My Genealogy Hound

CAPT. WILLIAM H. SIKES, a successful farmer, was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., April 27, 1834, and is the son of Jesse and Martha L. (Howse) Sikes, natives, respectively, of Georgia and Virginia. The father was one of the first settlers of this county, coming here in 1824 and engaging in farming and stock raising, and his death, which occurred in 1869, was a sad blow to the county and community. The mother still survives at the advanced age of seventy-eight. Mr. William Sikes was reared on the farm and received his education at the Union University at Murfreesboro. At the age of twenty-four he purchased a farm, where he remained two years. In 1861 he enlisted in Company E, Forty-fifth Tennessee Regiment, as first lieutenant and retained this rank until after the battle of Shiloh, when he was appointed captain of his company, serving in this capacity from the summer of 1862 until the autumn of 1863 when he was put on the staff of Maj-Gen. Brown, serving with him but a few months when he was transferred to Maj-Gen. Stephenson’s staff, subject to a requisition issued by the General himself and was with the General in all his commands until the surrender in April, 1865. Mr. Sikes did not receive any wounds whatever during his service in the army; he then returned to Rutherford County, purchased a farm adjoining his father’s on which he remained until 1882, when he removed to the old homestead where he now resides. Mr. Sikes is a Democrat in politics and he and family are members of the Baptist Church. In 1866 he was married to his second wife, Miss Bettie Thompson, a native of Alabama. To this union were born four children: Mary L., Mattie N., Bessie T. and William H., Jr. His first wife, Miss Mattie Gooch, a native of this State, died in 1861, and his second wife died in 1884. Capt. Sikes is one of the leading farmers of this county and is an estimable citizen in every respect.