Hicks, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Hicks
HICKS FAMILY
Lawrence A. Hicks is the second of two sons and a daughter born to Leland and Edna Mae Hicks of Valparaiso. His mother, Edna Mae Hamilton, was born in Brownsburg, In., moving to South Bend, In., in her early years. She was united in marriage in 1940 to Leland (Pete) Hicks. Pete is the last survivor of eight children of Lydia Ellen and William Allen Hicks, who were wed on June 4, 1890. William Hicks is said to have driven oxen teams across North Dakota. He owned a store in Tassanong, and also was a teacher in the Tassanong area, now a historical landmark. Later they moved to Valparaiso, where he was in the transfer business, using a team of horses and a wagon. Mrs. Hicks owned and operated several rooming houses on College Hill in Valparaiso. In later years they purchased a store on the corner of Locust and Union Streets, which was their main occupation until Mr. Hicks death. Mrs. Hicks was a charter member and the first Oracle for the College Hill Camp No. 3122 Royal Neighbors of America. William Hicks died in 1932 and Lydia in 1953. Their son "Pete" is a retired businessman of Valparaiso. He and his wife are active in area politics and other community organizations. Their other two children are married. The older son, John, served in the Marine Corps and is now a Tool and Die Maker. He and his wife Jeanne live in Washington Township with their three sons. Susan, the youngest of the three children, graduated from Valparaiso High School, attended Valparaiso University, then transferred to Indiana University. She then married William Magyar of Valparaiso. They are now living in Seattle, Washington, where Susan is attending Washington University, majoring in Environmental Health.
Lawrence, an optometrist, studied at Purdue University where he met his wife, Lucille, a Lafayette girl. They both graduated there and travelled to England. He studied in the City University School of Opthalmic Opticians, London, England. He and Lucille were married in 1969 in London. He graduated from that University in 1971 with honors, as the first American student to complete the courses there. He is a member of the British Optometry Association. Dr. Hicks then studied two years at Indiana University, receiving his degree in Optometry in 1973.
During their stay in London, a daughter was born. They now have a second daughter, born in Valparaiso.
Dr. Hicks and his family are looking forward to an active future in Porter County, as the family has in the past.
The Hicks family has donated to the Porter County Historical Society Museum a photograph of a relative who was the mother of the first white child born in Porter County in a time when the area was inhabited by Indian tribes.
William Hicks
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 121
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook