Sacramento County Biographies Information thanks to Nancy Pratt Melton

Sacramento County Biographies
Information thanks to Nancy Pratt Melton:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~npmelton/sachic.htm

JOSEPH E. HICKS

JOSEPH E. HICKS.--Representing the third generation of a family of California pioneers, Joseph E. Hicks has spent his entire life in the vicinity of his birth. He was born on the old Hicks ranch, near the present location of McConnell Station, Sacramento County, on August 20, 1884. His father, James B. Hicks, was born in Tennessee on August 7, 1849, a son of Joseph and Martha Hicks, both natives of Virginia. Joseph Hicks came around the Horn with his wife and four children when James was a small boy. The family settled at first near Jackson, Amador County, then moved to Sacramento County and acquired part of the Chaboya Grant on Dry Creek, south of the present location of Galt. Here James B. Hicks was reared, and on December 1, 1877, he was married to Miss Etta Frederick, who was born at Sacramento May 29, 1855, the daughter of Louis and Elizabeth (Geater) Frederick. Louis Frederick was a native of Germany; and on coming to the United States he settled in Lexington, Ky., where he married Miss Elizabeth Geater. Four children were born to them in Kentucky; and in 1853 the family came around the Horn to California, and here four more children were born, only two of whom are now living. Mrs. James B. Hicks, and William Frederick, who lives at Rocklin, Cal. Louis Frederick was a tailor; and he first settled in Sacramento, where he carried on his trade. In 1867 he moved to a ranch three miles from Roseville, Placer County, and farmed there for a number of years. He died in Oakland at the age of sixty-nine. Mrs. Frederick passing away when fifty-nine.

After his marriage James B. Hicks established the firm of Bottimore & Hicks, entering the butcher business at Galt and continuing there until he sold out his interest and moved to the old Hicks ranch, where our subject, Joseph E. Hicks, was born. James B. Hicks farmed this 1,100-acre ranch for fifteen years and then returned to Galt, where he spent his last days, passing away June 24, 1904; he was survived by his widow, who is still living there. They were the parents of several children: Fred, of Yuba City, Cal.; Pearl, Mrs. C. F. Whitmore of San Francisco, who has four children, James, Leslie, Helen and Emily; Ralph M.; and Joseph E., of Yuba City.

Joseph E. Hicks received his education at the Galt and Arno schools and when sixteen started out for himself. He worked for the Don Ray Company of Galt as clerk for five years; then for a year and a half he was in business for himself, and the following ten years were spent in the store of Sawyer Bros., Inc., of Galt. Upon the resignation of R. H. Brewster as constable of Galt, Mr. Hicks was appointed in his place, and he held this office to the entire satisfaction of the public. On December 10, 1921, Mr. Hicks opened up a soft drink business. This business was sold on May 26, 1923, and Mr. Hicks is now manager of one of fifty stores owned by the Martha Washington Grocery Stores, Inc., at Yuba City, Sutter County, his home address now being 404 B Street, Yuba City.

On June 10, 1910, Mr. Hicks was married to Miss Grace A. Sparks, the daughter of Merritt A., and Mary (Driscol) Sparks. Her father, who was a native of Crawford County, Pa., was a son of Merritt S. and Angelina (Kettle) Sparks, both natives of New York. When Merritt A. Sparks was nine months old, he family removed to Clay County, Ind., and there at Bowling Green he received his education and learned the carriage-making trade, which he followed in Cincinnati, St. Louis, Mo., Peoria, Ill., and Crawfordsville, Ind. In 1875 he came to California and remained for a time at Sacramento, going from there to Dutch Flat, where he worked for a year and a half. In 1878 he came to Galt and for twelve years conducted a shop along the lines of his trade. He and his wife still live at Galt. Mr. And Mrs. Joseph E. Hicks are the parents of three children: Melvin Maxwell, Josephine, and Mary Etta, who was named for her two grandmothers. Mr. Hicks is a Democrat in politics. He is past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias of Galt, and is also a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West.

Transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 849-850. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.