Joseph Joshua Hicks

Joseph Joshua Hicks
ca. 1917

Joseph Joshua Hicks was born 29 January, 1897 in Stewart County Tennessee. He was the first child of Reverend Daniel Cary Hicks and Lousia Bailey Hicks. Joseph married Ethel Cherry in 1918 and to this union two children were born; Blanche Hicks born 9 Sept 1919 and Robert (Bobby) Joe Hicks born in 1936. Joseph and Ethel were divorced in 1939 under what was reported to have been "very cruel" circumstances.
After his divorce, Joseph moved to Roseland, Arkansas to work. He also lived in Jonesboro Arkansas where in a few years he would pass from this life.He had written a series of letters to his mother that become in the possession of Robert K. Hicks. (These will be posted on this site)
Joseph died in a tragic explosion that occured while he was filling a stove with kerosene on 17 Feb 1948. He apparently jumped out of a window while on fire. He succumbed of his burns the following day. His body was brought back to Stewart county and he is buried in Neville's Creek Cemetery.
Mr. Robert Hicks found a hand written obituary for Joseph that read as follows:

Joseph Joshua Hicks, son of the late Rev. and Mrs D. C. Hicks, born Jan 29 1897, departed this life Feb 18 1948 at the age of 51 years. At the time of his death he was employed as an engineer by the Pierce Williams Co. Jonesboro, Ark.
Surviving are two children, Mrs Max Carney and Mr. Robert J. Hicks, mother Mrs Lousia Hicks, four brothers, S. E. Hicks, C. F. Hicks, Basil V. Hicks and Rev. Irl R. Hicks, four sisters, Mrs. Iris Sills, Mrs. Roy Garland, Mrs H. B. Knight and Mrs. G. W. Crutcher.

Joseph Joshua Hicks Headstone
Neville's Creek Cemetery
Stewart County, Tennessee