james (jim) HICKS english
1885-1964
Life Story
Also Known as: James Hicks (U.S. Army Service Name)
Laid to Rest at Evans Cemetery
Birth and Family
James “Jim” English was born on April 12, 1885, in Newton County, Mississippi. He was the son of William English and Nancy English, members of a longstanding Black farming community with deep roots in the region.
Early Life and Faith
Jim joined Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in his youth, beginning a lifelong commitment to Christian service. He was remembered by neighbors as kind, peaceable, and steady, someone who contributed quietly but faithfully to church and community life.
Military Service — Enlisted as James Hicks
Jim served in World War I, entering the U.S. Army on January 24, 1918, under the name James Hicks.
African American soldiers of this era often experienced clerical errors, intentional renaming, or chose alternate surnames during enlistment for personal or social reasons. Whatever the circumstance, he later resumed the name James (Jim) English, the name by which he lived the remainder of his life.
He was honorably discharged on June 18, 1919, joining the ranks of Black veterans whose service was rendered despite systemic segregation and restricted rights at home.
Marriage and Family Connections
On September 1, 1934, Jim married Myra Evans (1914–1983), strengthening his ties to the prominent Evans family of the Altare and Mt. Moriah communities. The couple remained active in local church and community affairs. Myra survived him and later remained an influential figure in Newton County.
Occupation
Jim worked as a farmer, the backbone occupation for most Black families in the region during the early 20th century. His work contributed to the stability of his household and to the broader agricultural life of Newton County.
Death and Burial
James “Jim” English passed away on May 23, 1964, after several months of illness. His funeral was held at St. John Baptist Church, attended by relatives, neighbors, and church members who remembered him with affection.
He was laid to rest in the Evans Cemetery, among generations of the Evans and English families who shaped the historic Black communities of Newton County.
Surviving Relatives
At the time of his passing, Jim was survived by:
Wife
- Myra Evans English of Newton
Sisters
- Alma Ruth English, Union
- Annie White, Union
- Rosie Tumblin, Newton
Brothers
- Bennie English, Long Beach, California
- J.D. English, Union
Extended Family
- Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, church members, and friends who mourned his passing.
Sidebar: African Americans Who Enlisted Under Alternate Names in World War I
During World War I, thousands of African American men enlisted in the United States Army—many under names that differed from the ones their families knew. This practice, while not universal, occurred often enough to become a recognizable pattern in African American military history. Several factors contributed to these alternate enlistment names:
1. Clerical Errors by White Registrars
Most draft boards and enlistment clerks were white and often unfamiliar with Black families or their surnames.
Common issues included:
- Misspellings
- Misheard names
- The substitution of surnames (e.g., taking a father’s or mother’s name incorrectly)
Once recorded, these errors typically remained throughout a soldier’s service.
2. Multiple Family Surnames
African American families—especially in the decades after slavery—sometimes used:
- The surname of a parent
- The surname of a former enslaver
- A nickname or informal community surname
A young man might be known by one surname in daily life but use another for official records. Enlisting under this second name was not considered unusual at the time.
3. Personal Choice or Reinvention
Some Black men selected alternate names for reasons such as:
- Distancing themselves from difficult family relationships
- Avoiding confusion with relatives of the same name
- Beginning military service with a sense of autonomy or new identity
The wartime environment offered young Black men their first chance to choose how they wanted to be documented.
4. Protection From Legal or Social Complications
In rare cases, alternate names shielded enlistees from:
- Prior disputes
- Debt obligations
- Racial conflicts within their home counties
While not necessarily the case for every soldier, the option to enlist under an alternate identity was sometimes a way to avoid local entanglements.
5. Post-Service Reversion to Birth Name
After returning home, many African American veterans resumed using their familiar surname, which explains why:
- Military records list one name
- Census, marriage, and death records list another
This is precisely the case with James (Jim) English, who served as James Hicks during WWI but lived the remainder of his life as an English.
Why This Matters for Genealogical Research
For descendants and historians, alternate enlistment names can make military records difficult to locate. Understanding this pattern:
- Helps confirm identity across differing documents
- Clarifies family lineage
- Adds depth to the lived experience of African American veterans navigating Jim Crow bureaucracy
These alternate names are more than clerical quirks—they are part of the story of how African American men moved through systems that rarely recognized their full identity or humanity.
Resting Place
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1950 Federal Census
- The Newton Record, James (Jim) English Obituary, Wed, Jun 03, 1964 ·Page 11
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940
- U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985
- U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939
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