IRA FIKE, for
many years a resident of the State of Wisconsin, was born in
Ontario, Canada, August 26, 1844. His father, Samuel Fike, was born
at Fort Hope, Ontario, Canada, in 1809, and still lives in the
Dominion. He is a farmer by occupation, and has accumulated
considerable property. He married Ann Losey, also a native of
Canada the paternal ancestors are descended from the Germans, and
the mother's forefathers came from Ireland and England. Mr. and
Mrs. Fike are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
They have had born to them eleven children: Ira, Sidney, Sarah,
George, Adelaide, Alice, Allen, Martha, Lydia, Agnes, and Carrie,
deceased.
Ira Fike was reared in his native country, and received the
practical training of a farmer he attended the common schools of
that day, and until he was twenty years of age remained under the
parental roof, giving the benefit of his labors to his father. When
he started out for himself he came to the United States, locating
in Jefferson County, New York. There he followed the occupation of
farming until there was a call for men to go to the defense of this
nation in 1863 he enlisted in Company C, Ninety-fourth New York
Volunteer Infantry, as a private and served until peace was
declared. He was at the taking of Petersburg, and in many minor
engagements was mustered out at Alexandria, Virginia, in July,
1865, and honorably discharged. After the close of the war he
returned to New York and resided in Oswego County until 1867 in
that year he came to Wisconsin, locating in Adams County, where he
made his home until 1871, coming at that time to Clark County, and
purchasing the farm where he now lives he owns 160 acres on Section
22, and 160 acres on Section 26, Fremont Township. He has given all
his time and attention to the cultivation of the soil, and in the
season has been engaged to some extent in logging. The only capital
which he had in the beginning of his business career was willing
hands and a determination to win his share of this world's goods,
and in this he has been more than successful.
Mr. Fike is a Republican, and has served as chairman of the Town
Board for nine years. For three years he was superintendent of the
county poor farm, displaying unusual capabilities in the management
of this institution, and was two years chairman of the County
Board. He is a member of Master Lodge, No. 163, A.F. A.M., and of
Lodge No. 198, I.O.O.F., and Black River Lodge, No. 32,
A.O.U.W.
Our subject was united in marriage April 3, 1867, to Miss Frances
C. Polmatier, of Oswego County, New York. She was born in Columbia
County, New York, March 30, 1842, and is a daughter of Elias and
Rebecca (Simmons) Polmatier, natives of New York. One child has
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fike, Samuel E., who first saw the light
of day December 13, 1868.
From Biographical History of Clark and Jackson Counties,
Wis., Lewis Publishing, 1891, page 154.
