Born: 1855
Died: 1916
Married: Susan
Children:Lillian Nokes Payne, Mrs. Thomas Fraser, Alice Nokes, and two daughters who died in infancy
John J. Nokes was the proprietor of Balsam Grove Farm. He is buried in the Harrietstown Cemetery.
An undated photo of the house appears on the back page of a recently-acquired album in the Historic Saranac Lake archives.
Malone Farmer, January 26, 1916
NOKES— At Balsam Grove Farm, West Harrietstown, Jan. 21, of heart trouble, John J. Nokes, aged 60 years.
Mr. Nokes had been ill since the death of his daughter, Mrs. Payne, last spring. He belonged to one of the pioneer families of the Adirondacks, his father, Leonard Nokes, being a well-known lumberman who owned large tracts of land in the southern part of his county. The old Nokes homestead was the first frame house built in West Harrietstown. Deceased was born there and had resided there all his life, following farming and keeping a popular boarding house. Mr. Nokes was a very charitable man and greatly loved and respected wherever known. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Mrs. Thomas Fraser and Miss Alice Nokes. The funeral was held Sunday under Masonic auspices.
