| Page content last modified: | February 6, 2009, added a link to the Hicks - Smith marriage license. |
| FRIENDSHIP CEMETERY McDONOUGH COUNTY, ILLINOIS |
MAY 5, 1850 - JUNE 15, 1908
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 The story of Darius Hicks and the development of Vishnu Springs can be found on several external websites. A web search might turn up others.
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Darius was the son of McDonough County marriage license #222 was issued at Macomb on September 28, 1874, to Darius Hicks, 24, of Hire Township, and Miss Ella D. Smith, 23, of Macomb Township. They were married on September 30 at her father's home by Josiah Moore, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Macomb. Ella was born in McDonough County about 1851, the daughter of James Smith (from Kentucky) and Margaret A. Fields (from Ohio). The elder Smiths moved to Morgan County, Illinois, sometime after the census of 1870. Ella and Darius had four children, three daughters and a son who died in infancy. At some point after Ella and Darius divorced (between 1885 and 1889), Ella and the girls also moved to Morgan County. In 1900 they were in Jacksonville; living with them were Henry, Ella's brother, and his wife. By 1910 Ella and daughters moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Census records indicate they remained there for a number of years. Ella reported herself as divorced in 1900, but widowed from 1910 forward. She died after April 1, 1930. Ella's age was fairly consistently reported in censuses, but the daughters' ages were another matter. The ages shown below are based on the census of 1900. The children of Darius Hicks and Ella D. Smith were all born in McDonough County.
In 1889 Darius married, second, The waters of Vishnu did not prove beneficial for Hattie. She was 39 years old when she died on January 30, 1896, and was buried at Friendship Cemetery. In the fall of 1897 Darius caused an uproar when he married Maud, his stepdaughter. According to Nathan Woodside, writing for The Macomb Eagle, the community's reaction was such that Darius moved his family to Blandinsville. Census records do show them in Blandinsville in 1900. Maud bore two children, Reon and Eulalia, then died in childbirth in 1903. She, too, was buried at Friendship Cemetery. As related by the news item, above, and on the external websites, a subsequent relationship caused Darius the distress that culminated in his suicide. |
enumerated September 17, 1850, dwelling #482 Ebenezar M Hicks, 34, male, farmer, value of real estate 1000, born OH
enumerated June 29, 1860, dwelling #2171 Ebenezer Hicks, 49, male, farmer, value of real estate 12350, value of personal estate 2400,
enumerated June 27, 1870, dwelling #13 Hicks, E N, 54, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 100,000, value of personal estate 6000, born OH, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
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enumerated June 10, 1880, dwelling #67 Hick, Darius, white, male, 30, married, farming, born IL, both parents born OH
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page 18A, enumerated June 8, 1900, dwelling #115 Hicks, Darius, head, white, male, May 1850, 50, married for 3 years, born IL, both parents born OH, landlord, months not employed, could read, write and speak English, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 104 Maud, wife, white, female, July 1877, 22, married for 3 years; mother of 1 child, living; born MO, father born VA, mother born TN, could read, write and speak English Reon D, son, white, male, Nov 1898, 1, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born MO Randall, Charley, boarder, white, male, Oct 1874, 25, single, born IA, father born Germany, mother born IA, farm hand, months not employed - 3, could read, write and speak English |
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