmer, married, June 4, 1847, Ellen Royce.
(V) Gustavus Nickerson, son of Charles Frederick Wicker, was born at Orwell, Vermont, Jan. 4, 1817, died at Ticonderoga, Oct. 12, 1895. He came to Ticonderoga when a young man. He became associated with his father and together they bought several hundred acres of land and carried on farming and horse breeding and trading for many years. In politics he was active in the temperance movement and voted the Prohibition ticket. Once he cast the only Prohibition vote in the town.
He married, March 1, 1836, Mary Barber, born at Orwell, Vermont, May 22, 1815, died at Ticonderoga, Sept. 19, 1896, daughter of Dr. Joel and Maria (Smith) Barber. Her sister Julia married S. Wright Duning, of New York City, and her sister Harriet married Rev. Henry Buckley, of Crawford county, Pennsylvania.
Children:
1. Julia S., born Nov. 30, 1836; died July 1865; married Hiram R. Field; daughter Lizzie Field.
2. Joel Barber, 1839; a farmer at Upper Falls, Ticonderoga; married Augusta Burnet; had one son, Clarence Baldwin, and three daughters.
3. Mary White, 1843; died 1865; attending Holyoke Seminary at time of her death.
4. Charles Gustavus, mentioned below.
(VI) Charles Gustavus, son of Gustavus Nickerson Wicker, wsa born at Ticonderoga, March 31, 1845, on the farm where his father and grandfather lived. He was educated in the public schools there and has always followed farming for a vocation. He resides on the homestead and makes a specialty of raising and dealing in blodded stock, especially horses. He has some eight hundred acres of land and at times has as many as a hundred horses in his stables. He takes high-class horses to board and train, and is considered one of the foremost authorities on horses. He once owned and cared for the noted stallion "Bingen," which sold for $46,000; raised and owned Silver Glow, with a record of 2: 12: Potenta, 2: 17, and many others, with records better than 2: 10.
In politics he is a Republican, but he has never sought or held public office. He is a charter member of Mount Defiance Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Ticonderoga. In religion he and his family are Episcopalians.
He married, Dec. 7, 1871, Frances, born ata Ticonderoga, 1851, daughter of Colonel William E. and Amanda (Weed) Calkins. Her father was county clerk of Essex county and member of the assembly of New York in 1876, a prominent and influential citizen.
Children:
1. Julia Frances, born March 7, 1877; graduate of Vassar College; lives with her parents.
2. William Gustavus, May 29, 1883; has a large farm adjoining his father's; married Mildered Hill. Mrs. Wicker is a descendant from Elder William Brewster in the tenth generation. The line is as follows: Mrs. Frances (Calkins) Wicker (10); William Edward Calkins (9); William Calkins (8); John Prentiss Calkins (7); William Calkins (6); Calkins Turner (5); Lucretia Turner (4); Ezekiel Turner (3); Mary (Brewster) Turner (2); Elder William Brewster (1).