HICKS CEMETERY, Lee, Madison County, Florida File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Joseph T. Burval, e-mail: JBurval@mindspring.com COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Copyright (c) 1990 by Joseph T. Burval, Publisher. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the Publisher. The publisher donates the contents of this file in digital format to USGenWeb Project Archives for inclusion in USGenWeb's Digital Library (Archives) for the purpose of making this work freely available to researchers under the rules and policies of The USGenWeb Project. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. This file may not be removed from this server or altered in any way for placement on another server without the consent of the State and USGenWeb Project coordinators and the contributor. CORRECTIONS AND ERRORS: Comments from readers concerning errors in the data, or information readers may have about unmarked graves should be addressed to Joseph T. Burval, 1995 Parkwood Road, Charleston, West Virginia 25314, USA or e-mail at JBurval@mindspring.com ******************************************************************************** INTRODUCTION The tombstone inscriptions for the cemetery below are the same as those contained in the book "Madison County Florida Cemeteries" authored by Joseph T. Eichelberger (Privately Published: J. T. Burval, Charleston, WV (1990)). In some cases, additions and corrections have been made. They are digitally reproduced here to make this information available to the USGenWeb Project Archives. Mr. Eichelberger surveyed all the cemeteries of Madison County, Florida known to him over an eight year period from about 1985 to 1993. In most cases, the date of the survey, as well as, the date of his second survey used to verify his data is included at the end of the listing. The reader will note the detail that Mr. Eichelberger has used to record the inscriptions in this work. This work is more than a listing of names and dates. It is the next best thing to actually seeing the gravesite in person. Its content shows the author's obvious extraordinary effort to preserve what he called the "flavor" of the tombstone by recording full inscriptions. His work includes misspellings, error notation and describing the marker's location so it can be found by the reader. Often a description of the tombstone marker, especially if it was unusual or damaged. A truly outstanding work, which will serve us well in preserving our heritage. Mr. Eichelberger very concisely and modestly explained his work in part as follows: "This project has been a one-man effort. As a result the readings and the typing have not been checked by a second party. To make matters worse, the elapsed time between reading the tombstones and typing the listing from notes has been rather great. Reading old notes written hurriedly in the field can be a trying experience, especially if the writer's handwriting isn't too neat." "An effort was made to preserve the "flavor" of the inscriptions by retaining misspellings and errors. In general, no attempt was made to correct any data, but occasionally observations have been inserted. These are in square brackets [] except where no confusion should result. It is hoped that few errors have been introduced in recording and typing the data, but surely some have been." It is a pleasure to donate this work to the USGenWeb Project Archives to make this very valuable information available to all researchers interested in Madison County. J. T. Burval Charleston, West Virginia October 24, 1998 ******************************************************************************* SYMBOLS USED: A "/" is used to indicate a new line on the tombstone. A "//" indicates a new section of the tombstone. "FHMM" means funeral home metal marker. "CRI" means cannot read inscription. A "#" indicates a cross as used on stones and memorials, and denotes military Service. Brackets [] indicate the authors comments and are used to distinguish comments from the tombstone inscription. Two names side by side indicate either a common headstone or two headstones on a common pedestal. Two names side by side with a third name below and indented, indicate that all three names are included on a common headstone or that all three headstones are on a common pedestal. ******************************************************************************** HICKS CEMETERY THIS CEMETERY LIES ON THE FARM OF COLON BELL APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SOUTH OF I-10, WEST OF AND ADJACENT TO FLA.-53. THE CEMETERY WAS ABANDONED FOR SOME YEARS AND HAD BEEN BADLY DAMAGED. THE BELLS CLEARED THE CEMETERY AND ARRANGED THE STONES IN SOME SEMBLANCE OF ORDER, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY TO IDENTIFY MOST OF THE PARTICULAR GRAVESITES. AT ONE TIME THERE HAD BEEN THREE OR FOUR WOODEN "BUILDINGS" OVER SEVERAL GRAVES, BUT THESE WERE BURNED IN A GRASS FIRE AND NO TRACE OF THEM REMAINS. MARIAH HICKS/BORN 1800/DIED 1873/ASLEEP IN JESUS/BLESSED SLEEP [THERE IS A BLANK FOOTSTONE.] [ABOUT 15 FEET NORTH THERE ARE FOUR ADDITIONAL GRAVES.] M.A. DAU OF/E. & L.H. HICKS/BORN 1862/DIED 1868/HEAVEN HAS CLAIMED ITS OWN LAURA DAU OF/E. & L.H. HICKS/BORN 1870/DIED 1870/THE LOVELY FLOWER HAS FADED. ELMINA/WIFE OF/L.H. HICKS/BORN-1840/DIED/APRIL 3,1895/ABSENT FROM THE BODY AND/PRESENT WITH THE LORD LEWIS H. HICKS/BORN-1838/DIED/NOV. 30,1912/HE WORE THE WHITE FLOWER OF BLAMELESS LIFE. [THERE IS ONE EXTRA FOOTSTONE HERE.] END OF CEMETERY Surveyed before 4 November 1988