Verner Hicks was born in Woodlawn, Illinois on September 21, 1887 to Elizabeth (Trout) Hicks. Verner’s father died while he was at an early age, forcing Verner and his widowed mother “Lizzie” to seek the support and shelter of her brother James Trout, a farmer, living in Shiloh, Illinois which is where they were found in the 1900 census.
By 1907, Verner at age 19, had made his way to Marion, Illinois and once again sought refuge in the home of another aunt and uncle. Presumably, this would explain why he ended up here. This time it was in the home of Emma and Jesse Wortman living at 902 S. Buchanan Street. Jesse was a drayman or cart operator, the equivalent of a mini moving van of the times. Verner apprenticed himself as a tailor to D.T. Norman.
This is where Verner is found living in the 1910 census, with the exception of having become a self-employed tailor.
Verner was one of the original radio fans in Marion and before World War I was experimenting with Vert Elmore in wireless telephone. They conversed between their homes in Marion, late at night when the atmosphere was clear, but shut down when the war started.
Around 1913, Verner married Alma B. Parks, one of the many daughters of James K. Parks and Mary A. Parks who lived in their family home at 1002 E. College Street. James was a coal miner by occupation.
By June of 1917, when Verner filled out his WWI draft record he was living at 306 E. Marion Street with his wife and two children, Margaret E. Hicks, born in 1914, and James Fredrick Hicks, born in 1916. Verner was now employed as a motion picture operator by Harry W. Bracy who owned the Family Theater at 300 N. Market Street. He was described as short, slender, brown eyes and dark hair.
Between 1917 and 1920, he purchased the Family Theatre on North Market Street with Paul Ballance from Harry Bracy and later became the sole owner. Hicks operated theatres in Marion and Pittsburg, Illinois.
In the 1920 census, Verner and Alma had purchased a home at 901 S. Mechanic Street. Verner was 32, Alma 28, daughter Margaret 6 and James Fredrick was 4. Verner lists his occupation as owner of a picture show house (Family Theater).
Hicks with Paul J. McGee owned a small factory for the manufacture of wireless equipment. Hicks also published a magazine, “The Radio Amateur” which he sold to another similar publication of wireless equipment in Omaha, Nebraska in 1921. He also operated a typewriter repair business.
The Family Theatre was sold to the Orpheum Theatre in 1922. Clippings of the day told of the many promotions by Hicks while operating the Family Theatre, such as cleanup shows, to which admission was dependent upon old tin cans, flies, rats, etc. In 1920 they added a gasoline engine power plant, because of the numerous electric failures at that time and in 1921 they installed an electric piano, which could play as many as 60 pieces by means of paper rolls. It was “the finest piano in any theatre in Southern Illinois”.
Hicks was instrumental in 1921 in obtaining Charles Kessler to come to Marion and produce a movie “Queen of the Hustlers” at the time of the Hustlers Convention. The Hustlers was a booster club of traveling salesmen, who covered Southern Illinois in railroad days, when highway travel was almost impossible.
Many years later this theater became a second movie house known as “The Plaza.” Both theaters featured serials on Saturdays to keep children coming back to see the next episode in the serial.
By 1930, Verner was a manager at the Orpheum Theater and now had three more children. He and his family were paying $10 a month rent to live at 701 S. Market Street. Verner now aged 41 and Alma aged 38 had the following children at home, Margaret Hicks 16, James F. Hicks 13, Charles V. Hicks 9, John R. Hicks 7 and Harriet L. Hicks, aged 6.
With the advent of the Depression, Verner was offered a manager’s position at the Olney Theaters in Olney, Illinois owned by Phil Heyde so the family moved there in the early 1930’s.
On May 2, 1935, their 11 year old daughter Harriet L. Hicks died and was returned to Marion and buried in Maplewood Cemetery.
The couple purchased a home in Olney, Illinois at 312 W. Main Street and were found there during the 1940 census. Vernon, with an 8th grade education, was 52 and still managing the Olney Theater. Their daughter Margaret, aged 26, was working as an accountant for a telephone company. Other children in the home were Charles V. Hicks, aged 20 and John R. Hicks, aged 17, both attending school. They owned their home and valued it at $3,500. They occupied this same location in 1935.
When Verner registered for the WWII draft in 1942, he was 54 years old, 5’ 8”, 170 lbs., brown eyes and had grey hair. They lived in their home on W. Main Street and he was still managing the Olney Theater.
With the beginning of WWII, Verner’s sons Charles V. Hicks and Fredrick Hicks joined the Army Air Corps. After completing college in the class of 1941 at Olney, their youngest son John Robert Hicks became an aviation cadet as well.
On Sunday in May, 1944, John R. Hicks was killed in a crash near his base field, Altus Army Air Field, Altus, Oklahoma. The accident occurred on the day before Cadet Hicks was to receive his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Forces.
He was on his last training trip when the accident occurred and had made plans to spend his graduation furlough with his parents in Olney.
Two brothers, one of whom was enroute to Altus at the time of the crash, were in the service. Technical Sergeant Frederick Hicks was an instructor at March Field, California and had planned to attend his brother’s graduation. Another brother, Lieutenant Charles V. Hicks, was a pilot in the Air Force and was on a flying trip at the time of the accident.
His body was returned to Marion, Illinois and buried next to his sister Harriet in Maplewood Cemetery.
At the time of his death in 1944, his sister Margaret Hicks had already moved to Los Angeles, California as well as Alma’s widowed mother, Mary A. Parks.
Between 1944 and 1950, Verner and Alma retired and moved to East Los Angeles, purchasing a home at 6234 Allston Street to be close to their children and Alma’s mother.
Following a prolonged illness, Verner died on August 29, 1963. Funeral services were held at the Moritz Funeral Home, 930 Whittier Boulevard, Los Angeles, with interment there.
Alma B. (Parks) Hicks passed away in Los Angeles, California at the age of 100 on September 9, 1991 and was buried with Verner.
(Data from Olney Advocate, May 25, 1944; Marion Daily Republican, August 31, 1963; Federal Census Records; Marion City Directories; Marion City Cemetery Records; Social Security Death Records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on June 26, 2013)