Hickey, Thomas A., 1869-1925

Machinist, journalist, socialist party organizer. Born January 14, 1869 in Dublin, Ireland. Emigrated to New York City at the age of twenty-three and after holding jobs in New Jersey and Montana, came to Texas in 1904 where he assumed duties as organizer of the Socialist party in Texas. In 1911 he became editor of "The Rebel," a weekly newspaper published in Hallettsville, Texas. In 1917 publication of "The Rebel" was suppressed under the Espionage Bill of that year. Hickey subsequently became an organizer for the National Non-Partisan League in Texas; organized the National Workers and Drilling Company; and published "Tom Hickey's Magazine." Died on May 2, 1925.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1869, Thomas Aloysius Hickey arrived in America in 1892. Hickey joined the Socialist Labor party and the Knights of Labor in 1893 and became an ardent speaker, organizer, and writer, as well as private secretary to Eugene V. Debs. In 1900, he left the Socialist Labor Party and went on to cocreate the Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance and helped arrange several machinist strikes in New Jersey, which led to his blacklisting by employers. Moving to Butte, Montana, Hickey joined the Western Federation of Miners and helped recruit for the Socialist party.

In 1911, he moved to Hallettsville, Texas, and started a weekly newspaper called The Rebel. Over time, Hickey became a prominent figure in the socialist movement and the slogan of his paper became the official slogan of the Socialist party in Texas. He served as the socialist candidate for lieutenant governor in 1912 and was married to Clara E. Boeer that same year. The government suppressed The Rebel in 1917 under the Espionage Act and in 1918, the Nonpartisan League fired Hickey as an organizer.

In October 1919, he and other socialists organized the National Workers Drilling and Production Company. Hickey continued writing, serving as an advertising manager of the Desdemona Oil News and a correspondent for fourteen more newspapers such as the Texas Oil World and the Independent Oil and Financial Reporter. Withdrawing from the company in 1920, he moved to a farm near Stamford, Texas, and was publishing Tom Hickey's Magazine until his death on May 7, 1925, of throat cancer.

The Handbook of Texas has published a more in-depth online biography of Thomas Aloysius Hickey at http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/search.html

Born in Dublin, Ireland, journalist and oilman Thomas Aloysius Red Tom Hickey (1869-1925) immigrated to the United States in 1892 and settled in Hallettsville, Texas, in 1907. Four years later, he instituted the newspaper, The Rebel, to represent the Socialist Party of Texas. In 1917, the U.S. government filed criminal charges against the organization for using the U.S. Post Office to distribute the newspaper. Following the end of World War I, Hickey re-established The Rebel in Dallas, became advertising manager of the Desedemona Oil News, and wrote for fourteen other papers. He and other socialist organizers founded the National Workers Drilling and Production Company in 1919, although Hickey left the next year. In 1925, he published Tom Hickey’s Magazine in Fort Worth.

Source:

Hunt, William R. Hickey, Thomas Aloysius. Handbook of Texas Online . Accessed January 18, 2011. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fhi55 .

Born in Dublin, Ireland, journalist and oilman Thomas Aloysius "Red Tom" Hickey (1869-1925) immigrated to the United States in 1892 and settled in Hallettsville, Texas, in 1907. Four years later, he instituted the newspaper, "The Rebel," to represent the Socialist Party of Texas.

In 1917, the U. S. government filed criminal charges against the organization for using the U. S. Post Office to distribute the newspaper. Following the end of World War I, Hickey re-established "The Rebel" in Dallas, became advertising manager of the "Desedemona Oil News," and wrote for fourteen other papers. He and other socialist organizers founded the National Workers Drilling and Production Company in 1919, although Hickey left the next year. In 1925, he published "Tom Hickey's Magazine" in Fort Worth.