The story broke across the U.S. in 1997 when an Akron woman named Jane Blasio learned that her parents bought her from a clinic in Georgia. He delivered my oldest brother. DNA ancestry testing offers a way for people interested in family history (genealogy) to, Our Verdict: My reports from GPS Origins arent nearly as comprehensive as the ones, FamilyTreeDNA has tons of features and information that you wont get with most of, There are plenty of cheap DNA tests you can purchase if you want to, The offerings from each DNA testing service vary wildly, so it can be difficult. amd im 13 so i have a long way to go . Starting in 1955 and running through the early 1960s, Hicks offered secretive abortions and adoptions here. Many came forward after their adoptive families said they were from the Hicks clinic. What he did was completely illegal, but was it less moral than aborting these babies? He let loose some real chaos into this world.. (@Angel5Christine) October 8, 2019. Hicks didnt oversee legal adoptions. These include the nurse, the secretary who signed the false documents, Hicks lawyer, and the sheriff who investigated Hicks illegal abortion clinic. He was born October 18, 1888. At least 200 babies had their identities stolen. "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JRRC-NPT: 9 January 2021), Thomas Hicks, Mar 1972; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing). 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! 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. Husband of Chass Chassie Hicks All in all, I cannot condemn him. That is crazy! Barbara, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Thank you for visiting dr thomas hicks family tree page. Im sorry but thats a totally twisted way of thinking in my view!! This is how this group of babies, who are now all grown up, came to be called Hicks Babies. Many of those from Hicks small town defended his actions. Table, Dave. His parents were David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Holt. You dont want to vilify him? Besides his charitable practices, he performed unauthorized abortions. In next week's column, this family's lineage will be continued with the family and history of Samuel Hicks (2). Babies came to the mountains with him and babies left the mountains with him. Jane Blasio, The Hicks Baby Who Broke the Black Market Baby Adoption Case: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. What we have now is the mothers side of the story. She always thought she had a boy out there somewhere. The news captivated many outside McCaysville. Many people who fell victim to the Hicks baby market hope these DNA tests will help them find closure. Dr. Hicks is horrible. I know this first hand because of how it deeply hurt my mother for many, many years! 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 in Psychology and enjoys writing about health and wellness. HIS BIO FAMILY DIDNT FIND OUT ABT HIM UNTIL 60 YEARS LATER AND TOO LATE BECAUAE HIS MOTHER WAS I ALREADY DEAD. what he did was very wrong and im very sorry for all those kids and parents. Geni requires JavaScript! Could you imagine the survival rate back then for babies 3lb or 4lbs. Were it not for him encouraging these women to have their babies, these children would have never been given a chance at life. Dr. Dhingra has of over a decade in diagnostic, clinical, research and teaching work, including managing all sections of Pathology laboratory including histopathology, cytology, hematology and clinical Pathology. How many women died themselves never knowing that they had a child or children out there and how many children, now adults, will never know their biological parents because its just too late and most of them have passed? There were cases where Hicks talked women out of abortion. can you imagine waking up one day to find out accidently that you were adopted and come to find out through this show or other means that your wife is your sister or first cousin? Did you like this post? 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 This is a story of a doctor who saved lives?? This is the process by which it was alleged to have worked: The doctor would advertise adoption services and prenatal care, in addition to care related to the termination of pregnancies, in the local community and surrounding areas. Furthermore, over 200 babies! It sits in a plaza in McCaysville, Georgia with a pizza shop on one end and a barbecue restaurant on the other, according to Narratively. 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. Babies born that early would need to remain in the hospital. Bruen, Matthew Steven. She noted to the TV station many of them went to good homes and led successful lives. Mama named my brother Von Gordon. Apparently these women were seeking abortions, not babies. i hope everything gets better for those kids and those parents. Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. If they went there to have abortions and he told them what they wanted to hear, saved the lives of their babies and put them into the arms of loving parents, that makes him a hero in my eyes. It can be a serious disease. Since you cant know which one in advance, your most cost-effective strategy is to test with AncestryDNA and 23andMe and then transfer the raw data file into the other databases for free. He surrendered his Georgia medical license to halt his prosecution.2. 23andMe is on sale right now. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Many of those from Hicks small town defended his actions. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. He was a good man, a good-hearted man. During the years that he ran his clinic, the town was at its population peak of between 1,800-2,000 residents. On the documentary the officer in the second episode claimed he gave a relative of his a shot and she died 30min later. Blasio confirmed with the county birth records that she was likely one of the hundreds of babies sold between 1950 and 1965.2. And he was more than happy to perform abortions. The method of the illegal adoptions has left many questions for those who started their lives in Hicks clinic. Why dig up a grave when dna could have given these people the answer if they were siblings? The judge discovered records showing an unusual number of women visiting Hicks clinic. Leave a message for others who see this profile. The same lecture is offered twiceNovember 1 and 2, 2022to accommodate schedules and time zones. Can never know. Thank you! now that im older and i actually understand what happened i think its horrible. What he did to all of those families was very wrong. So that he could make money. Both of Dr. Hicks parents were born in Tennessee. HE WAS A HORRIBLE MAN, JUST HORRIBLE!!! These babies were born between 3.5 and 4.75 lbs.. very unfavorable!! Uncover your ancestry, paternity, and health risks for peace of mind, Get affordable medical tests that you can privately take at home, Test your gut bacteria and learn ways to restore its balance, Discover healthy diets and apps that can help you lose weight, Lose weight without sacrificing your nutrition and health, Straighten your teeth at home and see visible results in months. I am the youngest of seven siblings. 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. My mother was soooo lucky compared to all of the hudreds of babies Hicks Babies. This is how those who were adopted can identify the parents or grandparents of their biological parents. When she woke she only had one baby. They werent all there for abortions!! Babies were handed out to them through the door or window. Many of the Hicks babies also began searching for their biological families. We just were not there and will never know his thoughts. To protect their privacy, I have chosen not to mention any of the individuals who were adopted by name in this article. Then hed place a baby in their arms. is anything else your are looking? At least one Hicks baby submitted his DNA to Ancestry.com and found a half-sister. His wife was a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. Hicks' wife and son had already passed away. So all of what you said is ridiculous. He gave them good care. And he gave the babies to equally desperate childless parents. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. He told women their babies had died when they hadnt. I have been advised by a man named Bill Miller from Cleveland Ohio that I was a Hicks baby but cannot find out if this is true. Husband of Chassie Hicks Absolutely horrifying!!!!! If hes alive, hopefully hell see the TV show and decide to test. No matter where they grew upmost often in the industrial cities of Ohiotheir birth certificates said they were born in the Hicks Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia. His parents were David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Holt. I may have a couple brothers out there. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around. Thats a totally twisted way of thinking!!! He induced birth prematurely to make money. CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Hed do anything for anybody sometimes hed pay a price for it, she said. Thank you. Thanks, Facebook He was born in April 1964 Sumner County TN from what he knows. Jane needs to get a DNA test and compare it to Doris Abernathy, the town historian. But there was nothing in it. Once they have grouped their DNA matches in to several groups, they can study the descendants of the ancestors to find where they connect to each other. Some of those in his town defend his actions, according to Narratively, saying he was providing a service. He is buried in Crest Lawn Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. i was told i was born in raymond wa. He took HUGE risks for essentially very little in return, in fact he did lose his medical license in 1964 for performing an abortion. All of the babies were children of mothers who were persuaded to give up their children for adoption, and were not biological children of Dr. Hicks. Have you heard the story of Dr. Hicks? Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. Dr. Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. I believe that he provided a valuable service, giving women an alternative, giving a baby a chance at life, giving a couple a chance to be parents. He delivered many babies in Tennessee before they ran him out of the state. My Hicks line starts in New York in 1833. Who is Parent 1 or Parent 2 on Ancestry DNA? 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. The source for today's story was the book The Hicks Family Tree; The Magnificent Journey of Our Branch of the Hicks Family Tree, 1455 to 2011, and The Families That Made a Difference, written by Gale Hicks Thompson and Bob G. Hicks. Estimates show Hicks sold about 200 babies from the 1940s to the 1960s.3. I grew up with this story from my grandfather when i was little. He induced births, told mothers their babies died and sold them! Try DNA ancestry.comI found my biological father this waybest way to find out if you have family is through DNA, Take a ancestry dna That is the test they are using. There are about 200 people, now adults, who are among those who are sometimes referred to as Hicks Babies. Wow! Dr. Thomas J. Hicks is the "bad guy" featured in a three-part docuseries titled Taken At Birth. My mom had two stillborn they told her. 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 . My oldest would have been born in Akron in 1960. Hicks may not have been in Georgia during that time, but if he was in TN that might be a lead. When I told my parents about this documentary.. My dad said well back then they didnt have the equipment to deal with infants like they to do today my response was oh they didnt know to clear the air passage way and slap a baby on the bottom? Dr. Hicks was a town doctor who performed illegal abortions. Jane Blasio, who broke the story of the Hicks Babies and leads investigative efforts, wrote her thoughts about Hicks on her website. | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Family Tree Building Basics for Beginners Book, Use DNA to Trace Your Mexican Family Tree Book, Example of Family Tree DNA Family Finder Results, were discovered more than two decades after Dr. Hicks death. Still, she defends her late grandfathers actions. The son, Gillam Thomas Hicks, and his family will be featured in next week's column. My thoughts exactly. 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. Ideas for Getting Responses from DNA Matches. How would you feel if you found out a child your told was dead is actually alive I wish Hicks was alive to stand trial for what he did, he had no right. You are right, Dr Hicks was an evil man. I think, at first, it was under the table, and then he had seen there was money involved. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks These types of adoptions can cause extra hurt for families, since they were financial incentives, coercion is often a factor, documents dont exist to help adoptees locate their biological families, and lies are often told to protect the adults involved in the illegal adoption. my sister some how never got the gene or blood of him. Ive heard that many times in my life by a lot of people. Thomas Hicks was a well-respected doctor in the small town of McCaysville, Georgia. A sick, twisted & greedy man. Both of Dr. Hicks' parents were born in Tennessee. Some were children of women Hicks convinced not to have abortions. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGFJ-W52: accessed 10 April 2021), Thomas J Hicks in household of D Fleming Hicks, Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 162, sheet 7B, family 136. Hicks initially lost his clinic for doing illicit abortions. Are you for real?? Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Hi, the category is just Category:McCaysville, Georgia. How Did Hicks Black Market Babies Business Work? Narratively, accessed 17 September 2019. In 2014, around 30 suspected Hicks Babies traveled to Tennessee to undergo DNA testing. All of Dr. Hicks grandparents were born in Tennessee, as were many of his great-grandparents. I hope your brother decides to test someday. She hopes DNA testing will enable them to find their birth parents. This was rural Appalachia in the 50s and 60s, a lot of poor families. There is absolutely NO defense for that.He treated these babies like they were nothing more than a puppy mill money making machine. These werent all women seeking abortions, a number of these women were seeking medical care for themselves and their unborn babies only to be robbed of that precious life. Buying or selling A CHILDTHERE IS EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THAT! Mama had seven more babies after that(Im the youngest)she never stopped grieving for her oldest son. You have several options when it comes to learning about your DNA, KnowYourDNA is the best source for finding all things related to DNA. Does it say where he was born or the name of the doctor? I realize Dr. Hicks is not here to defend himself or answer questions, but I cannot imagine how you can defend him after what you heard. If there was no demand for the service, Hicks would not have been doing it. I had a brother who was given up for adoption by his mother in Tennessee. They may not even know theyre adopted. His death occurred in 1972, long before any of the children that had been adopted illegally through Dr. Hicks clinic had discovered the truth about their origins. Father of Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr; Dr Walter Lynn Hicks and Private Despite the illegality of the abortions, Hicks would advertise the service at phone booths, bus stations and bridges, according to Appalachian History. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks in MyHeritage family trees (Sompayrac Web Site) Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr in 1940 United States Federal Census Thomas Hicks in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) view all Immediate Family Chassie Hicks wife Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr son Dr Walter Lynn Hicks son Private child Mary Louise Hicks mother pic.twitter.com/77eyWNLdHM. I did do a DNA test with no response. If he does, youll want to be in whichever database he decides to use. is anything else your are looking? When she ask Dr Hicks about it he told her it was the medication making her think that. The illegal adoptions stopped in 1964 when Hicks . Shameful + Sinful + Criminal + Evil!! Her only health problem was asthma. What people dont realize is Doc Hicks started his practice in Tennessee. The source for today's story was the book The Hicks Family Tree; The Magnificent Journey of Our Branch of the Hicks Family Tree, 1455 to 2011, and The Families That Made a Difference, written by Gale Hicks Thompson and Bob G. Hicks. I do truly feel for the Hicks babies for not knowing; I know that must be hard. How can this man NOT be vilified?! Im so sorry for your familys loss. What Happened to Dr. Thomas Hicks? Interesting. It is suspected that many of them did and there is rumor that perhaps he disposed of those little bodies in the river. It turned into a business. Dr. Thomas Hicks. I used AncestryDNA to solve all of the Hicks cases I worked on. She had particular qualms with the notion of black market babies.. Appalachian History says his daughter is still alive and living in North Carolina. READ NEXT: Jane Blasio, The Hicks Baby Who Broke the Black Market Baby Adoption Case: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Dr. Thomas Hicks: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. In other cases, he said their babies were stillborn and died before or during delivery. For perspective, $1000 in 1950 is equal to about $10,900 in todays dollars. Dr Harshi Dhingra is a licensed medical doctor with a specialization in Pathology. Love and hugs to them all! Her initial search was unsuccessful, so she contacted a Georgia probate attorney. Nor did he put women in touch with legal adoption providers. PS Ancestry DNA is a crook. He was born October 18, 1888. The adoptive parents paid $1,000 for the baby, and Hicks would provide housing for the mothers for several months at his farm, a hotel, his apartments or a telephone company building, according to Appalachian History. She carried him to full term and went to Dr Hicks to deliver her baby! 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. Dr Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was posthumously accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. https://t.co/900llb4znH, Angel Patriot?? 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. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. Did the births take place at the Hicks Clinic? Just recently I have been confirmed to be the last of the Hicks babies. Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) - geni family tree. Now, they are using the power of DNA to reunite with their biological families. It is unknown whether Hicks paid the biological mothers for the babies. There are many people who were adopted at birth who can use similar strategies to learn more about their recent and distant ancestry. was there more than one Dr. Hicks mentioned in the Taken AT Birth documentary or just one? Time is running out. I sincerely hope more can make connections before its too late. Busted not for selling babies, but for the abortion clinic. This man not only took away peoples family history, but ruined their future as well. How Did People Find Out About the Hicks Babies? She named him Von Gordon. Babies For Sale: The Secret Adoptions That Haunt One Georgia Town. Even though Dr. Hicks is not suspected to be biologically related to any of the Hicks Babies, some people might find his ancestry and family tree to be of interest. Hed ask them to put on a medical gown and lay down on a table. There is no evidence that any of the babies that were adopted through the actions of Dr. Hicks are related to him. #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, begins Wednesday at 9/8c. But he didn't stop the illegal adoptions. Theres nothing there, Linda, one of the Hicks Babies, told Narratively. Clickherefor more information. He also delivered the babies early, between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight and health issues. Sompayrac believes her grandfathers actions helped the birth mothers in need and gave the babies life. We only know about the ones who survived. Dr. Hicks died of leukemia in 1972 at the age of 83. Bragg, Rick. Not to mention the fact that some of these birth mothers thought their babies DIED! For him to lie to these women is unforgivable. So far, there are no positive DNA matches between babies and parents from the database. 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. Not a mother who wanted to give her baby up for adoption, but a mother who trusted her doctor? THE ONE FAMILY HAD TWIN BOYS AND THE MAN WAS IN A FAMILY THAT HATED HIM HIS ENTIRE LIFE. but i can't find me any where an i don't know if the people that raised. 'Hicks Baby' Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother, Who are the Hicks babies?