Whitehead Hicks (1728 - 1780)

Born 24 Aug 1728 in Flushing, Queens, New York

Ancestors

Husband of Charlotte (Brevoort) Hicks — married 6 Oct 1757 in New York City, New York County, New York

Died 4 Oct 1780 at age 52 in Flushing, Queens, New York, United States

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Biography

Preceded by John Cruger, Jr.

Whitehead Hicks 42nd Mayor of New York City 1766-1776

Succeeded by David Mathews

Whitehead Hicks was born on August 24, 1728 in Flushing, New York to Judge Thomas Whitehead. He was the eldest son of Thomas. ^[1]

He was admitted to the Bar on October 22, 1750 and became a distinguished judge. ^[1] Whitehead held a distinguished career. From 1752-1757, he was clerk of Queens County, NY, Mayor of New York from 1766 to 1776 and judge of the Supreme Court of New York from 1776-1780.^[2]

Whitehead married on October 15/1757, Charlotte Brevoort, born in New York City, May 22,1740<^[1]. She died February 28,1790 and was the only surviving of the three daughters of John Annes Brevoort and Louisa Abigail (Kockerthal) Brevoort. Upon her father's death, Whitehead came into possession of the Brevoort fortune. Whitehead and Louisa had eight children: John Brevoort, Thomas, Elias, Margaret, John and Margaret (twins), Louisa, and Charlotte.

"Hicks was a Loyalist and was the first to appear in front of a committee of nine colonials formed by the New York Provincial Congress in 1776 to investigate "domestic enemies" "disaffected to the American cause". He met with this committee in June 15, 1776, indicating his loyalty to the king and was subsequently put on parole." ^[3] "It is believed that he was privately in favor of independence, but timid in disposition, and holding an important judicial office under regal authority, he concluded to remain silent on political matters, while his cautious prudence equally prevented suspicion and illtreatment from both parties. - in consequnce of which his person and property were unmolested." ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Benjamin Franklin Thompson; Charles Jolly Werner (1918). History of Long Island from Its Discovery and Settlement to the Present Time. R. H. Dodd, V.III, pg. 469-473. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=JdopAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
2. ↑ Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography of the Nineteenth Century ,page 478
3. ↑ "Whitehead Hicks." Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitehead_Hicks