My Dad was a black-market baby in 1941 in Akron OH. 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. In the documentary they have a positive match for Dr Hicks fathering one of the babies. So telling the one mother her twin boys were stillborn is acceptable to you. This type of adoption is just one way that many babies are adopted through illegal, black market adoptions. Her name is Alana honey boo boo if you dont know who she is you can google her. 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. Father of Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr; Dr Walter Lynn Hicks and Private I am watching the TV documentary on Dr. Hicks and do not believe he should be so vilified. 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? 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. The story is told on Taken at Birth. He also has a granddaughter who is sympathetic to the efforts of the Hicks Babies. It is possible that deaths like these convinced Dr. Hicks that something needed to be done.. Clearly, you have never lost a child. In addition, he did serve time in jail in Tennessee for illegally dispensing narcotics in the 1940s. "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. Dr Hicks quickly hushed the nurse and gave my grandma something to make her sleep. As a matter of fact she grieved the rest of her life for her first born she thought had died! What if, you are a scared young woman, 16 or 17 or even 19, pregnant in rural GA or TN, shame ridden as some would have felt, just wanting this to be taken care of. New TLC Special Taken At Birth Dives into Shocking Hicks Babies Black Market Adoption Scandal. 2017. Bruen, Matthew Steven. Many are still trying to find their biological relatives. I can empathize because of some similarities, but I cannot fully understand. 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. 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. There were cases where Hicks talked women out of abortion. Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. This was rural Appalachia in the 50s and 60s, a lot of poor families. 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 . https://t.co/900llb4znH, Angel Patriot?? The son, Gillam Thomas Hicks, and his family will be featured in next week's column. I do truly feel for the Hicks babies for not knowing; I know that must be hard. Dr. Thomas Hicks. It was discovered that Dr. Thomas J. Hicks had been selling newborns from the small-town facility's backdoor for $1000. Dr. Hicks did lose his medical license in 1964 due to an infraction unrelated to the illegal adoptions. In other cases, he said their babies were stillborn and died before or during delivery. So many of the women were told their babies had died. 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 man that is Dr.Hicks first stolen, one of the twins. He delivered many babies in Tennessee before they ran him out of the state. John Stapleton, another one of the Hicks Babies, said he did not think Hicks started in the business for profit. Autosomal DNA tests, such as Ancestry DNA, 23andMe, My Heritage, and Family Tree DNA, offer extensive DNA match lists. Then you missed the entirety of the story. I agree that in those cases he did the right thing, but everything else he did was just horrible! Dr. Hicks was a town doctor who performed illegal abortions. The townspeople believed he encouraged pregnant women who came to him to carry their babies to term instead. Love and hugs to them all! I grew up with this story from my grandfather when i was little. Appalachian History says his daughter is still alive and living in North Carolina. That doesnt mean that my heart doesnt break for the pain that these people have gone through and continue to go through. Aug 05, 2015 at 7:11 pm. My parents were young and married and wanted their first son! Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. And the $1k sounds about like what my Dad was sold for. in Psychology and enjoys writing about health and wellness. Thank you. 2016. How is the river any worse, I ask you? Stories of young girls dying from botched abortions in the early 50s still exist in the living memories of those from the region. The biological mother was not mentioned, and there was no court record or other official document connecting the babies to their biological parents. I hope you guys can find what your looking for. 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. There was no reason not to dig up his grave. Sims Family Tree View These Best Collection, Mishima Family Tree Find Best Design For You. His wife was a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around. As I watched this documentary it made me think of the story my mother told many timesas her grandmother told hershe (my mother) was born in Oliver Springs TN.. (a little over two hours from McCaysville GA) A Dr Stone dilivered her and told her mother that she didnt make it meanwhile shes lying on a cart covered up with a sheet outside the room when her grandmother realizes shes there picked her up blew into her mouth then spanked her bottom and she started crying. 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! He was born October 18, 1888. Cristine Santander is a content writer for KnowYourDNA. 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. It is unknown whether Hicks paid the biological mothers for the babies. One of those babies he delivered in Tennessee was my oldest brother who was supposedly still born. saying the baby was stillborn could have been nothing more than a cover story for them. The same lecture is offered twiceNovember 1 and 2, 2022to accommodate schedules and time zones. At least one Hicks baby submitted his DNA to Ancestry.com and found a half-sister. News, TLC Shows. I used AncestryDNA to solve all of the Hicks cases I worked on. 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. There is absolutely NO defense for that.He treated these babies like they were nothing more than a puppy mill money making machine. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. He took HUGE risks for essentially very little in return, in fact he did lose his medical license in 1964 for performing an abortion. That seems to be a repetitive theme amongst the living relatives. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Maybe hes out there and will search for you. His forged birth certificates did not list biological parents. Labor was induced at 31-34 weeks (based on the birth weight of the survivors). As I say, not perfect, but a good man, Doris Abernathy told WKYC. Yes he had a choice he just made the wrong one for greed!! 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. Mama had seven more babies after that(Im the youngest)she never stopped grieving for her oldest son. When she woke she only had one baby. Narratively, accessed 17 September 2019. She did tell me she heard her baby cry and Dr Hicks told her he was still born. Mama named my brother Von Gordon. Then hed place a baby in their arms. The judge discovered records showing an unusual number of women visiting Hicks clinic. She assumed it was a legal adoption until he told her otherwise. The illegal adoptions came to an end in 1964, when Hicks was caught performing illegal abortions. How Did Hicks Black Market Babies Business Work? Taken at Birth TrueStory https://t.co/E14faD7AFT pic.twitter.com/cXOtajC4yQ, Sugar Mummy (@findsugarmummy) October 9, 2019. Buying or selling A CHILDTHERE IS EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THAT! Estimated reading time: 5 minutes From 1951 to 1965 Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks began to quietly offer babies for adoption from his Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, GA. Did you like this post? He was never formally charged with arranging these illegal adoptions, and for this reason, he never went to jail or faced legal consequences for his actions. Brother of Lucy Elizabeth Ketron; John Willie Hicks; Samuel Earnest Hicks; Infant Daughter Hicks and Carrie Ellen Dickson. HE WAS A HORRIBLE MAN, JUST HORRIBLE!!! You are right, Dr Hicks was an evil man. Hicks was forced to give up his medical license in 1964 after being charged with performing illegal abortions, and he died in 1972 at the age of 83. Just recently I have been confirmed to be the last of the Hicks babies. Before Doctor Hicks opened his practice in Georgia he was just across the state line in Polk County Tennessee in the 1930s. 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. It was a horrible thing he did to my parents and the rest of us when he stole my oldest brother! 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. How can this man NOT be vilified?! The Hicks Community Clinic has been closed for years, but the building still stands. Aside from families that might eventually tell their adult children, the only hope Hicks babies have of finding their biological relatives is DNA tracking. Not a mother who wanted to give her baby up for adoption, but a mother who trusted her doctor? she weighed a little over 4lbs I wonder if theres any connection between those doctors. Babies came to the mountains with him and babies left the mountains with him. Theres probably a lot of dead babies because of his practices. So no, I cant completely vilify as I just dont know. Hed encourage them to put their babies up for adoption instead. He was protecting himself & looking out for his own financial interest!!! Hicks' wife and son had already passed away. About 15 of the 200+ babies have been reunited with their biological parents. Did your mother give birth in Akron or in McCaysville? Babies born that early would need to remain in the hospital. She was present when authorities opened the mausoleum. There is no evidence that any of the babies that were adopted through the actions of Dr. Hicks are related to him. Theres a documentary on the Hicks Babies that Im assuming you havent seen. Several of the Hicks Babies found the mausoleum was vandalized when they paid a visit in 2018. His wife and son both passed away, and his daughter lives in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. Prior to that, he was practicing just across the state line in Copperhill, Tennessee, and could well have been selling babies then. i hope everything gets better for those kids and those parents. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks In a small town filled with economical hardships, Hicks saw a need among pregnant women, although abortions conflicted with his faith, according to Narratively. She worked with TLCs Long Lost Family to locate biological family members. 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. They may not even know theyre adopted. 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. Those who were adopted have few places to turn to track down their origins. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree With Complete Detail, Goler Clan Family Tree Check All Members List. Im going to play a little devils advocate. Ray, you bring up an excellent reason why everyone has the right to know who their biological family is. I mean no disrespect towards anyone. Chang, Juju, Jasmine Brown, Geoff Martz and Lauren Effron. Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their . I am the youngest of seven siblings. I was waiting for one mother to come on and say that they were told that their baby had died, but nope. Think about it, some of these folks could fall in love with a relative and not even know it. Can never know. Below is the list of best dr thomas hicks family tree website where you can find anything related to dr thomas hicks family tree. Dr. Hicks, who passed away at the age of 83, was born in 1888 in Picket County, Tennessee. My YDNA indicates I am not Hicks. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. Sompayrac believes her grandfathers actions helped the birth mothers in need and gave the babies life. 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. pic.twitter.com/77eyWNLdHM. He was her first born and she said she heard him cry yet Dr Hicks told her he was still born. 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. He gave them good care. Unfortunately, Hicks kept no records of the birth mothers. The illegal adoptions that were allegedly arranged by Dr. Hicks were not discovered until after his death. Shameful + Sinful + Criminal + Evil!! In 2014, around 30 suspected Hicks Babies traveled to Tennessee to undergo DNA testing. They were all corrupt! TLC's Taken at Birth, which first aired in 2019, is a three-part . 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. After I watched your show on TLC, I took a trip up to the mountains., looked the house that was HIckscock and made a big mistake when I asked some questions. Exactly! The six-part, three-night special revisits the case of Dr. Thomas J. Hicks, who sold or gave away more than 200 infants from the '40s to the '60s By Jeff Truesdell Published on October 8, 2019 10: . Natalie. Some of Hicks Babies, as they are sometimes referred to as, have done DNA tests in order to identify relatives who might be able to help them learn who their birth parents were. The cost is the same for you. Thank you so much. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. The pain these mothers felt I could never imagine and not to mention how many of these babies died from being delivered wayyyy too prematurely. GOOD NIGHT DEAD DAD, GOOD NIGHT GOOD NIGHT. 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 clinic, the Hicks Clinic, was in operation between about 1945-1965. She has a B.S. 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. Mama said they ran him out of Tennessee not long after that because he was killing so many babies. It may be that I never find my brother but maybe I could find his children. You can see for yourself google him. Jane Blasio, who broke the story of the Hicks Babies and leads investigative efforts, wrote her thoughts about Hicks on her website. My Mama and Daddy were young parents and though they were very poor they both wanted their first born with all their heart! He was buried in Crestlawn Cemetery in Polk County, Tennessee. Thank you. Most biological mothers disappeared after giving birth to their babies. If you havent been there, you cannot possibly imagine what that is like. Tune in to #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, starting TONIGHT at 9/8c. When families came to his clinic to adopt babies, Hicks made the women pretend they had just given birth. My heart aches for your mother and your whole family. My mother/father picked me up from a nurse in a hotel in 1967. Clickherefor more information. Hicks may not have been in Georgia during that time, but if he was in TN that might be a lead. And most of these women were likely unmarried, which was a huge no-no at the time. Some theorized Hicks was buried beside his mausoleum because of concern the grave would be vandalized. The sentiments were echoed in other news stories. https://thednageek.com/dna-tests. I dont know. I would love to be able to find him or maybe some of his family. 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. And then today, with abortions being legal, aborted babies are having their body parts SOLD what a repugnant thought. Have you taken a DNA test? Facebook IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. Does it say where he was born or the name of the doctor? Several in the town told the outlet the story was sensationalized. I just wanted to say I watch this show about a little girl. 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. You gotta wonder if this was a routine operation throughout history. Just one grandparent can lead you to many Have you taken a DNA test yourself? This man not only took away peoples family history, but ruined their future as well. 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. They adored Dr Hicks and were fiercely protective of his reputation and legacy. ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN WERE MESSED UP FROM THIS. Yes, thats a horrible thought. What part of that is okay? Looking for a DNA test that's accurate and can tell you about your health and heritage? The motives of Hicks actions are unclear. My Mama and Dad were married and biological parents to my brother. His parents were David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Holt. What Dr Hicks did was illegal. Many people who fell victim to the Hicks baby market hope these DNA tests will help them find closure. Many of the Hicks babies also began searching for their biological families. He reportedly performed abortions, which were illegal at the time, for $100. His daughter is living in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. When Dr. Hicks began his illicit practice, abortions were illegal in the United States, Phil Trexler wrote in the article. Dr. Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was posthumously accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. I know this first hand because of how it deeply hurt my mother for many, many years! I think he was a good man. He wasnt going around knocking girls up and holding them hostage in his apartment until they delivered their babies so he could sell them.. His wife and son have both passed away. So that he could make money. 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 . I dont know the truth, the people involved back THEN know. Im sure there are also many, many Hicks babies out there that have no idea they are Hicks babies. I have my ancestory DNA done and would love to try to match some names with my DNA relatives. He was born October 18, 1888. Jane needs to get a DNA test and compare it to Doris Abernathy, the town historian. You saw it. To protect their privacy, I have chosen not to mention any of the individuals who were adopted by name in this article. My oldest would have been born in Akron in 1960. PS Ancestry DNA is a crook. He told some of the biological mothers that they had undergone an abortion. Hed do anything for anybody sometimes hed pay a price for it, she said. Husband of Chass Chassie Hicks He states that he chased the car down the road from where hicks office was to try and get me before they took off in 1954. Her decade-long search for her birth parents led to the exposure of Hicks' illegal babies. Use your brain, IF good old dr hicks was such a good doctor then why did he need to tell the women that their baby died?? She grieved for him her entire life! 1997. Aside from giving the adopted daughter her answer. 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 . Oh my gosh Barbara, he also delivered the babies early, like induced at between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight, failure to thrive and other health issues. Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, the man behind the Hicks Babies, ran a small clinic in the tiny town of McCaysville, Georgia. What we have now is the mothers side of the story. He lost his medical license in 1964, but he faced no jail time for the illegal abortions. I Just dont understand how anyone could possibly think what he did was right or just or in any way good at all!! That is not correct. Despite the illegality of the abortions, Hicks would advertise the service at phone booths, bus stations and bridges, according to Appalachian History.