Hicks

Henry B. Hicks Jr. was a namesake of his grandfather, the late Henry B. Hicks Sr., and the second son born to Calvin Clark Hicks and Maryette Hoyt-Hicks. His birth occurred on June 28, 1866 in east Cooper Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. His first schooling was in the "Little Red Schoolhouse" on the Kalamazoo-Plainwell river road. When Henry was about ten years old the family removed to the Springbrook farm in Richland Township, on the old state road, and so long afterwards owned by his father.
When still in his teens, Mr. Hicks showed signs of impending poor health and his doctor advised him to go west, a change of climate apparently being what he needed. And now we relate here some of the interesting experiences that followed, as related by his widow and in Henry's own language.
At the age of twenty-one and after the fall work of 1887 was done on my father's farm, I decided to take my doctor's advice and I prepared to leave for Colorado. That state was then now being opened to homesteaders. This was quite an undertaking for one who had been sick so much and away from home so little, but I was determined that I must have my health. I had become much interested in poultry raising and by these means I had saved up some money. As I was getting ready to leave my father said to me, "Well, Henry I am giving you just two weeks to be back home again, as you will have your money all spent by that time." I had been corresponding with my cousin S. Elmer Hicks, who was living on a homestead fourteen miles from Burlington, Colorado, and had made arrangements for him to meet me at Hegler (Haigler), Nebraska, as that was the nearest railroad station at that time, and was about sixty miles from Elmers. He was hauling freight and had to leave before my train arrived, so this was my first disappointment.
I went to the boarding house and engaged a room and learned Elmer had left word when he would be back. I was anxious however; to get to the end of my journey and decided to try other means to get there. I found a fellow who was going as far as Jack-way (Jaqua), Kansas and I made arrangements to ride with him. As we neared this little town the sights that befell my eyes were appalling. Grocery store, drug store, saloon, and post office sign above the little wooden shacks. My thoughts drifted back to Springbrook, Kalamazoo County, Michigan and the good friends I had just left. I was struck with a severe case of "home sickness." I went to the hotel, so called, but which was just another shack with a saloon and the office in one. I engaged my room and had supper and then retiring to my room I sat down and cried like a child, and had it not been for the remarks my father made when I was leaving, I would have turned back, but instead I decided to brace up and continue my journey. While eating breakfast the next morning, I chanced to meet a couple young fellows who were going my way and I arranged to ride with them. After riding over the rough prairie country for some time, we turned to see the sheriff coming on a speedy saddle horse. One of the boys shouted "There he comes," then, they commenced to use the whip on our horses. Imagine the thoughts of a green farmer boy from the quite peaceable law-abiding Michigan. I realized then and there that I was in the "wild and woolly west", and I expected every minute to see gun play with the bullets whizzing past my head. It was the fastest and wildest ride I ever took behind two horses, but the sheriff's wiry steed was too much for them and soon he dashed up beside us and called out. "Well boys, I've got you." Well it developed that the boys were wanted in a court case in which they did not want to appear, and were trying to get across the state line. "A Western Trick," but the sheriff beat them and served his summons. By this time my heart was going pit-a-pat, but now I commenced to feel much better when I learned what all the excitement was about. We went on and I reached Elmer's late that afternoon. He was batching it in homesteader style, and got us a very good supper that evening, but I guess he forgot to sift the flour for his biscuits. Anyway, I cracked a perfectly good tooth in my efforts to master one however. I managed not to let him know it.
Yes, I was in the West, and I felt much like a foreigner in a foreign land. Everything was new to me, but I was gradually getting aquainted and becoming accustomed to it. After a while I decided to file a claim and did. Five of us fellows batched it that winter and we had some lively times too. At one time I had two correspondents, friendly and relation, although I endured many hardships, my health which I so much desired was gradually improving and that made me happy. So I lived in hopes of some day being well again. Finally after about two and a half years, I got a letter from my brother Theodore telling me that he was to be married and he wished me to come home so that we could be "boys" just a while before the event of his marriage. I returned to Michigan and stayed about six months, but my health again commenced to fail, so I returned to Colorado and lived alone for some time on my claim. But not long after I chanced to meet Mary Fetters, born 12-9-1875, a native of Missouri. The sweet lady who since October 2nd, 1892, has been my faithful wife and companion and has proved the luckiest break of my life.
In the fall of 1894, we sold out and moved farther west near Grealy (Greeley) , Colorado. Again in 1901, we sold this place and moved to our present farm near Loveland, Colorado. (Loveland is about 50 miles west of Denver). During this time eight healthy children have been born to us, four boys and four girls: Bernice Myra, Ethel Myrtle, Theron Lawrence, Floyd Marvle, Laveda Irene, Howard Virginia, Ople Fern, and Calvin Delbert. Every one of our children have been our joy and our pride, and it has always been our greatest aim in life to bring them up in a God fearing Christian home. All at this writing are happily married and most of them have children of their own.

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It is regrettable indeed that one who had so successfully fought off the pangs of the terrible tuberculosis disease so many years should be taken so suddenly when in the prime of life and when he had so much to live for in seeing this excellent family grow up. It was my pleasure to entertain my cousin Henry and his excellent wife during their visit to Michigan and his parents in 1917. Henry was a man of most exemplary habits, clean and manly and good Christian. It was only a little over a year latter during the awful epidemic of the "flu" that visited this country when Henry made a hurried trip to Michigan and to see his father who was dangerously ill with the flu. He contracted the disease himself enroute and both men were so ill on his arrival that they couldn't see each other. He took to his bed in his father's home and died there two weeks later, Oct. 8, 1918. His body was returned to Colorado and buried at Loveland, accompanied by his brother, Theodore. But as Paul said, "To die is gain."

Henry B. Hicks, age 26, married Mary E. Fetters, age 16, October 2, 1892, recorded in Burlington, performed by minister J. M. Willis of Burlington.

Henry and Mary are farming in Weld County in 1900, with Bernice M. Sept 1893, Ethel M. Nov 1894, and Theron L. July 1896, all three born in Colorado.
In 1910 Jefferson County, Colorado, Henry is a dairyman, with Mary 33, Bernice M. 16, Myrtle E. 15, Theron L. 13, Lloyd M. 9, Lynda I. 6, Howard V. 4, and Opal F. 2, all born in Colorado
Henry proved up two quarters in 34S 57W, Las Animas Count in 1919.
Henry is buried in Loveland, # 144908912, with Mary E. 1876-1949.
Bernice M. Hicks married George I. Gray December 20, 1922, recorded in Boulder County.

In 1930 Weld County, Bernice is 36, married to George R. Gray 51, with Darwyn 11, Lyla M. 5, and George I. 3.

Bernice M. Gray 1893-1968 # 31870082 and George L. Gray are buried in Grand Junction, COlorado.

Gilbert Clayton Ford was born March 31, 1923, in Graham County, Kansas, the only and beloved child of Clarence and Ethel (Hicks) Ford. He spent his boyhood living on a farm. In 1933, his family moved to Loveland, Colo., where they lived with his widowed grandmother, Mary Hicks. His mother was confined to bed rest for six months, and during that time, he took on the domestic duties of the home. He credited this time as helping him develop into the caring, loving man he strove to be his entire life.
His parents moved to Boulder with him in 1940 so that he could attend the University of Colorado. They did everything they could to make his education possible, and Dr. Ford expressed throughout his life his deep gratitude for the sacrifices they made on behalf of his education. He finished his degree in only 2 years and 9 months, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1943 with a degree in chemistry and minors in math and physics. In 1944, he applied to be a scientist on the top secret Manhattan District Project, and he was assigned to work in Oak Ridge, Tenn. He applied for a furlough in 1945, and on his last day of service before leaving for home, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. The war ended while he was home visiting his parents.
On July 28, 1946, he married Norma Feiten at the Church of the Nazarene in Washington, D.C. They went on a honeymoon to Williamsburg, Va., and then on a trip to Colorado to visit his parents. Soon after that, the young couple moved to Cambridge, and Dr. Ford began his doctoral studies at Harvard University, paying his tuition with the G.I. Bill. He earned his Ph.D. in physics from Harvard in 1950.
Drawn to the rural solace of the west, and driven by a desire to teach in a Christian environment, Dr. Ford took a position as a professor of physics at Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho, and he became closely associated with College Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Ford loved teaching. He often emphasized throughout his life that people spent a lot of their lives working, and if possible, they should find work they loved. At NNU, he and a friend, Virgil Vail, constructed a mass spectrometer with grants from the Research Corporation and later, from the National Science Foundation. Dr. Ford worked at NNU in various roles, including Head of the Physics Department, Chairman of the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Academic Dean for 15 years and Acting President during his tenure, where he worked until his retirement in 1993, and after that on a part-time basis. During his time at the school, he saw the approval of the physics major as well as a major in engineering physics. Although he appreciated the opportunities for personal development that the different roles had given him, his favorite part of working for NNU was being a teacher. He formed close connections with students, and was highly regarded as a beloved professor. Throughout his life, his most rewarding moments were the ones in which he formed meaningful connections with other people, particularly his family.
Dr. Ford's two greatest hobbies were his ham radio, and speaking Spanish and German. He made contacts with people all over the world using his ham radio, as well as using it to patch through to phone lines to keep in touch with Norma on long trips. He regularly conversed with people on ham radio, often in Spanish and German. He also loved to travel, and visited Germany and Argentina, Hawaii, Spain, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Winnipeg, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Cancun, Mexico City, Costa Rica and Israel, in addition to travels for his sabbaticals. He and Norma had a wonderful and very rich life together. He loved her from the moment he met her until the end of his life, with his whole heart. This past July, they celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary together in the company of their daughters and grandchildren. They have three dearly loved daughters, Gail Roberts, Valerie Brelinski and Constance Ford, and two sons-in-law, James Roberts and Tim Brelinski. Dr. Ford and Norma were also blessed with seven grandchildren, Leslie Anne, Heidi and Amanda Roberts, Mackenzie Boyd and Amy, Ivy and Allison Pruss. He loved them a great deal and shared a special relationship with each one of them.
Dr. Ford died peacefully in his sleep around 5 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2009, from complications caused by congestive heart failure. He was 86. He spent the last two months of life continuously surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren, all of whom will love him dearly for the rest of their lives. We are all overwhelmed with gratitude for having had such a delightful, generous and brilliant man as a part of our lives. A memorial service for Dr. Ford will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at College Church of the Nazarene in Nampa. Donations may be made to the Gilbert C. Ford Scholarship or the Leslie Anne Roberts Scholarship at Northwest Nazarene University.

Kit Carson County, Colorado Histories

Kit Carson County, Colorado
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