I owe my life to him, but he has also been the cause of so much pain and suffering. When Dr. Hicks began his illicit practice, abortions were illegal in the United States, Phil Trexler wrote in the article. The Hicks Community Clinic has been closed for years, but the building still stands. All of Dr. Hicks grandparents were born in Tennessee, as were many of his great-grandparents. Estimated reading time: 5 minutes From 1951 to 1965 Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks began to quietly offer babies for adoption from his Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, GA. The method of the illegal adoptions has left many questions for those who started their lives in Hicks clinic. A fake birth certificate was produced, listing the adoptive parents as the parents of the child. Father of Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr; Dr Walter Lynn Hicks and Private What Was the Immigration Process at Ellis Island Like? I am helping a relative looking for his birth parents or siblings. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (. With that said, what we know, sounds evil, but that is based on times being much different. https://thednageek.com/dna-tests. But advocates hope it will someday happen. Dr. Thomas J. Hicks died at age 83 on March 5, 1972, after a battle with leukemia. Hicks faced legal trouble for illegal abortions, but not for the illegal adoptions. Eventually, in 1964, he was caught performing an abortion and was summarily stripped of his medical license. My mother grieved for her baby the rest if her life! If he is out there and looking he may have tried the dna route. It turned into a business. I have my ancestory DNA done and would love to try to match some names with my DNA relatives. Jane Blasio, The Hicks Baby Who Broke the Black Market Baby Adoption Case: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Just one grandparent can lead you to many The story broke across the U.S. in 1997 when an Akron woman named Jane Blasio learned that her parents bought her from a clinic in Georgia. She never got over it. As a matter of fact she grieved the rest of her life for her first born she thought had died! At least 200 babies had their identities stolen. He also has a granddaughter who is sympathetic to the efforts of the Hicks Babies. How would you feel if you found out a child your told was dead is actually alive I wish Hicks was alive to stand trial for what he did, he had no right. Some residents seemed to know the double life he was leading. But many aspects of his clinic remain a mystery to this day. And youve had children with them??? we are not in the dna data bases but i would be glad to give my dna to find out what happened just point me in the right direction i will be watching tlc hicks babies. She has a B.S. The source for today's story was the book The Hicks Family Tree; The Magnificent Journey of Our Branch of the Hicks Family Tree, 1455 to 2011, and The Families That Made a Difference, written by Gale Hicks Thompson and Bob G. Hicks. Did you like this post? Interesting. Youre as crazy as he was if you think he should even get a pat on the back for his time and services. Ive heard that many times in my life by a lot of people. Who is Parent 1 or Parent 2 on Ancestry DNA? Thats a totally twisted way of thinking!!! It was a horrible thing he did to my parents and the rest of us when he stole my oldest brother! My heart aches for your mother and your whole family. I hope all the people that are involved will find what ever it is they are looking for. AND IN ALL ACTUALITY HICKS LIED TO HER TO GET HER TWIN BOYS AND MADE OVER 2000 OFF OF HER PAIN. I can promise you this, if theres a hell, he is in the front row seat! 23andMe is on sale right now. TLC's Taken at Birth, which first aired in 2019, is a three-part . No one with half a brain can even think that is good. Selling 200 babies in illegal adoptions at $1000 each could have made a person very wealthy in 1950, though his exact motivations may never be known. 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. To protect their privacy, I have chosen not to mention any of the individuals who were adopted by name in this article. Not to mention the fact that some of these birth mothers thought their babies DIED! I am by no means defending Dr Hicks black-market adoption practices, but its important to remember that, even today, people die from asthma attacks. Appalachian History says his daughter is still alive and living in North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/77eyWNLdHM. Her only health problem was asthma. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Oh my gosh Barbara, he also delivered the babies early, like induced at between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight, failure to thrive and other health issues. Hicks may not have been in Georgia during that time, but if he was in TN that might be a lead. This is accomplished through the careful study of DNA matches. Many are still trying to find their biological relatives. 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. This man was worse than the plague! Those who were passed through the window as babies to adoptive parents have stopped by to see where their lives changed direction so early in life. When they opened it up there was great excitement. I am wondering if any possible hicks babies that have not found relatives has DNA done? pic.twitter.com/3dg3CRes3u. I mean no disrespect towards anyone. We can tell ourselves stories, and they become our truths. I am happy to offer a dna sample if possible. [But] I dont think it initially started that way., SAD STORYwith a happy ending for a brother & sister, John & Cindy were just 2 of more than 200 newborns sold by Dr. Thomas Hicks, a doctor in Georgia who was selling babies out of the back door of his clinic in the 50s & 60s. Im going to play a little devils advocate. Below is the list of best dr thomas hicks family tree website where you can find anything related to dr thomas hicks family tree. The story of the "Hicks Babies" broke almost 20 years ago when a researcher discovered that between 1950 and 1965, a Dr. Thomas Hicks of McCaysville, Georgia, sold babies he delivered in his clinic to couples looking to adopt children. She carried him to full term and went to Dr Hicks to deliver her baby! My mother/father picked me up from a nurse in a hotel in 1967. 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]. GOOD NIGHT DEAD DAD, GOOD NIGHT GOOD NIGHT. I cannot imagine being one of these babies. There is no evidence that any of the babies that were adopted through the actions of Dr. Hicks are related to him. Many people who fell victim to the Hicks baby market hope these DNA tests will help them find closure. These werent all women seeking abortions, a number of these women were seeking medical care for themselves and their unborn babies only to be robbed of that precious life. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks Dr Hicks told some of the mothers that their babies died, then he sold them. 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. His death occurred in 1972, long before any of the children that had been adopted illegally through Dr. Hicks clinic had discovered the truth about their origins. Dr. Hicks died of leukemia in 1972 at the age of 83. She grieved for him her entire life! Dr. Thomas Hicks. Hicks' wife and son had already passed away. His wife was a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. we do not know where these births occured most of our family is deceased. can you imagine waking up one day to find out accidently that you were adopted and come to find out through this show or other means that your wife is your sister or first cousin? The sentiments were echoed in other news stories. These folks deserve to know where they came from! He would sell the babies to parents who wanted to adopt but couldnt afford to do so legally. 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. So that he could make money. Sims Family Tree View These Best Collection, Mishima Family Tree Find Best Design For You. At least one Hicks baby submitted his DNA to Ancestry.com and found a half-sister. My Mama and Dad were married and biological parents to my brother. Blasio also created a confidential registry to help Hicks babies find their parents and siblings. 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. Geni requires JavaScript! They adored Dr Hicks and were fiercely protective of his reputation and legacy. He was never formally charged with arranging these illegal adoptions, and for this reason, he never went to jail or faced legal consequences for his actions. How HEARTLESS can someone be then to tell a parent their childTHEIR CHILD died just so he could profit? Thank you so much. He ran the Hicks Community Clinic and offered his services to poor copper mining families. In next week's column, this family's lineage will be continued with the family and history of Samuel Hicks (2). In 2014, around 30 suspected Hicks Babies traveled to Tennessee to undergo DNA testing. Dr Hicks quickly hushed the nurse and gave my grandma something to make her sleep. The truth about the adoptions came to light in 1997, more than two decades after his death, as some of the Hicks Babies began seeking out their biological parents. 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 buried them for her (such a nice guy) and gave her a birth certificate stating they were stillborn. Jane Blasio, who broke the story of the Hicks Babies and leads investigative efforts, wrote her thoughts about Hicks on her website. Husband of Chassie Hicks Copyright 2023 The DNA Geek Ascension WordPress theme by, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), New TLC Special Taken At Birth Dives into Shocking Hicks Babies Black Market Adoption Scandal, Babies For Sale: The Secret Adoptions That Haunt One Georgia Town, Hicks Baby Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother, Busted not for selling babies, but for the abortion clinic, 23andMe Introduces the Automated Family Tree , The Hicks Babies The DNA Geek | Ups and Downs of Family History V2.0, https://thednageek.com/how-to-transfer-your-ancestrydna-test-to-other-databases/, Book Review: I Know Who You Are, by Barbara Rae-Venter, Up Your DNA Game With New Courses in 2023, Verogen Increases Costs for Law Enforcement Again, A Board of Certification for Investigative Genetic Genealogy Is Announced. Learn how three Hicks babies were able to find biological family using DNA. Hicks initially lost his clinic for doing illicit abortions. Barbara, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. I hope youre able to solve your case soon. The illegal adoptions stopped in 1964 when Hicks . He also delivered the babies early, between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight and health issues. i am from polk county tenn we are trying to find if our brother danny is still alive we have learned 3 dead babies in my family it is interesting. I can attest to the fact that some of the mothers were married (yes, to the biological fathers) at the time their infants were sold. Some were children of women Hicks convinced not to have abortions. Exactly! During the years that he ran his clinic, the town was at its population peak of between 1,800-2,000 residents. Sompayrac believes her grandfathers actions helped the birth mothers in need and gave the babies life. It would give me great peace to know I found him or his family for my sweet Mama. Buying or selling A CHILDTHERE IS EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THAT! Were it not for him encouraging these women to have their babies, these children would have never been given a chance at life. Bloomington, Pickett, Tennessee, United States, Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks & Chass Copeland, marriage record, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9119259, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-06-mn-10123-story.html, https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/23/us/town-secret-is-uncovered-in-birth-quest.html, https://www.distractify.com/p/dr-hicks-taken-at-birth, https://narratively.com/babies-for-sale-the-secret-adoptions-that-haunt-one-georgia-town/, https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a29403041/who-is-dr-thomas-j-hicks/, https://nypost.com/2019/10/08/black-market-babies-reunited-after-more-than-50-years/, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hicks-babies-trying-to-find-their-roots-decades-later/, https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/investigations/decades-old-secret-adoptions-solved-by-modern-dna-for-akron-area-families/95-597582808, https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2014/jun/22/seeking-family-links/250410/, https://globintel.com/usa/dr-thomas-hicks-wiki-taken-at-birth/, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSZD-WWR, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGFJ-W52, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ6P-BJM, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNX9-1PS, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN5X-3HV, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPQ5-SW1, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4ZJ-HRF, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JRRC-NPT, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:McCaysville%2C_Georgia, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. My Mama and Daddy were young parents and though they were very poor they both wanted their first born with all their heart! Some on here commented that the bio moms were likely unwed and didnt want the babies. What years was he operating in TN, and where? As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around. So yes he should be vilified! 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. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. 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 . 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. He was her first born and she said she heard him cry yet Dr Hicks told her he was still born. Thankful for the granddaughter who went beyond what most would have to get answers. Blasio confirmed with the county birth records that she was likely one of the hundreds of babies sold between 1950 and 1965.2. It includes a handout, plenty of time for questions and discussion, and access to the recording for 2 weeks. Please! I believe that he provided a valuable service, giving women an alternative, giving a baby a chance at life, giving a couple a chance to be parents. In other cases, he said their babies were stillborn and died before or during delivery. It is suspected that many of them did and there is rumor that perhaps he disposed of those little bodies in the river. Dr. Thomas Hicks died of leukemia, a type of blood cancer. Both of Dr. Hicks' parents were born in Tennessee. 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. So for that reason, I think were putting too much faith in these womens stories. "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. We dont know anything about the adults he has seen. New York Times, accessed 17 September 2019. It was discovered that Dr. Thomas J. Hicks had been selling newborns from the small-town facility's backdoor for $1000. You can follow their life-changing stories in a three-night series, Taken at Birth, airing October 9th-11th, 2019, on TLC and some streaming platforms. Nor did he put women in touch with legal adoption providers. Love and hugs to them all! He surrendered his Georgia medical license to halt his prosecution.2. He was protecting himself due to his many illegitimacies & looking out for his own financial interest!!! He was married to a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. We just were not there and will never know his thoughts. What he did was completely illegal, but was it less moral than aborting these babies? What Dr Hicks did was illegal. Blasio and 200 others were taken from their mothers at birth in the 1950s and 60s and sold illegally on the black market out the back door of a clinic run by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks. Curiously, Dr. Thomas J. Hicks is not buried in a mausoleum that bears his name, but beside it. Aside from families that might eventually tell their adult children, the only hope Hicks babies have of finding their biological relatives is DNA tracking. He did not have any choice but to lie on the birth certificates. but i can't find me any where an i don't know if the people that raised. Dr Harshi Dhingra is a licensed medical doctor with a specialization in Pathology. These lists include people who are genetically related to us. I am from Tennessee before Dr Hicks moved across the state line to McCaysville Ga. He induced birth prematurely to make money. Ideas for Getting Responses from DNA Matches. Still, she defends her late grandfathers actions. DNA ancestry testing offers a way for people interested in family history (genealogy) to, Our Verdict: My reports from GPS Origins arent nearly as comprehensive as the ones, FamilyTreeDNA has tons of features and information that you wont get with most of, There are plenty of cheap DNA tests you can purchase if you want to, The offerings from each DNA testing service vary wildly, so it can be difficult. Thank you. 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. HE WAS A HORRIBLE MAN, JUST HORRIBLE!!! 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. Thank you. They look exactly alike. We Delivering you Souvenirs from China;Our site is Specialized in Selling Chinese Special Versions of Stamps, Currency (Coins / Paper), also Selling Souvenirs From the Most Famous Chinese Tourist Sites www.ChinaCoinz.com Part of NTD E-Commerce Co. LTD www.ChinaCoinz.com Part of NTD E-Commerce Co. LTD,. He sold those babies for a profit. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. Dr. Hicks obviously cannot give his side of the story. They werent all there for abortions!! Natalie. Perhaps your dad was referring to the equipment used to save preemies. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree With Complete Detail, Goler Clan Family Tree Check All Members List. Theres probably a lot of dead babies because of his practices. Besides his charitable practices, he performed unauthorized abortions. These babies were born between weighing only 3.5 and 4.75 lbs.. ALL very unfavorable conditions!!!! I grew up with this story from my grandfather when i was little. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He let loose some real chaos into this world.. If you have any questions about something that you read in this post, please join in the discussion below. It can be a serious disease. He lied to those women whether they wanted their children or not. That $1000. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks And he was stealing babies telling mothers that they delivered a still born. i just hope i wont go made like them. Have you checked the adoption registries to see if hes looking for his biological family? Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. This is how those who were adopted can identify the parents or grandparents of their biological parents. I just wanted to say I watch this show about a little girl. One thousand dollars in 1955 would be nearly $10,000 today. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. Brother of Lucy Elizabeth Ketron; John Willie Hicks; Samuel Earnest Hicks; Infant Daughter Hicks and Carrie Ellen Dickson. I think that you did well with pointing out that this is not on and well done. Those who were adopted have few places to turn to track down their origins. I can empathize because of some similarities, but I cannot fully understand.
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