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. 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. On another point, Ive heard it said that Dr. Hicks disposed of aborted babies in the river. We just were not there and will never know his thoughts. Jane Blasio, who broke the story of the Hicks Babies and leads investigative efforts, wrote her thoughts about Hicks on her website. How can this man NOT be vilified?! These folks deserve to know where they came from! How can you condone that? Are you for real?? To date, no one knows the exact number of babies he stole and sold on . 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). Dr. Hicks died a disgrace in 1972, one year before the Roe v. Wade decision. 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? It was Mother's Day of 1997 when Reymann saw a story in the Akron Beacon Journal featuring the story of Jane Blasio who had discovered she had been illegally sold as an infant for $1,000 from a clinic run by Dr. Thomas Hicks in McCaysville, Ga. some three decades earlier. This is how this group of babies, who are now all grown up, came to be called Hicks Babies. He also has a granddaughter who is sympathetic to the efforts of the Hicks Babies. Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their . Taken at Birth TrueStory https://t.co/E14faD7AFT pic.twitter.com/cXOtajC4yQ, Sugar Mummy (@findsugarmummy) October 9, 2019. We will never know the hell they have suffered. He lied to those women whether they wanted their children or not. He was born October 18, 1888. TLC's "Taken at Birth" will explore Thomas J. Hicks. Thank you. 2017. Aside from giving the adopted daughter her answer. Can never know. 1910 - Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, USA, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie E Hicks, Laura A Hicks, David Fleming Hicks, Mary Louise Hicks (born Holt), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Jr, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Mary Brown (born Hicks), est Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron (born Hicks), John William Hicks, Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Samuel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson, Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Samuel Earnest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Hicks, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Annie Laurie Hicks, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie Ellen Hicks, Anna Laura Wisdom Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Brown (born Hicks), Mary Edith Rogers Davis, Thomas J Jr Hicks, W Lynn Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Bloomingdale, Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States, Copperhill, Polk County, Tennessee, United States, Crestlawn, Polk County, Tennessee, United States. Think about it, some of these folks could fall in love with a relative and not even know it. She said the whole time she was having the babies that there was a very nice dressed lady sitting in the room across the hall from her. Powered by. 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. In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, a doctor was selling babies from his small town abortion clinic in the heart of McCaysville, Georgia. This is a story of a doctor who saved lives?? Corinthios, Aurelie. Dr. Thomas Hicks family tree 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. I am helping a relative looking for his birth parents or siblings. I do truly feel for the Hicks babies for not knowing; I know that must be hard. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. She had particular qualms with the notion of black market babies.. Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. 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. Autosomal DNA tests, such as Ancestry DNA, 23andMe, My Heritage, and Family Tree DNA, offer extensive DNA match lists. Dr. Hicks obviously cannot give his side of the story. Some theorized Hicks was buried beside his mausoleum because of concern the grave would be vandalized. To protect their privacy, I have chosen not to mention any of the individuals who were adopted by name in this article. Babies came to the mountains with him and babies left the mountains with him. I mean no disrespect towards anyone. There was a tip-off, though. I Just dont understand how anyone could possibly think what he did was right or just or in any way good at all!! To date, seven of the biological mothers have come forward. 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. 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. 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. In these cases, Hicks would forge a birth certificate and give the baby to adoptive parents in secret from his Georgia clinic. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (. And most of these women were likely unmarried, which was a huge no-no at the time. Blasio says that 50 of the 200+ children have been identified and located. Blasio first traveled to McCaysville in 1988 to search for her birth mother. This man not only took away peoples family history, but ruined their future as well. Adopting families from out of town often drove up to the door. Curiously, Dr. Thomas J. Hicks is not buried in a mausoleum that bears his name, but beside it. My parents were a young married couple and very much wanted their baby! One thousand dollars in 1955 would be nearly $10,000 today. 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. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around.4. His birth certificate when he ent into the service was different than the one his parents had, so all I know its June 19 or 20, 1941. The adopted child or biological mother can call and provide information about their gender and birthdate. His wife was a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. Thomas is 21 degrees from Jennifer Aniston, 20 degrees from Drew Barrymore, 22 degrees from Candice Bergen, 26 degrees from Alexandre Dumas, 17 degrees from Carrie Fisher, 32 degrees from Whitney Houston, 20 degrees from Hayley Mills, 20 degrees from Liza Minnelli, 20 degrees from Lisa Presley, 21 degrees from Kiefer Sutherland, 17 degrees from Bill Veeck and 22 degrees from Brian Nash on our single family tree. What years was he operating in TN, and where? Time is running out. Blasio has dedicated her life to helping reunite Hicks Babies with their biological families. They may not even know theyre adopted. Did your mother give birth in Akron or in McCaysville? i was told i was born in raymond wa. i am from polk county tenn we are trying to find if our brother danny is still alive we have learned 3 dead babies in my family it is interesting. About 15 of the 200+ babies have been reunited with their biological parents. 23andMe is on sale right now. There are stories that even suggest that some mothers were told that their babies did not survive at birth. 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. Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, the man behind the Hicks Babies, ran a small clinic in the tiny town of McCaysville, Georgia. Just keeping an RN on duty, even in the 1950s -60s, was a big expense. His parents were David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Holt. Jane needs to get a DNA test and compare it to Doris Abernathy, the town historian. These women often came away from faraway places. Shameful + Sinful + Criminal + Evil!! The reason I am writing is this. Thank you for visiting dr thomas hicks family tree page. If you fully watched the documentary you would know that almost all the babies were 4lbs at birth weight or even SMALLER and he was doing this to hurry along the money. Yes. Thanks, However, only four of his siblings survived to adulthood. Within a decade, he was not only performing illegal abortions but selling newborns on the black market. I am watching the TV documentary on Dr. Hicks and do not believe he should be so vilified. Many of the Hicks babies were able to do DNA testing as part of the TV show. i come from to sides of a family that are both messed up. He told some of the biological mothers that they had undergone an abortion. "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. Bragg, Rick. me are my real parents or not as i am finding out not every thing they told me about family is real. My mother was soooo lucky compared to all of the hudreds of babies Hicks Babies. In 2020 a 4lb baby as a very good chance of not making it even with amazing NICUs in todays age. in Psychology and enjoys writing about health and wellness. Hicks faced legal trouble for illegal abortions, but not for the illegal adoptions. You have several options when it comes to learning about your DNA, KnowYourDNA is the best source for finding all things related to DNA. 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 Thomas Hicks Family Tree Do You Know These Top Templates? A New York Times profile of Blasio appeared in 1997, which was around the. In the 1950s and 60s a small-town Georgia family doctor illegally sold hundreds of babies from the back door of his practice. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks His daughter is living in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. Theres nothing there, Linda, one of the Hicks Babies, told Narratively. I am a mother of a baby born in 2016 at 30 weeks 3lbs in an amazing NICU I couldnt imagine if my son was born in his condition back then. He lied to many and told them their babies died! The Dr Hicks who ran the black-market adoptions had a son who became a dentist. In these cases, Hicks would forge a birth certificate and give the baby to adoptive parents in secret from his Georgia clinic. After watching this documentary I can see how he got away with it for so long. Hicks performed illegal abortions in the 1950s and 1960s, along with the illegal adoptions, until he faced legal troubles in 1964 for the abortions. 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. These babies were later sold to adoptive families. 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. She always thought she had a boy out there somewhere. He reportedly performed abortions, which were illegal at the time, for $100. PS Ancestry DNA is a crook. AND IN ALL ACTUALITY HICKS LIED TO HER TO GET HER TWIN BOYS AND MADE OVER 2000 OFF OF HER PAIN. According to ABC News, Dr. Hicks convinced a few of these young moms to keep the babies and put them up in a hotel in town until they gave birth. 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. He is buried in Crest Lawn Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. What Was the Immigration Process at Ellis Island Like? 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. My mother/father picked me up from a nurse in a hotel in 1967. His Georgia clinic was located only a short distance away from his previous practice in Tennessee right across the border. How the hell would YOU feel?