John & Julia Hickey emigrated to the United States from Ireland. John came in 1802. Julia was born in Ireland in 1814 and then the time of famine was in her country. Her parents sent her and her brother away from home “to try to make their way to America” because there was no food at home for them. Her mother’s last words as she shut the door were “never look back.” She and her brother started walking to the sea. Julia boarded a ship as a “stowaway” and reached the United States. She never saw or heard from her brother again. At that time it was common to “send only the boys to school,” so Julia never had the opportunity in Ireland to read or write.
John and Julia had farmed in New York and had 4 children: Eliza, John, William H., and Jennie. About 1858 the family moved to Wisconsin and then to Iowa later. The son John was born about 1842 and farmed. He and his wife Celia had 5 children in Iowa and 5 more were born after they moved to the mountains of Western Montana, near Victor. John discovered a vein of gold and sold stock in the mine to some of his Iowa relatives. It never paid off to the investors.
The daughter Jennie became a teacher and purchased 80 acres of land in Iowa in 1881. She sold one acre for $30 for use as a school ground in 1882. The school had been erected before the sale of the land. She sold ¾ of an acre for $100 to be used as a site of a church.
Son William H. was born in 1843 and married Sarah Taylor. William H. became a director of the First National Bank of Aurelia, later named the First Trust and Savings Bank. He was elected a representative to the State Legislature in 1906. William H. and Sarah Hickey had 6 children: Clarence C. born 1872, William Francis born 1873, Arthur born 1878, Stella born 1884, Luella born 1888, and Edna born 1890.
John the father died July 7, 1887, and Julia died May 18, 1893.