My Genealogy Hound

J. M. Folkes is a successful real-estate and collecting agent at Brinkley, and no name is more prominently identified with this business than his. His judgment is thoroughly relied upon as to the value and nature of real estate, and he is an energetic and thorough-going man of business, and is strictly honest in all his transactions. He is a Kentuckian by birth, born in Pendleton County in 1851, his parents, Henry Harrison and Mary E. (Woodyard) Folkes, being also natives of that State and county, where they were reared, married and spent their lives. They were members of the Methodist Church of many years’ standing, and the father was very successful in his farming operations, as he started in life with little or no capital and at the time of his death left an estate valued at $30,000. The grandfather, Jerome Folkes, was born in Harrison County, Ky., and there died, having been a life-long farmer. His parents were Virginians. J. M. Folkes, our immediate subject, was the third of nine children, and is the only one now living so far as he knows. His early life was spent in attending the common schools and following the plow, and upon attaining the age of fifteen years he went to Ohio, and began clerking in a store in Xenia, which occupation he continued to follow for four or five years. His education not being sufficient to satisfy him, he, during this time, attended night school and graduated therefrom. After clerking in Cincinnati, Ohio, for two years he began traveling for Frank Loeb & Block of that city, and continued thus for six years, after which he clerked for some time in different counties of Texas. He kept books for T. H. Jackson & Co., and managed a commission store for Black & Co. at Gray’s Station. Mr. Folkes is quite an extensive traveler, and in 1871-72 made a trip around the world, his journey being varied by many interesting incidents. He is now settled down to hard work, and is doing a prosperous business, his home in the town of Brinkley being commodious and comfortable. He was married in Memphis November 30, 1886, to Miss Libbie J., a daughter of John and Elizabeth Davis, of Brooklyn, N. Y., the father being a wholesale oyster dealer of that city, having succeeded his father, who was also in that business. He died in October, 1889, but his widow is still living. Mr. Folkes is a Democrat, and socially is a member of the K. of H., the K. & L. of H. and the K. of P., being Vice-Chancellor in the latter order. His wife is a finely educated and accomplished lady, and is a member of the Episcopalian Church of Brooklyn, N. Y.