Wilcox Of Tilden Receive Pioneer Farm Family Award

The Wilcox family of Tilden was among those honored Saturday evening with a Pioneer Farm Family award.

For over a half century, AKSARBEN Foundation has teamed up with the Nebraska Farm Bureau and the Nebraska Association of Fair Managers to present the Pioneer Farm Award, recognizing Nebraska farm families who have consecutively held ownership of land in the same family for 100 years or more.

John Cleland "Cleal" Wilcox and Elizabeth Ann Roberts were married in Cedar Bluffs, Neb., on Jan. 27, 1915. Following their wedding, they moved to Tilden and purchased a farm from Mann Saxton, five miles south and two and one-half miles west. 

The Wilcoxes shipped their household goods and some livestock and machinery by train. The box wagon that hauled the piano and other items has been restored by their grandson, John David Wilcox.

"Cleal," as he was known by friends and relatives, and Elizabeth had two children - John Cleland and Jeanette Margarette. Jeanette died at the age of 4.

The Wilcox family lived on this farm for 37 years, until Cleal's death on May 27, 1952. A year later, Elizabeth moved into Tilden.

John Cleland Jr., known as "Cleland," and Bernice Kunz married in 1938 and moved to the farm in 1953. They returned to their home place in 1960 after a new house was built.

Robert and JaNahn Sharples, along with baby MaDonna, moved to the farm and lived their for four years. During that time, John and Steve were born. 

In 1972, the farm house was moved to Tilden, where Cleland and Bernice lived. Cleland passed away in 1983, and Bernice moved to Lincoln in 1993 to live with her daughter, Janice Wilcox Hauser, until her death in 1995. 

Janice Wilcox Hauser of Raymond inherited the land from her parents and is the present owner.