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Note: Judge Stokes was born April 12, 1807, in Tennessee and was by trade, a blacksmith. He married Dicey Davis in Tennessee 1830. Their first
daughter, Elizabeth, was born in Illinois and in September 1832, the
family moved to Missouri, settling in St. Louis. In 1838, they moved
to Platte County, and In 1852, the family left Platte and settled in
DeKalb County, where John held the office of Judge of the DeKalb
County Court for four years. John was appointed Justice of the Peace
in Clay County, Missouri and held that office for upwards of 32 years.
In 1861, the family moved to Cameron, Clinton County, Missouri where
Judge Stokes and his wife, Dicey resided the rest of their lives.
Note: Some changes in the counties of residence were due to the
re-drawing of county lines in the northwest quarter of Missouri in the
late 1830s.
In an August 10, 1877 review of a dinner party at the residence of Missouri's Governor Smith, The Cameron Observer newspaper noted that
Judge Cameron was the oldest Missourian at the party, "having been
here since 1832 and was probably the first white man that ever slept
in Cameron." He was, at that time, 70 years old with his wife and 13
children all living.
In " The History of Clinton County", published in 1881, it is noted
that " The Judge, who is a man highly respected wherever known, has
had, in some particulars, rather an unusual experience in life. He is
the father of thirteen grown children, seven sons and six daughters,
all living in the enjoyment of robust health. He has also, forty-eight
grand-children, and four great-grand-children. The Judge himself,
though having nearly accomplished three-fourths of a century, is yet
in the apparent enjoyment of sound health, and in full possession of
his faculties, bids fair to see many more days. He has been a constant
subscriber to, and reader of the St. Louis Republican since 1839."
Judge Stokes was said to be the first white man to stay overnight in
Cameron, MO.
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