Taken at Birth: The Hicks Clinic Stolen Babies, Best Food Sensitivity Test To Take At Home (2023), The Best DNA Tests (for Health, Ancestry, and Ethnicity), Best At-Home Allergy & Intolerance Tests (2023), We Took The Viome Gut Test Heres Our Verdict. I may have a couple brothers out there. Thank you. She was 6 years old when her adoptive father sat her down about it. About 15 of the 200+ babies have been reunited with their biological parents. It includes a handout, plenty of time for questions and discussion, and access to the recording for 2 weeks. In the documentary they have a positive match for Dr Hicks fathering one of the babies. 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. And the $1k sounds about like what my Dad was sold for. READ NEXT: Jane Blasio, The Hicks Baby Who Broke the Black Market Baby Adoption Case: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Dr. Thomas Hicks: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. They adored Dr Hicks and were fiercely protective of his reputation and legacy. 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. I was waiting for one mother to come on and say that they were told that their baby had died, but nope. To date, seven of the biological mothers have come forward. Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206086779/margaret-mary-brown, Samuel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson, Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), David Fleming Hicks, Mary Louise Hicks (born Holt), Samuel Earnest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Hicks, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Annie Laurie Hicks, 1910 - Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, USA, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie E Hicks, Laura A Hicks, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie Ellen Hicks, Anna Laura Wisdom Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Brown (born Hicks), Mary Edith Rogers Davis, Oct 18 1888 - Orebank, Sullivan, Tennessee, United States, Mar 5 1972 - Copperhill, Polk, Tennessee, United States, Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Jr, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Mary Brown (born Hicks), uel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron (born Hicks), John William Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas J Jr Hicks, W Lynn Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86371930/carrie-ellen-dickson, Bloomington, Pickett County, Tennessee, USA, Crestlawn Cemetery, Polk County, Tennessee, USA, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9119259/thomas-jugarthy-hicks, https://www.geni.com/projects/SmartCopy/18783. What years was he operating in TN, and where? Babies For Sale: The Secret Adoptions That Haunt One Georgia Town. One twin has not been found yet but the one that was found was adopted into a horrible family and had a really sad childhood. There is absolutely NO defense for that.He treated these babies like they were nothing more than a puppy mill money making machine. Her decade-long search for her birth parents led to the exposure of Hicks' illegal babies. Thomas is 21 degrees from Jennifer Aniston, 20 degrees from Drew Barrymore, 22 degrees from Candice Bergen, 26 degrees from Alexandre Dumas, 17 degrees from Carrie Fisher, 32 degrees from Whitney Houston, 20 degrees from Hayley Mills, 20 degrees from Liza Minnelli, 20 degrees from Lisa Presley, 21 degrees from Kiefer Sutherland, 17 degrees from Bill Veeck and 22 degrees from Brian Nash on our single family tree. My name is Judy Swafford Walker. Eventually, in 1964, he was caught performing an abortion and was summarily stripped of his medical license. Then hed place a baby in their arms. In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, a doctor was selling babies from his small town abortion clinic in the heart of McCaysville, Georgia. Copyright 2023 Who are You Made Of? His wife was a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. The adopted child or biological mother can call and provide information about their gender and birthdate. Blasio knew she was adopted at a young age. These babies were born between weighing only 3.5 and 4.75 lbs.. ALL very unfavorable conditions!!!! To date, no one knows the exact number of babies he stole and sold on . Buying or selling A CHILDTHERE IS EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THAT! He was her first born and she said she heard him cry yet Dr Hicks told her he was still born. Mama said they ran him out of Tennessee not long after that because he was killing so many babies. Dr. Hicks was a town doctor who performed illegal abortions. Natalie. We Delivering you Souvenirs from China;Our site is Specialized in Selling Chinese Special Versions of Stamps, Currency (Coins / Paper), also Selling Souvenirs From the Most Famous Chinese Tourist Sites www.ChinaCoinz.com Part of NTD E-Commerce Co. LTD www.ChinaCoinz.com Part of NTD E-Commerce Co. LTD,. Otherwise he wouldnt have needed to lie about them being stillborn. While its true that some of the adults who were adopted as babies are using DNA to discover their biological origins, it is not because they suspect a biological connection to the Hicks family. Hicks faced legal trouble for illegal abortions, but not for the illegal adoptions. I dont trust my own memories, let alone 50 year old memories. Hicks faced legal trouble for illegal abortions, but not for the illegal adoptions. Town Secret Is Uncovered In Birth Quest. He would sell the babies to parents who wanted to adopt but couldnt afford to do so legally. Yes he had a choice he just made the wrong one for greed!! The illegal adoptions that were allegedly arranged by Dr. Hicks were not discovered until after his death. She did not go to him for an abortion or to give her baby away. 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. Several of the Hicks Babies found the mausoleum was vandalized when they paid a visit in 2018. My dad moved us to New Mexico when I was in my early teens but I have a brother who stayed in Michigan. Her only health problem was asthma. 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. There are always three sides to any story: One side, the other side, and the truth (which is usually somewhere in between). Geni requires JavaScript! There were mothers who were told their babies died. If he was truly compassionate and a good man he would not have lied to the mothers and told them they delivered a stillborn baby or that the baby died. There are stories that even suggest that some mothers were told that their babies did not survive at birth. 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. He delivered my oldest brother. It is possible that deaths like these convinced Dr. Hicks that something needed to be done.. So telling a mother that her baby died at birth while he sold it out his back door was fine with you? Hicks was performing abortions long before Roe. Hed ask them to put on a medical gown and lay down on a table. He also has a granddaughter who is sympathetic to the efforts of the Hicks Babies. He sold those babies for a profit. He told some of the biological mothers that they had undergone an abortion. Doctor Hicks was NO saint and we recognize his dysfunction, the pain he caused many, and have learned to bear it, she wrote. 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. My parents lived together for 62 years and went on to have seven more children but my Mama grieved the rest of her life for the son she lost! In 2014, around 30 suspected Hicks Babies traveled to Tennessee to undergo DNA testing. Hicks beliefs did not fully mesh with abortions, and he would sometimes convince women that he would handle adoptions if they carried the babies to term, according to WKYC in Cleveland, Ohio. You are right, Dr Hicks was an evil man. Mama had seven more babies after that(Im the youngest)she never stopped grieving for her oldest son. Blasio blew the whistle back in the 1990s. The adoptive parents paid $1,000 for the baby, and Hicks would provide housing for the mothers for several months at his farm, a hotel, his apartments or a telephone company building, according to Appalachian History. 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. 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. Some babies were that small but not all of them. What he did to all of those families was very wrong. Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) - Genealogy Genealogy for Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. They were not, and he sold those babies. Genealogy for Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr (1888 - 1972) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. If it was a black-market clinic, there probably arent any records of the transaction. I know your heart aches. Have you taken a DNA test yourself? Some on here commented that the bio moms were likely unwed and didnt want the babies. His parents were David Fleming Hicks and Mary Louise Holt. Blasio went on to help dozens of Hicks babies so they could track down their birth parents and relatives. At the very least, she helps them learn more about their birth stories and roots. "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. Most biological mothers disappeared after giving birth to their babies. we do not know where these births occured most of our family is deceased. He took HUGE risks for essentially very little in return, in fact he did lose his medical license in 1964 for performing an abortion. As I watched this documentary it made me think of the story my mother told many timesas her grandmother told hershe (my mother) was born in Oliver Springs TN.. (a little over two hours from McCaysville GA) A Dr Stone dilivered her and told her mother that she didnt make it meanwhile shes lying on a cart covered up with a sheet outside the room when her grandmother realizes shes there picked her up blew into her mouth then spanked her bottom and she started crying. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3186644/Adopted-woman-51-SO Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr worked as Physician. 1997. What is the Levant DNA Region on Ancestry. He was married to a Baptist Sunday school teacher, according to PEOPLE. He gave them good care. And then the consistent low birth weights are concerning. Anyways the family is from Georgia and they film there as well. Dr. Thomas Hicks McCAYSVILLE, Ga. - Services for Dr. Thomas J. Hicks, Sr., 83, of McCaysville will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Finch's Chapel here, burial in Crestlawn Cemetery in Copperhill, Tenn. Dr. Hicks, who operated Hicks' Clinic from around 1945 until he retired in 1965, died of leukemia Sunday. Use your brain, IF good old dr hicks was such a good doctor then why did he need to tell the women that their baby died?? If he is out there and looking he may have tried the dna route. He let loose some real chaos into this world.. He told women their babies had died when they hadnt. Aside from families that might eventually tell their adult children, the only hope Hicks babies have of finding their biological relatives is DNA tracking. I did do a DNA test with no response. A fake birth certificate was produced, listing the adoptive parents as the parents of the child. Thank you so much. Hicks Baby Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother. He was wrong and he did wrong so did the mayor and chief of police. Today, these babies are referred to as "Hicks babies.". TLC's Taken at Birth, which first aired in 2019, is a three-part . Join the search for truth. 4. That is crazy! Thomas Jugarthy Hicks in MyHeritage family trees (Sompayrac Web Site) Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Sr in 1940 United States Federal Census Thomas Hicks in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) view all Immediate Family Chassie Hicks wife Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr son Dr Walter Lynn Hicks son Private child Mary Louise Hicks mother My parents were young and married and wanted their first son! Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. Login to find your connection. Her initial search was unsuccessful, so she contacted a Georgia probate attorney. Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. You really have no idea what you are talking about! Who was Thomas J. Hicks? 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. Thomas Hicks was a small-town Georgia doctor who was posthumously accused of selling hundreds of babies in illegal adoptions. All in all, I cannot condemn him. He surrendered his Georgia medical license to halt his prosecution.2. Just recently I have been confirmed to be the last of the Hicks babies. Thomas, or Dr. Hicks, was one of six children. When I told my parents about this documentary.. My dad said well back then they didnt have the equipment to deal with infants like they to do today my response was oh they didnt know to clear the air passage way and slap a baby on the bottom? me are my real parents or not as i am finding out not every thing they told me about family is real. 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. I think he was a good man. She grieved for him her entire life! 2017. In these cases, Hicks would forge a birth certificate and give the baby to adoptive parents in secret from his Georgia clinic. Babies born that early would need to remain in the hospital. He delivered many babies in Tennessee before they ran him out of the state. 2019. This man was worse than the plague! discoveries. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. I would love to be able to find him or maybe some of his family. Dr. Thomas Hicks. To have an unequivocal reference sample for any other Hicks children who want to know their origins. Many of those from Hicks small town defended his actions. When families came to his clinic to adopt babies, Hicks made the women pretend they had just given birth. There are about 200 people, now adults, who are among those who are sometimes referred to as Hicks Babies. Youre as crazy as he was if you think he should even get a pat on the back for his time and services. This is a story of a doctor who saved lives?? Some birth mothers knew they were placing a baby for adoption, some thought they had an abortion, and some were told their . This man told women that their babies had died or were stillborn. How would you feel if you found out a child your told was dead is actually alive I wish Hicks was alive to stand trial for what he did, he had no right. I hope youre able to solve your case soon. v. Wade legalized abortions. is anything else your are looking? #TakenAtBirth, a 3-night special event, begins Wednesday at 9/8c. Some residents seemed to know the double life he was leading. Dr. Hicks died of leukemia in 1972 at the age of 83. Moves to NE Ohio and then to Michigan from 1868 to this day. My Grandma has been gone several years now, but she told us numerous times that in 1952 when she gave birth to my aunt that she remembers having two babies and the nurse telling her she had a boy. My oldest would have been born in Akron in 1960. Enter a grandparent's name. In the small town, the. Father of Dr Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Jr; Dr Walter Lynn Hicks and Private Im so sorry for your familys loss. He is buried in Crest Lawn Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. PS Ancestry DNA is a crook. Once they have grouped their DNA matches in to several groups, they can study the descendants of the ancestors to find where they connect to each other. My Hicks line starts in New York in 1833. We could be related. How Did People Find Out About the Hicks Babies? You saw it. How Many Babies Did Thomas Hicks Put Up For Adoption? Hicks didnt oversee legal adoptions. Blasio and 200 others were taken from their mothers at birth in the 1950s and '60s and sold illegally on the black market out the back door of a clinic run by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks. ABC News, accessed 17 September 2019. The sentiments were echoed in other news stories. It was discovered that Dr. Thomas J. Hicks had been selling newborns from the small-town facility's backdoor for $1000. Barbara, I shuttered when I read your comment! Dr. Thomas Hicks died of leukemia, a type of blood cancer. 1910 - Civil District 10, Sullivan, Tennessee, USA, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie E Hicks, Laura A Hicks, David Fleming Hicks, Mary Louise Hicks (born Holt), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks Jr, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Mary Brown (born Hicks), est Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron (born Hicks), John William Hicks, Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Samuel Ernest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Ketron, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson, Anna Laura Bradley (born Hicks), Samuel Earnest Hicks, Lucy Elizabeth Hicks, John William Hicks, Unknown Hicks, Carrie Ellen Dickson (born Hicks), Annie Laurie Hicks, Lucy E Hicks, Carrie Ellen Hicks, Anna Laura Wisdom Bradley (born Hicks), Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, Walter Lynn Hicks, Margaret Brown (born Hicks), Mary Edith Rogers Davis, Thomas J Jr Hicks, W Lynn Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Bloomingdale, Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States, Copperhill, Polk County, Tennessee, United States, Crestlawn, Polk County, Tennessee, United States. I have so many thoughts racing through my mind. The illegal adoptions came to an end in 1964, when Hicks was caught performing illegal abortions. Same ears, chin/jaw line, nose, and eyes. Several in the town told the outlet the story was sensationalized. Despite the obstacles, the investigative team - with the blessing and cooperation of the Hicks Babies community - works tirelessly to try and bring answers to the families impacted by Dr. Hicks' actions, from conventional DNA searches and door-to-door interrogations, to a mausoleum search. It may be that I never find my brother but maybe I could find his children. She named him Von Gordon. Jane Blasio, who broke the story of the Hicks Babies and leads investigative efforts, wrote her thoughts about Hicks on her website. That $1000. He was a monster, a murderer, and a kidnapper, but he wasnt a good man doing a good thing for helpless women. Hed do anything for anybody sometimes hed pay a price for it, she said. You gotta wonder if this was a routine operation throughout history. You people have no idea how many states/commonwealths this Hicks was in., he was known in the mountains of Pa as Hickscock. I so agree with you. So that he could make money. What Does It Mean If You Have 1% Native American DNA? What Happened To Dr. Hicks And His Associates? This man not only took away peoples family history, but ruined their future as well. She was 23. I personally think he is a sociopath and I wonder if he could have been a Serial Killer as well. Could you imagine carrying your baby a whole pregnancy having a nursery all set up and you go to the hospital deliver your baby and be lied to that your baby died smh Im speechless. Furthermore, over 200 babies! 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 The Dr Hicks who ran the black-market adoptions had a son who became a dentist. I am watching the TV documentary on Dr. Hicks and do not believe he should be so vilified. Now, they are using the power of DNA to reunite with their biological families. The Hicks babies were babies sold by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks to different families. Does it say where he was born or the name of the doctor? is anything else your are looking? Within a decade, he was not only performing illegal abortions but selling newborns on the black market. Prior to that, he was practicing just across the state line in Copperhill, Tennessee, and could well have been selling babies then. Ive heard the same story over and over, that the mother heard her baby cry but was told it was stillborn.