Narratively, accessed 17 September 2019. thank you so much for the information danny has 5 sisters and 1 brother looking for him, Should anyone believe or just want to be a part of the DNA registry for The Nicks Babies..please visit us on our webpage (Hicks Adoptees), Thank You To protect their privacy, I have chosen not to mention any of the individuals who were adopted by name in this article. How is the river any worse, I ask you? Hicks didnt oversee legal adoptions. "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNX9-1PS: 4 December 2014), Thos J Hicks and Chassie Copeland, 07 Jun 1917; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: 2008); citing p. 222, Polk, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. The charges didnt mention that he sold babies or had them illegally adopted. Women came to have abortions and he told them it was a successful procedure, only to take that premature baby and sell it to someone. His daughter is living in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. If you havent been there, you cannot possibly imagine what that is like. For him to lie to these women is unforgivable. I dont know. Hicks beliefs did not fully mesh with abortions, and he would sometimes convince women that he would handle adoptions if they carried the babies to term, according to WKYC in Cleveland, Ohio. I think that you did well with pointing out that this is not on and well done. Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Sr Born 18 Oct 1888 in Bloomington, Pickett, Tennessee, United States Ancestors Son of David Fleming Hicks and [mother unknown] [sibling (s) unknown] Husband of Chass (Copeland) Hicks married 7 Jun 1917 in Polk, Tennessee, USA Father of Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Jr Died 5 Mar 1972 at age 83 in Tennessee, United States Wow! He was a good man, a good-hearted man. Never has been black market babies, she told WKYC. In 2014, around 30 suspected Hicks Babies traveled to Tennessee to undergo DNA testing. No one with half a brain can even think that is good. If hes alive, hopefully hell see the TV show and decide to test. Dr. Thomas J. Hicks died at age 83 on March 5, 1972, after a battle with leukemia. Hicks Baby Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother. She had particular qualms with the notion of black market babies.. That seems to be a repetitive theme amongst the living relatives. My heart aches for your mother and your whole family. Bragg, Rick. Those who likely knew what happened may have died as well. Today, these babies are referred to as "Hicks babies.". Autosomal DNA tests, such as Ancestry DNA, 23andMe, My Heritage, and Family Tree DNA, offer extensive DNA match lists. While its true that some of the adults who were adopted as babies are using DNA to discover their biological origins, it is not because they suspect a biological connection to the Hicks family. He was arrested for performing illegal abortions in 1964. There are many people who were adopted at birth who can use similar strategies to learn more about their recent and distant ancestry. Furthermore, over 200 babies! Hicks faced legal trouble for illegal abortions, but not for the illegal adoptions. He reportedly performed abortions, which were illegal at the time, for $100. Sims Family Tree View These Best Collection, Mishima Family Tree Find Best Design For You. Remember that these women had no where else to go, no one to turn to. McCaysville, which is located in the southern Appalachian Mountains right on the Georgia border with Tennessee, was shocked to hear that their beloved town doctor, Dr. Hicks, was accused of arranging illegal adoptions, and even selling babies, for parents wanting to adopt. I agree totally with you.This all sounds awful. He is buried in Crest Lawn Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. We will never know the hell they have suffered. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around.4. Just recently I have been confirmed to be the last of the Hicks babies. It can be a serious disease. Think about it, some of these folks could fall in love with a relative and not even know it. What Was the Immigration Process at Ellis Island Like? Dr. Hicks was a town doctor who performed illegal abortions. I had a brother who was given up for adoption by his mother in Tennessee. The Hicks Community Clinic has been closed for years, but the building still stands. I have had two of my children die. It sits in a plaza in McCaysville, Georgia with a pizza shop on one end and a barbecue restaurant on the other, according to Narratively. My Mama and Dad were married and biological parents to my brother. survivors include his mother, diann loftice barker of mckinney; stepfather, don barker of mckinney; three brothers: billy loftice of princeton, ron and jasen loftice both of mckinney; two sisters: lisa murphy of culleoka, artie stone of princeton . I have been advised by a man named Bill Miller from Cleveland Ohio that I was a Hicks baby but cannot find out if this is true. To give Sallie an answer. Why am I rehashing this. Does it say where he was born or the name of the doctor? I hope you guys can find what your looking for. I may have a couple brothers out there. His forged birth certificates did not list biological parents. Perhaps your dad was referring to the equipment used to save preemies. Many of those from Hicks small town defended his actions. Those few cases were a woman gave birth knowing she did not want the baby, and Dr. Hicks found someone wanting to adopt, are far and few between! It was discovered that Dr. Thomas J. Hicks had been selling newborns from the small-town facility's backdoor for $1000. . When they opened it up there was great excitement. You have several options when it comes to learning about your DNA, KnowYourDNA is the best source for finding all things related to DNA. She said the whole time she was having the babies that there was a very nice dressed lady sitting in the room across the hall from her. He was born October 18, 1888. I have so many thoughts racing through my mind. If you fully watched the documentary you would know that almost all the babies were 4lbs at birth weight or even SMALLER and he was doing this to hurry along the money. She has a B.S. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree Do You Know These Top Templates? 2017. Who is Parent 1 or Parent 2 on Ancestry DNA? In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, a doctor was selling babies from his small town abortion clinic in the heart of McCaysville, Georgia. (@Angel5Christine) October 8, 2019. It includes a handout, plenty of time for questions and discussion, and access to the recording for 2 weeks. What Dr Hicks did was illegal. So, what you are saying is, when my mom went to deliver my BROTHER and was told he was born dead, yet she has nightmares TO THIS DAY that she heard her baby cry for her. But advocates hope it will someday happen. I personally think he is a sociopath and I wonder if he could have been a Serial Killer as well. This type of adoption is just one way that many babies are adopted through illegal, black market adoptions. TLC's "Taken at Birth" will explore Thomas J. Hicks. Genealogy for Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. 2015. I did do a DNA test with no response. We only know about the ones who survived. What part of that is okay? Her only health problem was asthma. But lets be honest, no one is going to admit that they willingly sold their baby. Dr Hicks didnt keep records of the births and adoptions, so the only way to find your brother, if hes still alive, would be if he decided to look for you using DNA. You made your decision. Just watched the documentary. In the mid-1940s, Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks opened the Hicks Community Clinic in the small town of McCaysville, Georgia, mere steps from the Tennessee state line. we do not know where these births occured most of our family is deceased. Some babies were that small but not all of them. He was buried in Crestlawn Cemetery in Polk County, Tennessee. He lied to those women whether they wanted their children or not. You arent responsible for their sins. Thank you. Im disgusted that someone would think that this is ok. The man that is Dr.Hicks first stolen, one of the twins. His parents were David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Holt. Are you on drugs. Babies For Sale: The Secret Adoptions That Haunt One Georgia Town. Father of Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr; Dr Walter Lynn Hicks and Private Thank you! Have you checked the adoption registries to see if hes looking for his biological family? The judge discovered records showing an unusual number of women visiting Hicks clinic. Theres a documentary on the Hicks Babies that Im assuming you havent seen. My mother remarried in 1969 in GA, I cannot locate any information about her daughter except a clipping cutout from the obituaries in michigan, NO GRAVE, BIRTH OR DEATH RECORDS can be found, can you help, The connections of Georgia and Michigan and Ohio seemed odd, we desperately desire to locate her, Do you know where she was born (which clinic or hospital)? So telling the one mother her twin boys were stillborn is acceptable to you. Prior to that, he was practicing just across the state line in Copperhill, Tennessee, and could well have been selling babies then. Until Mother's Day 1997, when his adoptions were exposed. amd im 13 so i have a long way to go . "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPQ5-SW1: accessed 10 April 2021), A G Hicks, Copperhill, Polk, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 10, sheet 1B, line 89, family 17, "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4ZJ-HRF: 11 January 2021), Thomas J Hicks, Civil District 3, Polk, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 70-8, sheet 11B, line 42, family 207, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Kriste Hughes is reunited with her mother, Thelma Tipton, and big brother Roger Tipton, after Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks illegally sold her to adoptive parents . Did your mother give birth in Akron or in McCaysville? Hicks was forced to give up his medical license in 1964 after being charged with performing illegal abortions, and he died in 1972 at the age of 83. I do hope your brother survived and is out there somewhere. Dr. Hicks served as a town doctor in McCaysville, Ga., and was known for performing abortions, which were illegal at the time. Thank you so much. He is the man behind the babies who are now called the Hicks Babies. By learning about the family trees of their 2nd-3rd cousins, they can identify groups of DNA matches who are related to each other through the same common ancestor. The story is told on Taken at Birth. Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) - geni family tree. The adoptive parents paid $1,000 for the baby, and Hicks would provide housing for the mothers for several months at his farm, a hotel, his apartments or a telephone company building, according to Appalachian History. 1997. That is crazy! He may have done it to avoid suspicion and keep the transactions discreet. More than 200 babies, known as the "Hicks Babies," were. You should be ashamed of yourself because you have no idea of the pain he caused many families! Since these adoptions were discovered more than two decades after Dr. Hicks death, there are many details of the story that may never be uncovered. Some of the ads and links on this website are affiliate links which pay me a commission if you purchase through them. So far, there are no positive DNA matches between babies and parents from the database. If he is out there and looking he may have tried the dna route. is anything else your are looking? Occupation: Dentist Spouse: Sallie Cobb Johnson Adopted children: Thomas J. III and Sallie Cobb Hicks Son of Chassie Copeland and Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Sr. who performed illegal late term abortions, sold infants on the black market and is the subject of the TLC documentary Taken At Birth.. Instructions for how to transfer the raw data file to MyHeritage and FTDNA are here: https://thednageek.com/how-to-transfer-your-ancestrydna-test-to-other-databases/. This is how this group of babies, who are now all grown up, came to be called Hicks Babies. | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Family Tree Building Basics for Beginners Book, Use DNA to Trace Your Mexican Family Tree Book, Example of Family Tree DNA Family Finder Results, were discovered more than two decades after Dr. Hicks death. His Georgia clinic was located only a short distance away from his previous practice in Tennessee right across the border. If you have any questions about something that you read in this post, please join in the discussion below. These closer relatives can provide important clues that can help determine exactly which child descended from the grandparents (identified through the 2nd-3rd cousins) was likely the biological mother or father. Who was Thomas J. Hicks? According to the New York Post, Jane is just one of more than 200 newborns sold by Dr. Hicks, during the 1950s and '60s.. As part of his practice, Hicks performed abortions, which were illegal at the time. 2016. The extra mouths to feed were simply too expensive. now that im older and i actually understand what happened i think its horrible. Hicks was the beloved town doctor in the tiny mountain town of McCaysville, but women came from miles around to seek his services. He died in 1972 and it took three decades before Hicks' actions were brought to light. Tune in to #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, starting TONIGHT at 9/8c. Time is running out. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks Because the adoptions were illegal and their birth certificate were forged, there are no records of their biological parents which would allow them to find their origins. Thanks, The motives of Hicks actions are unclear. This is a different story than what I expected! Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206086779/margaret-mary-brown, Samuel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson, Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), David Fleming Hicks, Mary Louise Hicks (born Holt), Samuel Earnest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Hicks, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Annie Laurie Hicks, 1910 - Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, USA, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie E Hicks, Laura A Hicks, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie Ellen Hicks, Anna Laura Wisdom Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Brown (born Hicks), Mary Edith Rogers Davis, Oct 18 1888 - Orebank, Sullivan, Tennessee, United States, Mar 5 1972 - Copperhill, Polk, Tennessee, United States, Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Jr, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Mary Brown (born Hicks), uel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron (born Hicks), John William Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas J Jr Hicks, W Lynn Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86371930/carrie-ellen-dickson, Bloomington, Pickett County, Tennessee, USA, Crestlawn Cemetery, Polk County, Tennessee, USA, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9119259/thomas-jugarthy-hicks, https://www.geni.com/projects/SmartCopy/18783. Brother of Infant Daughter Hicks, U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI)Listed as Thomas HicksBirth: Oct 18 1888Death: Mar 1972Last residence: Copperhill, Tennessee 37317, USA, News report: [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3186644/Adopted-woman-51-SO]. Hi, the category is just Category:McCaysville, Georgia. Dr. Hicks was married and had two children, a son and a daughter. i never thought it was real when i was little either. He delivered many babies in Tennessee before they ran him out of the state. In these cases, Hicks would forge a birth certificate and give the baby to adoptive parents in secret from his Georgia clinic. My oldest would have been born in Akron in 1960. The same lecture is offered twiceNovember 1 and 2, 2022to accommodate schedules and time zones. My YDNA indicates I am not Hicks. My mother grieved for her baby the rest if her life! He was protecting himself & looking out for his own financial interest!!! There is absolutely NO defense for that.He treated these babies like they were nothing more than a puppy mill money making machine. To have an unequivocal reference sample for any other Hicks children who want to know their origins. I just wanted to say I watch this show about a little girl. Many are hoping DNA will link them to their birth families, and some of them have found biological parents, siblings and parents through DNA, according to WKYC. How Did People Find Out About the Hicks Babies? Has your family done any dna tests like 23andme or ancestry? Cristine Santander is a content writer for KnowYourDNA. Dr. Hicks, who passed away at the age of 83, was born in 1888 in Picket County, Tennessee. my sister some how never got the gene or blood of him. That son adopted Sallie, who was featured in the show. How Did Hicks Black Market Babies Business Work? He then relocated just across the line in McCaysville Georgia. Such an evil man to cause such heart ache! I was born in 1967. https://thednageek.com/dna-tests. When she ask Dr Hicks about it he told her it was the medication making her think that. Thankful for the granddaughter who went beyond what most would have to get answers. My Dad was a black-market baby in 1941 in Akron OH. In other cases, he said their babies were stillborn and died before or during delivery. My dad moved us to New Mexico when I was in my early teens but I have a brother who stayed in Michigan. Aug 05, 2015 at 7:11 pm. They were all corrupt! Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. Mama never got over this. They did have several that admitted they went in for an abortion Im sure the guy was no saint, but i think he was saving these babies. When families came to his clinic to adopt babies, Hicks made the women pretend they had just given birth. He was her first born and she said she heard him cry yet Dr Hicks told her he was still born. Surnames in his family tree include Thomas, Fitch, Green, Waddell, and Johnson. Labor was induced at 31-34 weeks (based on the birth weight of the survivors). Theres probably a lot of dead babies because of his practices. They adored Dr Hicks and were fiercely protective of his reputation and legacy. She noted to the TV station many of them went to good homes and led successful lives. Instead of killing the children he delivered live infants, told the mothers their babies were dead, and gave the babies away to parents who wanted them. i hope everything gets better for those kids and those parents. Table, Dave. Why dig up a grave when dna could have given these people the answer if they were siblings? Blasio has dedicated her life to helping reunite Hicks Babies with their biological families. ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN WERE MESSED UP FROM THIS. I Just dont understand how anyone could possibly think what he did was right or just or in any way good at all!! The Dr Hicks who ran the black-market adoptions had a son who became a dentist. I hope all the people that are involved will find what ever it is they are looking for. I dont trust my own memories, let alone 50 year old memories. Not sure how you can justify robbing mothers of their babies (some were told the babies died) or destroying the records so those that wanted to find their biological parents had no way of doing so. In the small town, the. The primary purpose of this post is to explain how those children who were adopted through the Hicks Clinic have been able to use their DNA to discover close relatives, and sometimes, the identities of their biological parents. Her initial search was unsuccessful, so she contacted a Georgia probate attorney. I can empathize because of some similarities, but I cannot fully understand. At least 200 babies had their identities stolen. In 2020 a 4lb baby as a very good chance of not making it even with amazing NICUs in todays age. The biological mothers of these individuals were persuaded to give their babies up for adoption and they were allegedly sold to their adoptive parents through the Hicks Clinic, owned by Dr. Hicks. Have you taken a DNA test yourself? I understand the concept of not being able to conceive and being grateful to receive a child but that was not a win/win situation by any stretch of the imagination. "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ6P-BJM: 23 February 2021), Thos J Hicks, 1917-1918. in Psychology and enjoys writing about health and wellness. The sentiments were echoed in other news stories. As I say, not perfect, but a good man, Doris Abernathy told WKYC. I am helping a relative looking for his birth parents or siblings. I hope your brother decides to test someday. He induced birth prematurely to make money. Moves to NE Ohio and then to Michigan from 1868 to this day. Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) - Genealogy Genealogy for Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Barbara, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Dr. Thomas J. Hicks performed abortions in the 1950s, long before abortions were legalized in Roe v. Wade. Dr. Hicks died of leukemia in 1972 at the age of 83. Could you imagine carrying your baby a whole pregnancy having a nursery all set up and you go to the hospital deliver your baby and be lied to that your baby died smh Im speechless. When I told my parents about this documentary.. My dad said well back then they didnt have the equipment to deal with infants like they to do today my response was oh they didnt know to clear the air passage way and slap a baby on the bottom? She said she heard her baby cry then Doc Hicks told her he was still born. If shes still alive and knows shes adopted, she may be looking for you using DNA. is anything else your are looking? Hicks performed illegal abortions in the 1950s and 1960s, along with the illegal adoptions, until he faced legal troubles in 1964 for the abortions. Blasio knew she was adopted at a young age. Her decade-long search for her birth parents led to the exposure of Hicks' illegal babies. Town Secret Is Uncovered In Birth Quest. Im sorry but thats a totally twisted way of thinking in my view!! saying the baby was stillborn could have been nothing more than a cover story for them. The biological mother was not mentioned, and there was no court record or other official document connecting the babies to their biological parents. How can you condone that? That evil man lied to my mother and stole my oldest brother and by the way, $1000 was alot of money in the 1930s, 40s and 50$ in the Appalachian Mountains. Then you missed the entirety of the story. HIS BIO FAMILY DIDNT FIND OUT ABT HIM UNTIL 60 YEARS LATER AND TOO LATE BECAUAE HIS MOTHER WAS I ALREADY DEAD. But honestly, my suggestion would be for them to live for today. In this post, learn who the Hicks Babies are, how they got their name, and how some of them are using DNA to discover their biological origins. He induced births, told mothers their babies died and sold them! And he was more than happy to perform abortions. Cock being laughed at each time someone ask his name. Yes he had a choice he just made the wrong one for greed!! That doesnt mean that my heart doesnt break for the pain that these people have gone through and continue to go through. So no, I cant completely vilify as I just dont know. He surrendered his Georgia medical license to halt his prosecution.2. He told women their babies had died when they hadnt. The second would have been no later than 1962. First of all, it was a small town clinic and back then it was not unheard of for any woman in a small town to go to a clinic to deliver their baby so to say hes some kind of hero for what he did is beyond disgusting. The adopted child or biological mother can call and provide information about their gender and birthdate. I grew up with this story from my grandfather when i was little. Mama had seven more babies after that(Im the youngest)she never stopped grieving for her oldest son. And he was stealing babies telling mothers that they delivered a still born. She did not go to him for an abortion or to give her baby away. My name is Judy Swafford Walker. With that said, what we know, sounds evil, but that is based on times being much different. 1910 - Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, USA, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie E Hicks, Laura A Hicks, David Fleming Hicks, Mary Louise Hicks (born Holt), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Jr, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Mary Brown (born Hicks), est Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron (born Hicks), John William Hicks, Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Samuel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson, Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Samuel Earnest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Hicks, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Annie Laurie Hicks, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie Ellen Hicks, Anna Laura Wisdom Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Brown (born Hicks), Mary Edith Rogers Davis, Thomas J Jr Hicks, W Lynn Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Bloomingdale, Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States, Copperhill, Polk County, Tennessee, United States, Crestlawn, Polk County, Tennessee, United States. Now, my family has to wonder, is he out there? Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. My mother was soooo lucky compared to all of the hudreds of babies Hicks Babies. The son, Gillam Thomas Hicks, and his family will be featured in next week's column. #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, begins TONIGHT at 9/8c. Once they have grouped their DNA matches in to several groups, they can study the descendants of the ancestors to find where they connect to each other. They werent all there for abortions!!