Biographical Sketch of Francis Wilkinson HICKS (1904); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** "Historical Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania", Vol. 2, edited by Gil- bert Cope and Henry Graham Ashmead, Lewis Publishing Company, New York, 1904, pp. 362-4. "FRANCIS WILKINSON HICKS. The earliest ancestor of the Hicks family of whom there is any authentic record was Charles Hicks, who married Mary Kimble, and among the children born to them was a son, Edward Hicks, whose birth occurred December 25, 1744. On November 8, 1769, Edward Hicks married Hannah Rattew, a daughter of William and Rebecca Rattew, and they resided on a farm in East Goshen township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, which was purchased from the Goodwins; their children were: Sarah, William, Rebecca, Hannah, Charles, Abigail and Thomas Hicks. The mother of these children died May 21, 1835, at the extreme old age of ninety-one years. "William Hicks, eldest son of Edward and Hannah Hicks, and grandfather of Francis W. Hicks, was born November 26, 1776, and subsequently ranked among the most prosperous and influential citizens and farmers of the township of Goshen, being also a consistent member of the Society of Friends. Mr. Hicks married, November 6, 1801, at East Goshen Meeting, Abigail Garrett, who was born September 26, 1776, a daughter of Jesse and Abigail Garrett, of Willistown, and the following named children were born to them: Edward, born May 21, 1802; Jesse, born April 22, 1806; William Jr., born April 28, 1808, and John H., born January 26, 1813. William Hicks, the father of these children, died at his home in Willistown, August 18, 1850, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. "William Hicks, third son of William and Abigail Hicks, and father of Francis W. Hicks, was born in East Goshen township, Chester county, on what is now known as the Passmore farm, April 28, 1808. His early life was spent in acquiring a common school education and assisting with the duties of the home farm, upon which he remained until 1837, the year of his marriage, when he rented the Young farm, situated near the town of Coatesville, whereon he conducted extensive operations until the death of his wife in 1842, when he returned to the old homestead, which he rented from his father until the death of the latter, and from that date up to the time of his own decease, which occurred August 15, 1878, he resided on the estate. On December 13, 1837, Mr. Hicks married Mary Wilkinson, a daughter of Francis and Phebe (Pusey) Wilkinson, and a native of London Grove township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. They were the parents of three children, namely: Jesse Garrett, who engaged in mercantile pursuits; Francis Wilkinson, and another child who died in infancy. "Francis W. Hicks, second son of William and Mary Hicks, was born near Coatesville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, December 24, 1840. At the death of his mother he as a child was taken to be brought up by his grand- parents, Francis W. and Phebe P. Wilkinson on a farm close by Lamborntown, a village about three miles north of Stone Bridge (now Avondale). When he was thirteen years of age the grandfather died, and years were then devoted to working on neighboring farms by the month in summer and attending public schools in winter. Finally as a finishing for three years he was in at- tendance at academies in Gwynedd, Montgomery county, and Attleboro, Bucks county. In the fall of 1861 he took a clerkship in the general store of his brother Jesse G., at Chatham, Pennsylvania. "After three years service there he went to Philadelphia and secured a position with Sausser Wagner & Co., manufacturers of ladies', misses' and children's shoes, comparatively a new firm, at Nos. 413, 415, 417 Arch street, Philadelphia. Here he became especially successful designing styles and meeting the wants of shoe dealers, and anticipating the wants of the trade in advance of the season. From such a natural or acquired taste and skill, the wants of the trade could be anticipated, and large stocks of goods could be manufactured in advance and stored fro future orders. Finally he became a leader in designing styles of fine shoes for the firm. In 1866 the firm sent him west, and after visiting most of the large cities located an office in Chicago, which was ever afterwards a central point for mail orders for all shipments of shoes direct from the factory. Four years were devoted to this kind of work, establishing a roll of customers that ordered by mail and in person, his sales alone amounting in some years to one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, the largest sale of shoes by any one person in the city at that date, in one year. Learning that the Zions Co-operative Mercantile Institution at Salt Lake City, Utah had difficulty in getting their women's and children's shoes made and supplied satisfactorily, he went to them and secured their confidence and trade, and their purchases amounted to many thousands of dollars annually, their efforts to make shoes for themselves not having been successful. These trips to the far west had been conducted in a spirit and manner that had proved satisfactory to the firm, and buyers alike, extending all the way to California, and to one large buyer in Honolulu, Hawaii Islands. The sales and mail orders of the firm's own manufacture of shoes reached one million dollars in 1871. During these years of intense business activities, he would return to the factory twice each year and remain during the months of June and December, de- signing styles. "The great fire in Chicago in 1871 (in which he had to abandon all his baggage) had the effect of creating within him a feeling of insecurity in city life, the great risk in large cities, and the great tendency to cul- tivate a desire for the things of this world only. One month after the fire was extinguished and accounts were settled up as secure as was possi- ble at that period, he returned to Philadelphia for rest and retrospect with his employers, all of whom seemed to evince a feeling of 'well done' and that a financial reverse had been averted and all fire claims had been made as secure as was possible. A large number of buyers had come from other cities into the stricken city. With these he had come in touch with his pencil and the result was such that after his letters were shown to the officers of the bank with which they did business in Philadelphia, the firm's credit was extended and increased, and the factory run day and night for some time. About this time the farm (on which he now lives) was up at public sale, which he attended, and purchased. The purchase of a block of ground at Avondale, the nearest station, soon followed, having in view the building of homes for shoe workmen from the city. Ground on which to build a factory was to be secured near the depot and plans gen- erally were soon arranged at the city end to start during the following year. Operators were to join the co-operative plan. Just here a portion of the old firm protested, and would not submit to such a separation. A dissolution of the old firm became apparent and inevitable, and resulted in the withdrawing of J. T. Wagner, the practical man of the firm. After weighing carefully the proposition from both factions he consented to give up his Avondale project and join J. F. Wagner and stay in the city, but retaining the farm for a home. The new Iron building, corner of Fourth and Cherry streets, was leased for five years, with steam power and heat furnished, at a rental of three thousand dollars per year. They formed a new co-partnership under the name of Wagner, Hicks & Company, Mr. Wagner putting in fifty thousand dollars in cash and Mr. Hicks five thousand dollars, and to be equal partners. The senior partner was to receive legal interest for his excess of capital from the profits of the firm. Here the manufacturing of shoes was carried on successfully for five years, shipping from mail orders, as a very large following had been established and continued right along. Three resident agents in the west traveled to some extent to look after changes needing attention. In 1876 occurred his marriage, and he began to long for country life. Mr. Wagner, who was beginning to feel the weight of years, desired to withdraw and re- main a silent partner. Mr. Hicks succeeded in selling out his interest to Mr. Wagner, obligating himself not to engage in opposition. This was in 1876, during the Centennial, when his time during the year was divided be- tween the farm and factory. When his counsel and services were especially needed, he would serve Mr. Wagner for an hour or more a day. "After disposing of his interests in the firm Mr. Hicks removed to his present farm, which is located in London Grove township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he has since followed agricultural pursuits. In pol- itical sentiment Mr. Hicks is an independent. However, the cause of temp- erance and Prohibition receives his hearty co-operation. In the Prohibi- tion party he has often served as delegate, and has also been selected as a candidate for various offices by that party. He has been one of the main factors in securing the abolition of the saloon from this part of Chester county. In religious faith he is a member of the Hicksite Friends' Meeting. In social matters he is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry and Farm Clubs, having been an active member of West Grove Farmers' Club for the past quarter of a century. Since 1876 Mr. Hicks has been one of the most active members of the Patrons of Husbandry, filling various offices in the organization, several times presiding officer, and representative at state meetings. "Mr. Hicks was united in marriage May 2, 1876, to Margaret A. Hood, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, August 18, 1844, a daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Brinton) Hood. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Hicks, Caleb Brinton, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, was among the first agitators of temperance and first to abolish the custom of having a bottle passed in harvest. Joseph Hood was a son of Thomas Hood, who was a son of Joseph, a son of Thomas, a son of John Hood, who came to the United States in 1683, settled in Upper Darby, now Delaware county, in 1686, was a member of the Assembly in 1684, and died in the year 1721. "Mr. and Mrs. Hicks are the parents of the following named children: Joseph H., born February 28, 1877, died in infancy; Mary R., born January 28, 1878; Phebe, born July 25, 1879, died in infancy; Laura L., born July 25, 1882, and Alice F., born December 6, 1886. In 1886, Mrs. Hicks was elected a member of the school board, in which capacity she served for twelve years. While Mrs. Hicks was a member of the school board she injected many new ideas into the school work in the way of reform, and three new school buildings were erected while she was a member of the board. She is also an active member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The family ranks among the best in Chester county and is widely known." (A photo of Francis Wilkinson Hicks accompanies the sketch)