Was born in Franklin county Ky., May 22 1804. His father, Josias Wade, Sr., was a native of Virginia, and in that
state received his early training. When quite a young man, he moved to Frankfort, Kentucky, and there married a
Miss Brown. They had born to them a family of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the youngest.
Mrs. Wade died in 1805. Her husband was married in 1809, to Miss Frances Dorson. Mr. Wade served as a soldier in
the Indian war, being engaged in the Battle of Tippecanoe, under General Harrison. After the war he returned to
his farm, remaining there a few years, then removing to Illinois, where he died in Pike county, in 1844. Josias
Wade, Jr., received his early education in Kentucky; and at that early day, he had but a slender chance for obtaining
an education, as Kentucky was then just emerging from the disasters occasioned by the many encounters with (unreadable)
and as the country was but sparsely settled, schools were often overlooked; consequently, his time was most largely
employed on his father's farm. On arriving at the age of twenty-one, he was married to Miss Cynthia, daughter of
the late Wm. Owens, of Logan county, Ky. Mrs. Wade was born Nov. 16, 1806, in North Carolina. Her ancestors were
of English descent. The fruits of their marriage was a family, of eight children, of whom seven are still living,
married and in business, all doing well. In 1827 Mr. Wade left Kentucky and moved to Missouri, where he engaged
in farming; but not liking the soil and climate, after remaining there three years, he emigrated to Illinois, and
came and settled on section 7, Flint township, Pike county, where he made an improvement. He had but little money
when he settled in this state, but by persevering industry he succeeded in gaining quite a competence. He says
that property accumulated in the early settlement of this country was the result of honest toil. He has carried
on farming and stock growing quite successfully, though for the past eighteen years he has not farmed, but has
resided in Griggsville. His wife died in July, 1868, and on the 20th of December, 1870, he married Miss Hannah
C., daughter of David and Patty Lyon, who were formerly from Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. During the war he
was a staunch Union man. Being a whig previous to the organization of the republican party, he has adhered to its
principles, and always votes in its ranks. He is hale and hearty, enjoying good health. His second wife was born
in February, 1827. Her parents moved to Griggsville, in the same year.