OBITUARY - THE CHICO ENTERPRISE RECORD (Weekly), Friday Evening, September 11, 1896: "Death of Grandma Hicks. The Pioneer Lady Passed Away Last Night. Cancer in the Side the Cause. Loving Ways Had Made Her Many Friends. It is sad, indeed, to chronicle the demise of Dorothy Isabelle Hicks, beloved wife of John Wesley Hicks, which occurred at the home place, three miles north of Chico, at 6 o'clock last evening. Surrounded by her husband and children, she, whose life has been one of patient endurance, whose devotion to the church, her home, family and friends has been remarked by those who knew her, passed quietly to her Home above, her suffering o'er, her cares forgotten.

"Dorothy Isabelle Speegle was born in Georgia, on May 24, 1828, and was of a family of nine children. She moved to Jasper, Tenn., before a year old. Here she lived until 1845, when she married Frances M. Delany, and moved to Missouri. The issue of this union was three children. In 1849, her husband came to California, but died in 1850.

"In 1856, deceased married John W. Hicks, and with their family, they removed to California, settling in Butte county on a part of the place now owned by H. Carmack. Here she remained with her husband until 1869, when they purchased the present place, where deceased lived up to the time of her death.

"In 1875, deceased united with the M. E. Church, South, and was baptized in Sandy Gulch stream. She has always been a devoted Christian, and thoughts of her Savior were her last.

"Deceased has not been well for a number of years. About a year ago a cancerous growth was noticed in her left side. She doctored it at different times, and on the first of last April it was removed. She seemed better for a short time, but the cancer returned, and grew with lightning rapidity. She became weaker, and her breathing harder, until finally at 6 o'clock last night she breathed her last. She remained conscious until the end, and recognized and talked with her dear ones. Aged and suffering as she was, her strength seemed wonderful.

"To mourn her death, she leaves an aged husband, four sons and three daughters, and two brothers. The sons are F. M. Delany, D. T., H. A., and C. W. Hicks, and the daughters are Mrs. A. A. Small, Mrs. G. M. James, and Mrs. John Harris. One of her brothers, I. M. Speegle, resides on Pine creek, and the other Jackson Speegle lives in Arkansas.

"Mother and children have never been separated. They all reside within two miles of the family homestead, and were present and received their mother's blessing as she passed away.

"A short time before her death, word was received of the death of deceased's sister, at their old home in Tennessee, and strange to say, the death of the sister was caused from the same trouble -- a cancer in the left side.

"Deceased was known and loved by nearly every one, having lived here since 1857. To close friends she was known as 'Grandma Hicks,' and she has 23 grandchildren living at the present time. To her bereaved husband and family, friends unite in expressions of sympathy for the loss of one so noble, kind and true."