Extracted from: Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, B. F. Bowen, 1903. Page 587.
This native young farmer was born September 29, 1854, and has made Rock Creek township, Wells county, his residence during his entire life. He is a son of Jacob and Mary C. (Hoke) Elick, who came here from Hocking county, Ohio, about the year 1850, and purchased the farm now owned by William Haflich on the Bluffton and Markle road in Rock Creek township.
Jacob Elick and Mary C. (Hoke) Elick had born to them a family of nine children, of whom four are still living, namely Joseph H., Jonas, Aaron S. and Mary C., the last named being the wife of Samuel H. Golden.
Jonas Elick was reared to agricultural pursuits and was given a good common school education. At the age of twenty years he rented the home farm, and on January 21, 1877, he married Miss Mary F. Preskey, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, November 28, 1858, a daughter of Augustus Preskey, a native of Germany. To this union have been born nine children, namely Clara A., born December 14, 1877 ; Charles F., born April 6, 1879; Nora E., born August 31, 1882; Dennis E., born December 18, 1884; Mervin O., born October 7, 1886; Lawrence M., born October 12, 1888; Bertha V., born September 5, 1890; Stella I., born September 13, 1892 ; and Vera P., born June 22, 1895.
Mr. and Mrs. Elick are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Sparks, of which church Mr. Elick is one of the trustees, and has also served as class leader and superintendent of the Sunday school. In the work of this congregation they take great interest and freely contribute financially to its maintenance. In politics Mr. Elick is a Democrat, but although faithful to the principles of his party, and using his influence whenever opportunity offers to promote its access to power, he never has sought an office at the hands of his fellow townsmen nor interfered too officiously in the control of local affairs. From the farm which he now owns and occupies he has, through his skill and industry, acquired an ample reward and stands today among the foremost agricuiturists of Wells county.