My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Miller 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.

* * * *

William B. Hicks, commonly known as “Judge Hicks,” and a leading citizen of Miller County, was born in McNairy County, Tenn. on January 17, 1833, being the son of Elijah and Kesiah (Kimmons) Hicks, the former born in North Carolina in 1803, and the latter in Bedford County, Tenn., in 1801. The father was a child when his parents moved from North Carolina to McNairy County, Tenn., and there he grew to maturity. Although he was a natural mechanic he selected farming as his calling, and followed that occupation all his life. His death occurred in McNairy County, Tenn., in 1836, when he was in his thirty-third year. He was a Democrat. After his death the widow married Elijah Simms who also passed from life in Tennessee. During the late war she went to Illinois to live with her daughter, and died there (in Fayette County) in 1865, at the age of sixty-four years. Before her marriage to Elijah Hicks she was the wife of Elias Bradshaw (who died in Tennessee), and was the mother of four sons: Joseph (now a farmer and practicing physician, of Kilgore, Tex.), Robert K. (now a leading merchant at Junction City, Tex.), and Amzi and James K. (both deceased). Amzi was a prominent lawyer of Texas, and James K. was a minister. Her union with Mr. Hicks resulted in the birth of five children, three still living: Sarah J. (wife of J. N. Hicks, of Montgomery County Ill.), D. C. (living near Hope, Ark.), and William B.; those dead are Minerva and Tegga. The school-days of our subject were spent in McNairy County, Tenn. At the age of twenty-four he started in life on his own responsibility by farming in his native State, but in 1859 he went to Texas, locating in Rusk County (now Gregg County), and after a nine years’ residence there came to this community. Since then he has resided for short periods at Queen City and Atlanta, Tex. His principal occupation has been that of a farmer. While in Atlanta he served as assessor and collector of corporation tax. In June, 1862, he joined the Eighteenth Texas Confederate Infantry, enlisting in Company K, in which he remained for three years, and was then transferred to Pratt’s Battery. During this time he was at Jenkins’ Ferry and Young’s Point, on the Mississippi River. He was taken prisoner near Pine Bluff, but soon escaped. He returned to his home in Rusk County, Tex., in July, 1835, and the following year had the misfortune to lose his wife, formerly Miss Mary Wray of Hardeman County, Tenn., to whom he had been married on January 1, 1857. She was the mother of three children, but two of whom are now living: J. M. (a prominent farmer and educator of Dallas County, Tex.), and Naomi (wife of John Crow, an agriculturist of Cass County, Tex.). The other child, Joseph C, died in 1864. Mr. Hicks remained a widower until 1869, and in March of that year was married to Mrs. Leona (Kelley) Gilliam, daughter of I. N. Kelley, and the widow of William Gilliam. She was born in Marietta, Ga., on October 18, 1848. She was the mother of one child by her first marriage: Sallie B. (now the wife of Samuel McCoslin, a farmer of Marion County, Tex.). Her union with Mr. Hicks was blessed with eight children, seven of whom survive: Ida (wife of Z. T. Thomas, a resident of Atlanta, Tex.), and Floyd C., Mattie, Katie, Teta, Leonora and Carroll, all at home. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hicks are members of the Christian Church. The former also belongs to the Alliance, and takes quite a deep interest in that organization. He is now serving as county actuary. Although he is a Democrat in his political views, he votes for the best men no matter what ticket. At the opening of the Spring Palace at Fort Worth, Tex., he delivered an address of considerable merit, for which he was highly complimented. At the close of the war he was financially in poor circumstances, but since that time by his energy, foresight and ability he has amassed considerable property. He owns the farm on which he is now living, which comprises some valuable pine and oak timber, also eighty acres of choice farming land, and besides this property he owns a fine farm near Longview, Gregg County, Tex. He is numbered among the substantial and well to-do citizens of Miller County.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 35 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Miller County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Miller County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Miller County, Arkansas family biographies: Miller County, Arkansas Biographies

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