Margaret Hicks

• Evidence needed to support as child of Edward Winslow
• Not the same as Margaret Hicks

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Margaret Hicks arrived at Plymouth in 1623 on the Anne with her children, Samuel and Lydia, to join her husband Robert Hicks.

Margaret Hicks was thought to have been the first woman teacher in America. In his will dated 30 July 1633, Dr. Samuel Fuller says, "I give unto Mrs. Heeks the full sum of twenty shillings: wit, Robert Hicks . . . my will is that when my daughter Mercy is fitt to goe to scole that Mrs. Heeks may teach her as well as my sonne."

In her will, the widow Margaret Hicks of Plymouth named her son Samuel Hicks, daughter-in -law Lydia Hicks, son Samuel's seven children, grandchild John Bangs, and children of her loving deceased daughter Phebe, who had married George Watson. [MD 16:157-58]

Vital Statistics

Disputed

• Birth circa 1589 Droitwich, Worchestershire, England: No record of her birth has been found. Anderson says the assertion that she was a Winslow has little basis [TAG 54:32-34].
• Father: Edward Winslow born 17 October 1560 St.Andrew, Droitwich, Worcestershire, England
• Mother: Eleanor Pelham born 1564 Droitwich, Worchestershire, England

Proven

• Died before 5 March 1665/6 Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts
• Buried Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts
• Will dated 8 July 1665, proved 6 March 1665/6

Marriage and Children

Margaret is thought to have married Robert Hicks (born about 1575 Southwark, Surrey, England) about 1610 in London, Middlesex, England but there is no known marriage record. Some sources assert that the marriage was about 1606 Southwark, England; or before 1603 based on baptism dates. Robert Hicks was the son of James Hicks and Phebe Alleyne; it is unclear whether Margaret was his second wife or only wife. Children:

1. Thomas Hicks (born circa 19 February 1604 St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey, England)
2. John Hicks (born circa 12 October 1605 St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey, England)
3. Sara Hicks (born circa 25 October 1607 St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey, England)
4. Richard Hicks (born circa 17 September 1609 St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey, England)
5. Samuel Hicks (born circa 18 August 1611 St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey, England)
6. Lydia Hicks (born circa 6 September 1612 Bermondsey, London, Middlesex, England)
7. Phebe Hicks (born circa 15 March 1615 Bermondsey, London, Middlesex, England)
8. Mary Hicks (born circa 11 May 1617 St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey, England)
9. Ephraim Hicks (born circa 1624 Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts)

Discussion: Marriages and Children

Robert Hicks was born (probably) between 1570 and 1583 in England. "Since these people are considered Oldcomers, their backgrounds have been investigated, but little can be proved conclusively (for example, the allegation that Margaret was a Winslow). We do know that Robert was born in England, but dates vary from 1570 to 1583. He was a fellmonger, which is a dealer in sheepskins and wool, a man who separates or 'pulls' the wool from the pelts. Banks...found that Robert Hicks was indeed a fellmonger on Bermondsey Street in Southwark, London, in 1616 and that he had previously lived in Bermondsey, which is next to Southwark...He came to Plymouth in the ship Fortune in 1621 and Margaret and four children arrived two years later in the Anne. They settled in Plymouth and all shared in the 1627 distribution of cattle. Later they owned land in Duxbury and Scituate. He was jury foreman and an arbitrator in 1632/3 and a rate maker the following year. He died in Plymouth 24 Mar 1647 and his will showed the family to be in comfortable circumstances." [Delamater]

"He was married to Margaret ? about 1606 in Southwark, England."
It is often stated that John Hicks was baptised on 12 October 1605, or was born on 25 October 1607 at Bermondsey, London, England, and was the son of Robert Hicks and Elizabeth Morgan of Bermondsey, later of Plymouth and Duxbury, Massachusetts. Robert is said to have married (1) Elizabeth Morgan, and (2) Margaret Winslow. [RebelPuritan]

These theories are cast in a very dubious light by Robert C. Anderson’s treatment of Robert Hicks’ family in “The Great Migration Begins.” In that account, Anderson states that Robert Hicks was born circa 1578-80, and died at Plymouth before 24 May 1647, when his estate was inventoried. He was married by 1603 to Margaret ___, who died before 6 March 1666. Anderson further states that no marriage record has been found for Hicks, either to Elizabeth Morgan, or to Margaret, whose surname of Winslow “has very little basis.”

However, between 1604 and 1617, Robert Hicks’ first eight children were indeed baptized at Bermondsey, London, England, where Robert was a “citizen and leatherseller.” Of these, three died young, and three came with their parents to New England. Two of those children were Richard (baptised in 1609) and John, who was baptised on 12 October 1605. Anderson says there is no further record of these two sons.

The Robert Hicks family came to Plymouth in 1621 on the Fortune, and settled in Plymouth, where they had a son, Ephraim, born circa 1625. Robert dated a very detailed will on 28 May 1645, mentioning “my loving wife Margaret,” son Ephraim, “Samuell my eldest son,” and his Bangs and Watson grandchildren (children of his daughters Lydia and Phoebe, who would have received part of Robert’s estate in their dowries). Robert left bequests to his neighbors and acquaintances, but he did NOT leave anything to John Hicks of Flushing/Hempstead, NY. Similarly, Margaret’s will, dated 8 July 1665, mentioned Samuell, Lydia, Ephraim, and Phoebe (who was deceased), but she left nothing to John.

There is no evidence that ties John Hicks of Weymouth, Newport, and Flushing to Robert Hicks of Plymouth. True, our John Hicks married Herodias Long in London, where Robert Hicks had lived 16 years earlier, but 300,000 people lived in London at that time, and no doubt others were also named Hicks. Both John and Robert Hicks came to New England, but to different colonies, and John emigrated 16 years after his purported father.

From "The Great Migration Project": ESTATE: In the 1623 Plymouth division of land, "Robart Hickes" was granted one acre as a passenger on the Fortune, and his wife and children were granted four acres as passengers on the Anne [PCR 12:5, 6]. In the 1627 Plymouth division of cattle Robert Hicks, Margaret Hicks, Samuel Hicks, Ephraim Hicks, Lydia Hicks and Phebe Hicks were the sixth through eleventh persons in the twelfth company [PCR 12:13].

"Snow-Estes Ancestry" says: "Margaret (Winslow) Hicks was thought to have been the first woman teacher in America. In his will dated July 30, 1633, Dr. Samuel Fuller says, 'I give unto Mrs. Heeks the full sum of twenty shillings: wit, Robert Hicks . . . 'my will is that when my daughter Mercy is fitt to goe to scole that Mrs. Heeks may teach her as well as my sonne.'

On 6 March 1649, Mrs. Margaret Hicks exhibited an inventory of her son Ephraim, in connection with which "...There follows the agreement in full which was made by her son Samuel "being possesed of the whole estate of my Brother Ephraim Hickes Deceased" to pay certain sums to his mother. It was dated 1 Mar 1650.

Anderson says "On 6 March 1649/50 administration of the estate of Ephraim Hickes was granted to Margaret Hicks and Thomas Willet [PCR 2:148]. The nuncupative will made by Ephraim to Mr. Thomas Southworth was set aside, Ephraim being 'not in a capacity in regard of his said manner of death to make a legal will' [PCR 3:202]. The court ordered that Ephraim's estate be set aside for the benefit of his mother, 'Mistris Margaret Hickes,' but the order was not recorded and Margaret had to go back to court many years later to insist it be recorded, 3 December 1660 [PCR 3:203]."

Discussion: Origins

There is little real evidence to support the belief that Margaret was a Winslow. This is a huge area of debate. Margaret Winslow was the second child of Edward Winslow and Eleanor Pelham, also she is the sister of the Mayflower Winslows. She is one of twelve children of Edward Winslow, Sr.

Comment from Erica Howton, April 2014: if Margaret was indeed the only wife of Robert Hicks, they started having children in 1604, making a more likely birth date approximately 1579 as the "usual age" of marriage for women in London being about 24 years old at that time [cf London marriage studies]. If she was his 2nd wife, married about 1610 it is more possible she was a Winslow.

There is circumstantial evidence that Robert Hicks married a Winslow, however. The Winslows had interests in London similar to those of Robert Hicks. Edward Winslow (father of Gov. Edward), yeoman farmer and salter of St. Peter's Manor, Droitwich, was married in St. Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London. Being a salter, he would have had business dealings with leather dressers (who needed salt in their business), and if he had a sister Margaret, she could have met Robert through him. The Winslows and the Hickses knew each other in New England, and Samuel Fuller's will in Plymouth, written by his brother-in-law Gov. Edward Winslow, was witnessed by John Winslow and Robert Hicks, and "Joh. Winslow and Mrs. Heeks" are mentioned in the body of the will. Rider doubted that Robert's marriage records will be found, since most likely parish registers have been searched to no avail.

Descent

Robert Hicks married (2) Margaret Winslow at London, England in 1610, whose will was dated 8 July 1665, proved 6 March 1666. She followed him in the ship "Ann", arriving at Plymouth in June 1622. Issue by Margaret Winslow:

1. Samuel Hicks: Josephine C. Frost says he came to New England with his mother in 1623, and in 1642-3 settled at Eastham, Massachusetts, where he was a constable in 1646, represented the town in the Colony Court in 1647-1649. He returned to Plymouth in 1652. He was at Barnstable Massachusetts on 3 October 1662, and at Dartmouth in 1667. He married Lydia Doane on 11 September 1645, born probably before her parents left England, daughter of Deacon John Doane of Plymouth and his wife Abigail _____. He had many lawsuits over his brother Ephraim's estate and his father's estate, see the long account in Moore Genealogy. Issue:
   1. Samuel Hicks (born about 1646) [Moore says 1651], married Hannah Evans on 27 September 1665.
   2. Ephraim Hicks (born about 1648)
   3. Thomas Hicks (circa 1650 - 1698). His estate was valued at œ250, consisting of lands and livestock. He was a carpenter and in 1673 lived at Portsmouth, Rhode Island. He married Mary AIbro or Alborough (died 1710), daughter of John Albro, (born 1617 England, came to Boston on the ship "Frances & Ann" and settled at Portsmouth) and Dorothy Potter (1617 England - 10 February 1696) widow of Nathaniel Potter who died in 1644). Issue:
      1. Sarah Hicks (1670 - 16 June 1694). She married John Anthony (28 June 1671 - 1699) on 1 May 1693, son of John and Frances (Wodell) Anthony; no children.
      2. Thomas Hicks (died 20 November 1759). He married (1) Ann Clarke on 22 September 1704, daughter of Weston and Mary (Easton) Clarke, and had eight children; (2) Elizabeth _____, but had no children by her. In his will, Thomas left Elizabeth "nothing but what she could get by law as she has left me and eloped with another man". Thomas inherited from his father the Tiverton, Rhode Island, house and lands.
      3. Samuel Hicks (died 1742). He inherited from his father, the 70th plot in the first division of Portsmouth. He married Susanna Anthony (1674 - 1756) on 1 January 1702, daughter of Abraham and Alice (Wodell) Anthony; seven children.
      4. Ephraim Hicks. His father left him 190 acres of land
      5. Susannah Hicks. Her father left her œ20 to be paid by her brother Thomas
      6. Abigail Hicks. Her father left her œ20 to be paid by Thomas.
      7. Elizabeth Hicks. Her father left her œ20 to be paid by her brother Ephraim.
   4. Dorcas Hicks (born 14 February 1652 Plymouth, Massachusetts)
   5. Margaret Hicks (born 9 March 1654)
   6. Sarah Hicks, married Joseph Churchill (born 1647 Plymouth) on 3 June 1672, son of John and Hannah (Pontus) Churchill; five children
   7. Daniel Hicks, married Elizabeth Hanmore
2. Ephraim Hicks (between 1620-1625 - violent death 12 September 1649-50); married Elizabeth Howland on 13 September 1649, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland of the Mayflower. After Ephraim's early death, Elizabeth married (2) James Dickenson on 10 July 1651, who had married, 1st, Ephraim's elder sister Elizabeth.
3. Lydia Hicks. Josephine C. Frost says she was the daughter of the first wife. She married Edward Bangs (circa 1592 England - 1679-80 Eastham, Massachusetts, aged 86 years) at Plymouth, Massachusetts. He came to Plymouth in the ship "Anne" in July 1623, one of the founders of Plymouth Colony. He removed to Eastham and was deputy to the General Court in 1647, 1650 and 1663. Issue:
   1. Rebecca Bangs. She married Jonathan Sparrow (1633 - 1707) on 28 October 1654, son of Richard and Pandora Sparrow of Plymouth, and had Rebecca, John, Priscilla, Lydia, Elizabeth and Jonathan. After Rebecca's death, he married (2) Hannah (Prince) Mayo and had two children. He married (3) Sarah Lewis, widow of John Cobb.
4. Phebe Hicks. She married, perhaps, in 1635, George Watson, and had one son John.
5. Elizabeth Hicks, nothing further known
6. Daniel Hicks, nothing further known

Sources

• Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995. Print.
• Stratton, Eugene Aubrey. Plymouth Colony, Its History & People, 1620-1691. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Pub., 1986. Print.
• The Mayflower Descendant Index of Persons: Volumes 1-34. Boston: Mayflower Society, 1959. Print.
  • Mayflower Descendant, Volume 15, Page 245
  • Mayflower Descendant, Volume 16, Page 157
• Plymouth Court Records
• Quick family reference
• Sanford-Shulsen Family: Hicks profile
• Winslow Genealogy: Margaret Winslow
• Delamater: Margaret Winslow
• http://www.rebelpuritan.com/Hicks.html RebelPuritan: John Hicks]
• "Marriage among Londoners" draft 2012, by Gil Newton. Page 18, table 2: Age at first marriage. "Spinsters 1610-1650: Clerkenwell. Mean: 24.7 Median: 22.5"
• http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p675.htm#i...
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=34167488
• http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_3.htm#43

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Margaret Hicks formerly [surname unknown] aka Winslow (unproven) Born about 1580 in Englandmap Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown] [sibling%28s%29 unknown] Wife of Robert Hicks — married about 1602 in Surrey, Englandmap Mother of Thomas Hicks, John Hicks, Sarah Hicks, Richard Hicks, Samuel Hicks Sr, Lydia (Hicks) Bangs, Phebe (Hicks) Watson, Mary Hicks and Ephraim Hicks Died 1665 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-202363

This person was part of the Puritan Great Migration. If you are interested in this profile, please check out the Puritan Great Migration Project! DISPUTED ORIGINS: This merged profile follows Robert Charles Anderson's profile of Robert Hicks in The Great Migration Begins, Boston, MA: 1995, starting on page 927. Those findings conclude that: there is proof of only one wife for Robert Hicks-- Margaret; there is no proof of an earlier wife, Elizabeth Morgan there is no record of any marriage for Robert, although his first several children's baptisms were found in Bermondsey, England. there is no proof that his only known wife Margaret was daughter of Winslow.[1] In "More on Robert Hicks' Ancestry," [2], the author discusses the likelihood that while Robert Hicks knew the Winslows-- at least in New England and possibly even in London-- there remains no proof of a last name for his only known wife, Margaret. Therefore, the profile of the wife of Robert Hicks has been changed to Margaret Unknown. IF there is more recent research that changes Anderson's findings, please bring it to our attention. Please do NOT attach Edward Winslow or either of his two wives as her parents. Thank you.

Biography

Already married, Margaret Hicks arrived at Plymouth in 1623 on the Anne with her children Samuel and Lydia to join her husband Robert who had sailed two years prior. (Also on the same ship with her was Edward Bangs who would marry her daughter Lydia.)

In her will dated 8 July 1665, exhibited 6 March 1665/66, the widow Margaret Hicks of Plymouth named her son Samuel Hicks, daughter-in-law Lydia Hicks, son Samuel's seven children, grandchild John Bangs, and children of her loving deceased daughter Phebe, who had married George Watson[3]

She died after 1665 and before 6 March 1665/6, date of her will being probated. She is likely the mother of the following Hicks children:

Thomas bap 19 Feb 1603/4 bur 23 Apr 1604 John bap 12 Oct 1605 No further record Sara bap 25 Oct 1607 bur 24 Feb 1617/8 Richard bap 17 Sep 1609 No further record Samuel bap 18 Aug 1611 M 11 Sep 1645 Lydia Doan (dau John doane) Lydia, bp. 6 September 1612; m. by about 1633 EDWARD BANGS and died shortly after giving him a son, John Bangs. Phoebe, bp. 15 March 1614/5; m. by about 1636 George Watson (their daughter Phebe m. Jonathan Shaw on 22 January 1656 [4] Last Will & Testament[5]

Dated 8 July 1665; proved 6 Mar 1665/6, "Margarett Hickes widow of the town of Plymouth" bequeathed to "my son Samuell Hickes" L5; to "my daughter-in-law Lydia Hickes" 30s; to "my son Samuell's children" 10s each "there being seven of them"; said legacies to be paid by "son Samuell Hickes" from his debt "he having already received a large portion of that which God hath given me ot only in lands but also in goods and chattels which was not only my husband's and son Ephraim's estate formerly but also given to me by will at y son Ephraim's death"; to "my grandchild John Banges" 40s; residue to "the children of my son-in-law Gorg Watson and my loving daughter that is deceased Phebe Watson," also said estate to be "at the dispose of my son-in-law Gorg Watson"; "my son-in-law Gorg Watson and my friend Captain Southworth" overseers [PCPR 2:2:32, abstracted in MD 16:157-58]. The inventory of Margaret Hickes, taken 5 Mar 1665/6.

Sources

↑ Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33, p 2025 ↑ TAG 54:31-34 ↑ Mayflower Descendant 16:157-58; see also Plymouth Colony Its History & People 1620 - 1691 by Aubrey Stratton - 1986 ↑ PVR 662 as cited in The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33 ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration Begins, Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1995, p 926-7

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Robert Hicks married, by 1603, Margaret _____. She died at Plymouth between 8 July 1665 (date of will) and 6 March 1665/6 (probate of will). They had 9 children: Thomas, John, Sara, Richard, Samuel, Lydia Bangs, Phebe Watson, Mary, & Ephriam. There is no known primary documentation that she was a Winslow or that Robert had any other wives. Source" Anderson's Great Migration Study Project

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=34167488

References

• Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2011. Vol 2, G-O. “Robert Hicks.” Pages 924-928. < AncestrySharing >