Born in Chatham County, North Carolina, Frederick Leroy Willcox attended the University of North Carolina, receiving his A.B. in 1892. His legal education was at the University of North Carolina and through private study at Bennettsville. In 1895, he was admitted to the South Carolina Bar and moved to Florence, joining his cousin, P.A. Willcox, in forming the firm of Willcox and Willcox, which later became eminent. In 1900, he married Clara Chase of Florence.
Mr. Willcox was an able trial lawyer, wise counselor, and always thoroughly prepared.
He was deeply patriotic, a spiritual and civic leader, a humanitarian of exalted character. The distinguished Judge H.A.M. Smith expressed the feelings of the South Carolina Bar when he said “he was the very leader of the Bar.”