Josiah Duane Hicks

Josiah Duane Hicks (August 1, 1844 – May 9, 1923) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served three consecutive terms in Congress from 1893 to 1899. Born in Machen, Monmouthshire, Wales, he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1847. The family initially settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and in the same year moved to Duncansville, Pennsylvania. Growing up in central Pennsylvania, Hicks attended the common schools of Blair and Huntingdon Counties, receiving the basic education that would underpin his later legal and political career. In 1861 he moved to Altoona, Pennsylvania, a growing railroad town that would remain closely associated with his professional and public life.

During the American Civil War, Hicks enlisted as a private in the 125th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in 1862. He served nearly eighteen months in the Union Army, participating in the conflict during a formative period of his youth. After his military service, he returned to civilian life and found employment as a clerk with the Pennsylvania Railroad, a major economic force in the region. While working, he undertook the study of law, demonstrating the ambition and discipline that would characterize his later public service.

Hicks was admitted to the bar in 1875 and commenced the practice of law in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. His legal abilities and growing reputation in Blair County led to his election as district attorney of Blair County in 1880, a position to which he was reelected in 1883. In this role he gained extensive experience in public administration and the enforcement of state law, further establishing himself as a prominent Republican figure in central Pennsylvania. During this period he also married Josephine Barrick, a native of Frederick County, Maryland. She was a descendant of the Harbaugh family, whose presence in Maryland dated back to colonial times and whose history was noted as being closely intertwined with the broader history of the country.

Building on his legal and local political standing, Hicks was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third, Fifty-fourth, and Fifty-fifth Congresses, serving as a Representative from Pennsylvania in the United States Congress from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1899. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history marked by industrial expansion, labor unrest, and debates over monetary policy and tariffs. As a member of the House of Representatives, Hicks participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents, contributing to the legislative work of the era across his three terms in office.

During his final term, Hicks served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Patents in the Fifty-fifth Congress. In that capacity he was involved in legislative matters affecting intellectual property and innovation at a time when rapid technological change was reshaping American industry and commerce. Despite his growing seniority and influence, he chose not to be a candidate for renomination in 1898, thereby concluding his congressional career at the end of his third term in 1899.

After leaving Congress, Hicks resumed the practice of law, returning to private life while remaining active in civic affairs. He continued to reside in Pennsylvania and maintained his engagement with public service at the local level. From 1911 to 1919 he served as a member of the Altoona Board of Education, contributing to the oversight and development of the city’s public schools during a period of educational reform and expansion. His work on the board reflected a longstanding commitment to the community in which he had lived since the early 1860s.

Hicks also remained closely connected to veterans’ organizations, reflecting his Civil War service. In 1921 he served as State commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, the influential fraternal organization of Union veterans, representing Pennsylvania in that capacity. He continued to live in Altoona until his death there on May 9, 1923. Josiah Duane Hicks was interred in Fairview Cemetery in Altoona, Pennsylvania, leaving a legacy as a Civil War veteran, lawyer, local official, and three-term Republican Representative who participated in the national legislative process during a transformative period in American history.