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Note: Jimmy Wilks, son of Oscar Wilks, stated that Bethel was his grandfather; however, Ettis Wilks, wife of Hershel Wilks and daughter of Fayette Wilks, Oscar's brother, was adamant that the name was William Burrell Wilks. I received the death certificate for Oscar's brother, William Burrell Wilks, who died in Hopkins Co, Texas and it states that the father is indeed William. The only family that has been found that would meet this criteria is William A. Wilkes, son of Burwell Wilkes. He is listed on the 1860 census with wife, Jane and child, Babe in Giles Co., Tennessee so will go with this unless proven wrong. At any rate, he was foreman on a plantation in Giles County, Tennessee near Pidgeon Roost (Wales Road and Rd 166). The story goes that he came in for lunch one day and after he had finished his meal and attempted to mount his horse, he fell due to a loose saddle and was trampled to death by the horse. New version of his death by Brackeen family members received Jan 1999 states "He was a music man. He was riding home from a barn dance one night and riding a race horse fast. He went around a curve and leaned the wrong way and hit a tree with his head and was killed". The second version sounds more plausible and I believe my grandfather, Oscar "Bud" or "BW" Wilks, had in his position a fiddle that I think belonged to his father. After his death, his wife, Jane Vick, married Will Brackeen. According to a story told by Luther Wilks, son of Oscar, whenever they drove cattle to market in West Memphis, Arkansas, they would give them plenty of salt the day before they crossed the Mississippi River so the cattle would drink lots of water and weigh more. There is a William A. Wilks who served in the 54th Tn Inf., Co. E. in the Civil War.
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