Sikes. Adair. Noble. Hunsaker

The Sikes are long-time Americans, arriving from England sometime around the early 1600s.  

I haven't researched the Hunsakers yet.  What I can tell you is they have been in the United States since at least 1752, with the birth of John Jr in Pennsylvania.

The Adair and Noble families both immigrate from Scotland.  The Adairs arrived in 1840 and "through the male line trace their ancestry to the Adairs of Scotland."  The Adair/Noble family travels to the Washington territory in September 1868 and the Adair family will become one of the Pioneers of the Snoqualmie Valley.  (I'll document that source).

If this particular Sikes line had to be summarized it would definitely be a case of the Toby Keith song, "I should have been a cowboy." It took almost 300 years, but they made it West.  The Sikes family has been in what is now known as the United States since the early 1600s and they remained in the Massachusetts area for a genertion or two.  John Sikes then relocated to Ohio sometime prior to 1760.  From there Missouri and then on to California and Washington.  Of course, many descendants stayed in those areas, this is the route of my ancestors.  

 There is extensive research done by the Sikes/Sykes Research Association, spearheaded by Art Sikes.  This is considered the pinnacle of genealogy research on the Sikes family. Going that far back isn't something I'm wanting to replicate, so I'll include reference links and a short bio on that.  Stay tuned.

 As a small child, I remember my grandparents saying four Sikes brothers left Missouri and went to California.  What my grandfather failed to mention was when his father, William Ezra Sikes left Missouri and what his story was.  

So, here goes...around 1850 three Sikes brothers left Missouri and headed to California chasing gold, joining another brother, Alva who went first. 

It's 1850, and there are four Sikes brothers (Alva, Ezra, Jesse, and Jonathan) in California.  They left behind a slew of siblings and parents that were still living.  This left-behind, Missouri connection accounts for the large concentration of dna matches in Missouri.  

In 1880, 21-year-old young William will chase after his uncles to California. He spends 2 years in California and then joins an aunt and uncle in Washington. Sarah A. Sikes (Sylvanus's sister) and George P. Boyce .  

William Ezra must have been close to his Uncle Ezra as he will name his first son, Lionel Ezra Sikes.  I'm sure William Ezra had no idea this decision would continue a tradition that now holds strong for 223 years.  

The California Sikes family has been extensively researched.  For more information follow the link on the reference page. 

William Ezra Sikes homesteads 160 acres in Novelty (Carnation) WA in August 1882,  The nearest land office was in Olympia, 79 miles away.  Imagine that trip in 1882. It’s cold and rainy, short days, no clear roads and a fair number of wild animals.   

A summary of the route:

~      Walked to Houghton on the East shores of lake WA.

~      Paddled across the lake in a canoe to Laurel Shade (Madison Park)

~      Reaching Olympia and filing November 15, 1882.

Much more research needs to be done on how many of the Missouri Sikes came out to Washington Territory.

I want to develop the story of George P. Boyce and Sarah A. Sikes (Sylvanus's sister) and their journey to the Washington Territory.  We know many Sikes left Missouri going to either California or Washington.  It's on my research list!  

Sylvanus and Evaline moved to the Washington Territory but were "disgusted with Washington Territory and are content to remain in MO."  More to follow on this journey.

I'm hoping some of George and Sarah's descendants can help out! Those descendants share a common ancestor with the rest of us...John Sikes and Mary Rockwell.

The Hunsakers seem to follow the Sikes, or it could be the Sikes follow the Hunsakers.  More needs to be researched to find the history of these two families.  There is a connection at least four times- Sylvanus Sikes marrying Evelaine Hunsaker and their daughter Emily marrying David Hunsaker, and Electa Sikes (Sylvanus's sister) marrying Absalom Hunsaker and Green Lee Cochrum (whose mother was a Hunsaker) marrying Sylvanus's daughter Mary Lucretia Sikes. 

All of the Sikes and Hunsakers that ended up in WA, left from Novelty, Knox County, Missouri.  

I've got it half-sorted!  Come on Hunsaker cousins, help me untangle this.

At 9 years old, Alexander Adair and his parents immigrated from Scotland to Canada.  One book references the Adair family "can be traced to the Adairs of Scotland."

In 1867 Alexander married Mary Noble, whose family also immigrated from Scotland.  

With infant daughter Janet Ada the newly married couple traveled to Seattle.  This is an incredible journey that is outlined in BIO pages for Alexander Adair, Mary Noble and Janet Ada.  

The Steamer, the Train, and the Sailboat 1868-1869

The Noble and Sloan families left Scotland and immigrated to Canada sometime prior to December of 1833.  This is when 24 year old Robert Noble marries 19 years old Janet Sloan (subsequent 3rd great grandmother of this author).  

 Now pay close attention here...Robert and Janet have 12 children.  Robert died in 1873 at the age of 64 and is buried in New Brunswick, Canada.  His wife, Janet died in 1891 at 77 years old and is buried in Snohomish, Washington.  Without researching but a quick glance, only one of their children is buried in Canada with the rest of them buried in Washington State or California.

I'm curious when and how the Noble family left Canada.  I'm suspecting to find that when Alexander Adair and Mary Noble, along with their first born child, Janet Ada left for Washington Territory, at least one Noble went with them.

More to follow!

If any Noble cousins stop by, contact me to help me with this information!