Biographical Sketches from History of Sonoma County, California 1926

A. L. HICKS

It would be hard to find in his section of Sonoma County a more progressive, enterprising and industrious business man than A.L. Hicks, whose fine garage is located at Forestville,

on the main highway to the Russian River.

Mr Hicks is a native of Sonoma County, having been born at Graton on the 11 th of June, 1886, and is a son of George M. and Eliza (Bower) Hicks. He received his education in

the grammar school of the Graton district and in the Gualala school on the coast. At the age of sixteen years he left home to make his own way in the world and until 1912 was

employed in the timber business, after which he opened a butcher shop in Sebastopol, which he ran for four years and then sold. His next enterprise was a garage in Forestville,

in which he was meeting with fine success when it was destroyed by fire August 20, 1922. He immediately began the construction of a new building, better and larger than the one

destroyed, it being forty-six by seventy feet in size. He now has a fully equipped machine shop, in which any necessary repairs on a car can be promptly made, and he also

carries a fine line of auto accessories and maintains a gas and oil service station. As a result of his prompt service, reliable and accurate workmanship and sound business

principles, he has gained a large and steadily increasing trade from a wide radius of the surrounding country.

Mr Hicks is a member of Lodge No. 303, Knights of Pythias, at Sebastopol; Lodge No. 646, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, at Santa Rosa; Lodge No. 320, Independent

Order of Odd Fellows, at forestville, and its auxiliary branch, the Encampment, at Santa Rosa; and is a deputy sheriff of Sonoma County.

On January 16, 1910, Mr. Hicks was married to Miss. Hazel Francis Clark, a daughter of W.L. and Emma (Jewett) Clark, both of whom came to this state in an early day. To Mr.

and Mrs. Hicks have been born two children: Jovita Mildred, who was born November 5, 1915; and Bernice Clark, who was born May 31, 1911, and died September 8, 1921.

GEORGE M. HICKS

The life of George M. Hicks, well known dairyman of the vicinity of Healdsburg, has been characterized by persistent industry, honest of purpose and steadfastness in his aims. He is

essentially a man of affairs and has been rewarded with a very fair measure of success in return for his efforts.

Mr. Hicks is a native of San Jose, Illinois, where he was born in 1859, a son of Moses C. and Elizabeth (Purviance) Hicks. The father was born in Ohio in 18221 and the mother

was a native of Illinois. They lived in Illinois until 1872, when they came to California, settling in Green Valley, Sonoma County, where the town of Graton now stands. Here

father bought from a Mr. Clement three hundred and fifty-two acres of land, which he devoted to general farming for about ten years. He then turned his attention to fruit,

setting out a sixty-acres orchard, most of which was in peaches. He continued to cultivate this place until 1903, when he sold it and moved to Santa Rosa, where he spent his

remaining years, his death occurring in 1907 and that of his wife in 1905.

George M. Hicks received his educational training in the Oak Grove school, near Graton, and remained at home with his parents until his marriage in 1884, when he engaged in the

meat business, opening a shop at Guerneville. After conducting that business for three years, Mr. Hicks went up on the coast and acquired a ranch near Stewart's Point, to the

operation of which he devoted himself for about twenty years. In September, 1910, he sold the coast ranch and bought four hundred and forty two acres on the Russian river,

about eight miles west of Healdsburg, and here he has been extensively engaged in the dairy business,in which he has met with fine success. He keeps about fifty head of cattle,

milking about thirty cows, and devotes a large part of his farm to pastureage and the raising of hay. He is practical and methodical in all his operation, has shown good business ability

and sound judgment in all his affairs and is held in high repute throughout the community. Mr. Hicks has been twice married, first in 1884 to Miss Eliza Bower, to which union were

born five children, namely: Archie, who is represented in a personal sketch on other page of this work: Mrs. Augusta Shirk, who is the mother of three children: Melton, who is

married and has two children; Fred, and Mrs. Elizabeth M. Olhman. The mother of these children died in 1897 and in 1911 Mr. Hicks was married to Miss Mary Poff, a native of

Sonoma County and a daughter of Anthony and Mary (Goddard) Poff. Mr Poff was born on the sea and his family was numbered among the pioneer settlers of Sonoma County.

Mr. Hicks is a man of pleasing presence, genial manner and fine character. He has always taken a good citizen's interest in the welfare and prosperity of his community and has been

an advocate of all measures for the material, civic or moral betterment of his locality. Because of his success and his genuine worth he is eminently deserving of the exalted

place which he holds in public esteem.

WILLIAM JOHN HICKS

Among the leading spirits in the poultry business of Petaluma is he whose name heads this sketch, for through along period of years he has been actively engaged in the handling of

hens, eggs and chicks and probably understands the business as well in all its details as any man living. Mr. Hicks is born in Crete, Turkey, on the 22nd of February, 1852, and is the

son of Charles and Sarah Jane (Lawson) Hicks, both of whom were natives of Ireland, but have been dead a good many years. Charles Hicks was a man of fine education and

was a schoolmaster in the English army. He served with the army in the Crimean war and was in Turkey with his wife at the time of the subject's birth. He was, in charge of the

army supplies and in later life was made head clerk of the invalid department at Chatham, England.

William John Hicks received his education in the public schools and then joined the English army, in which he served for eighteen years. He then came to the United States

and served for five years in the regular army of this country, understanding this was necessary in order to become an American citizen. After receiving his discharge from the

army he went to Iowa and obtained a position in the Ottumwa band, being in the barber supply business at that time. He is an accomplished band musician and owing to his talent

for music and his facility as a player he has been a bandmaster in almost every city in which he has resided. From Iowa he went to Montana, where he remained for seven

years, and was director of the band at Anaconda. For some time Mr. Hicks had been interested in the chicken business, to which he had given considerable serious study, and

he was the organizer of the State Poultry Association of Montana. With the intention of their going into the business if a favorable location could be found, Mrs. Hicks

investigated every portion of the northwest. Finally selecting Petaluma, they came here in 1910 and bought two acres of land on Cleveland avenue, to which they later added

another acre. They engaged in the poultry business there until 1913, when the business was changed to a chicken hatchery, to which their attention is now entirely devoted. The

hatchery is run partly by electricity and has a capacity of ninety-two thousand eggs a month. Their ranch is well improved and is attractive and comfortable. They have

worked hard to attain their present position and are now enjoying a good income from the business.

In October, 1876, Mr. Hicks was married to Miss Margaret P. Delaney, a native of England, who has through the years proven a true helpmate to her husband, who

attributes a large share of his success to her wise counsel and encouragement. Mr. Hicks is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has taken all the degrees. His

religious affiliation is with the Spiritualist church. He is a charter member of the Central California Poultry Producers Association and he has consistently supported every

movement for the advancement of the poultry interests of Petaluma. He is universally recognized as a splendid citizen, of lofty character, sturdy integrity and unswerving

honesty. By a life consistent in motive and because of his many fine qualities of head and heart, he has earned and retains the sincere regard of a vast acquaintance.

History of Northern California
(listed on Page 608)

E. C. Hicks

was born 1825 in Tennessee.  His parents moved to Indiana. In 1838 they went to Missouri until 1859.  They came by ox train to Butte County.  1860 he prempted 186 acres for 9 years, at the end of this time he removed his family to Chico, where they resided until 1890 when he bought 120 acres in the Eastern part of the County, that he converted to a fruit farm.

History of Central California
(listed on page 260)

E. A. Hicks
Who was Twice been called by people of Merced County to fill office of Recorder.  A Native of the State of Missouri born 1859.  His father was Judge James E. Hicks, a well known Pioneer of 1849.  He mined for a year and 1/2 after coming to the Coast, he then returned to Missouri.  1860 came to California with his family; Made the Journey in 6 months in route.  Judge Hicks located in Merced County, California.

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