The Cass County Genealogical Society, 1974, Vol. I, No. 1.

MARRIED 61 YEARS

Sarah Frances Dailey was born Dec 28, 1892 in the Queen City area, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Dailey and Mary Jane Elizabeth Adams. Her father farmed so she lived in the Knights Bluff, Blalock and Spencer Chapen communities. She attended school at Spencer Chapel and Blalock. Her mother died in 1908, when she was 16 years old. Her sister, Ollie, helped her take care of the other three children, Caroline, John, and Mike (9 months old).

William Davis Hicks was born Jul 19, 1886, at Athens, McMinn, Tn., the son of Isaac Jackson Hicks and Mary Ester Long. His mother died when he as a year old and he went to live with his mother's parents, Ramson Riley Long and Catherine R. Zigler. The year of 1896, at 10 years of age, Will and his father left Athens, Tn. for Mineral Wells, Tx.

Fanny, the name most everyone calls her, told of Will courting her; "We were living on Greene's Farm the year in which an oil well was being drilled. My sister, Ollie, and I walked pass the oil well on which Will was working and he saw me, however, we did not speak because we had not been properly introduced. Will did not waste much time in finding a boy to introduce us; little did he know, the boy who he asked to introduce us was the boy I was going with at that time."

Will Hicks was a courageous man in those days. He left his father's home at age 12. He worked on various jobs and by July 4, 1902 he was living in Mandell, Indian Territory just across the Red River. He then returned to Athens, Tn. to visit his grandparents at age 18. "I traveled to Miss. in 1907, and one year later moved to Shreveport, La., where I began working in the oil fields. The oil boom brought me to Cass County, Spencer Chapel community, where I met the love of my life."

"We were living on what was known as Greene's Farm, it was owned by Heck Greene, he lived in Atlanta and ran a store. There were Houses for the families that worked on shares and Harve Carthern was the overseer. The oil well was between where my grandparents, John Adams and Sarah Mazingo lived, so I found as many excuses as I could to walk through the woods to see my grandparents."

"We met in June and our first date was walking to church, Sunday night, to Spencer Chapel. This was a standing date to walk to Church on Sunday night but when Will learned of the revival at Springdale, he put in an order for a buggy and horse for the whole week. Will worked hard all day, but he was one proud fellow when he drove up in front of Tom Dailey's house in the horse and buggy, to pick me up and drive to church. That week passed so fast that when the last night of the revival came round we could hardly believe it had been a week."

"I can remember it today just as plain as the day I ask her father," said Will. "Fanny was 20 years old but I wanted to ask her father for his permission to marry his daughter, so I went in where Mr. Dailey was sitting, nervously I begin to talk and he just sit there listening. After what seemed a long time he finally said, "I was given two good women in my life time, so its only fair, for me to give you a good wife." I knew Judge V.D. Glass so I ask him to get our licenses when he went to Linden, this he did and we were married Sep 12, 1912 at 7:30 PM in Mr. Thaggards hotel, here in Atlanta.

"We married on Thursday night but I had to help get the rig ready to move so that we could go to Benton, La., by Saturday morning. Fanny and I moved in a little shotgun house, the reason me called it that is because these houses only had two or three rooms and they were built straight, so if you shot a go through them it could pass thru the house and not hurt a thing, Will Continued, this was the type of home built during the oil boom."

"Our first child, Mary Elizabeth Hicks was born at Benton, Bienville, La., Jun 28, 1913. Mary married George F. Margetiah, he is deceased, but she lives at Vivian, La."

"Our second child, William Roy Hicks was born Mar 20, 1916, on what was known as the old Dailey place. the farm is located on the Farm to Market Road 96 or Atlanta State Park road, it is about half mile before you get to the road you turn right to go to the State Park or go the other road to Anti. Roy married Berdie Elizabeth Draper, A Cass County girl, and lived in Queen City until his death Feb 4, 1956. Berdie still maintains their home in Queen City."

"Our third child, Joseph Elbert Hicks was born Jul 10, 1919 in Burkburnett, Clay, Tx. He lived until Oct 1919, where he died in the hospital in Ft. Worth and was buried in Ft. Worth."

"Our fourth child, Ruby Christine Hicks was born Aug 3, 1920 in Burkburnett, Clay, Tx. She grew to womanhood and married Jackson William Thompson and has a wonderful family. They life out on the Douglassville highway."

"Our fifth child, Ernest Jackson Hicks was born Jun 28, 1923 in Queen City, Cass, Tx. He was born on the old Dailey farm. He married Alpha Dean Sharpe and has a wonderful family. Jack was pastor of Courtland Church and other churches in this area and has been blessed by the work he has done. He lives on the FM 96 road a few miles from Queen City."

"We bought our farm on what was known then as the Courtland road but is now known as the FM road 96 and it was on this farm our sixth child, Vernon David Hicks was born Jun 25, 1925. He married Dorothy Mae Seagroves and was accidental killed Jun 9, 1957. Dorothy and children live on the Farm to Market road 96."

"Our seventh child, Frances Pauline Hicks was born Mar 11, 1928 on the Hicks' farm. Frances married Morris Coy Griffin and has two sons. She doesn't live here so we do not get to see her very often."

"We observed our 50th wedding anniversary in the home of our son, Jack, who lives across the road from our farm home. A host of the following friends and relatives attended:

Galdys Dailey
Mae Dailey
Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Clements
Mrs. Clemie Carnley
Mrs. Genie Griffin
Mrs. Gus O'Kelley
Mr. & mrs. A.M. Johnson
Mrs. Nellie Green
Mr. & mrs. E.J. Hicks
Dorothy Thompson
Mr. Matt Griffin
Mr. & Mrs. M.E. Green
Mrs. Frank Margetich
Mrs. Ollie Suarez
Mr. & Mrs. L.L. Dalrymple
Mrs. Berdie Hicks
Mrs. Mary Whitlow
Mr. Gus O'Kelley
Mrs. Fannie Harbuck
Mr & Mrs Fred Camera
Butch Hicks
J.F. Hall
Mr. Cicil Stanley
John F. Hall
H.C. Stanley
Mr & Mrs. Wesley Clements
Mr & Mrs. J.W. Thompson
Mr. & Mrs. W.B. Draper
Mr. & Mrs. J.S. Bobbitt
Mr. & Mrs. C. W. Plum
Mrs. Arzela Wall
Sandra Hicks
Louise Hicks
Mrs. Allen Sims

Because of Will's eyesight and Fanny's physical health, in Sept 1971, they decided to move to the Pine Lodge Nursing home in Atlanta. They observed their 61 Wedding day last year and hope to see the Sept 12, 1974 as their 62nd anniversary.