My mother/father picked me up from a nurse in a hotel in 1967. 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. Are you for real?? 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. Corinthios, Aurelie. So telling a mother that her baby died at birth while he sold it out his back door was fine with you? Blasio also created a confidential registry to help Hicks babies find their parents and siblings. My Hicks line starts in New York in 1833. But not all of the babies have been reunited. They wanted to be rid of their babies and were desperate. I can promise you this, if theres a hell, he is in the front row seat! I only wish Mama had lived long enough to know her baby is most likely alive. 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. About 15 of the 200+ babies have been reunited with their biological parents. It is suspected that many of them did and there is rumor that perhaps he disposed of those little bodies in the river. I think he was a good man. These babies were born between weighing only 3.5 and 4.75 lbs.. ALL very unfavorable conditions!!!! It may be that I never find my brother but maybe I could find his children. Are you in all of the DNA databases? Several of the Hicks Babies found the mausoleum was vandalized when they paid a visit in 2018. Who Is Dr. Thomas J. Hicks? - The True Story Behind Taken At Birth At least one Hicks baby submitted his DNA to Ancestry.com and found a half-sister. The motives of Hicks actions are unclear. 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. in Psychology and enjoys writing about health and wellness. I so agree with you. Just horrible! Theres nothing there, Linda, one of the Hicks Babies, told Narratively. Blasio says that 50 of the 200+ children have been identified and located. The biological mother was not mentioned, and there was no court record or other official document connecting the babies to their biological parents. Theres probably a lot of dead babies because of his practices. The primary purpose of this post is to explain how those children who were adopted through the Hicks Clinic have been able to use their DNA to discover close relatives, and sometimes, the identities of their biological parents. He was married and had two children, a son and a daughter. TLC's "Taken at Birth" will explore Thomas J. Hicks. My YDNA indicates I am not Hicks. Barbara, I shuttered when I read your comment! Tlc Presents the Untold Story Behind the "Hicks Babies" Black Market Could you imagine the survival rate back then for babies 3lb or 4lbs. Perhaps your dad was referring to the equipment used to save preemies. How HEARTLESS can someone be then to tell a parent their childTHEIR CHILD died just so he could profit? 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. Hicks' wife and son had already passed away. Have you taken a DNA test yourself? I do hope your brother survived and is out there somewhere. v. Wade legalized abortions. You really have no idea what you are talking about! One thousand dollars in 1955 would be nearly $10,000 today. He may have done it to avoid suspicion and keep the transactions discreet. Are you kidding me. Bruen, Matthew Steven. Clickherefor more information. At the very least, she helps them learn more about their birth stories and roots. As a result, he could not provide information that would help the babies find their parents or the other way around. I owe my life to him, but he has also been the cause of so much pain and suffering. 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. 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. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Sr (1888-1972) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree Aside from giving the adopted daughter her answer. He died in 1972 and it took three decades before Hicks' actions were brought to light. Some of the ads and links on this website are affiliate links which pay me a commission if you purchase through them. The illegal adoptions came to an end in 1964, when Hicks was caught performing illegal abortions. So, what you are saying is, when my mom went to deliver my BROTHER and was told he was born dead, yet she has nightmares TO THIS DAY that she heard her baby cry for her. His daughter is living in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, the man behind the Hicks Babies, ran a small clinic in the tiny town of McCaysville, Georgia. Some residents seemed to know the double life he was leading. I was waiting for one mother to come on and say that they were told that their baby had died, but nope. Some on here commented that the bio moms were likely unwed and didnt want the babies. I know your heart aches. 23andMe is on sale right now. View Ancestry DNA Matches By Ancestor With ThruLines. 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. But what does anyone think was normally done with illegally aborted babies during that time I can tell you, they were likely disposed of in with the garbage. This man told women that their babies had died or were stillborn. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN5X-3HV: 3 February 2021), Thomas J Hicks, 1920. She did tell me she heard her baby cry and Dr Hicks told her he was still born. HIS BIO FAMILY DIDNT FIND OUT ABT HIM UNTIL 60 YEARS LATER AND TOO LATE BECAUAE HIS MOTHER WAS I ALREADY DEAD. The method of the illegal adoptions has left many questions for those who started their lives in Hicks clinic. Babies born that early would need to remain in the hospital. Prior to that, he was practicing just across the state line in Copperhill, Tennessee, and could well have been selling babies then. Are there any unresolved feelings or unanswered questions you're still working to unravel? Some were children of women Hicks convinced not to have abortions. i just hope i wont go made like them. He was protecting himself due to his many illegitimacies & looking out for his own financial interest!!! Think about it, some of these folks could fall in love with a relative and not even know it. ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN WERE MESSED UP FROM THIS. He delivered many babies in Tennessee before they ran him out of the state. Hopefully he got his comeuppance. The second would have been no later than 1962. She was 23. But he didn't stop the illegal adoptions. Hicks was providing a service, Ken Rush, director of the Ducktown Basin Museum, told Narratively. is anything else your are looking? The illegal adoptions came to an end in 1964, when Hicks was caught performing illegal abortions. Not a mother who wanted to give her baby up for adoption, but a mother who trusted her doctor? "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 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. Powered by. I am the youngest of seven siblings. 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. If it wasnt Hicks, there was someone doing the same thing during the war years adopting babies out to Akron. In other cases, he said their babies were stillborn and died before or during delivery. She noted to the TV station many of them went to good homes and led successful lives. I personally think he is a sociopath and I wonder if he could have been a Serial Killer as well. 2015. Aside from families that might eventually tell their adult children, the only hope Hicks babies have of finding their biological relatives is DNA tracking. There are many people who were adopted at birth who can use similar strategies to learn more about their recent and distant ancestry. Did the births take place at the Hicks Clinic? And he was stealing babies telling mothers that they delivered a still born. They were not, and he sold those babies. If so, login to add it. People, accessed 17 September 2019. There were mothers who were told their babies died. Decades-old secret adoptions solved by modern DNA for Akron area - WKYC Dr Hicks ran a clinic in McCaysville, Georgia, from about 1945 to 1965. He was wrong and he did wrong so did the mayor and chief of police. One of those babies he delivered in Tennessee was my oldest brother who was supposedly still born. Never has been black market babies, she told WKYC. Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) - Genealogy - geni family tree These babies were born between 3.5 and 4.75 lbs.. very unfavorable!! He then relocated just across the line in McCaysville Georgia. My name is Judy Swafford Walker. In 2014, around 30 suspected Hicks Babies traveled to Tennessee to undergo DNA testing. Barbara, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Were it not for him encouraging these women to have their babies, these children would have never been given a chance at life. Hicks' wife and son had already passed away. Hicks faced legal trouble for illegal abortions, but not for the illegal adoptions. You are right, Dr Hicks was an evil man. He delivered my oldest brother. I do truly feel for the Hicks babies for not knowing; I know that must be hard. 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! You arent responsible for their sins. ABC News, accessed 17 September 2019. They adored Dr Hicks and were fiercely protective of his reputation and legacy. Despite the illegality of the abortions, Hicks would advertise the service at phone booths, bus stations and bridges, according to Appalachian History. "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. The townspeople believed he encouraged pregnant women who came to him to carry their babies to term instead. That doesnt mean that my heart doesnt break for the pain that these people have gone through and continue to go through. 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.. Leave a message for others who see this profile. I sincerely hope more can make connections before its too late. He let loose some real chaos into this world.. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree Do You Know These Top Templates? What Happened to Dr. Thomas Hicks? 'Taken at Birth' True Story TLC's 'Taken at Birth' Investigates Black Market Adoption Ring - People My heart aches for your mother and your whole family. 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. Some babies were that small but not all of them. Did you like this post? pic.twitter.com/3dg3CRes3u. Thank you! 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. I did do a DNA test with no response. Estimates show Hicks sold about 200 babies from the 1940s to the 1960s.3. These include the nurse, the secretary who signed the false documents, Hicks lawyer, and the sheriff who investigated Hicks illegal abortion clinic. Mama told me they ran the doctor out of Tennessee after that because he was killing so many babies. Hed do anything for anybody sometimes hed pay a price for it, she said. You should be ashamed of yourself because you have no idea of the pain he caused many families! Barbara, the very same thing happened to my Mother. Sims Family Tree View These Best Collection, Mishima Family Tree Find Best Design For You. 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. Eventually, in 1964, he was caught performing an abortion and was summarily stripped of his medical license. Her initial search was unsuccessful, so she contacted a Georgia probate attorney. 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. If there was no demand for the service, Hicks would not have been doing it. More than 200 babies, known as the Hicks Babies, were sold by Hicks through a back window of the Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia during the 1950s and 1960s. My brother was born in the middle 1930s. Dr. Hicks died a disgrace in 1972, one year before the Roe v. Wade decision. Those who likely knew what happened may have died as well. I still dont know, one of the Hicks Babies, Melinda, told the publication. And most of these women were likely unmarried, which was a huge no-no at the time. He would sell the babies to parents who wanted to adopt but couldnt afford to do so legally. Blasio has dedicated her life to helping reunite Hicks Babies with their biological families. His work remained buried as well. Uncover your ancestry, paternity, and health risks for peace of mind, Get affordable medical tests that you can privately take at home, Test your gut bacteria and learn ways to restore its balance, Discover healthy diets and apps that can help you lose weight, Lose weight without sacrificing your nutrition and health, Straighten your teeth at home and see visible results in months. 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. Thank you. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Dr. Hicks did lose his medical license in 1964 due to an infraction unrelated to the illegal adoptions. Mama never got over this. 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. 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 She is a member of a Facebook groups which joins the Hicks babies. I am happy to offer a dna sample if possible. On the documentary the officer in the second episode claimed he gave a relative of his a shot and she died 30min later. saying the baby was stillborn could have been nothing more than a cover story for them. Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their infants died. Hicks lied, blatantly, to some of these women, hell probably 90% of them. In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, a doctor was selling babies from his small town abortion clinic in the heart of McCaysville, Georgia. His wife and son both passed away, and his daughter lives in North Carolina, according to Appalachian History. She said the whole time she was having the babies that there was a very nice dressed lady sitting in the room across the hall from her. Clearly, you have never lost a child. 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. Now, they are using the power of DNA to reunite with their biological families. His wife was a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. Tune in to #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, starting TONIGHT at 9/8c. To push the boundaries of DNA science. Most biological mothers disappeared after giving birth to their babies. https://thednageek.com/dna-tests. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. Categories: Fannin County, Georgia | McCaysville, Georgia | Hicks Clinic, McCaysville, Georgia, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. That seems to be a repetitive theme amongst the living relatives. Janice, I am from Polk County Tennessee as well and Dr Hicks delivered my oldest brother before they ran him out of Tennessee. 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. What an awful tragedy. Hicks didnt oversee legal adoptions. 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. Interesting. pic.twitter.com/aTH43ks3Co. He was a monster, a murderer, and a kidnapper, but he wasnt a good man doing a good thing for helpless women. Both of Dr. Hicks' parents were born in Tennessee. Her name is Alana honey boo boo if you dont know who she is you can google her. 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. 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. Dr. Hicks was married and had two kids a son and a daughter. In the 1950s and 60s a small-town Georgia family doctor illegally sold hundreds of babies from the back door of his practice. She worked with TLCs Long Lost Family to locate biological family members. Holy smokes! Many are hoping DNA will link them to their birth families, and some of them have found biological parents, siblings and parents through DNA, according to WKYC. 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. Otherwise he wouldnt have needed to lie about them being stillborn. News, TLC Shows. 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. I am by no means defending Dr Hicks black-market adoption practices, but its important to remember that, even today, people die from asthma attacks. She never got over it. My parents were a young married couple and very much wanted their baby! The adopted child or biological mother can call and provide information about their gender and birthdate. 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 . 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. i was told i was born in raymond wa. His wife and son have both passed away. Son of David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Hicks Dr. Thomas Hicks: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com 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 What years was he operating in TN, and where? Yes, thats a horrible thought. To give Sallie an answer. Husband of Chass Chassie Hicks Autosomal DNA tests, such as Ancestry DNA, 23andMe, My Heritage, and Family Tree DNA, offer extensive DNA match lists. 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. i hope everything gets better for those kids and those parents. I would love to be able to find him or maybe some of his family. Many had no idea they were adopted until well into adulthood. Hicks may not have been in Georgia during that time, but if he was in TN that might be a lead. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree Do You Know These Top Templates? Those who were adopted have few places to turn to track down their origins. Dr. Hicks had a granddaughter, Sally Sompayrac, who empathizes with the plight of the Hicks babies. He induced labor and delivered low birth weight babies that were in danger of dying. As far as they know the first baby that was adopted out was a twin. Dr. Hicks obviously cannot give his side of the story. More than 200 babies, known as the Hicks Babies, were sold by Hicks through a back window of the Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia during the 1950s and 1960s. Hicks initially lost his clinic for doing illicit abortions. Hed encourage them to put their babies up for adoption instead. (@Angel5Christine) October 8, 2019. Im going to play a little devils advocate. was there more than one Dr. Hicks mentioned in the Taken AT Birth documentary or just one? All of Dr. Hicks grandparents were born in Tennessee, as were many of his great-grandparents. For over 50 years this small town has been hiding a shocking secret. Its time the truth came to light. Personally I hope that Dr Hicks is burning in hell! I used AncestryDNA to solve all of the Hicks cases I worked on. Why am I rehashing this. The so-called Hicks Babies had falsified birth certificates, and Dr Hicks kept no records tying them to their biological families. Hi, the category is just Category:McCaysville, Georgia. She has a B.S. So no, I cant completely vilify as I just dont know. It can sometimes be more difficult to pinpoint the exact identify of someones biological parents without closer cousins, such as first cousins. 2019. So all of what you said is ridiculous. Looking for a DNA test that's accurate and can tell you about your health and heritage? 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. Facebook pic.twitter.com/77eyWNLdHM. In 1964, the town sheriff arrested Hicks for performing illegal abortions. His forged birth certificates did not list biological parents. I came from a messed up family, too. They werent all there for abortions!! Oh well for them, I was raised in those mountains and Im not afraid of them. It can be a serious disease. "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 Who was Thomas J. Hicks? Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) - Genealogy - geni family tree That $1000. He was born in April 1964 Sumner County TN from what he knows. TLC Their lower-priced test is fine for your purposes. 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. 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. And, even though it was illegal, many women thought they were having an abortion. They look exactly alike. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree With Complete Detail He sold at least one more baby after he was shut down. Dr Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was posthumously accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. I was born in 1967. That is crazy! Why dig up a grave when dna could have given these people the answer if they were siblings? Busted not for selling babies, but for the abortion clinic How can this man NOT be vilified?! It may have started with good intentions, but these babies deserve the truth and they deserve it now. Read our best DNA test page to find the best one for you. Dr Thomas Hicks Family Tree With Complete Detail, Goler Clan Family Tree Check All Members List.
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