Joseph Sykes, manufacturer of wagons, was born March 28, 1807, in Sheffield, England to Joseph Sykes.  Our subject came to  Mercer, PA in 1829.  His trade had been learned in his native land and he continued in the business in Mercer until late in his life.  Many of the old wagons used in hauling goods from eastern cities to this part of the state were manufactured by him. 

     In 1831, he married Mary McCullough,   daughter of John and Mary (Wright) McCullough of Cool Spring Township.  Of this marriage the following issues were born; John, b. 1832, died at the age of 5 years; Thomas, b. 1834, m. Elizabeth Spearman 1856, was a machinist and wagon maker, d. 1907; Mary, b. 1836, never married, d. 1890; Jane, b. 1839, m. John Wagstaff 1857, d. 1914, Dallas, TX; Caroline, b. 1849, m. Marion Rich 1869, lived in New York state, d. 1933; Florence b. 1846, m. Rev.W.H. Wilson who died in 1886, m. Stewart Stutherland of Buffalo, NY ( family story is that Florence was at the Worlds Fair in Buffalo and heard the shot that killed McKinley);  Garrett b. 1852, m. Anna Gooding, 1882, d. 1937 ( graduated from Harvard in 1877 and conducted a prep school in Cincinnati); George b. 1843, m. Sarah Shipke, d. 1892, carried on his father's business and also was an undertaker.  Joseph died July 5, 1892 in Mercer PA.  He and his wife, Mary Ann McCullough are buried in the Citizen's Cemetery in Mercer. 

Source: History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, 1888, pg. 696, 697; Cemetery records at Mercer County Historical Society; 1850 census of Mercer.

Joseph was my 1st great grandfather through his daughter Jane and her husband John Wagstaff.