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Hicks Family Wills

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Contents

Introduction

This page includes abstracts of selected Hicks family wills, with links to profiles identified as the person named. Also included are any people who were named as a bequest. In most cases, I have listed just the names and to whom the person was left. See the transcription for possible additional information (e.g., Frances left to her granddaughter "one girl slave named Susy", listed below as just Susy).[1]

Robert Hicks (d 1739/40)

Robert Hicks

Abstract based on this transcription, which cites Will Book 2, page 3, Brunswick County, Virginia.[2]

Will of "Robert Hicks, Gentleman of the County of Brunswick in the Colony and dominion of Virginia"
dated 6 March 1738/39
proved at Brunswick County Court, 7 February 1739 - 1739/40[3]
  • wife Frances
  • son Charles Hicks
  • son James Hicks
  • son-in-law Richard Ransom
  • grandson Benjamin Hicks
  • son George Hicks
  • daughter Frances Ransom
  • daughter Martha Bedingfield
  • daughter Elizabeth Hicks
  • daughter Rachel Hicks
  • grandson John Bedingfield
  • daughter Mary
  • daughter Tabitha
Executor: wife Frances Hicks
Witnesses: Anne Poythress, Charles Ross, and John Chapman
Proved by Frances Hicks (executrix) and Ann Poythress, Charles Ross, and John Chapman.

Slaves

  • Kate, Martha Alias Hatt, Will and Popper (to wife Frances Hicks)
  • Peter, a mulatto boy now in the possession of the said James Hicks (to son James - the said James Hicks)
  • Jo and Cesar (to daughter Frances Ransom)
  • Hannah (to daughter Martha Bedingfield)
  • Will and Amy (to daughter Elizabeth Hicks)
  • Dick and Judy (to daughter Rachel Hicks)
  • Peter (to son Charles Hicks)

Robert's widow Frances Hicks (d 1744)

Frances Hicks

Abstract based on this transcription, which cites Will Book 2, page 93, Brunswick County, Virginia.[4]

Will of "Frances Hicks of Brunswick Co."
dated 7 May 1744
proved at Brunswick County Court, 5 July 1744
  • son Charles Hicks
  • son John Hicks
  • son James Hicks
  • daughter Frances Ransom
  • grandaughter Elizabeth Ransom
  • granddaughter Tabitha Irby
  • daughter Rachael Davis
  • "my three daughters Frances, Elizabeth and Rachael"
  • "my 3 sons George Hicks, James Hicks, and Charles Hicks"
Executors: "my two sons George Hicks & James Hicks"
Witnesses: John Wall, Henry Beddingfield, and William Beddingfield
Proved (July) by James Hicks (exec.), John Wall, Gent., and Henry Beddingfield... "reserving liberty to George Hicks, Gent., the other executor to join in the executorship if he thinks fit."
2 August 1744... "certificate is granted to [George Hicks, Gent.] for obtaining a probate in conjunction with the said James Hix the other executor in due form."

Slaves

  • Hatt and her child Hamme (to son Charles Hicks)
  • Will and Kate (to daughter Frances Ransom)
  • Susy (to granddaughter Elizabeth Ransom)
  • Pepper[5] (to granddaughter Tabitha Irby)

Whose Child - Winifred or Frances?

Winifred (first wife of Robert Hicks) - Frances (his second)

Hicks researchers say the oldest two boys of Robert Hicks are by Winnifred (see, for example, this document). However, comparing children/grandchildren named in the wills of Robert Hicks (1739) and his second wife Frances (1744), it would seem that Winnifred was mother of some of his daughters too (which means that some of their birth dates as given in their profiles as of 6 March 2021 are off).

This section compares family named in the wills of Robert and his second wife, Frances. Based on the comparison, I believe that three of Robert's six daughters were Winifred's and three were Frances's. In addition to Frances's 1744 will including the line "my three daughters Frances, Elizabeth and Rachael", Martha, Mary, and Tabitha are not named at all in her will. Robert names daughter Martha Bedingfield, but the only Bedingfields in Frances's will are witnesses. Mary and Tabitha are named without surname in Robert's will and not named in Frances's. Mary is said to have married a Wynn, and Robert and Frances are named in a 1735 land transaction with Tabitha Jacobs, identified as Robert's daughter. No Wynns or Jacobs are mentioned in Frances's will.

Robert's children/grandchildren as of the writing of his will (6 March 1738/39). Annotations of 1739 & 1744 indicate they were named in the will of that date (Robert's and Frances's, respectively):
children
  • Daniel Hicks (will proved 3 April 1735, Brunswick County)[6]
  • Robert Hicks (will proved 7 October 1737, Brunswick County)[6]
  • Charles Hicks - 1739 - 1744[7]
  • George Hicks - 1739 - 1744
  • James Hicks - 1739 - 1744
  • John Hicks - 1744[8]
  • Frances Ransom - 1739 - 1744
  • Martha Bedingfield - 1739 (died 1743, according to her profile)
  • Elizabeth Hicks - 1739 - 1744
  • Rachel Hicks - 1739 (married Matthias Davis) / Rachel Davis - 1744
  • Mary - 1739
  • Tabitha - 1739 (named in a 1735 land transaction as Tabitha Jacobs, wife of Thomas, with sons Thomas and John Jacobs as of 1735).
That no Jacobs are mentioned in Frances's will implies Tabitha was either not her daughter or the family was deceased by 1744. Considering Mary and Tabitha are named together in Robert's will, with the same bequest, and Mary is also not named in Frances's will, the same would apply to her (either not Frances's daughter or deceased), but I think that she and her husband would probably also have been given land by her father. ~ Noland-165, 23 Feb. 2021
grandchildren
  • Benjamin Hicks - 1739
  • John Bedingfield - 1739
  • Tabitha Irby - 1744
  • Elizabeth Ransom - 1744
Jones researcher Kathryn Gearhart says that grandson Benjamin is "the son of Daniel who was deceased".[9]
While Frances does not name any Bedingfields as legatees, Henry and William Beddingfield witnessed her will, along with John Wall. A Henry Bedingfield also witnessed the 1761 will of Robert's son George in South Carolina. Bluegrass Messengers relates that George's 1747 petition for land in South Carolina was reduced in size because "three in whose right he had petitioned were not of his own family, being his Sister's children, and the third, his Overseer". Robert's daughter Martha married Henry Bedingfield, but his profile says he died in 1747 - in South Carolina. It may be that Henry and William who witnessed Frances's 1744 will were their sons, or Henry Sr. and son William Beddingfiled. The witness to George's 1761 will would have to have been the son Henry (although one Hicks researcher, Carol Morrison, shows they only had one son, the grandson John Bedingfield named in Robert's 1739 will).
Researcher Eric Daly estimated that Winnifred died about 1693.[10] The profile for son Charles (by Frances, and named in her will) has a birth year of 1694. Considering the place and time, this would be reasonable (re-marrying so quickly). That Winnifred's husband Robert showed up in Charles City County court drunk in 1693 supports that Winifred died in Charles City County (and since it's the only record of such an incident found, one might infer that as a widower the court appearance drove him to drink... this is pure speculation on my part, and not in Eric's comment ~ Noland-165).

Parents of Tabitha Irby Are... ?

Martha, Mary, and Tabitha are named in Robert's 1739 will - only Martha with a surname (Bedingfield). They are not named in Frances's 1744 will, although Henry and William Bedingfield are witnesses of her will. Frances names her "three daughters Frances, Elizabeth, and Rachael" in 1744, naming Frances Ransom and Rachel Davis separately with their married surnames but not Elizabeth. In 1739, Robert names her Elizabeth Hicks (along with Rachel Hicks and Frances Ransom).

Of Robert's six daughters, only three were not named with their married surname in either his or Frances's will - Mary, Tabitha, and Elizabeth. Tabitha is named Robert's daughter and wife of Thomas Jacobs in a 1735 land transaction. Mary is said to have married a Wynn. That leaves Elizabeth to have married an Irby.

Following posted (and not posted) on Frances's profile 8 March 2021.

Does anyone know who Tabitha Irby's parents are? Frances names her grandchild and if she is also a grandchild of Robert, she was born after 1739. Of the daughters Frances names in her will - Frances, Elizabeth, Rachel - only Elizabeth is named without a surname.

I found one researcher who said Elizabeth married Edmund Irby, but did not offer any support. Geni shows Edmund Irby Jr (c1711-1762) . The biographical info on that Geni page] fits for Frances & Robert's daughter Elizabeth:

"He married Elizabeth HICKS (HIX) between March 1738/39 - May of 1744 in Brunswick County, Virginia. She was born AFT 1695 in Brunswick County, Virginia, and died in Craven County, South Carolina."

The Geni page is citing a Rootsweb page that goes to the index page (instead of the person's profile). Geni does not include support for the info, but the March 1738/39 and May 1744 dates are likely referring to the wills of Robert and Frances. After 1695 fits with when it is thought Robert married Frances (after Winifred died c1693/4).

The info from the no-longer-where-it-was Rootsweb page also includes children of Edmund & Elizabeth:

Children of Edmund IRBY Jr. and Elizabeth HICKS (HIX) are:

+ 2 i. Tabitha IRBY was born bet Mar 1738 - May 1744.
+ 3 ii. Charles IRBY was born bet 1746-1750 in Amelia County, Virginia, and died AFT 1780.
4 iii. Robert IRBY was born bet 1746-1750 in Amelia County, Virginia.
5 iv. Edmund IRBY was born AFT 1750 in Amelia County,

Does anyone have anything to support the info the Geni page saved from Rootsweb?

Circumstantially, it's looking good, if anything to show Edmund & Elizabeth together can be found (e.g., a land record involving Hicks land or adjacent to Hicks land with Edmund Irby & wife Elizabeth waiving rights would be good... even Edmund Irby as a witness on a Hicks will could get us looking in the right place - Geni bio says Edmund died in Craven County, SC but top bit says he died in Amelia County, Virginia).

Thanks!

sorry - meant to include the link:

https://www.geni.com/people/Edmund-Irby-Jr/6000000002592819119

edit - clicking around the Geni site, it seems this Edmund Jr was son of Anne Blunt who married Edmund Sr & Anne (Blunt) Irby has a WikiTree profile: Blunt-52.....

cut from an edit of that 2nd comment (additional info was getting out of hand):

No mention of a Jr, but that explains the c1711 birth for Edmund Jr ... to distinguish him from Dr. Edmund Irby Sr in official records. Since Edmund Sr died 1733 (according to his profile), Edmund Jr. would have to have been born no later than 1711 (to be 21 and a source of confusion in 1733 - although I think at the time a 14-year-old male could do things like witness a will, so he possibly could have been born later).

So, we have circumstantial evidence of an Edmund Irby Jr. of age and in the same area as Edmund Irby Sr. - his profile (Irby-70) says he never moved but the county names changed under him: Charles City County, Prince George County, Dinwiddie County. Works for me! There's also a Joshua Irby with a 1746 will naming an Edmund (grandson? - son of Anthony Irby) and with a profile for a son Edmund attached.

1765, William Irby of Amelia mentioned the land in his will. Edmund died in 1733 and left a will. He bequeathed property and slaves to his sons; William, Edmund, Charles, James, John ,and Douglas.

And then there's WikiTree's connection finder:

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Special:Connection&action=connect&person1Name=Irby-59&person2Name=Hicks-3762&relation=0&ignoreIds=

Wills of Robert's Children

Robert is said to have had 13 children. Following are abstracts of some of their wills.

Daniel Hicks (d 1734)

Daniel Hicks

Abstract based on this transcription, which cites Deed and Will Book 1, page 168, Brunswick County, Virginia.[6]

Will of "Daniel Hicks of Brunswick County"
dated 7 December 1734
proved at Brunswick County Court, 3 April 1735
  • wife Edith
  • son Thomas Hicks
  • son Daniel Hicks
  • daughter Mary Hicks
  • son Benjamin Hicks
Executors: wife Edith and John Hicks (relationship not named)
"This is the copie made by Daniel Hix at the house of George Wallton in the Parish of St. Andrews in the County of Brunswick in his last Sickness on the day herein mentioned as right as we can remember.
"Witness our hands. Signed by George Wallton, Robert Hicks, Sr., Frances Hicks, and James Hicks."
Proved by Edith Hicks (Executrix), George Wallton, Robert Hicks, Francis Hicks, James Hicks
A John Hicks is also mentioned in the will in the bequest to Benjamin of "the tract of land below Reves Swamp where John Hicks lived"; no indication of relationship to Daniel or whether it is the same John Hicks named as an executor.

Slaves

  • Dick and Annake (to wife Edith)
  • Valentine (use to wife Edith, then to son Benjamin Hicks)
  • Nero, Brandon and Peter (to son Thomas Hicks)
  • Austine and Little Dick (to son Daniel Hicks)
  • Dorcas and Phillis (to daughter Mary Hicks)
  • Bess and Hannah (to son Benjamin Hicks)

Robert Hicks (d 1737)

Robert Hicks - will proved 7 October 1737, Brunswick County)[6]

Charles Hicks (d 1744/5)

Charles Hicks

Charles died intestate with no issue. "Heir at law" was his nephew Thomas. Search for Charles Hix on this page. One of the entries:
Indenture made the 4th day of January, 1745, between Thomas Hicks, nephew and heir at law of Charles Hix, late of Brunswick County, deceased, and James Hix and John Davis, Jr., for 10 pounds, conveying 261 acres on South side of Hall's Branch, granted to John Bishop by Letters of Patent bearing date March 15, 1741, and conveyed to the said Charles Hix, who died without issue and intestate. Witnesses were Walter Campbell, Robert Campbell, John Burch and Moses Dunkley. Acknowledged in Court on February 6, 1745. Deed Book 3, page 146.

George Hicks

George Hicks

maybe not his will:

James Hicks

[[]]

  • Married Martha
  • Names wife Fathy in will

John Hicks

[[]]

Martha Hicks

Martha (Hicks) Bedingfield

  • Married before 1739.
  • Son John Bedingfield born before 1739.
  • Henry and William Beddingfield witnessed Frances's 1744 will and are likely Martha Hicks's husband and/or son(s). Martha Beddingfield was named in Robert's will but not Frances's.
Research Note: Looking for another Hicks connection, found this page, which has an Anderson will witnessed by Thomas Bedingfield. The page includes a chart that links Chappells and Joneses (a Malone or two is also in the chart). Lots of Epes also. Family mostly in Amelia County.

Mary Hicks

Mary
  • Married a Wynn?

Tabitha Hicks

Tabitha (Hicks) Jacobs

  • Named "Tabitha" in her father's will.
  • Identified as Robert's daughter in a 1735 land transaction that named her Tabitha Jacobs, wife of Thomas, with sons Thomas and John Jacobs.
    • Indenture made the 1st day of April, 1735, between Robert Hicks of Brunswick County on the one part and Thomas Jacobs and Tabetha Jacobs, his wife, daughter to the said Robert Hicks of the other part, for 10 pounds, conveying one certain tract or pearsall [parcel] of land containing one hundred acres lying in Brunswick County on the North side of Meherin River, to Thomas Jacobs and Tabetha Jacobs, his wife, for and during their natural life and hafter (sic) or their decease unto Thomas Jacobs and John Jacobs, sons to the said Thomas Jacobs and Tabetha, his wife. Signed by Robert Hicks and Frances Hicks. Witnessed by John Irby and Jane Roberts. Presented to Court on the 3rd day of April, 1735. Deeds and Wills Book 1, page 167.[11]

Was the land her inheritance? If so, she's Tabitha (Hicks) Jacobs, wife of Thomas, with sons Thomas and John Jacobs as of 1735. That no Jacobs are mentioned in Frances's will implies Tabitha was either Winnifred's daughter, not hers, or the family was deceased by 1744. Considering Mary and Tabitha are named together, with the same bequest, and Mary is also not named in Frances's will, the same would apply to her (either not Frances's daughter or deceased), but I think that she and her husband would probably also have been given land by her father. Something to look for! ~ Noland-165, 23 Feb. 2021

Frances Hicks

Frances (Hicks) Ransom
  • Married Richard Ransom before 1739 (both Frances and he are named in her father's will)
  • Daughter Elizabeth Ransom born before Frances wrote her will (1744)

Richard Ransom

Richard Ransom
Following information abstracted from Carol Morrison's research, citing Will Book 2, page 153, Brunswick County, Virginia.[12]
Will of "Richard Ransom of St. Andrews Parish"
Dated 27 June 1748
Proved 6 October 1748
  • Wife Frances Ransone
  • Son James Ransone
  • Son Robert "Robin" Hicks Ransom
  • Elizabeth
Executors: Friends, Col. John Wall and Col. Nathaniel Edwards
Witnesses: Witnesses were Samuel Bennett and John Wall, Jr.
Robert also named his executors "as guardians of my two sons . . . and desire they may have bound apprentices . . . when they come to the age of sixteen years."
Slaves
  • Anaren, Lucy and Peter, now in the possession of "his father" in Gloucester County, to be sold.

Elizabeth Hicks

Elizabeth
  • Named Elizabeth Hicks in her father's will, just Elizabeth in mother's.
  • Married an Irby? (Mother of Tabitha Irby named as granddaughter in her mother's will?)

Rachel Hicks

Rachael (Hicks) Davis
  • Married before 1744 (Hicks in father's 1739 will; Rachel Davis in her mother's 1744 will).
  • Said to have married Matthias Davis.

Next Generation Wills

James Hicks (pr. 1793)

James Hicks, son of George

Abstract based on this transcription.
dated 1789
proved Dec. 1793

Daniel Hicks (1760-1857)

Daniel Hicks (father not clearly identified - see his profile, Hicks-15073#Parents

Abstracted by Carol Morrison, citing Will Book 19, page 249, Mecklenburg County, Virginia:[13]
Abstract of Will of Daniel Hicks, dated May 20, 1854, and proved December Court, 1857, Mecklenburg County, Virginia. One half of all estate to daughter Martha Hicks for life, and after her death to Henry Jones as Trustee for the sole and separate use and benefit of Martha Jones, his wife, and for the support and education of the children of the said Henry and Martha Jones and after the death of the said Martha to be equally divided among all her children by said Henry Jones. Residue of estate to Thomas L. Jones after the death of daughter, Martha Hicks. Thomas L. Jones appointed Executor. Witnesses were Wm. G. Garey, Jas. B. Dugger, and Thomas F. Goode. The will was proved on the oaths of Wm. G. Garey and Jas. B. Dugger. Peter Puryear was security for the Bond of $10,000 for Thomas L. Jones. (NOTE: The way the middle initial of Thomas L. Jones is written, it appears more like a "G" or a "S" than a "L").

Leads

Information from the following links may or may not have been added to this page yet:
In-laws:
Copied from a working space page that I was using
  • Robert Hicks, m Esther, died 1733 - https://www.wikitree.com/photo/pdf/Hicks-11427-1
  • Robert Hicks of the "parish of St. Andrews in the County of Brunswick," will dated 20 March 1735 - http://www.usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/brunswick/court/wills/hicksrobert1737.html (copy without bolding here) - wife named Executor (will presented 7 Oct. 1737 by Elizabeth); son Nathaniel, daughters Winyfred, Martha, Sarah, Mary. "Item. I give unto Capt. John Turner his heirs executors and assign all my lands at Great Swamp being 400 acres bought of Arthur Kavanaugh one hundred fifty I bought of Capt. Brown one hundred and thirty five I bought of Col. Allen." (relationship not stated). Witnesses: Benjamin Chapman Donaldson, Simon Turner, Robert Clark. (Simon & Robert proved will presented by Elizabeth 7 Oct. 1737). ~ Deed and Will Book 1, page 285, Brunswick County, Virginia
    • Elizabeth's will, dated 28 July 1739/proved 2 October 1740 - http://www.usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/brunswick/court/wills/hickselizabeth1740.html - names son Nathaniel and same daughters, plus Elizabeth (Robert's will lists an Elizabeth, but I read it as his wife... obvious by this will, she was a daughter) - all with Hicks surname. Executors: son Nathaniel and Burrell Brown (Brown presented the will in Brunswick Co. Court)
    • Robert Hicks (Hicks-6764), married Elizabeth Irvin, daughter of Nathaniel Irvin and Elizabeth Peterson - her mother's 1736 will gives land to her son-in-law Robert Hicks: "all land and plantation in Isle of Wight on South side of Meherrin River" ~ Deed and Will Book 1, page 266, Brunswick County, Virginia
  • Robert Hicks died 1803/4 - Robert Hicks (abt.1739-bef.1804) - transcription posted on his profile (son of James Hicks and Martha Fathey)... Lewis Hicks was a witness:
    • "Will of Robert Hicks, dated January 3, 1803, and proved June 25, 1804. Wife, Rebecca Hicks. Sons, Paschal Hicks, Abner H. Hicks, Hamlin Hicks, Isaac Hicks. Daughters, Tabetha Bracey and Frances James. Will Book 7, page 29, Brunswick County,..."
Not a will:
  • Judith Hicks (wife of Jr.) - GreeneCounty, GA.Know all men by these presents that I, Judith Hicks, of Green County, State of Georgia, widow of James Hicks of the aforesaid county, deceased, do appoint Thomas Hicks, of the County of Green, State of Georgia, and Williamson Smith of Brunswick County, State of Virginia, my lawful agents, or my attorneys in fact, to demand and recover my dower, or third part, of a tract of land in Brunswick County, Virginia, on Indian Branch, it being a tract of land sold by my late husband to WILLIAM WALKER, and to which I have not relinquished by dower, and my attorneys are to represent me as if I were there in person. Dated 29 January 1817, Recorded 26 Jan. 1818 Ref: Brunswick County Deed Book 24, page 1

Sources

Footnotes and citations
  1. ↑ The page is not as complete as I had envisioned. Please feel free to add to it. See #Leads for links that may or may not have had information added to this page yet.
  2. ↑ http://www.usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/brunswick/court/wills/hicksrobert1739.html (Robert Hicks died 1739/40)
  3. ↑ 1739/40 is Old Style/New Style; courts used Old Style only until England officially changed the start of the year to January in 1752.
  4. ↑ Carol Morrison's research, posted here. See also: http://www.usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/brunswick/court/wills/hicksfrancis1744.html (Frances Hicks, died 1744)
  5. ↑ Perhaps the same slave that Robert left to his wife Frances, named "Popper" in the transcription of his will.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Transcription posted by Carol Morrison (see this page), accessed 7 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Charles died intestate with no issue. "Heir at law" was his nephew Thomas. Search for Charles Hix on this page. One of the entries:
    Indenture made the 4th day of January, 1745, between Thomas Hicks, nephew and heir at law of Charles Hix, late of Brunswick County, deceased, and James Hix and John Davis, Jr., for 10 pounds, conveying 261 acres on South side of Hall's Branch, granted to John Bishop by Letters of Patent bearing date March 15, 1741, and conveyed to the said Charles Hix, who died without issue and intestate. Witnesses were Walter Campbell, Robert Campbell, John Burch and Moses Dunkley. Acknowledged in Court on February 6, 1745. Deed Book 3, page 146.
  8. ↑ Not named by Robert as "son John" in his 1739 will, but perhaps this John is the one named in the bequest Robert made to his "son-in-law Richard Ransom [of] 150 acres of land lying in the fork of Reeves his swamp being the plantation whereon John Hicks lived" (George and John are said to have moved to "Old Cheraws, South Carolina. This was done in part to improve his ability to continue trading with tribes in the area after the South Carolina government sought to restrict Virginian’s access to the fur trade within the South Carolina colony." ~ Kathryn Gearhart, Early Virginia Jones Families)
  9. ↑ Kathryn Gearhart, Early Virginia Jones Families
  10. ↑ See this comment, posted 2016 on son George's profile.
  11. ↑ http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/brunswick/deeds/deedbrns.txt
  12. ↑ Carol Morrison research, abstract of Richard Ransom's will.
  13. ↑ http://www.usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/brunswick/court/abstracts/H%20Surnames.html#HICKS,Daniel
Source list (for transcriptions of Hicks family wills and other records)


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