Berton Pearcy Hicks (1896 - 1987)

Born 4 Jul 1896 in Roanoke, Virginia, United States of America

Husband of Elizabeth M (Waterman) Hicks — married about 1922 in Fresno, California, United States of America

Died 26 Nov 1987 at age 91 in San Francisco, California, United States of America

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Biography

Berton Hicks was born in Virginia in 1896. He was the son of Lucy Catherine Hicks, nee Wells, and Mark Henry Hicks, and was raised on their farm in Virginia.

He appears on the WWI draft, with his mother Lucy Hicks as being a dependent in 1918.

A marriage is recorded on 28 May 1919 between Benton Pearcy Hicks and Grace Emaline Benson ^[1], who was older than her spouse. If this marriage is in relation to Berton Hicks, then it was shortlived, as he remarried to Elizabeth Waterman in about 1921 or 1922.

There is reasonable speculation that Berton Hicks is a match for Benton P Hicks who served time in San Quentin prison in 1920 for forgery committed in Fresno, California. Convict 33479 was incarcerated on 22 February 1920, with occupation riveter, birth place Virginia, aged 23, height 5 foot 7 inches. He was paroled on 1 November 1922, and discharged from parole in December 1922.

When he was 26 he married Elizabeth M Waterman, who was 19. They had three children, two daughters followed by a son in 1932. Elizabeth however died in 1935 when she was 33 leaving Berton to raise their children, the youngest being only about 2 or 3. The funeral home records of his deceased wife Elizabeth provide source information on this. (see record for Elizabeth M Waterman)

The 1930 Census records show Berton was employed as a taxi chauffeur. The 1940 Census, when he was a widower, show him as a construction surveyor. In 1945 the Street directory shows him as chairman of Punnett, Parez & Hutchison, which also is the name of the firm listed on the WWII draft card as his employer. Both Berton and his wife Elizabeth were on the voter registrations for 1934 as affiliated to the Democrats.

Berton Hicks died in 1987 when he was 91 years old.

Sources

1. ↑ California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 - database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ3R-9SN : 28 November 2014), Benton Pearcy Hicks and Grace Emaline Benson, 28 May 1919; citing Fresno, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,548,576.

• 1900 US Census - Census Place: Catawba, Roanoke, Virginia; Roll: 1725; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0072; FHL microfilm: 1241725. Source: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Name: Benton F Hicks [Benton P Hicks] ; Age: 4; Birth Date: Sep 1895; Birthplace: Virginia; Home in 1900: Catawba, Roanoke, Virginia; Sheet Number: 8B; Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 143; Family Number: 145; Race: White; Gender: Male; Relation to Head of House: Son; Marital Status: Single; Father's name: Mark H Hicks; Father's Birthplace: Virginia; Mother's name: Lucy C Hicks; Mother's Birthplace: Virginia
• 1910 US Census - Census Place: Catawba, Roanoke, Virginia; Roll: T624_1646; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0130; FHL microfilm: 1375659. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Name: Burton P Hicks [Benton P Hicks] ; Age in 1910: 13; Birth Year: abt 1897; Birthplace: Virginia; Home in 1910: Catawba, Roanoke, Virginia; Race: White; Gender: Male; Relation to Head of House: Son; Marital Status: Single; Father's name: Mark H Hicks; Father's Birthplace: Virginia; Mother's name: Lucy W Hicks; Mother's Birthplace: Virginia
• WWI Draft Registration Cards - Registration State: California; Registration County: Fresno; Roll: 1530714; Draft Board: 1. Sourced: Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Name: Benton Pearcy Hicks; Race: Caucasian (White); Marital Status: Single; Birth Date: 4 Jul 1896; Birth Place: Virginia, USA; Street address: Route H. Box 169; Residence Place: Fresno, California, USA; Physical Build: Slender; Height: Medium
• California, Prison and Correctional Records, 1851-1950 - California State Archives; Sacramento, California; Secretary of State California State Archives San Quentin Prison Registers. Ancestry.com. California, Prison and Correctional Records, 1851-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Name: Benton P Hicks; Birth Date: abt 1897; Birth Place: Virginia; Record Date: 22 Feb 1920; Place of Crime: Fresno, California, USA; Institution Place: San Quentin, Marin, California, USA; Age: 23; Prisoner Number: 33479
• San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1928 - Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Berton P Hicks; Gender: Male; Residence Year: 1928; Street address: 471 20th Av; Residence Place: San Francisco, California, USA; Occupation: Driver; Spouse: Elizabeth Hicks
• 1930 US Census - Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 201; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0181; Image: 291.0; FHL microfilm: 2339936. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Name: Berton P Hicks; Birth Year: abt 1898; Gender: Male; Race: White; Birthplace: Virginia; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Head; Street address: Lincoln Way; Father's Birthplace: Virginia; Mother's Birthplace: Virginia; Occupation: Chauffeur; Industry: Taxi
• San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1933 - Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Berton P Hicks; Gender: Male; Residence Year: 1933; Street address: 231 4th Av; Residence Place: San Francisco, California, USA; Occupation: Chauffeur; Spouse: Elizabeth Hicks
• California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968 - year 1934 - Ancestry.com. California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2017. Original data: State of California, United States. Great Register of Voters. Sacramento, California: California State Library. Name: Berton P Hicks; Residence Year: 1934; Street address: 580 15th Av; Residence Place: San Francisco, California, USA; Party Affiliation: Democrat; Occupation: Chauffeur
• WWII Draft Registration Cards - The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (4th Registration) for the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System, 1926-1975; Record Group Number: 147. Sourced: Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Name: Berton Pearcy Hicks; Gender: Male; Residence Age: 46; Birth Date: 4 Jul 1896; Residence Date: 1942; Residence Place: San Francisco, California
• San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1945 - Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Berton P Hicks; Residence Year: 1945; Street address: 345 16th Av; Residence Place: San Francisco, California, USA; Occupation: Chairman
• California, Death Index, 1940-1997 - Original data: State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. Sourced from Ancestry.com, Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Name: Berton Pearcy Hicks; Social Security #: 556146441; Gender: Male; Birth Date: 4 Jul 1896; Birth Place: Virginia; Death Date: 26 Nov 1987; Death Place: Alameda; Mother's Maiden Name: Wells
• U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 - Number: 566-14-6441; Issue State: California; Issue Date: Before 1951. Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Name: Berton Hicks; SSN: 566-14-6441; Last Residence: 94544 Hayward, Alameda, California, USA; BORN: 4 Jul 1896; Died: Nov 1987