Hicks/Hix Ancestry

Sources:

• Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford on Geni.com
• Geni.com discussion RE: Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford
• http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/HICKS/2002-04/1019866667 (Archive.org version)
• http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/HICKS/2005-12/1135081705 (No longer available)
• Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790 North Carolina by S.N.D. (Simon Newton Dexter) North, Director, Department of Commmerce and Labor, United States Bureau of the Census
• Carolana, namely Sumner County, North Carolina -- Ceded to Tennessee

I used to have a whole tree here for the Hicks ancestry, but in February 2018, it was found that 3 Hicks families were erroneously intertwined in genealogical research. Thanks to the work of great curators (seen in the above linked discussions and links thereof), there have been clarifications. The main item is to not confuse Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford with Capt. Robert Hicks, Indian Trader, who married Winifred Evans. Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford was b. ca. 1650 in England and died in Rockybock, Chowan County, North Carolina. Further it appears that my ancestor Sarah "Sallie" Hicks (who married William Nelson Morris) was possibly descended from Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford who married Ester Luten also seen as Lutton, b. ca. 1673 in England). I am unsure of the generations between Robert and Ester (Luten) Hicks and Sarah (Hicks) Morris (or even if there is a connection), but below are reasons for my speculations based on the above links (Source: Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford on Geni.com) as well as theories as to the ancestry of Sarah "Sallie" Hicks Morris:

1. Robert, Ester and will records in North Carolina: They weren't tied to Virginia as Capt. Robert Hicks was nor were they of the New England Hicks family. Robert married Ester/Esther Luten and they are in the Chowan County, North Carolina, records. In fact, from 1712-1728, Robert was County Clerk of Chowan County, North Carolina, the first deed books being in his handwriting. His wife Ester was daughter of Major Thomas Luten whose will of 16 February 1729 in Chowan Co., NC, mentions his daughter Esther Hicks and his son-in-law Robert Hicks as well as a number of other children. In the will of this Robert Hicks dated 25 November 1733, Chowan Co., NC, Robert Hicks mentions his son Thomas. This information is taken from published will excerpts; if the original wills are still available, the accuracy of the excerpts could be verified (Source: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/HICKS/2002-04/1019866667 and Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford on Geni.com). Thomas Hicks (b. ca. 1709, Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina - d. ca. 1775, Wyliesburg, Charlotte County, Virginia) was son of Robert and Ester (Luten) Hicks (Source: Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford on Geni.com). Is he the ancestor of Sarah "Sallie" (Hicks) Morris? Was she descended from the Montgomery County, NC, Hicks family? Or perhaps descended from one of the families at Early Hicks (Hix) Immigrants (courtesy of Bluegrass Messengers)?
   
   Could they be Sarah's ancestors?
2. Descendants of Robert's son Thomas in Montgomery Co., NC: This is near Davidson County where my ancestor Sarah "Sallie" (Hicks) Morris was born. Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford was the precinct registrar of Chowan Co., NC and does appear on many deeds. He married Esther Luten and had two children, Thomas (b. ca. 1710, mar. Elizabeth Jordan) and Mary (mar. Daniel Halsey). The marriage of Robert Hicks and Esther Luten was about 1686 in Chowan Co., NC, Esther likely one of the oldest children of Maj. Thomas Luten (and Mary Currier?). Esther Luten was probably b. ca. 1673 and still alive in 1754. Africa McGregory d. 1711 was reportedly the first wife of this Robert Hicks, but there is no information on her or any children she may have had. This Robert Hicks left a will in Chowan Co., NC, dated 25 November 1733, which was probated January 1734, which means he probably didn't die in 1738 or 1739 as stated elsewhere, unless the will and probate dates have been given incorrectly (reference is NC History and General Register, v. I, p. 49; note that an abstract of this will in Boddie's Historical Southern Families v. 5 is partially incorrect). The descendants of this Robert's son Thomas Hicks include the Hicks families of Montgomery Co., NC, and Hickman Co., TN, and most of the Hicks families of Fayette Co., IL, and Carroll Co., TN (18th district, not those in the 8th district). This line is connected to Jordan and Butler families in several different generations (Source: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/HICKS/2005-12/1135081705 and Robert Hicks of Hick's Ford on Geni.com).
   
   Could these be Sarah's ancestors?
3. Reuben Hicks - There is a Sumner County, NC, land grant to Reuben Hicks and Trumbull Hicks for their service in the Continental Line in the Revolution. Summer County, NC, is now part of Tennessee. There is a Rubin Hicks on the same census as Benjamin Morris, perhaps the same Reuben Hicks from the land grant in Sumner County and perhaps father of Sarah Hicks. And this Benjamin Morris would be the father-in-law of that Sarah if that's the case.
4. Many Other possiblities:
   
   Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790 North Carolina from the Department of Commmerce and Labor, Bureau of the Census, S.N.D. North, Director, shows many possibilities:
   
   
   • Robert Hicks (p. 98) and Willis Hicks (p. 100) as Heads of Households in Randolph County, North Carolina.
   • Since Sarah "Sallie" (Hicks) Morris was born either 1791 or 1794, her parents were either newly married, married only a few years or not yet married in 1790 when the census was taken. And the book shows a Robert Hicks (just him and 1 female) from Randolph County, NC, on p. 99. This only has Robert and one woman living together, which could possibly indicate a newlywed couple.
   • Another candidate is Benjamin Hicks (just him) from Wake County, NC, on p. 104. While Benjamin was in Wake Co., this doesn't mean that he can't be her father as that is only 2 counties east of Randolph Co. And if her parents weren't married in 1790, then Benjamin could be a candidate for her father.
   • The book also shows a Thomas Hicks as Head of Household in Rowan County, North Carolina (p. 175).
   • There is another Robert Hix and a William Hix who could be candidates for Sallie's father: p. 164. Those 2 were in Montgomery Co., NC, which is just south of Randolph and Davidson counties. However, these are all guesses at this point.
   • Apart from the book, there is a Geni.com profile for Sarah Hicks b. 1794, NC, whose great-great grandparents are the Robert and Esther (Luten) Hicks I theorized about. It's too bad, though, that I cannot tie that Robert and Esther to the Roberts from the 1790 census. If that Sarah on Geni is my ancestor, her parents would be Littleberry and Agnes (Jourdan) Hicks. While Agnes was born in TN, it seems that she and Littleberry were married in Montgomery Co., NC, which is immediately south of Randolph and Davidson Counties. It also appears some of their children were born in North Carolina and that Littleberry and Agnes ended their days in TN. Yet, as with many Geni.com profiles, there appears to be plenty of unsourced speculation.
   • Back to the book: I did find Littleberry Hix on p. 164 of the book, and it somewhat fits with him having children born before 1790 as Geni suggests.

   Still, there is another possibility: According to Bluegrass Messengers: Goochland County Hix (Hicks) (based on Hicks/Hix court records in Goochland Co., VA, 1700s), Randy's Cousin Web Page, Genealogy.com: Descendants of Isaiah Hicks/Brown Co., IL: November 12, 2000 and January 18, 2003 and Genealogy.com: Sarah Hicks Morris, Randolph Co., NC, Isaiah Hix (Hicks) is the father (and Mary Loflin Hicks, daughter of my ancestors Richard and Mary (Tolson) Loflin).

   And there is James Ephraim Hicks.

   Geneanet has a Sarah Hicks b. 1792 as daughter of Henry Hicks (1753-1837) and Eleanor Johnson (1766-1850) though there's nothing to substantiate that or indicate it is my Sarah Hicks Morris.

   Could one of these men be the father of Sarah "Sallie" (Hicks) Morris?