Nancy J (Blue) Hicks (1854 - 1887)

Born 1 Sep 1854 in Peoria County, Illinois, United States

Wife of Ira Joel Hicks — married about 1875 (to 10 Aug 1887) in Peoria County, Illinois, United States

Descendants

Died 10 Aug 1887 at age 32 in Chatsworth, Livingston County, Illinois, United States

Biography

Nancy was born 1 Sep 1854 in Peoria County, Illinois. She was the daughter of Cyrus Blue and Linnie Roberts.

In 1860 she was living in Hallock, Peoria, Illinois.^[1] The household included Cyrus H Blue 39, Linna Blue 37, Matilda Blue 15, Margaret O Blue 11, Mary E Blue 8 and Nancy J Blue 6. Cyrus was a farmer.

In 1870 she was living in Hallock Township, Peoria, Illinois.^[2] The household of John Dowdall included several families including Lucy Blue 46, Mary E Blue 18 and Nancy J Blue 15.

Ira Hicks and Nancy Blue were married about 1875, probably in Peoria County, Illinois.

In 1880 she was living in Hallock, Peoria, Illinois.^[3] The household included Ira J Hicks 27, wife Nancy Hicks 26, niece Ollie L Wilson 6, niece Bertha A Wilson 4 and Lina Blue 56. Ira was a farmer. Lina was divorced and listed as a boarder.

She died 10 Aug 1887 in Chatsworth, Livingston County, Illinois. She was aboard an excursion train bound for Niagara Falls. Earlier that day several section hands had set a fire to clear brush. The fire expanded to the railroad trestle bridge, which collapsed when the train began to cross. Nancy was among 80 killed. One body was identified as Mrs. Mahala Clay of Eureka and was buried at Eureka, although Nancy Hicks remained missing, as reported in several newspaper accounts. It was later determined, via clothing, that the body buried was that of Mrs. Ira Hicks.^{[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]}

She is buried in La Salle Cemetery, Rome, Peoria County, Illinois.^[12]

Research Notes

See about creating a space page for the Chatsworth train accident

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Disasters

A list of those killed in the Chatsworth train accident can be found in this virtual cemetery: https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/333059

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXCW-HFG : 18 February 2021), Nancy J Blue in entry for Cyrus H Blue, 1860.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6HP-35X : 29 May 2021), Nancy J Blue in entry for John Dowdall, 1870.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXKS-782 : 19 February 2021), Nancy Hicks Hicks in household of Ira J Hicks, Hallock, Peoria, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district ED 193, sheet 403A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,240.
4. ↑ Illinois Ancestors. Peoria County Illinois. Chatsworth Train Accident. Information from Peoria Weekly Journal: August 25, 1887. http://www.peoriacountyillinois.info/news/chatsworthacc.html
5. ↑ Chatsworth Illinois Memories. The Great Chatsworth Train Wreck. https://sites.google.com/site/chatsworthillinoismemories/the-great-chatsworth-train-wreck
6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1887_Great_Chatsworth_train_wreck
7. ↑ Genealogy Trails. McLean County, Illinois. Chatsworth Train Wreck. Chatsworth, Livingston County, Illinois. SOURCE:13 Aug 1887 - The Daily Picayune, New Orleans. http://genealogytrails.com/ill/mclean/news_chatsworthtrainwreck.html
8. ↑ Illinois Library. Significant Illinois Fires: Chatsworth Train Wreck https://guides.library.illinois.edu/c.php?g=416856&p=2840891
9. ↑ Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.), 17 Aug. 1887. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.<https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn92053945/1887-08-17/ed-1/seq-2/>
10. ↑ New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]), 12 Aug. 1887. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1887-08-12/ed-1/seq-1/>
11. ↑ The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 12 Aug. 1887. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1887-08-12/ed-1/seq-1/>
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/22725916/nancy-j.-hicks : accessed 03 July 2021), memorial page for Nancy J. Blue Hicks (1 Sep 1854–10 Aug 1887), Find A Grave: Memorial #22725916, citing La Salle Cemetery, Rome, Peoria County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Gravely Concerned (contributor 46591021) .