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WILLIAM B. HICKS, a miller, in Rochester, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1849, son of John and Elizabeth (Speck) Hicks. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Maryland. He was a merchant, but the latter part of his life was spent as a clerk in Washington county, Maryland, and died November 28, 1860. His mother yet resides in Maryland.
The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Maryland, and was raised a farmer until seventeen years of age, working as a farm hand; he then entered a mill as an apprentice, in which he served three years, after which he continued in the same occupation in Maryland for about one year. He was married November 2, 1871, to Maria Ruthrauff, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1851, and in the spring of 1852, he came to Sangamon county and engaged in milling in the city of Springfield; from there he went to the town of Breckenridge, where he engaged in the same business, running the water mill and steam mill both at the same time. He carried on milling until July 1, 1880, when he came to Rochester village, where he and a Mr. Breckenridge formed a partnership in the milling business, running the mill there and also one in the town of Athens, Menard County, Illinois, purchasing wheat of the farmers around about. Their mills have a capacity of fifty barrels of flour
per day. He has three children: Harvey E. Wm. R. and Grace M. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, in the city of Springfield. Politically, he is a Democrat.