To have an unequivocal reference sample for any other Hicks children who want to know their origins. Just one grandparent can lead you to many I just wanted to say I watch this show about a little girl. She worked with TLCs Long Lost Family to locate biological family members. Dr Hicks told some of the mothers that their babies died, then he sold them. It turned into a business. Holy smokes! 2016. New TLC Special Taken At Birth Dives into Shocking Hicks Babies Black Market Adoption Scandal. Babies born that early would need to remain in the hospital. He did not have any choice but to lie on the birth certificates. The Hicks babies were babies sold by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks to different families. His work remained buried as well. Yes. 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. We will never know the hell they have suffered. Blasio went on to help dozens of Hicks babies so they could track down their birth parents and relatives. Since these adoptions were discovered more than two decades after Dr. Hicks death, there are many details of the story that may never be uncovered. I am currently fixing to do my own dna test. Geni requires JavaScript! https://thednageek.com/dna-tests. Appalachian History says his daughter is still alive and living in North Carolina. Babies For Sale: The Secret Adoptions That Haunt One Georgia Town. Jane Blasio, who broke the story of the Hicks Babies and leads investigative efforts, wrote her thoughts about Hicks on her website. When they opened it up there was great excitement. Corinthios, Aurelie. Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their . At the other end of the transaction, adoptive parents drove to a window in the alley behind the clinic, shelled out $1,000 or morebig money for the timeand were handed a newborn. my sister some how never got the gene or blood of him. Aug 05, 2015 at 7:11 pm. Do you know how that can mentally affect a woman? i was told i was born in raymond wa. Did you like this post? They should at least be thankful that they werent aborted. At least one Hicks baby submitted his DNA to Ancestry.com and found a half-sister. The reason I am writing is this. 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. 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. His Georgia clinic was located only a short distance away from his previous practice in Tennessee right across the border. Dr. Thomas Hicks. I know this first hand because of how it deeply hurt my mother for many, many years! now that im older and i actually understand what happened i think its horrible. Dr. Thomas J. Hicks died at age 83 on March 5, 1972, after a battle with leukemia. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPQ5-SW1: accessed 10 April 2021), A G Hicks, Copperhill, Polk, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 10, sheet 1B, line 89, family 17, "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4ZJ-HRF: 11 January 2021), Thomas J Hicks, Civil District 3, Polk, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 70-8, sheet 11B, line 42, family 207, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. was there more than one Dr. Hicks mentioned in the Taken AT Birth documentary or just one? Some were children of women Hicks convinced not to have abortions. 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. She said she heard her baby cry then Doc Hicks told her he was still born. Clickherefor more information. If they were going to have an abortion like some people are saying then there would be absolutely no need to tell the moms that. 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. In 2014, around 30 suspected Hicks Babies traveled to Tennessee to undergo DNA testing. 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. New York Times, accessed 17 September 2019. When she woke she only had one baby. Furthermore, over 200 babies! Interesting. Both of Dr. Hicks parents were born in Tennessee. about dr thomas hicks family tree please comment if we missed anything here, please let us know. Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Blasio first traveled to McCaysville in 1988 to search for her birth mother. My husband and I said the same thing while watching this show! 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. 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. My Mama and Daddy were young parents and though they were very poor they both wanted their first born with all their heart! 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? 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. The method of the illegal adoptions has left many questions for those who started their lives in Hicks clinic. He was married and had three children. The so-called Hicks Babies had falsified birth certificates, and Dr Hicks kept no records tying them to their biological families. He surrendered his Georgia medical license to halt his prosecution.2. Husband of Chassie Hicks His name would have been Von Gordon Prince. It was a horrible thing he did to my parents and the rest of us when he stole my oldest brother! My heart aches for your mother and your whole family. You made your decision. I do truly feel for the Hicks babies for not knowing; I know that must be hard. Adopting families from out of town often drove up to the door. Dr. Hicks obviously cannot give his side of the story. A fake birth certificate was produced, listing the adoptive parents as the parents of the child. Dr. Hicks died a disgrace in 1972, one year before the Roe v. Wade decision. What he did was awful feel so bad for those mothers and children. In addition, he did serve time in jail in Tennessee for illegally dispensing narcotics in the 1940s. All in all, I cannot condemn him. 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. 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. You can follow their life-changing stories in a three-night series, Taken at Birth, airing October 9th-11th, 2019, on TLC and some streaming platforms. 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. I used AncestryDNA to solve all of the Hicks cases I worked on. Dr Hicks quickly hushed the nurse and gave my grandma something to make her sleep. Mama named my brother Von Gordon. Were it not for him encouraging these women to have their babies, these children would have never been given a chance at life. They adored Dr Hicks and were fiercely protective of his reputation and legacy. GOOD NIGHT DEAD DAD, GOOD NIGHT GOOD NIGHT. 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. She grieved for him her entire life! 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. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around. 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. Many are still trying to find their biological relatives. I cannot imagine being one of these babies. In a small town filled with economical hardships, Hicks saw a need among pregnant women, although abortions conflicted with his faith, according to Narratively. Such an evil man to cause such heart ache! Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks What people dont realize is Doc Hicks started his practice in Tennessee. The illegal adoptions came to an end in 1964, when Hicks was caught performing illegal abortions. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. "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. ABC News, accessed 17 September 2019. Would love your thoughts, please comment. There are about 200 people, now adults, who are among those who are sometimes referred to as Hicks Babies. The townspeople believed he encouraged pregnant women who came to him to carry their babies to term instead. 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. Blasio has dedicated her life to helping reunite Hicks Babies with their biological families. 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. [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. My Grandma has been gone several years now, but she told us numerous times that in 1952 when she gave birth to my aunt that she remembers having two babies and the nurse telling her she had a boy. These babies were born between weighing only 3.5 and 4.75 lbs.. ALL very unfavorable conditions!!!! The same lecture is offered twiceNovember 1 and 2, 2022to accommodate schedules and time zones. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. The poverty here in the Copper Basin of southeast Tennessee and far north Georgia, which includes the town of McCaysville, often meant that pregnant women couldnt ask a relative or friend to help raise their children. 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. He is the man behind the babies who are now called the Hicks Babies. Her initial search was unsuccessful, so she contacted a Georgia probate attorney. Blasio confirmed with the county birth records that she was likely one of the hundreds of babies sold between 1950 and 1965.2. Have you taken a DNA test? You saw it. Dr. Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. Prior to that, he was practicing just across the state line in Copperhill, Tennessee, and could well have been selling babies then. In the documentary they have a positive match for Dr Hicks fathering one of the babies. He took HUGE risks for essentially very little in return, in fact he did lose his medical license in 1964 for performing an abortion. He induced labor and delivered low birth weight babies that were in danger of dying. 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. 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 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 birth certificates Ive seen were in the 6-7 lb range. I personally think he is a sociopath and I wonder if he could have been a Serial Killer as well. How Did People Find Out About the Hicks Babies? You gotta wonder if this was a routine operation throughout history. Today, these babies are referred to as "Hicks babies.". I was waiting for one mother to come on and say that they were told that their baby had died, but nope. Have The Hicks Babies Been Reunited With Their Birth Parents Or Birth Families? she weighed a little over 4lbs I wonder if theres any connection between those doctors. My parents were young and married and wanted their first son! Maybe hes out there and will search for you. A sick, twisted & greedy man. Ive heard the same story over and over, that the mother heard her baby cry but was told it was stillborn. The judge discovered records showing an unusual number of women visiting Hicks clinic. What Does It Mean If You Have 1% Native American DNA? Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn more about yourself. Janice, I am from Polk County Tennessee as well and Dr Hicks delivered my oldest brother before they ran him out of Tennessee. That $1000. Sims Family Tree View These Best Collection, Mishima Family Tree Find Best Design For You. I hope youre able to solve your case soon. Busted not for selling babies, but for the abortion clinic. She noted to the TV station many of them went to good homes and led successful lives. 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. Join the search for truth. Mama never got over this. So that he could make money. The charges didnt mention that he sold babies or had them illegally adopted. She never got over it. But advocates hope it will someday happen. Its time the truth came to light. At least 200 babies had their identities stolen. One thousand dollars in 1955 would be nearly $10,000 today. 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. John Stapleton, another one of the Hicks Babies, said he did not think Hicks started in the business for profit. Yes he had a choice he just made the wrong one for greed!! Women came to give birth, and were told their babies were stillborn! It is in Gods hands. During the documentary they interviewed a dr that runs a NICU and he said absolutely many of these babies died from there extremely low birth weight and the adoptive parents would have had no choice but to just discard them. We can tell ourselves stories, and they become our truths. 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. Personally I hope that Dr Hicks is burning in hell! I dont know. He was born in April 1964 Sumner County TN from what he knows. This was rural Appalachia in the 50s and 60s, a lot of poor families. It is possible that deaths like these convinced Dr. Hicks that something needed to be done.. The motives of Hicks actions are unclear. My decision is there was something very wrong going on. AND IN ALL ACTUALITY HICKS LIED TO HER TO GET HER TWIN BOYS AND MADE OVER 2000 OFF OF HER PAIN. TLC's "Taken at Birth" will explore Thomas J. Hicks. When she ask Dr Hicks about it he told her it was the medication making her think that. So far, there are no positive DNA matches between babies and parents from the database. My YDNA indicates I am not Hicks. Despite the illegality of the abortions, Hicks would advertise the service at phone booths, bus stations and bridges, according to Appalachian History. I did do a DNA test with no response. Father of Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr; Dr Walter Lynn Hicks and Private 'Hicks Baby' Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother, Who are the Hicks babies? This is a story of a doctor who saved lives?? He died at age 83 in 1972 of leukemia, according to Appalachian History. Occupation: Dentist Spouse: Sallie Cobb Johnson Adopted children: Thomas J. III and Sallie Cobb Hicks Son of Chassie Copeland and Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Sr. who performed illegal late term abortions, sold infants on the black market and is the subject of the TLC documentary Taken At Birth.. What is the Levant DNA Region on Ancestry. Have you taken a DNA test yourself? You really have no idea what you are talking about! Youve got poor, pregnant, unmarried women, who then need to come up with a story for their friends and/or families as to why there is no newborn . Dr. Hicks did lose his medical license in 1964 due to an infraction unrelated to the illegal adoptions. And, even though it was illegal, many women thought they were having an abortion. is anything else your are looking? Thank you for visiting dr thomas hicks family tree page. That doesnt mean that my heart doesnt break for the pain that these people have gone through and continue to go through. Brother of Lucy Elizabeth Ketron; John Willie Hicks; Samuel Earnest Hicks; Infant Daughter Hicks and Carrie Ellen Dickson. 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 And most of these women were likely unmarried, which was a huge no-no at the time. HE WAS A HORRIBLE MAN, JUST HORRIBLE!!! There is absolutely NO defense for that.He treated these babies like they were nothing more than a puppy mill money making machine. Are there any unresolved feelings or unanswered questions you're still working to unravel? According to the neonatalogist interviewed in the show many other babies must have died. And in 1972, Hicks died at age 83. This man told women that their babies had died or were stillborn. Hicks performed illegal abortions in the 1950s and 1960s, along with the illegal adoptions, until he faced legal troubles in 1964 for the abortions. And youve had children with them??? Father of Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr; Dr Walter Lynn Hicks and Private There is living proof, with dna, of one man, who along with his twin brother, was reported dead and buried by Dr. Hicks. Ive heard that many times in my life by a lot of people. He sold those babies for a profit. 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! Hicks was the beloved town doctor in the tiny mountain town of McCaysville, but women came from miles around to seek his services. 23andMe is on sale right now. Dr. Hicks created fake birth certificates and listed the adoptive parents as biological parents. This man not only took away peoples family history, but ruined their future as well. #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, begins TONIGHT at 9/8c. You dont want to vilify him? 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. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. 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. 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. When families came to his clinic to adopt babies, Hicks made the women pretend they had just given birth. Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their infants died. Dr. Thomas Hicks died of leukemia, a type of blood cancer. My mother remarried in 1969 in GA, I cannot locate any information about her daughter except a clipping cutout from the obituaries in michigan, NO GRAVE, BIRTH OR DEATH RECORDS can be found, can you help, The connections of Georgia and Michigan and Ohio seemed odd, we desperately desire to locate her, Do you know where she was born (which clinic or hospital)? He was her first born and she said she heard him cry yet Dr Hicks told her he was still born. 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. But many aspects of his clinic remain a mystery to this day. Hicks Baby Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother. 2019. He is monster!! Hicks faced legal trouble for illegal abortions, but not for the illegal adoptions. 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