JOEL HICKMAN was the son of Colonel JAMES HICKMAN [b. 1724 in Hanover County, VA; died 1816 in Clark County, KY] and HANNAH LEWIS [b. 1722 in Hanover County, VA; died 1822 in Clark County, KY]. He was born on 10 August 1761 in Culpeper County, Virginia and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War for which he received a pension in Clark County, KY "for service as a private, 1779 - 1781". He is on the Roster of American Patriots who fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain in North Carolina.

JOEL HICKMAN was married to FRANCES GARETTA WILSON in 1788 in Culpeper County, VA and they settled in Culpeper County, Virginia where their first five children were born. In about 1793 they removed to Clark County, Kentucky where their remaining seven children were born. The names of their 12 children:

1. JOHN WILSON HICKMAN, born 18 March 1787 in Culpeper County, Virginia who married BETSY BRONAUGH; died 20 May 1847 in Boyle County, Kentucky

2. JAMES LEWIS HICKMAN, born 13 November 1788 in Culpeper County, Virginia who married MARIA SHACKELFORD; died 20 August 1855 in Todd County, Kentucky

3. NANCY E. HICKMAN, born 12 April 1790 in Culpeper County, Virginia and died there in 1791.

4. POLLY TERRELL HICKMAN, born 14 May 1792 in Culpeper County, Virginia who married GEORGE GILMOUR; died 17 March 1829 in Christian County, Kentucky

5. SALLY LAWSON HICKMAN, born 25 March 1794 in Clark County, Kentucky who married JAMES EASTHAM; died 3 August 1857 in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

6. THOMAS ELLIOTT HICKMAN, born 12 March 1796 in Clark County, Kentucky who married VIRGINIA ELLISON; died 5 March 1838 in Winchester, Clark County, Kentucky

7. SOPHIA WESTON HICKMAN, born 6 March 1798 in Clark County, Kentucky who married THOMAS HOLTON; died after 1857 in Madison County, Kentucky

8. ADELINE DEMARQUIS HICKMAN, born 6 March 1800 in Clark County, Kentucky who never married.

9. ELIZA BIRD HICKMAN, born 18 March 1802 in Clark County, Kentucky who married JOHN REED; died in September 1855 in Madison County, Kentucky

10. JOEL FRANKLIN HICKMAN, born 8 February 1804 in Clark County, Kentucky who married LUCINDA HICKMAN; died in 1847 in Platte County, Missouri

11. FRANCES GARETTA HICKMAN, born 10 March 1807 in Clark County, Kentucky who married ADDISON T. ELLIOTT; died on 6 March 1831 in Clark County, Kentucky

12. EDWIN CLINTON HICKMAN, born 10 March 1810 in Clark County, Kentucky who married AMANDA F. BEST.

Both JOEL HICKMAN and his wife FRANCES remained in Clark County, Kentucky until their deaths at which time they were buried in the HICKMAN Cemetery in a lane off Jones Nursery Road [Rogers Farm].