Wilson C. Hicks Biography


	This biography appears on pages 867-868 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				WILSON C. HICKS. 

	Wilson C. Hicks is the efficient cashier of the First State Bank 
of Java, with which he has been connected since the 1st day of May, 
1904. His efforts have been a contributing element in its growing 
success and the patrons of the bank always find him obliging, courteous 
and helpful. Mr. Hicks is of Canadian birth. He was born September 26, 
1864, at Milford, Prince Edward county, Ontario, Canada, a son of 
George and Margaret (Smiley) Hicks. The father, who was born September 
29, 1831, in the same county and was there reared and educated, during 
most of his life engaged in shipping on the lakes and became captain of 
various vessels. His father, Joseph Hicks, was also born in Canada. but 
the ancestors came originally from Wales, crossing the Atlantic to the 
new world about 1620. They were pioneer residents of Rhode Island and 
in 1776 the family went to Ontario. The mother of Wilson C. Hicks was 
born in Ireland and when about eight years of age came to Canada with 
her parents, the family home being established in Prince Edward county, 
Ontario. There she was married and became the mother of two children, 
the younger being Eliphalet G. Hicks, who is engaged in the real-estate 
business and in the operation of cement works at San Antonio, Texas. He 
wedded Miss Mabel Pease, and they have one child, Orton. 

	Wilson C. Hicks was educated in the public schools of Prince 
Edward county and when nineteen years of age matriculated in a business 
college at Belleville, Ontario, from which he was graduated a year 
later. Prior to that time however, he clerked in a store in South Bay, 
Ontario, thus making his initial step in the business world. After 
leaving college he became connected with railroad interests as station 
agent at Ormsby, Ontario, and in 1888 went to Manitoba as agent for the 
Canadian Pacific Railroad at Killarney, there remaining for about eight 
months. On the 12th of January, 1889, he took charge of Treherne 
station in Manitoba, remaining there for twelve years. He then feint 
entitled to a vacation and after a few months spent in following his 
inclinations in removed to Roscoe, South Dakota, since which time he 
has been identified with this state. After a brief period spent at 
Roscoe he went to Java, where he arrived on the 1st of May, 1904. and 
there entered the banking business, buying an interest in the First 
State Bank of Java, Walworth county, of which he became the cashier. 
The bank was then capitalized for ten thousand dollars, but in 1914 the 
capital was raised to fifteen thousand dollars and the institution now 
has a surplus and undivided profits of five thousand dollars. Mr. Hicks 
is still cashier and manager of the bank with F. B. Gannon as the 
president and Jacob Helm as assistant cashier. They conduct a general 
banking business, make loans and collections and also do an insurance 
business, representing several fire, tornado and hail insurance 
companies. Mr. Hicks is also interested in real estate and to quite an 
extent the bank negotiates farm loans. 

	On the 23d of April, 1890, Mr. Hicks was married at Treherne, 
Manitoba, Canada, to Miss Emily Parker, a daughter of John and 
Elizabeth (Palmer) Parker, natives of England, who in early life went 
to Ontario, Canada, where they were married. To Mr. and Mrs. Hicks have 
been born three children. Ethel Margaret, born March 17, 1891, is the 
wife of John K. McGuire, now living in Saskatchewan, Canada. George 
Wilson, born September 15, 1896, and Charles Lewis, born February 10, 
1903, are both attending school. 

	Fraternally Mr. Hicks is connected with Java Lodge, No. 177, A. 
F. & A. M., and has filled all of the chairs, and was district deputy 
grand master in Canada. He also belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge at 
Treherne and he has membership in the Elks Lodge No. 1046 at Aberdeen, 
and with the Modern Woodmen and the Yeomen at Java. In politics he is a 
democrat and for three years filled the office of town treasurer of 
Java. He is all advocate of good roads, a supporter of many movements 
pertaining to the general welfare and is a most progressive business 
man, his energy and enterprise constituting a dynamic force in the 
business development of Walworth county.