Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 4. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 971.

THOMAS H. WILKERSON

	The pleasant home of Thomas H. Wilkerson is situated near Lorella and the
owner is numbered among the progressive agriculturists and stockmen of southern
Oregon. He deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, as he has worked
his way upward through energy, industry and perseverance. He was born in Monroe
county, Missouri, January 17, 1842, a son of William Wilkerson. The grandfather
also bore the name of William Wilkerson and was a native of England, whence he
came to the United States in early life. He was a pioneer resident of Kentucky
and was well acquainted with Daniel Boone. He served as a soldier in the War of
1812 and later was a captain in the Black Hawk war. He also did a great deal of
scouting in Virginia and on one occasion was captured by the Indians, who held
him for three years. His death occurred in Missouri, when he was ninety-two
years of age. His son and namesake, William Wilkerson, was born in Kentucky but
about 1819 removed to Monroe county, Missouri, casting in his lot with its early
settlers. There he remained until 1850, when with ox teams he crossed the
plains, accompanied by his three sons. After a slow and tedious trip he at
length reached the mines of California in safety and spent about two years in
searching for the precious metal. He then started on his homeward way but on the
Isthmus of Panama was taken ill. From that place he was transferred to the
island of Cuba, where he died the next year.  His wife, who bore the name of
Margaret Dale, was born in Tennessee and about 1827 became a resident of Monroe
county, Missouri.  She made the trip to Oregon with her son Thomas in 1875 and
two years later returned to Monroe county, where she died in 1878.  She was a
daughter of John Dale, who served as a lieutenant at the battle of New Orleans
in the War of 1812 and commanded a company as captain in the battle of
Tippecanoe. There he was captured by Indians but as they were taking him away he
struck one with a paddle, causing him to fall in the water, and thus he managed
to make his escape. He was afterward known as "John Dale of Tippecanoe fame."
The Dales were of Irish lineage and were noted for longevity, Matthew Dale, an
uncle of Thomas H. Wilkerson, living to the advanced age of one hundred and ten
years. William Wilkerson the father of our subject, was twice married and the
half-brothers and sisters of Thomas H. Wilkerson, all of whom are deceased,
were: John W., Wiley M. and Riley P., who lived in Monroe county, Missouri; and
Sarah, the wife of Alexander Clemens, a brother of Samuel Clemens, the famous
American humorist, better known to the world as Mark Twain. The full brothers
and sisters of our subject were : Ross, who lived in Monroe county; Mary J. and
Milton C., who made their homes in Monroe county; and Nancy. All these have also
passed away.
	Thomas H. Wilkerson was reared upon the home farm in Missouri. He acquired
his education under disadvantages, being obliged to walk several miles in order
to pursue his studies in a little log schoolhouse, where methods of instruction
were very primitive. In the spring of 1862 he started across the plains with Dr.
Hugh Glenn in his wagon train. Mr. Wilkerson drove a band of mules and on
reaching California engaged in mining for some time. He was afterward at
Virginia City, in 1867, and then returned by way of Panama and New York to
Missouri. He had been quite successful during his sojourn on the coast and on
again reaching his native state he engaged in farming and stock-raising.
	On the 11th of September, 1873, Mr. Wilkerson was married to Miss Julia
Hardwick, a native of Monroe county, Missouri, and a daughter of George
Hardwick, who was also a native of that county but died in Yamhill county,
Oregon, in 1895, at the age of sixty years. He was a son of John Hardwick, who
was born in Madison county, Kentucky, and became one of the early settlers of
Monroe county. The Hardwick family was represented in the Revolutionary war. The
mother of Mrs. Wilkerson bore the maiden name of Mary A. Sisk and was born in
Alabama, although her ancestors were from North Carolina. In the Hardwick family
were seven children, of whom Mrs. Wilkerson was the eldest. In the fall of 1875
the family started west, accompanied by Mr. Wilkerson's mother and his wife's
father and family. Oregon was their destination and after weary days and weeks
of travel they took up their abode in the West Chehalem valley, where for eleven
years Mr. Wilkerson engaged in general merchandising. At length he withdrew from
commercial pursuits and in June, 1886, took up his abode upon his present farm
near Lorella. He is now the owner of four hundred and forty acres of land in
Langells valley, a mile southeast of Lorella, and he and his sons own together
nearly a thousand acres in this vicinity. Live stock has always been the
principal feature of the place and Mr. Wilkerson owns a French draft stallion,
Alcantraz, for which he paid two thousand dollars. He suffered heavy losses when
in the winter of 1889-90 much of his stock perished, but he has persevered and
his capable management and careful direction of his business interests have
gained him a place among the substantial stockmen of Klamath county.
	In 1906 Mr. Wilkerson was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who
died on the 26th of November of that year at the age of fifty-four, her birth
having occurred January 19, 1852. Their children are: Clementine M., who became
the wife of Charles Wiley and since his death has married Lon Bateman, of
Bakersfield, California; Geneva A., the wife of Sidney Burroughs, of Los
Angeles; Mary Lulu, the wife of Benjamin Brown, of Langells valley; Kenneth C.,
at home; Nora M., the wife of James Krogue, of Modoc county, California; Ella
L., the wife of Clarence Walker, of Langells Valley; and Eugene W. and William
L., who resides at home and are owners of ranches in this section of the state.
Mrs. Wilkerson was a member of the Christian church, to which Mr. Wilkerson
still belongs. There have been no unusual chapters in his life history but year
by year he has worked his way upward, each year seeing him in advance of the
position that he had attained the previous year. He is now the possessor of a
handsome property and his success is the merited reward of his industry,
intelligently directed, and his sound judgment, which has enabled him to make
judicious investments.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2009 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.