farmer and
mechanic, Posey Township, an old resident of this county, was born in Vermont in 1807, He is a son of
Solomon and Lucy (Butts) Hicks, his father a native of New York, and mother probably of
Connecticut. His parents married in Vermont and moved to New York, where they lived several years,
his father, a farmer. About 1825 the family moved from New York direct to this county, and
located near Patriot, and here the parents resided till their deaths.
There were
ten children: Anna, Harvey, Phoebe, Stephen, Samuel, John, Mary, Lucy,
Emily and Martin, four
of whom are still living. Stephen Hicks grew up on the farm. He spent a
few years on the steam-boats
"General Pike" and "General Marion," and in 1830 married Lucinda Carle,
daughter of
Benjamin and Ruth (Sanburn) Carle, and at length picked up the wagon
trade. He purchased his
present farm in 1832, and has since chiefly resided on the same. Mr.
Hicks has but two children
living: Benjamin C. and Lucy. Another son, Stephen, is deceased. Mr.
Hicks is a member of
the Universalist Church, and was formerly a member of the Masonic
lodge. He is now seventy-eight
years old and well preserved, and is able to do a fair day's work at
his trade, which he
follows chiefly in his later years. Mr. Hicks' second wife was Abigail
Barker, and his third and present wife, Electa E. Hammond, of whom Lucy Hicks
(now Seymour) is a daughter.
Source: History of Switzerland County, Indiana 1885. Chicago, Illinois: Weakley, Harraman & Co., 1885
Transcribed by: Sheila Kell