Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Tuscola and Bay Counties, Mich. H. R. Page & Co., Chicago, 1883 -71- SELAH M. WILCOX, farmer, was born in Troy, Oakland County, Mich., October 1, 1835. He went with his parents to Illinois when about three years of age, and, some fourteen years later, came with them to Arbela. His youth was mostly spent in clearing and improving the home lands, and preparing them for a pleasant future home. He was married to Miss ELMA HAMEL, of Atlas, Genesee County, Mich., November 22, 1866. Their living children are RUSH T., WILLIS H., HENRY E., CLARENCE, ELBERT, CHARLES B., ERMINA and an infant son. The have 160 acres of land with about sixty under cultivation. They have a fruit bearing orchard, a good house and commodious farm buildings. Mrs. WILCOX'S grandparents were pioneers at Grand Blanc. Her mother had to go two and a half miles through the woods to school, and the wolves used to howl in the path behind her and her brother when returning from school to their home. Mr. WILCOX'S parents, MARK and HANNAH WILCOX, formerly from near Detroit, but later of Illinois, came to Arbela about twenty-eight years ago, and settled on section 15. When they got to Mr. L. D. HAINES' they found it almost impossible to proceed further, and had to get ox teams to help draw their loads through the mud and water holes, and yet they were some six hours in getting through the last mile of the road. Mr. W. had ill health; the work and the times were hard, and the boys sometimes became discouraged, but being encouraged again and again by their mother, they remained at work, overcame the adversities of pioneer life, and have now attained to comfort and plenty. The children in the family were REBECCA ANN, SELAH M., GEORGE, CAROLINE A., BYRON and JULIA. Mr. MARK WILCOX has been dead about eighteen years, and Mrs. WILCOX resides with her son, SELAH M. Her reli- gious choice is the Presbyterian Church. Beside her above men- tioned pioneer efforts, she accompanied her family in fulfilling a homestead claim, and lived some time in a log cabin, only five logs high, with some loose slanting boards as their only covering. ===========================================================================