More than 200 babies, known as the Hicks Babies, were sold by Hicks through a back window of the Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia during the 1950s and 1960s. 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 ABC News, accessed 17 September 2019. When they opened it up there was great excitement. amd im 13 so i have a long way to go . Yes, thats a horrible thought. 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. 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. According to the neonatalogist interviewed in the show many other babies must have died. Today, these babies are referred to as "Hicks babies.". 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 He also delivered the babies early, between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight and health issues. 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. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around. She has a B.S. If you havent been there, you cannot possibly imagine what that is like. After I watched your show on TLC, I took a trip up to the mountains., looked the house that was HIckscock and made a big mistake when I asked some questions. And the $1k sounds about like what my Dad was sold for. If he was truly compassionate and a good man he would not have lied to the mothers and told them they delivered a stillborn baby or that the baby died. Dr. Hicks died of leukemia in 1972 at the age of 83. Copyright 2023 Who are You Made Of? Thankful for the granddaughter who went beyond what most would have to get answers. Dr. Thomas Hicks died of leukemia, a type of blood cancer. We will never know the hell they have suffered. You people have no idea how many states/commonwealths this Hicks was in., he was known in the mountains of Pa as Hickscock. I am wondering if any possible hicks babies that have not found relatives has DNA done? He induced birth prematurely to make money. I can empathize because of some similarities, but I cannot fully understand. 23andMe is on sale right now, so its a good time to buy. a fun fact is that me and my mom and my dead grandfather only have his blood. Her name is Alana honey boo boo if you dont know who she is you can google her. Love and hugs to them all! My mother was soooo lucky compared to all of the hudreds of babies Hicks Babies. The so-called Hicks Babies had falsified birth certificates, and Dr Hicks kept no records tying them to their biological families. 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. Dr. Hicks, who passed away at the age of 83, was born in 1888 in Picket County, Tennessee. I am the youngest of seven siblings. I think that you did well with pointing out that this is not on and well done. It wouldve been 1964. Moves to NE Ohio and then to Michigan from 1868 to this day. Despite the obstacles, the investigative team - with the blessing and cooperation of the Hicks Babies community - works tirelessly to try and bring answers to the families impacted by Dr. Hicks' actions, from conventional DNA searches and door-to-door interrogations, to a mausoleum search. Appalachian History says his daughter is still alive and living in North Carolina. But lets be honest, no one is going to admit that they willingly sold their baby. So many of the women were told their babies had died. 2016. She never got over it. They were all corrupt! 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. I am happy to offer a dna sample if possible. now that im older and i actually understand what happened i think its horrible. There are many people who were adopted at birth who can use similar strategies to learn more about their recent and distant ancestry. My husband and I said the same thing while watching this show! My mother grieved for her baby the rest if her life! 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. What he did was awful feel so bad for those mothers and children. The motives of Hicks actions are unclear. Some of those in his town defend his actions, according to Narratively, saying he was providing a service. If it was a black-market clinic, there probably arent any records of the transaction. 4. Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their . I had a brother who was given up for adoption by his mother in Tennessee. Mama said they ran him out of Tennessee not long after that because he was killing so many babies. One of those babies he delivered in Tennessee was my oldest brother who was supposedly still born. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Doctor Hicks was NO saint and we recognize his dysfunction, the pain he caused many, and have learned to bear it, she wrote. The townspeople believed he encouraged pregnant women who came to him to carry their babies to term instead. Dr. Thomas J. Hicks performed abortions in the 1950s, long before abortions were legalized in Roe v. Wade. Anyways the family is from Georgia and they film there as well. He also told the mothers that their babies died, gave them death certificates but then sold the baby out the back door for $1000. Learn how your comment data is processed. The story has been featured in many TV specials, including on TLCs, Taken At Birth, which originally aired in 2019. A legacy linked to illegal adoptions in rural North Georgia, Woman illegally sold to couple by doctor as newborn speaks out with new book: 'story isn't just about me'. Who is Parent 1 or Parent 2 on Ancestry DNA? The birth certificates Ive seen were in the 6-7 lb range. His Georgia clinic was located only a short distance away from his previous practice in Tennessee right across the border. The illegal adoptions came to an end in 1964, when Hicks was caught performing illegal abortions. At-home DNA testing wasnt available until recently. What we have now is the mothers side of the story. My parents were a young married couple and very much wanted their baby! After years of wondering about her birth family, will Diane finally have closure? Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. You saw it. Buying or selling A CHILDTHERE IS EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THAT! Geni requires JavaScript! The biological mother was not mentioned, and there was no court record or other official document connecting the babies to their biological parents. 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. Jane Blasio, The Hicks Baby Who Broke the Black Market Baby Adoption Case: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. in todays market he did make money, he also induced those women into early labor to push those babies out putting the babies and mothers in jeopardy(I wonder how many died). You made your decision. The adopted child or biological mother can call and provide information about their gender and birthdate. And then today, with abortions being legal, aborted babies are having their body parts SOLD what a repugnant thought. Were it not for him encouraging these women to have their babies, these children would have never been given a chance at life. Just one grandparent can lead you to many Shameful + Sinful + Criminal + Evil!! You gotta wonder if this was a routine operation throughout history. He delivered my oldest brother. Could you imagine the survival rate back then for babies 3lb or 4lbs. I am honored to be part of the behind-the-scenes team of passionate and compassionate people who helped some of them in their journeys. Has your family done any dna tests like 23andme or ancestry? 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. You arent responsible for their sins. You really have no idea what you are talking about! I am watching the TV documentary on Dr. Hicks and do not believe he should be so vilified. Hed ask them to put on a medical gown and lay down on a table. Are you in all of the DNA databases? Town Secret Is Uncovered In Birth Quest. It is in Gods hands. Below is the list of best dr thomas hicks family tree website where you can find anything related to dr thomas hicks family tree. Expand. He was arrested for performing illegal abortions in 1964. More than 200 babies, known as the Hicks Babies, were sold by Hicks through a back window of the Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia during the 1950s and 1960s. Dr. Hicks is horrible. 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. You are right, Dr Hicks was an evil man. 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! One thousand dollars in 1955 would be nearly $10,000 today. News, TLC Shows. Ray, you bring up an excellent reason why everyone has the right to know who their biological family is. 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. 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. He would sell the babies to parents who wanted to adopt but couldnt afford to do so legally. Does it say where he was born or the name of the doctor? v. Wade legalized abortions. It may have started with good intentions, but these babies deserve the truth and they deserve it now. I may have a couple brothers out there. I just wanted to say I watch this show about a little girl. So no, I cant completely vilify as I just dont know. Thank you! Shame on him and all those who covered for him and his horrific lies. Blasio blew the whistle back in the 1990s. 1997. To give Sallie an answer. The motives of Hicks actions are unclear. One twin has not been found yet but the one that was found was adopted into a horrible family and had a really sad childhood. She assumed it was a legal adoption until he told her otherwise. Now fast forward 50 years, memories are skewed, you feel differently now, maybe you wish things were different. He was inducing them around 30 weeks handing out 4lb babies to people. 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. This type of adoption is just one way that many babies are adopted through illegal, black market adoptions. Some of Hicks Babies, as they are sometimes referred to as, have done DNA tests in order to identify relatives who might be able to help them learn who their birth parents were. If so, login to add it. My parents were young and married and wanted their first son! Her only health problem was asthma. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSZD-WWR: accessed 10 April 2021), Thos J Hicks in household of D Flem Hicks, Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 110, sheet 7A, family 118 He was protecting himself due to his many illegitimacies & looking out for his own financial interest!!! What's additionally staggering is it's believed that more than 200 infants, known as the "Hicks Babies," were victims of the doctor's scheme during the '50s and '60s. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks He died at age 83 in 1972 of leukemia, according to Appalachian History. HE WAS A HORRIBLE MAN, JUST HORRIBLE!!! Barbara, I shuttered when I read your comment! Hed encourage them to put their babies up for adoption instead. He buried them for her (such a nice guy) and gave her a birth certificate stating they were stillborn. It is unknown whether Hicks paid the biological mothers for the babies. You have several options when it comes to learning about your DNA, KnowYourDNA is the best source for finding all things related to DNA. Did the births take place at the Hicks Clinic? 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]. Apparently these women were seeking abortions, not babies. That is crazy! Hicks performed illegal abortions in the 1950s and 1960s, along with the illegal adoptions, until he faced legal troubles in 1964 for the abortions. But those he left behind have differing opinions on his actions. 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. I wondering how far the rabbit hole goes with him. This lecture will be retired after this offering, so dont miss out! Those who are among the babies that were adopted through the Hicks Clinic can take DNA tests to help discover who their biological parents might have been. Some residents seemed to know the double life he was leading. He lied to those women whether they wanted their children or not. This was rural Appalachia in the 50s and 60s, a lot of poor families. He then relocated just across the line in McCaysville Georgia. Learn how three Hicks babies were able to find biological family using DNA. I dont know. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. Now, my family has to wonder, is he out there? That is not correct. I owe my life to him, but he has also been the cause of so much pain and suffering. Ive heard the same story over and over, that the mother heard her baby cry but was told it was stillborn. A New York Times profile of Blasio appeared in 1997, which was around the. Hicks was providing a service, Ken Rush, director of the Ducktown Basin Museum, told Narratively. A fake birth certificate was produced, listing the adoptive parents as the parents of the child. I still dont know, one of the Hicks Babies, Melinda, told the publication. Its time the truth came to light. Prior to that, he was practicing just across the state line in Copperhill, Tennessee, and could well have been selling babies then. Many of the Hicks babies also began searching for their biological families. As I watched this documentary it made me think of the story my mother told many timesas her grandmother told hershe (my mother) was born in Oliver Springs TN.. (a little over two hours from McCaysville GA) A Dr Stone dilivered her and told her mother that she didnt make it meanwhile shes lying on a cart covered up with a sheet outside the room when her grandmother realizes shes there picked her up blew into her mouth then spanked her bottom and she started crying. Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, the man behind the Hicks Babies, ran a small clinic in the tiny town of McCaysville, Georgia. Barbara, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. We could be related. 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/. Hicks' wife and son had already passed away. His daughter is living in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. Not to mention the fact that some of these birth mothers thought their babies DIED! 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. I did do a DNA test with no response. And youve had children with them??? I think, at first, it was under the table, and then he had seen there was money involved. And he gave the babies to equally desperate childless parents. 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. Shameful + Sinful + Criminal + Evil!! And, even though it was illegal, many women thought they were having an abortion. My Mama and Daddy were young parents and though they were very poor they both wanted their first born with all their heart! How Did Hicks Black Market Babies Business Work? They may not even know theyre adopted. i was told i was born in raymond wa. Who was Thomas J. Hicks? Use your brain, IF good old dr hicks was such a good doctor then why did he need to tell the women that their baby died?? Hicks may not have been in Georgia during that time, but if he was in TN that might be a lead. Appalachian History, accessed 17 September 2019. i am interested in the hicks babies i supposely had a brother who died in the early 1950s i would like to know if he is still alive, DNA geek, As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around.4. 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. His wife and son both passed away, and his daughter lives in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. Please! He reportedly performed abortions, which were illegal at the time, for $100. Just horrible! Many of those from Hicks small town defended his actions. Jane Blasio's search for her birth mother in McCaysville, Ga, brings to light the black-market sale of as many as 200 babies delivered there by the late Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks between 1951 and . The sentiments were echoed in other news stories. So telling a mother that her baby died at birth while he sold it out his back door was fine with you? About 15 of the 200+ babies have been reunited with their biological parents. Looking for a DNA test that's accurate and can tell you about your health and heritage? He was married to a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. A lot of the babies that were sold were under 5lbs which could indicate that he induced labor which would make the childs death more believable since the baby came early. My parents lived together for 62 years and went on to have seven more children but my Mama grieved the rest of her life for the son she lost! The six-part, three-night special revisits the case of Dr. Thomas J. Hicks, who sold or gave away more than 200 infants from the '40s to the '60s By Jeff Truesdell Published on October 8, 2019 10: . Theres a documentary on the Hicks Babies that Im assuming you havent seen. She did tell me she heard her baby cry and Dr Hicks told her he was still born. What is the Levant DNA Region on Ancestry. Furthermore, over 200 babies! It was discovered that Dr. Thomas J. Hicks had been selling newborns from the small-town facility's backdoor for $1000. His family did not live like they had money in fact most of his money appeared to be put right back into the town of McKaysville into businesses which kept folks employed and kept the town thriving. If hes alive, hopefully hell see the TV show and decide to test. 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. What people dont realize is Doc Hicks started his practice in Tennessee. The son, Gillam Thomas Hicks, and his family will be featured in next week's column. He ran the Hicks Community Clinic and offered his services to poor copper mining families. So far, there are no positive DNA matches between babies and parents from the database. I hope all the people that are involved will find what ever it is they are looking for. To date, no one knows the exact number of babies he stole and sold on . They wanted to be rid of their babies and were desperate. 23andMe is on sale right now. We just were not there and will never know his thoughts. Before Doctor Hicks opened his practice in Georgia he was just across the state line in Polk County Tennessee in the 1930s. And in 1972, Hicks died at age 83. 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. Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their infants died. I cannot imagine being one of these babies. To protect their privacy, I have chosen not to mention any of the individuals who were adopted by name in this article. This is how this group of babies, who are now all grown up, came to be called Hicks Babies. The man that is Dr.Hicks first stolen, one of the twins. Hicks Baby Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother. 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. "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. The Hicks Community Clinic has been closed for years, but the building still stands. I know your heart aches. Originally from Tennessee, Thomas Hicks was educated at Tusculum College (now Tusculum University) and Carson-Newman College, both in Tennessee, and Emory University Medical School near Atlanta, Georgia. He was wrong and he did wrong so did the mayor and chief of police. Hicks lied, blatantly, to some of these women, hell probably 90% of them. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree With Complete Detail, Goler Clan Family Tree Check All Members List. My YDNA indicates I am not Hicks. Why am I rehashing this. At least 200 babies had their identities stolen. Taken at Birth: The Hicks Clinic Stolen Babies, Best Food Sensitivity Test To Take At Home (2023), The Best DNA Tests (for Health, Ancestry, and Ethnicity), Best At-Home Allergy & Intolerance Tests (2023), We Took The Viome Gut Test Heres Our Verdict. But he didn't stop the illegal adoptions. Would love to have help, Im mr.hicks grate grate grand daughter sadly, hes from my moms side of the family. For him to lie to these women is unforgivable. She did NOT go to him for an abortion, she went to deliver MY BROTHER. Adopting families from out of town often drove up to the door. You can see for yourself google him. These lists include people who are genetically related to us. On the documentary the officer in the second episode claimed he gave a relative of his a shot and she died 30min later. Jane needs to get a DNA test and compare it to Doris Abernathy, the town historian. 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 . Interesting. He told women their babies had died when they hadnt. The same lecture is offered twiceNovember 1 and 2, 2022to accommodate schedules and time zones. He took HUGE risks for essentially very little in return, in fact he did lose his medical license in 1964 for performing an abortion. There is living proof, with dna, of one man, who along with his twin brother, was reported dead and buried by Dr. Hicks.

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