Francis M. Hicks Biography

This prominent old settler of Texas was born in Georgia, Nov. 16, 1826, being the fourth of five children born to William A. and Margaret (Moon) Hicks, who were married near Raleigh, N. C., and were born in Tennessee and North Carolina, respectively. The paternal grandfather, John Hicks, was born in Virginia, and was a soldier of the Revolution. After that great strife was over he moved to Tennessee, of which State he was among the first settlers. He came of English ancestors, who settled in Virginia during colonial days. William A. Hicks settled in Georgia when a young man, and engaged in planting and trading, but afterwards moved to Alabama and then to Mississippi, thence to Arkansas, and finally to Texas in 1849. Here he settled in Cherokee County and became one of the settlers of Rusk. He was an old line Whig politically, and was elected to the Legislature from Cherokee County, which was strongly Democratic. He was also a County Clerk in Georgia, and was quite a party leader of the Whigs there, and a strong Henry Clay man. He became a prominent planter of Cherokee County, and there made his home nntil death closed his career.
His wife died when the subject of this sketch was a boy, in Hickstown, Ga., which place was named in his honor. It was a gold mining town, and his early days were spent as a miner. He was a Royal Arch Mason, and was an active and enterprising citizen.

Francis M. Hicks was educated in Mississippi, was married at Paulding, Jasper County, and began life as a merchant. In 1852 he came to Cherokee County, Texas, but shortly after removed to Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas, and began business an one of the early merchants of the place. Shortly after he sold out and returned to Rusk, where he was engaged in business until the outbreak of the war. In 1861 he entered a company and went to Galveston, where he was detailed to act as Commissary at Rusk, and served in that capacity about one year. He was then detailed by Gen. Kirby Smith as the financial agent of the Government iron works at Rusk, and served in that capacity until the war closed, his assistance being almost invaluable to the Government The war left Mr.
Hicks almost destitute, but he at once embarked in business at Rusk, where he continued until 1868, when he wont to Shreveport and opened a commission house, which is known as the Hicks Company, Limited. In 1872 he associated with him Mr. Robert H. Howell, under the firm name of Hicks & Howell, dealers in groceries and the cotton factorage business. They were very fortunate in their operations and prospered from the very beginning, and on the solid foundation which was then laid there had been builded the
stanchest commercial organization in the State of Louisana, outside of the city of New Orleans. After sixteen years of lucrative business, the firm of Hicks and Howell was dissolved, and Mr. Howell took from the establishment a fortune without the least affecting its standing or credit. Mr. Hicks then took into partnership his son, S. B. Hicks, a young gentleman whose education,
training and natural business ability peculiarly fitted him for the responsible position to which he was called. The firm name was then changed to F. M. & S. B. Hicks, and continued in existence for four years, during which time the failing condition of Col. Hicks' health caused him to throw the burden of the extensive business, in all its multitudinous details, on the shoulders of his son, who proved equal to the occasion, and won his spurs in an arena where many older and more experienced had failed. In 1892 the present incorporation was formed under the name of the Hicks Company, Limited, whose business is exclusively wholesale grocers and cotton factors, their place of business is admirably located where the house has for many years been
established. Col. Hicks' name is justly at the head of this establishment though he is no longer able, on account of his health, to take an active part in its affairs. He was compelled to seek a change of climate, came to San Antonio, and has been greatly benefited thereby. The active management of the business now devolves upon his son, S. B. Hicks, Vice-President, who is ably assisted by Capt W. T. Crawford, Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. W. F. Chase is the cashier and book-keeper, T. H. Scovell is head salessman, and F. H. Gosman has charge of the cotton department All these gentlemen have been long connected with the business, and are by experience and special adaptability thoroughly equipped for their several responsible and exacting positions. To give an idea of the immense business transacted by this house, it is but necessary to state that its storeroom, merchandise and cotton warehouses, have a floor space, under roof, exceeding by 16,000 square feet, an acre of floor space, and the annual sales aggregate considerably over a million dollars.

Col. Hicks' kindly face and genial manners endears him to all with whom he comes in contact, and socially or otherwise makes him popular with all classes. He is a man of rare business qualifications and indomitable energy, and to him is due full credit for the decided success achieved by the firm, whose name will always adorn the best pages of Shreveport's commercial history. He was made a Mason in Mississippi, and in April, 1851, was married to Miss Ann E. McDugalil, a daughter of James McDugald,
of Scotland, who became a prominent lawyer of Mississippi at Paulding, where he was an active citizen and served as State Senator.
To Col. Hicks and his wife four sons and four daughters were given: Emma L., Lelia, wife of Dr. Lawrence, of Longview, Texas; Francis Marion, Jr.; Clara, wife of Callie McArthur Walke, who is a business man of Shreveport; Samuel B., who was
educated in Shreveport and graduated at Soule College, New .Orleans, in which educational institution he won a medal. He is now General Manager and Vice- president of the Hicks Co. of Shreveport; Marshal was educated at Shreveport and graduated at the Southwestern University of Clarksville, Tens. He studied law for two years at the State University, Austin, Texas, from which
he graduated and began practicing at Minneola, Texas, with Capt. Giles, a prominent lawyer. He came to San Antonio and was appointed District Attorney of Laredo District, by Gov. Hogg, after which he was elected to that office and served four years. He is now a practitioner of San Antonio, but was married in Clarksville. Richard Yale is also a lawyer of San Antonio. Annie McD.; and one that died early. Francis Marion was educated at Rusk and Shreveport, La., studying medicine in the later place also, after which he attended lectures at Bellevue College Hospital, New York, from which he grad- uated. He began practicing at Rusk, but in a short time went to Tyler, Texas, where he built up a large practice, but labored so incessantly that he injured his health, to improve which he went to California, and in 1890 returned to San Antonio, where he has built up a large practice. His attention is given
to all branches of his profession, but he makes something of a specialty of surgery and surgical cases, and is a member of the Texas State Medical Society; and is also a member and First Vice-president of the Southwest Texas Medical Association. He is surgeon of the International & Great Northern Railway at San Antonio, and while at Tyler he was chief, and later, consulting surgeon of the Cotton Belt Railroad, but resigned from the former office on account of ill health. While at Tyler he was medical examiner for nearly all the old line life insurance companies. The doctor is a student in his profession, and in 1882 spent six months studying at the Jefferson Medical College, and the Medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia. In 1885 he went to New York and took a post graduate course at New York Polyclinic Medical College, and made extensive special study of surgery and diseases of the eye, oar and nose, to aid him in his office of Chief Surgeon of the Cotton Belt Railroad. In 1887 he made a trip to California in search of health, but since coming to San Antonio he has enjoyed comparatively good health. He was married in 1887 to Miss Margaret R. Spence, a native of Texas, and a daughter of John Spence, one of the early settlers of the Lone Star State from Maryland. He belongs to an old Scotch family that came to this country during colonial times, that assisted in founding and became members of the first Presbyterian Church in America, at Snow Hill, Md., and from that time down to the present day some member of the family has been an elder in that historic church. Mrs. Hicks is a highly educated lady, of decided literary and musical taste and talent She graduated from the Augusta Female Institute at Staunton, Va., the finest young ladies' college in the South. There she won a medal for scholarship and music. Her union with Dr. Hicks has resulted in the birth of two children. The doctor and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian church, and he is an elder in the same. Politically he has always been in sympathy with the Democratic party, and has served as delegate to various conventions.

Transcribed from:
"Memorial and Genealogical Record of Southwest Texas"
Chicago: Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers
1894
page 613 - 616