Francis Fickling

 Railroad Agent

Nickname:Frank
Born:1855, Florida
Died:March, 1925, Madison County, Alabama
Buried:Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama
Home:400 White Street SE
Father of:Jefferson Dement Fickling
Husband of:Susan Wells White Fickling

Notes:

•  Son of William Irvin Fickling (born in 1805) and Ann "Annie" White. Brother of Charles Hollingshead Fickling and Jeremiah Fickling and a half sibling William Webb Fickling - Francis, an alternative view

•  Anne Eliza Fickling (October 6, 1918) is buried in Frank's cemetery plot her relationship is not stated. He had a mother and daughter named Ann but his daughter died in 1928 so this was likely his mother. - Maple Hill

•  Married "Susie" White, December 16, 1880, Madison County, AL - Ancestry.com

•  Father of: Thomas (born Oct. 1880 in Alabama and died 1928), Ann "Nan" (born April 1884 in Alabama and died 1928), Jefferson "Jeff" (born July 1886 in Alabama and died 1946 ), Susie (born Nov. 1888 in Alabama) , Marthilda or Mary "Tilly" (born May 1890 in Alabama - died 1947, married Joseph Frederick Faber (1888-1972)) - 1900 Census

•  In this version of his story, Frances is listed as living as a boarder in Shelby, Tennessee and working for the railroad in 1880. This is the year he married our local Susan Wells White Fickling. She had high social pedigree in Huntsville. In this Ancestry.com page, no wife is recorded for Francis. We cannot decide if this is the Francis Fickling that married Susie. - Francis, an alternative view

•  All their children were born in Alabama, the last child was born in 1888. Both Susie and Frank died in Huntsville. But, they may have lived other places in the years between. It looks like the family is registered for the census of 1900 in Roanoke, Virginia and a City Directory for Columbia, South Carolina appears to have them listed there in 1915. His career with railroads possiblity involved moves. Their connection to Huntsville seems to have continued through-out those years. - 1900 Census, Ancestry.com, and Francis, an alternative view

•  "Mr. Frank Fickling, son-in-law of Mayor White, has become the Huntsville Depot Agent of the Memphis & Charleston R. R., in place of Paul Jones. We cordially welcome Mr. and Mrs. Fickling to a permanent residence in Huntsville." - HWD

•  "One Stabbed and the Other Shot in Huntsville, Ala. -- Frank Fickling, Freight Agent of Memphis and Charleston Railroad at this place, had a dispute about the delivery of some cotton with Robert J. Kelley, Transfer Agent. Kelley, who is a young man, procured a knife for the expressed purpose of using it on Fickling. He went to Fickling's office, and began to abuse him. Kelley stabbed Fickling under the left shoulder blade, inflicting an ugly and painful wound, and then ran. Fickling drew a revolver and fired five times. Three shots struck Kelley, killing him instantly. The physician attending Fickling says his wound is serious." - NYT

•  The 1900 census information places Mr. Fickling and his family in Columbia SC. His coded entry in the 1915 Columbia, SC City Directory reads: "comr agent N&W Railway, residence: 1521 Laurel St." - 1915 Columbia, SC City Directory

•  "Mr. Frank Fickling has been appointed railroad agent at Bristol, Va., and will move his family from Roanoke to that city, where they will reside. Mr. Fickling is an experienced, energetic railroad man, and hightoned and upright in all his dealings. Any railroad would be fortunate in securing his valuable services. Success to him." - Huntsville Weekly Democrat

•  The article is about houses on White Street and an 1893 reference was quoted indicating that Mr. Frank Fickling lived at 400 White Street. So, if they left town for awhile, it was after 1893 or they may have kept the house on White Street, to maintain Huntsville connections, as he worked other places. - Munson

•  We live in the house at 400 White Street and were told that Thomas White built the house for his daughter, Susan Wells White Fickling (Frank's wife), while they were on a honeymoon in Europe. We have found no independent confirmation for this story. - Editor's Note


Related Links:

•  Huntsville Weekly Democrat - November 19, 1902

•  HWD - The Huntsville Weekly Democrat, October 5, 1881 (Contributed by klstacy home)

•  NYT - New York Times, November, 1885 (Originally found at http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C00EED81138E033A25757C0A9679D94649FD7CF.)

•  Munson - Article titled "315 White Street" by Nancy M. Munson in Historic Huntsville Quarterly Vol. XX, #3, Fall, 1994, page 157. While the article is not about the Fickling house, it is mentioned in the piece.

•  1900 Census - Page can be viewed only with a paid Ancestry.com subscription. (Originally found at http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?ti=0&indiv=try&db=1900usfedcen&h=72857497.)

•  1915 Columbia, SC City Directory - Page can be viewed only with a paid Ancestry.com subscription. (Originally found at http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=2469&iid=14857920&fn=Susie+W&ln=Fickling&st=r&ssrc=&pid=937221808.)

•  Google Maps - This is the address of the house listed in their 1900 census in Columbia, SC. Addresses could have changed over the years. But it might be connected to the family.

•  Find A Grave - Page created by Liegh

•  Maple Hill - Maple Hill Cemetery, Phase One by Diane Robey, Dorothy Scott Johnson, John Rison Jones, Jr., & Frances C. Roberts (Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society), 1995, page 63.

•  Maple Hill Cemetery Map - Block 9, Row 5 (To see the map, you must "accept" the terms of use. Choose the "database to search" for "Burial Markers", type last name, and map choices will be offered you.) (Originally found at http://maps.hsvcity.com/cemetery/MapleHillMarkerMap.aspx?id=10705.)

•  Ancestry.com - The page is owned by mjhorsey and can be viewed only with a paid Ancestry.com subscription. This page has no biographical information but lists Susie as his wife and lists their shared children. (Originally found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/44220956/person/6175580395.)

•  Francis, an alternative view - This page is owned by mbberg and can be viewed only with a paid Ancestry.com subscription. (Originally found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/17666818/person/1046713398.)


The Following Pages Link to this Page:
•  400 White Street SE
•  Jefferson Dement Fickling
•  Susan Wells White Fickling
•  Maple Hill