Name:
John Fullerton Hicks 
Location served:
Blenheim, Bothwell, Duart  
Years in Practice:
1865 to 1914
Area of Specialization:
Family Physician and Surgeon  

Biography:

Dr. John Fullerton Hicks was born in Harwich Twp (Chatham-Kent) on the 27th of May, 1838.  Dr. Hicks was the eldest of nine children born to Thomas Hicks and the former Margaret Fullerton.  His parents were born in Ireland  but were married in Toronto.  Dr. Hick’s parents were farmers and his siblings were; Robert F. Hicks, Matilda Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Richard Hicks, Samuel A. Hicks (died in 1874 at the age of 24), Thomas Henry Hicks (died in 1865 at the age of 10), Rosetta Elizabeth Hicks and Mabel Hicks.  Dr. Hicks was educated in local schools and according to the 1861 census he was a school teacher in Harwich Twp.  Upon their deaths his parents and some of his siblings were buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Blenheim.

Dr. Hicks married Jeannie MacPherson on the 9th of June1863 in Brown, Wisconsin.  Mrs. Hicks was born in Glasgow, Scotland on the 12th of January, 1845, the daughter of John and Jennie MacPherson.  She was educated in Wisconsin in the United States.

While living in Wisconsin, Dr. and Mrs. Hicks became the parents to 2 sons; Thomas “Ernest” Hicks was born on the 19th of July 1863 and Walter Raleigh Hicks was born on the 27th of May, 1865.

Dr. Hicks graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School at Ann Arbor in 1865.  After his graduation Dr. Hicks set up his medical practice in Blenheim.  His medical practice is listed in the 1866-1867 Kent, Lambton and Essex Counties Directory and Gazetteer.  In the 1869 Province of Ontario Gazetteer and Directory and the Charlton’s Business Directory of 1875 his practice was listed in Duart.

Dr. and Mrs. Hicks had a daughter, Jeannie Marguerite Hicks who was born on the 29th of November, 1870 while they resided in Duart.  Sadly she died on the 29th of March, 1875 and she was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Blenheim.

Dr. and Mrs. Hicks moved to Menominee, Michigan in 1878 where Dr Hicks continued to practice medicine.  Their son Earle Stafford Hicks was born in May of 1878.  Another son John Hicks was born on the 15th of July 1884 and died on the 5th of August, 1884 at the age of 21 days.  He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Menominee.  Dr. Hicks was elected an Alderman for Menominee for 3 terms and in 1893 he represented the county in the state legislature for 1 year.  For 18 years he served as the Menominee City Health Officer.  For 20 years he served as the County Physician.  Dr. Hicks was a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Mrs. Jeannie Hicks died on the 25th of March, 1890.  She was buried at the Riverside Cemetery.  (There is a memorial inscription on her tombstone, for her daughter Jeannie who was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Blenheim).  Their son Walter had graduated from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York in 1888.   Dr. Walter Hicks practiced medicine in Menominee, Michigan.  Ernest Hicks worked in the lumber business in San Francisco.  Eventually Earle Hicks joined his brother Ernest working in the lumber business.

Dr. John Fullerton Hicks married Katherine Alice (Bates) Ramborger in December of 1893.  Mrs. Hicks was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in June of 1857, the daughter of John William Bates and the former Caroline Tichenor.  Her father worked for a gas company.  According to the 1880 census, Mrs. Hicks was a teacher and she resided in Hoboken, New Jersey with her parents and her younger siblings, Ada W. Bates, John A. Bates and Horace L Bates.  Prior to her marriage to Dr. Hicks, she had been married to John J. Ramborger with whom she had a daughter named Caroline (Ramborger).   Mr. Ramborger died on the 8th of June, 1889 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the age of 30.  Caroline Ramborger was 6 years old when her mother married Dr. Hicks.

Dr. Hicks was a member of the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association.  Dr. and Mrs. Katharine Hicks appear in the 1913 Menominee City Directory.  His office and residence were located at 307 Grand Avenue.

Dr. Hicks died on the 17th of October, 1914 in Menominee, Michigan and he was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Menominee.  After the death of her husband, Mrs. Hicks went to live with her daughter Caroline and her son-in-law Ralph Gram in Toledo, Ohio.  Mrs. Hicks died on the 2nd of May, 1948 in Ohio.  She was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Menominee.

*Dr. Hick’s son, Dr. Walter Raleigh Hicks practiced medicine in Menominee, Michigan.  Dr. Walter Raleigh Hicks died at the age of 55 on the 26th of September, 1920.