John Wesley Hicks was born somewhere in Canada in 1888. He married Gladys Westcott in Plymouth, Devon, England in 1921. He died in Oregon, USA in 1984.
The name of John Wesley Hicks sound as though it may have had its origins in Cornwall, I was wondering if anyone could help with any information regarding his parents and their origins.
Regards, Sue
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Thread: John Wesley Hicks
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05-11-2008, 8:32 AM #1DevonmadeGuest
John Wesley Hicks
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05-11-2008, 9:16 AM #2NickMGuest
It seems odd that someone would have emigrated to Canada, then come back to England to marry, then emigrate through Canada again into America ?
Strangely, there are several John Wesley Hicks who come up on an Ancestry search who could fit the bill. There is a John Wesley Hicks b. 1888 in Campbellford Ontario, shown crossing into the USA, arriving 27 Apr 1923 in Buffalo New York. There is also a record of a "Wife Gladys Hicks" b. 1888 England arriving in New York on 17 Nov 1923, so this could well be his wife.
Now, there is a John Wesley Hicks born 17 May 1888 in Ontario to John Hicks and Martha (nee Lee) in Campbellford Ontario. Assuming that we have the right John Wesley Hicks, you now have the name of his father, but unfortunately the birth record does not record the birth places of the parents (although it does say that John Hicks was a carpenter).
Ontario Marrriage record 18 May 1881 - Samuel John Hicks, b. abt 1846, age 35, Cramahe, Father's name Robert Hicks, Mother's name Anna Hicks married Martha Lee, b. abt 1859, age 22, Cramahe, Father's name Alexander Lee, Mother's name Sarah Lee. Cramahe is about 80 miles east of Toronto. Campbellford is about 20 miles NE of Cramahe.
The 1891 census shows John (Wesley) living with his widowed mother Martha in Campbellford.
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05-11-2008, 10:18 AM #3DevonmadeGuest
Thank you NickM, I think you have found him. I wondered if John Wesley Hicks was in the UK owing to the First World War and perhaps he was a Canadian Soldier or Sailor. He had three children, Gordon Wesley who was born in Canada in 1922 and then twin girls Claire M and Martha M born in Ohio in 1926.
Sue
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05-11-2008, 10:33 AM #4NickMGuest
That's possible, but I can't find any military records (which doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't any). I think it's possible that John's mother may have found it hard to make ends meet when his father died, so maybe he was either sent to a relative in England, or made his own way there to make his fortune ? If you could establish what he did for a living, that may throw some light on it. What is also quite interesting is that on the 1891 census there are two female Hicks living as "lodgers" with John's mother, one aged 43 and the other 19, both unmarried and (unlike Martha) they were both born in England. Maybe they were relatives of John's late father who had come over for a memorial service, and maybe John went back to England with them ?
P.S. According to a family tree I found on Ancestry, John's father Samuel John Hicks died 28 Feb 1891 in Warkworth, Ontario, Canada. No supporting documentation, though.
P.P.S. John Hicks b. 17 May 1888, died Sept 1967, Last known address 97223 Portland, Washington, Oregon, United States of America. This doesn't tie in with the death date you have !
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05-11-2008, 10:55 AM #5DevonmadeGuest
We don't know much about John Wesley Hicks other than what I have found out via the internet revords available. My husband had always thought he was an American so it was a surprise to find that both he and his son were born in Canada. Everyone thought that when Gladys first went overseas she was going to America. I recently found her first visit to the UK with son Gordon sailing from New York in 1923. I cannot access record for Canada on
Ancestry but see that a Gladys Florence Hicks entered Cananda via st John New Brunswick.
The only other info I have is that John Wesley Hicks was listed as a Sheet Metal Worker at a Boat Works.
Sue
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05-11-2008, 12:56 PM #6BeeJayGuest
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05-11-2008, 1:01 PM #7NickMGuest
That would make him a lot younger than the John Wesley Hicks that I've been looking at. I don't think he's the same chap at all. There is another John Wesley Hicks born about 1893 on Ancestry.
........ or maybe he was just lying about his age ? Definitely found him on the US 1930 census.......
John W Hicks (transcribed as John Y on Ancestry) living in Columbiana, Salem, Ohio
Born 1889
Age at last marriage 32
Value of house $3800
Place of birth Canada
Occupation: Sheet metal worker at boat works
Gladys Hicks
Born 1901
Age at last marriage 20
Place of birth England
Gordon W Hicks born 1922 Canada
Claire M Hicks born 1927 Ohio USA
Martha M Hicks born 1927 Ohio USA
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05-11-2008, 1:21 PM #8BeeJayGuest
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05-11-2008, 1:42 PM #9NickMGuest
Here's an interesting entry.....
Border Crossings from Canada to the US, 1923.....
Gordon W Hicks, age 1y 3m.
Race: English.
Border Crossing: Mt. Dennis, Buffalo, USA.
Name and address of nearest relative or friend, and country from whence alien came: Aunt, Mrs May McCullough, 232 Bloom Street (Apt. H), Toronto.
Final destination: Salem, Ohio.
Here's his WW2 registration papers....
John Wesley Hicks, born 17 May 1888 Campbellford, Ontario, Canada
Age 53
Address: 72 E. Fifth St., Salem, Ohio.
Next of kin: Mrs. Gladys Hicks, 72 E. Fifth St., Salem, Ohio.
Employers name & address: Mullins Mfg. Co., Salem, Columbiana, Ohio.
Height 5' 6"
Weight 131 lbs
Eyes Brown
Hair Brown
Complexion Light
Tattoo on left arm
Dated 26 Aug 1942
I think we had the right man all along
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05-11-2008, 1:47 PM #10DevonmadeGuest
Hi
I do not have the marriage certificate for John and Gladys but they are certainly the family from the US 1930 Census. They ended up in Portland Oregon. Gladys did have the middle name of Florence and they were married on the 28 Mar 1921 in Plymouth, Devon, so the sailing from Liverpool to St John, NB also looks correct even though John's age is wrong. I think we should go on 1888/9 as this is the date on the 1930 census and also on his death registration which is Sep 1967 as NickM pointed out (1984 was when Gladys died).
Many thanks for all your help.
Sue
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