Thank you! It wouldve been 1964. He also delivered the babies early, between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight and health issues. "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, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9119259/thomas-jugarthy-hicks, See: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:McCaysville%2C_Georgia Surnames in his family tree include Thomas, Fitch, Green, Waddell, and Johnson. Dr. Hicks, who passed away at the age of 83, was born in 1888 in Picket County, Tennessee. A New York Times profile of Blasio appeared in 1997, which was around the. Sompayrac believes her grandfathers actions helped the birth mothers in need and gave the babies life. Corinthios, Aurelie. 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. It was a horrible thing he did to my parents and the rest of us when he stole my oldest brother! Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their . saying the baby was stillborn could have been nothing more than a cover story for them. Looking for a DNA test that's accurate and can tell you about your health and heritage? Within a decade, he was not only performing illegal abortions but selling newborns on the black market. It includes a handout, plenty of time for questions and discussion, and access to the recording for 2 weeks. 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. Theyre an invaluable resource for parentage searches. These women often came away from faraway places. If he is out there and looking he may have tried the dna route. 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. He was her first born and she said she heard him cry yet Dr Hicks told her he was still born. But he didn't stop the illegal adoptions. In these cases, Hicks would forge a birth certificate and give the baby to adoptive parents in secret from his Georgia clinic. Janice, I am from Polk County Tennessee as well and Dr Hicks delivered my oldest brother before they ran him out of Tennessee. Some of the ads and links on this website are affiliate links which pay me a commission if you purchase through them. A sick, twisted & greedy man. I do truly feel for the Hicks babies for not knowing; I know that must be hard. 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 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 Hopefully he got his comeuppance. 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. Mama told me they ran the doctor out of Tennessee after that because he was killing so many babies. He was wrong and he did wrong so did the mayor and chief of police. Hicks initially lost his clinic for doing illicit abortions. It would give me great peace to know I found him or his family for my sweet Mama. Perhaps your dad was referring to the equipment used to save preemies. Shameful + Sinful + Criminal + Evil!! So far, there are no positive DNA matches between babies and parents from the database. 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. His clinic, the Hicks Clinic, was in operation between about 1945-1965. Mama never got over this. No one with half a brain can even think that is good. 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. You arent responsible for their sins. Thank you. i just hope i wont go made like them. 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. Absolutely horrifying!!!!! 23andMe is on sale right now, so its a good time to buy. Please! It is in Gods hands. She has a B.S. 2017. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. Those who were adopted have few places to turn to track down their origins. So no, I cant completely vilify as I just dont know. Jane Blasio, The Hicks Baby Who Broke the Black Market Baby Adoption Case: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. She hopes DNA testing will enable them to find their birth parents. Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. Until Mother's Day 1997, when his adoptions were exposed. I did do a DNA test with no response. HIS BIO FAMILY DIDNT FIND OUT ABT HIM UNTIL 60 YEARS LATER AND TOO LATE BECAUAE HIS MOTHER WAS I ALREADY DEAD. 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. Blasio went on to help dozens of Hicks babies so they could track down their birth parents and relatives. Not sure how you can justify robbing mothers of their babies (some were told the babies died) or destroying the records so those that wanted to find their biological parents had no way of doing so. Who was Thomas J. Hicks? His name would have been Von Gordon Prince. My decision is there was something very wrong going on. Some of those in his town defend his actions, according to Narratively, saying he was providing a service. The so-called Hicks Babies had falsified birth certificates, and Dr Hicks kept no records tying them to their biological families. It is unknown whether Hicks paid the biological mothers for the babies. Her only health problem was asthma. He died in 1972 and it took three decades before Hicks' actions were brought to light. 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. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around.4. 'Hicks baby' reunited with her birth mother and brother I think, at first, it was under the table, and then he had seen there was money involved. Dr. Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. If shes still alive and knows shes adopted, she may be looking for you using DNA. These babies were born between weighing only 3.5 and 4.75 lbs.. ALL very unfavorable conditions!!!! They may not even know theyre adopted. The reason I am writing is this. I would love to be able to find him or maybe some of his family. Copyright 2023 The DNA Geek Ascension WordPress theme by, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), New TLC Special Taken At Birth Dives into Shocking Hicks Babies Black Market Adoption Scandal, Babies For Sale: The Secret Adoptions That Haunt One Georgia Town, Hicks Baby Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother, Busted not for selling babies, but for the abortion clinic, 23andMe Introduces the Automated Family Tree , The Hicks Babies The DNA Geek | Ups and Downs of Family History V2.0, https://thednageek.com/how-to-transfer-your-ancestrydna-test-to-other-databases/, Book Review: I Know Who You Are, by Barbara Rae-Venter, Up Your DNA Game With New Courses in 2023, Verogen Increases Costs for Law Enforcement Again, A Board of Certification for Investigative Genetic Genealogy Is Announced. His parents were David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Holt. For perspective, $1000 in 1950 is equal to about $10,900 in todays dollars. The Hicks Community Clinic has been closed for years, but the building still stands. (@Angel5Christine) October 8, 2019. I have had two of my children die. They were not, and he sold those babies. Furthermore, over 200 babies! My Hicks line starts in New York in 1833. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He lied to those women whether they wanted their children or not. What he did was completely illegal, but was it less moral than aborting these babies? Hicks' wife and son had already passed away. The series tells the story of a man that stole over 200 babies and sold them on the black market. So that he could make money. Youre as crazy as he was if you think he should even get a pat on the back for his time and services. Im disgusted that someone would think that this is ok. 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. This lecture will be retired after this offering, so dont miss out! TLC Most people whose recent ancestors were born in the United States will find that their DNA match lists include people who are related to them at a distance of 2nd-3rd cousins. Personally I hope that Dr Hicks is burning in hell! I am the youngest of seven siblings. If there was no demand for the service, Hicks would not have been doing it. He was married and had three children. Yes. The illegal adoptions came to an end in 1964, when Hicks was caught performing illegal abortions. It sickens me to see any one make what he did look OKAY! Powered by. Babies came to the mountains with him and babies left the mountains with him. Estimates show Hicks sold about 200 babies from the 1940s to the 1960s.3. Several of the Hicks Babies found the mausoleum was vandalized when they paid a visit in 2018. 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. Does it say where he was born or the name of the doctor? Those who were adopted have few places to turn to track down their origins. Have you taken a DNA test yourself? Dr. Hicks created fake birth certificates and listed the adoptive parents as biological parents. Bloomington, Pickett, Tennessee, United States, Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks & Chass Copeland, marriage record, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9119259, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-06-mn-10123-story.html, https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/23/us/town-secret-is-uncovered-in-birth-quest.html, https://www.distractify.com/p/dr-hicks-taken-at-birth, https://narratively.com/babies-for-sale-the-secret-adoptions-that-haunt-one-georgia-town/, https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a29403041/who-is-dr-thomas-j-hicks/, https://nypost.com/2019/10/08/black-market-babies-reunited-after-more-than-50-years/, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hicks-babies-trying-to-find-their-roots-decades-later/, https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/investigations/decades-old-secret-adoptions-solved-by-modern-dna-for-akron-area-families/95-597582808, https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2014/jun/22/seeking-family-links/250410/, https://globintel.com/usa/dr-thomas-hicks-wiki-taken-at-birth/, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSZD-WWR, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGFJ-W52, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ6P-BJM, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNX9-1PS, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN5X-3HV, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPQ5-SW1, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4ZJ-HRF, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JRRC-NPT, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:McCaysville%2C_Georgia, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. If hes alive, hopefully hell see the TV show and decide to test. John Stapleton, another one of the Hicks Babies, said he did not think Hicks started in the business for profit. Do you have your fathers original birth certificate? I was sold on the black market by my mum's doctor - The Sun How Did People Find Out About the Hicks Babies? "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (. What Does It Mean If You Have 1% Native American DNA? 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 . Login to find your connection. She always thought she had a boy out there somewhere. After years of wondering about her birth family, will Diane finally have closure? If it was a black-market clinic, there probably arent any records of the transaction. Do you know how that can mentally affect a woman? He did not have any choice but to lie on the birth certificates. Thank you. I just wanted to say I watch this show about a little girl. On another point, Ive heard it said that Dr. Hicks disposed of aborted babies in the river. Some were children of women Hicks convinced not to have abortions. 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. I am wondering if any possible hicks babies that have not found relatives has DNA done? I have so many thoughts racing through my mind. But many aspects of his clinic remain a mystery to this day. Because the adoptions were illegal and their birth certificate were forged, there are no records of their biological parents which would allow them to find their origins. Learn how your comment data is processed. They look exactly alike. Dr Thomas Jugarthy "Tommy" Hicks Jr. - Find a Grave And he gave the babies to equally desperate childless parents. We could be related. I Just dont understand how anyone could possibly think what he did was right or just or in any way good at all!! I grew up with this story from my grandfather when i was little. Thank you. And then the consistent low birth weights are concerning. 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. He was born in April 1964 Sumner County TN from what he knows. The motives of Hicks actions are unclear. Eventually, in 1964, he was caught performing an abortion and was summarily stripped of his medical license. This is accomplished through the careful study of DNA matches. In the 1950s and 60s a small-town Georgia family doctor illegally sold hundreds of babies from the back door of his practice. Can never know. As far as they know the first baby that was adopted out was a twin. This man was worse than the plague! Dr Hicks sold over 200 babies from his clinic in McCaysville during the 50s and 60s Credit: YouTube. Aside from families that might eventually tell their adult children, the only hope Hicks babies have of finding their biological relatives is DNA tracking. Sims Family Tree View These Best Collection, Mishima Family Tree Find Best Design For You. Busted not for selling babies, but for the abortion clinic 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. Her initial search was unsuccessful, so she contacted a Georgia probate attorney. She was 23. 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. Are you in all of the DNA databases? 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. He reportedly performed abortions, which were illegal at the time, for $100. Aside from giving the adopted daughter her answer. Thanks, She was 6 years old when her adoptive father sat her down about it. THIS POOR WOMAN THOUGHT HER TWIN BOYS HAD DIED. 2015. Hicks lied, blatantly, to some of these women, hell probably 90% of them. Women who wanted abortions would be talked into keeping the pregnancy so he could sell the baby once it arrived. He was inducing them around 30 weeks handing out 4lb babies to people. Leave a message for others who see this profile. Some residents seemed to know the double life he was leading. Hicks performed illegal abortions in the 1950s and 1960s, along with the illegal adoptions, until he faced legal troubles in 1964 for the abortions. i come from to sides of a family that are both messed up. 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. Not a mother who wanted to give her baby up for adoption, but a mother who trusted her doctor? Dr. Hicks is horrible. Love and hugs to them all! Many of the Hicks babies also began searching for their biological families. 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! Cristine Santander is a content writer for KnowYourDNA. The Hicks Community Clinic has been closed for years, but the building still stands. He also has a granddaughter who is sympathetic to the efforts of the Hicks Babies. So for that reason, I think were putting too much faith in these womens stories. There was no reason not to dig up his grave. Read our best DNA test page to find the best one for you. The man that is Dr.Hicks first stolen, one of the twins. now that im older and i actually understand what happened i think its horrible. Such an evil man to cause such heart ache! Dr. Thomas Hicks' Death: How Did the Doctor Die? | Heavy.com Dr. Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was posthumously accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. https://thednageek.com/dna-tests. They should at least be thankful that they werent aborted. Ideas for Getting Responses from DNA Matches. Their lower-priced test is fine for your purposes. That is when my older brother was born and my mother was told he was still born even though she told me she heard her baby cry. It can be a serious disease. All in all, I cannot condemn him. The cost is the same for you. Blasio has dedicated her life to helping reunite Hicks Babies with their biological families. And then today, with abortions being legal, aborted babies are having their body parts SOLD what a repugnant thought. He delivered my oldest brother. 2019. Yes he had a choice he just made the wrong one for greed!! 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. For him to lie to these women is unforgivable. How HEARTLESS can someone be then to tell a parent their childTHEIR CHILD died just so he could profit? 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. I can attest to the fact that some of the mothers were married (yes, to the biological fathers) at the time their infants were sold. This is a story of a doctor who saved lives?? My Mama and Dad were married and biological parents to my brother. Instead of killing the children he delivered live infants, told the mothers their babies were dead, and gave the babies away to parents who wanted them. 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. 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. The birth certificates Ive seen were in the 6-7 lb range. Did your mother give birth in Akron or in McCaysville? Thank you so much. It was discovered that Dr. Thomas J. Hicks had been selling newborns from the small-town facility's backdoor for $1000. Ray, you bring up an excellent reason why everyone has the right to know who their biological family is. Blasio and 200 others were taken from their mothers at birth in the 1950s and '60s and sold illegally on the black market out the back door of a clinic run by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks. 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. [But] I dont think it initially started that way., SAD STORYwith a happy ending for a brother & sister, John & Cindy were just 2 of more than 200 newborns sold by Dr. Thomas Hicks, a doctor in Georgia who was selling babies out of the back door of his clinic in the 50s & 60s. You are absolutely correct in your assumption. He would sell the babies to parents who wanted to adopt but couldnt afford to do so legally. What Happened to Dr. Thomas Hicks? The biological mothers of these individuals were persuaded to give their babies up for adoption and they were allegedly sold to their adoptive parents through the Hicks Clinic, owned by Dr. Hicks. Kriste Hughes is reunited with her mother, Thelma Tipton, and big brother Roger Tipton, after Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks illegally sold her to adoptive parents . She named him Von Gordon. This man not only took away peoples family history, but ruined their future as well. They wanted to be rid of their babies and were desperate. Not to mention the fact that some of these birth mothers thought their babies DIED! Theres nothing there, Linda, one of the Hicks Babies, told Narratively. 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, The son, Gillam Thomas Hicks, and his family will be featured in next week's column. That son adopted Sallie, who was featured in the show. #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, begins Wednesday at 9/8c. Never has been black market babies, she told WKYC. Women came to have abortions and he told them it was a successful procedure, only to take that premature baby and sell it to someone. You people have no idea how many states/commonwealths this Hicks was in., he was known in the mountains of Pa as Hickscock. You really have no idea what you are talking about! 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. She never got over it. Nor did he put women in touch with legal adoption providers. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. He deserved to be paid for his time and services as well after all, this was time he could have spent seeing other patients, and medical equipment and supplies are not cheap. Many of those from Hicks small town defended his actions. Could you imagine carrying your baby a whole pregnancy having a nursery all set up and you go to the hospital deliver your baby and be lied to that your baby died smh Im speechless. Dr. Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was posthumously accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. Oh well for them, I was raised in those mountains and Im not afraid of them. Who Are the Hicks Babies? - Who are You Made Of? I know your heart aches. But those he left behind have differing opinions on his actions. Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) - Genealogy - geni family tree Would love to have help, Im mr.hicks grate grate grand daughter sadly, hes from my moms side of the family. Thank you for visiting dr thomas hicks family tree page. View Ancestry DNA Matches By Ancestor With ThruLines. It turned into a business. Blasio first traveled to McCaysville in 1988 to search for her birth mother. Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206086779/margaret-mary-brown, Samuel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson, Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), David Fleming Hicks, Mary Louise Hicks (born Holt), Samuel Earnest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Hicks, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Annie Laurie Hicks, 1910 - Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, USA, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie E Hicks, Laura A 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, Oct 18 1888 - Orebank, Sullivan, Tennessee, United States, Mar 5 1972 - Copperhill, Polk, Tennessee, United States, Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Jr, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Mary Brown (born Hicks), uel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron (born Hicks), John William Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas J Jr Hicks, W Lynn Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86371930/carrie-ellen-dickson, Bloomington, Pickett County, Tennessee, USA, Crestlawn Cemetery, Polk County, Tennessee, USA, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9119259/thomas-jugarthy-hicks, https://www.geni.com/projects/SmartCopy/18783. He also has a living granddaughter named Sally Sompayrac. 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 . 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.