Lt. Colonel 70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot Edward Hicks

1738 - 1787  (49 years)

• Name	Edward Hicks  [1, 2, 3]
  Title	Lt. Colonel 70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot
  Birth	1738	United States   [1, 3, 4, 5]
  Gender	Male
  LifeSketch	I would sincerely appreciate it if you would contact me before changing the information on this family. I've learned that MyHeritage has some information that is unproven and/or an error. I have researched this family for forty years. I wrote the bio for Find a Grave. I welcome any documentation that disproves any part of it and will be happy to provide documentation in support of these facts. \"Edward Hicks was born in British America, the son of Edward Hicks, Merchant and his wife Violetta Ricketts. In 1736 he purchased a commission as a lieutenant in the 31st Regiment of Foot. The 70th Regiment was formed from the 31st in 1758 and he remained with the 70th until about 1782. He had served in Scotland, Ireland, more than ten years in the West Indies, and then North America, stationed at Halifax during the American Revolution. He was appointed commander of the outpost of Penobscot in 1781. He was an artist and uncle of Edward Hicks, the Pennsylvania artist. His will was written in Halifax, 1781. He names his first child, Mary, the daughter of Mary Mawby (unlegible,) deceased, and then his children by Elizabeth Anderton (?unlegible) Edward (also in the 70th) Charles, Elizabeth, Anna and William. Eldest daughter, Mary, married, in London, a Loyalist who had settled in Nova Scotia. Elizabeth and her children have been found in England, primarily Cheshire.\" There is also another family of three generations of Edward Hicks at about the same time. One of these Edwards was in Butlers Rangers. He is described as \"late Susquehana.\" Comparing documented events in the lives these three Edward Hicks to the documented events in the lives of Edward Hicks, his son Lt. Col. Edward Hicks and his son Major Edward Hicks confirms that they are two separate families.
  FSID	GMBF-JYR  [6, 7, 8, 9]
  Title	Lt. Col.
  Death	29 May 1787	London, England   [1, 3, 10]
  Burial	11 Jun 1787	Whitefield's Burial Ground London, City of London, Greater London, England   [1, 3]
  Person ID	I354	footsteps
  Last Modified	27 Nov 2025

  
  

  Father	Colonel Edward Hicks,   b. 1709, Long Island, New York, United States d. Bef 6 May 1766, New York, New York, United States (Age < 57 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Violetta Ricketts,   b. 1720, New York, New York, United States d. 22 Dec 1747, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Age 27 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	7 Mar 1732	New York, New York, United States
  Age at Marriage	Edward was ~ 23 years and 3 months - Violetta was ~ 12 years and 3 months.
  Married	7 Mar 1732	New York, British America
  Family ID	F394	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Mawbry,   b. Jan 1745, Nantwich, Cheshire, England d. England
  Marriage	Abt 1762
  Age at Marriage	Edward was ~ 24 years - Mary was ~ 16 years and 11 months.
  Children	+ 1. Mary Hicks,   b. 1763, Ireland d. 30 Jun 1839, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada (Age 76 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F395	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Nov 2025

  
  

• Notes

  Military Service Commission papers, 27 Sept 1757, 31st Regiment of foot. Original document, British Archives. Military history can be traced until his retirement in the official annual publication "A List of the Officers of the Army and of the Officers of the Marine Forces...." My information was pulled from the original books at the British Archives but they are available now on-line. Here is a link to one edition https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2997875;view=1up;seq=148. In 1738 the 70th Regiment was formed out of the 2nd batt. of the 31st Regiment. His last post was as Commander at Penobscot (Letter from Lt. Col. Edward Hicks to Sir Henry Clinton, thanking him for the appointment.)

  
  

• Sources

  [S569] FamilySearch.org, Find a Grave Index, "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4KNH-3DN2 : Tue Apr 01 00:02:29 UTC 2025), Entry for Edward Hicks. I provided the information for his memorial based on information from a newspaper obituary identifying him as late of the 70th Regiment and giving his last residence. I have found letters by his attorney to his brother-in-law, Bishop Seabury, mentioning Edward's widow and mentioning all of the children at the same address as given in the obituary. [S560] FamilySearch.org, England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JWCS-GMW : 10 April 2021), Edward Hicks in entry for Abraham Lacey Hicks, 1781. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JWCS-GMW [S556] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree, find a grave. Find a gave lists parents siblings wives and children [S22] U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current, (Name: Operations, Inc.; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2012;). Record for Priscilla Child [S583] U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current, (Name: Name: Name: Operations, Inc.; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2012;;;). [S556] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree, British Archives. Whitefield in the borough of Camden; brought from St. Mary LeBon [S556] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree, "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NPZ7-F7G : 22 September 2025), Edward Hickes in entry for Elizabeth Hickes, 1774. This extracted record was used to create this person in Family Tree. [S556] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree, "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NG22-9HF : 10 April 2021), Edward Hicks in entry for Elizabeth Hicks, 1778. This extracted record was used to create this person in Family Tree. [S556] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree, "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQRZ-HYS : 10 April 2021), Edward Hicks in entry for Edward Hicks, 1776. This extracted record was used to create this person in Family Tree. [S556] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree, Scan of original document at Babel, Hathitrust. The European Magazine: And London Review, Volume 12 ...containing the Literature, History, Politics, Arts, Manners, Amusements of the Age....by the Philological Society of London Monthly Obituary, July 1787 June...... 29th...... Lately in Greffe-ffreet, Rathbone-place, Lieutenant-colonel Edward Hicks, formerly of the 70th Regiment. Comment: Found Greese Street meets Rathbone Place, London. A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs: Containing ... By James Elmes Greese-Mews, Rathbone-place, is at the south end of Gresse-street. Greese-St., Rathbone-lace, is the last turnig on the right hand in Rathboneplace, going from Oxford-street towards Charlotte-street, before coming to Percy -street. It leads in an oblique direction to Tottenham-court-road.