Joseph A. Wickham was born in Monroe, Michigan, November 14, 1844. When he arrived at the age of ten years his father died, and he left his native place and went to Brunswick, Chariton county, Missouri, to live with an uncle. There he lived for five years and attended the common schools of that place. In 1861 he served in the Missouri State Guards under General John B. Clark, and in 1862 went to Norwalk, Huron county, Ohio, to finish the jeweler’s trade under James A. Wilkinson, with whom he worked a year before leaving Brunswick. In 1863 he enlisted in Company C, Sixty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, served during the war; was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, and received his honorable discharge at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1865. Returning to Norwalk he was engaged by his old employer in the jewelry business, and remained with him until the following February, when, he removed to Richmond, Missouri, and established himself in the jewelry business. In Richmond he remained until 1872, then came to Gallatin and opened his present drug and jewelry store. Mr. Wickham was elected mayor of Gallatin in 1875 and reelected in 1876. In the spring of 1877 he was appointed city treasurer of Gallatin, and is now serving his fifth consecutive term in that responsible office of trust, honored and held in universal esteem by the citizens of Gallatin.
On the first day of February, 1872, Mr. Wickham was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Cunningham, of Richmond, Missouri. They have four children; Frank, Alfred, Herbert and Charles. Mrs. Wickham is a member of the Old School Presbyterian Church, of Gallatin. Mr. Wickham is a member of Gallatin Lodge No. 106, A. F. & A. M., Gallatin Chapter No. 11, It. A. M., and of Kadosh Commandery, No. 21, K. T., of Cameron.