Butte County

Biographies

 

 

 

 

 

DANIEL T. HICKS

 

 

      DANIEL T. HICKS.--The son of an honored pioneer family, Daniel T. Hicks, was born in Missouri, August 4, 1851, the son of John Wesley and Elizabeth (Jones) Hicks. In 1857 the parents of D. T. Hicks crossed the plains, with the slow-moving ox teams, and settled three miles north of Chico, Cal. It was here that the subject of this sketch grew up and attended the public school of the district, and also formed a friendship, among his playmates, for Mary Signor. This friendship later developed into love and they were married on March 28,1877.

      Mary Signor was born in Earlville, La Salle County, Ill., on May 7, 1858. She was the daughter of Isaac and Mary A. (Maguigan) Signor. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, where he first saw the light of day on April 14, 1823. He passed away in California on October 6, 1868. Her mother was born on October 7, 1829, and died in California, January 18, 1869. Mr. And Mrs. Isaac Signor were the parents of five children: Malissa, who was Mrs. D. D. Crowder, who entered into rest on September 24, 1886, at Oakland; Eli A., who is a cattleman in Wyoming; John J., who died January 21, 1892; Celestia J., now Mrs. John Garner, residing on Shasta Road; and Mary G., now Mrs. Hicks.

      Mr. Signor crossed the plains in 1859. He started with the expectation of going to Pike’s Peak, at the time of the gold excitement at that place, but met so many returning from that point, who were disappointed, that he continued his journey farther westward until he finally reached California, where he settled on Pine Creek, on the old Phillips Place. After he became located he sent for his family and they came to California, via Panama, in 1863. In 1868 he removed to the four corners north of Chico, where he died that fall, and his wife passed away the next spring. After the death of the parents, the oldest daughter became the head of the family, and by her loving care and ministrations, kept the family together. Mrs. Hicks, who was the Mary Signor, made her home with Mrs. Crowder. She attended the old Mud Creek district school, when John Leminger was the teacher.

      After the marriage of D. T. Hicks with Mary Signor, the young couple settled on a farm situated one and one half miles east of the Webster school house. At first they purchased one hundred sixty acres, and later their farm was augmented by eighty acres, which they improved with a residence. Here they engaged in raising grain and stock. In 1907, they moved into Chico Vecino, where they purchased their present residence, No. 306 Laburnum Avenue. Mr. Hicks passed away at this home, on August 18, 1908.

      Mr. And Mrs. D. T. Hicks were the parents of two children. The older daughter, Clara M., was a graduate of Chico State Normal, and was a teacher for six years, but now is the wife of George Lucas, a stockman of Chico; they have two children: George William and Daniel Hicks. The younger daughter was Hazel, who is a graduated of the Chico Business College and for some years was a bookkeeper; she is now the wife of Clark Mercer, of Chico.

      After the death of her husband, Mrs. Hicks, with her daughter, operated the farm and successfully raised grain and stock, while she retained her home at Chico Vecino. At present Mrs. Hicks rents the farm to her son-in-law Clark Mercer. Mrs. Hicks has raised barley and sold it as low as sixty cents a sack, and wheat as low as one dollar per sack. In 1917 she sold barley for two dollars and twenty-five cents a cental. Mrs. Hicks has splendid business acumen and is very successful. She is a Democrat in national politics, but independent in local affairs. Mr. Hicks was at one time a trustee of the Webster school district.

 

 

Transcribed by Louise E. Shoemaker, November 28th 2007.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 525-526, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.

© 2007 Louise E. Shoemaker.

 

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