My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Columbia County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

Jefferson Hicks, farmer and miller, Magnolia, Ark. This name is not unfamiliar to those in the vicinity of Magnolia, as well as those in the county, for he who bears it is numbered among the wide awake, enterprising citizens of this community. Born in Coweta County, Ga., October 28, 1831, he is the son of Amos and Permelia (Terry) Hicks, the father supposed to have been born in Virginia, about 1806. The latter emigrated from Georgia to Alabama about 1833, from there back to North Georgia about 1846, then again returned to Alabama in 1854. About 1867 he moved to Little River County, Ark., and there his death occurred in 1878. His wife died several years previous to this. Their family consisted of five sons and five daughters, of whom Jefferson Hicks is the seventh in order of birth. The latter was reared in Georgia and Alabama, and was fairly educated in the common schools. In 1855 he was united in marriage, in Alabama, to Miss Julia Furlow, a native of Greene County, Ga., born in 1841, and four children are the result of this union: Edwin T., Nettie N., Walter and Lula. Mr. Hicks emigrated from Alabama to Columbia County. Ark., in January, 1858, and with the exception of three years in the army and two years that he resided in Louisiana, he has been a resident of this county ever since. Upon entering the Confederate army during the war, he joined the Thirty-first Louisiana Regiment, afterward, in 1863, being transferred to Company K, Nineteenth Louisiana Regiment Infantry, and served until the surrender. He was in the battle of Vicksburg, Champion’s Hill and other engagements. He was taken prisoner at Vicksburg, but was immediately paroled. He joined the Masonic fraternity at Summerville, Ga., in 1853, and is now Master Mason of Killgore Lodge. He is also a member of the Wheel. When he first came to this county he was engaged in the saw-mill business, but he has not done much in this line for several years, paying all his attention to his farming interest. He bought his present farm in 1872, all unimproved land, and now has about 100 acres under cultivation. He has about 1,300 acres in all, and has some land in Louisiana. He owns his father’s old place in Little River County. He was formerly a Whig, but is now a Democrat in politics, and his first presidential vote was for Cass. Mrs. Hicks is a member of the Protestant Methodist Church. They are highly respected citizens.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 106 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Columbia County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Columbia County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Columbia County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.