Ratcliffe Hicks (1843–1906) was an American lawyer, industrialist, state legislator, and philanthropist from Tolland, Connecticut.

Born in Tolland on October 3, 1843, Ratcliffe was the eldest son of Charles R. Hicks (1812–1878), a prominent merchant from Providence, Rhode Island, and later New York City, and Maria A. Stearns (1815–1905).

[2] Ratcliffe attended the Monson Academy and the Williston Seminary preparatory schools and graduated with honors from Brown University in 1864.

[3] Hicks became a prominent attorney, litigating important cases and earning over $10,000 annually in legal fees, equivalent to $280,000 in 2020 dollars.

In 1866 he was elected to the Connecticut General Assembly, the youngest legislator at that time, and remained in office for twenty-nine years.

[2] During this commercial period, Hicks made twenty voyages to Europe, chiefly to sell his rubber to overseas concerns.

He was reportedly so incensed at Brown's misspelling of his given name on his diploma that he cut the university out of his will, with the exception of a student scholarship.

[10] Hicks' largest gift was in the form of a charitable trust (worth a quarter of his estate) to start a school of agriculture and forestry in Tolland County.

In 1936 the estate established scholarships, grants, and loans for assistance to boys and young men pursuing education in agricultural subjects.

She spoke at the dedication ceremony for the school in 1950 and was known for hosting formal teas each spring with the students and campus leaders.

[4] Dedicated in 1951 and built with state funding support, the Elizabeth Hicks Residence Hall, a women's dormitory on the UConn campus, is named after her.