The Rickey Families of Washington County, Iowa

REUBEN RICKEY, a farmer and stock-raiser.

resides on section 33, Lime Creek Township.

He is a native of Pickaway County, Ohio, where he was born Dec. 28, 1831, and is the son of John and Ruth (Dick) Rickey, the former a native of West Virginia, and the latter of Ohio., and a daughter of Jacob and Sarah Dick, who were natives of West Virginia. They had a family of seven children: Reuben, the subject of this sketch; Thomas, who died in Lime Creek Township in 1850, at the age of seventeen years; AVilliam was a soldier in the war for the Union, and has since died; his widow is still living in Lime Creek Township. Mary, now the wife of Henry Nicola, resides in Mahaska County; Samuel, a soldier in the late war, was a member of the 7th Iowa Infantry, and killed at the battle of Corinth; Wellington died in IS.iO; Murat was a soldier in the war for the I'uion, a memliei of the 30th Iowa Infantry; he was taken prisoner, and after having been held as such for some months was exchanged, and started for Annapolis, Md., and was supposed to have died while en route, as he was never heard from afterward. John Rickey emigrated from Airginia to Ohio about 1815, and there lived until 1849, when he came with his family to Washington County, and settled on section 33, Lime Creek Township. He died in September, 1850, at the age of forty-six. His wife died in September, 1853, at the age of forty-tvvo.

Reuben Rickey, the subject of this sketch, came with his parents to this county in 1 849, and remained with them until his marriage, which occurred March 2, 1853, to Ruth E. Ayer, a native of Baltimore County, Md., and daughter of John Ayer, also a native of that State. Her father was a.soldier in the War of 1812. He was among the earliest settlers of Washington County, and here died about 1874. His wife preceded him to the spirit land. Mr. and Mrs. Rickey have been the parents of seven children, namely, Victoria, now the wife of William Haller, of Dayton, Washington County; Jenny Lind, the wife of Henry Schultz, of Cedar Township; Benjamin Franklin, now engaged in farming in Lime Creek Township; Irene R., the wife of Isaiah Oldfieltl, of Cedar Township; Laura A. and Viola, at home; Clara A. died in infancy.

Mr. Rickey is one of the representative men of Lime Creek Township. He commenced life a poor boy, and at the time of his marriage was in very limited circumstances. He is now the owner of 152.acres, all of which is under cultivation, and well improved. All that he has is the result of his own labor, together with that of his wife. He has been Township Assessor and Trustee for a number of years, and has held various other township offices. His wife and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, he is a Democrat, t one who is well informed, and who takes great interest in public affairs. He is a public-spirited and enterprising man, a firm believe in compulsory education, believing that in the education of the children lies the hope of the perpetuity of the Union.

MBROSE HART resides upon section 23, Clay Township, where he is engiiged in farming and stock-raising. He was born ill Trumbull County, Ohio, Jan. 20, 1824, and is the son of Amos and Sophia (Bushncll) Hart, both of whom were natives of Connecticut, Amos Hart moved from Connecticut to Ohio about 1818. and there engaged in business as a niorchaiit.. Forming the acquaintance of Miss Sophia Itiisbuell, they were uiiitod in marriage Nov. 20, 1820. They became the parents of seven children: Dennis, deceased; Ambrose, the subject of this sketch; Louisa, the widow of William I'single, now residing in" Clay Township; William, a farmer residing in Harrison County, Mo.; Seth, a farmer in Clay Township; Austin, deceased; Huldah, the widow of G. W. Draper, resides in Colfax, Whitman Co.. Wash. Ter. The father died Sept. 27, 1 885, at the age of eight'-eight, and the mother Dee. 24, 1878. She was a member of the Congregational Church at Brighton. While not a member of the Church himself, Amos Hart was a liberal giver to all Church work, and was a charitable man in every' respect. In 1840 the family settled in Clay Township, where both parents died.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FINLEY E. RICKEY.

A little log cabin on section 33, Lime Creek to\\ship — one of the pioneer homes of the county — was the birthplace of Finley E. Rickey. Today he looks abroad over two hundred and ten acres of rich land on the same section that is now his own property, for in the passing years he has become one of the prosperous and enterprising agriculturists of this part of the.state, widely known in connection with his live-stock interests as well as through his development of the fields. His natal day was March 2. 1864, his parents being William and Mary (Parker) Rickey. The father's birth occurred in Pickaway county, Ohio, in 1835, while the mother was born in the state of Iowa. Removing westward he took up his above in Washington county and lived here until his death, purchasing and improving the farm upon which Finley E. Rickey now makes his home. He served as a soldier in the Civil war and was a loyal advocate of the Union cause, doing everything in his power to uphold the old flag as the standard of a united nation. His political allegiance was given to the republican party and he always took an active interest in politics, but did not seek or desire office. He preferred to concentrate his energies upon his Ijusiness affairs and his careful management brought him a gratifying measure of success so that at the time of his death he owned three hundred and sixty and one-half acres in Lime Creek township. He departed this life March 14, 1888, and for about two years his widow survived, her death occurring October 23, 1890. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. William Rickey there were eight children: Finley E., of this review: "SI. L., now deceased; Irva D., the wife of J. E. Adams, of this county: Charles, also living in this county; Rose M., the wife of D. A. Maloney, of Colorado; Ida O,, living in Denver. Colorado; Winfield S., of this county: and one who died in infancy.

Reared as a farm boy, Finley E. Rickey remained at home up to the time of his marriage. The lady of his choice was Miss Sadie E. Hamjjsber, who was born in Huntington county, Pennsylvania, July 18. 1870. and was a daughter of Samuel and Anna (Thompson) Hampsher, who were also natives of the Keystone state, the father's birth occurring April 20, 1844, while the mother first opened her eyes to the light of day on the 12th of May, 1850. She passed away June 9, 1905, and the death of Mr. Hampsher occurred on the ist of June, 1907. Their family numbered six children: John L., living in Kalona, this county; Mrs. Rickey: Alta C. R., who is engaged in teaching school and makes her home with her sister: and three w'ho are now deceased.

MR. AXl) MRS. i-'. E. RICKEY

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rickey began their domestic life upon a rented farm which they occupied for a year, at the end of which time he jjurchased the old homestead, where he had first opened his eyes to the light <if day. I lis landed po.sse.sions now cover two hundred and ten and one-half acres on section 33, Lime Creek township, and he is numbered among the leading and progressive agriculturists, making a specialty of the raising and feeding of cattle and hogs. His work in this connection is of an important character and his business is constantly growing, bringing to him well merited and substantial success. As the years have passed the hcimr nf.Mr. and Mrs. Rickey has been blessed with four children, but the first and the third died in infancy. Vesa Ruth, born February 12, 1892, is nnw a student in the academy at Washington. Iowa. Thomas E., the youngest, was born July 10, 1905.

The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and shape their lives in accordance with its teachings. Mr. Rickey votes with the republican part\ and, while not a politician in the sense of office seeking nor has he ever desired political preferment, he has served as school director for about twenty years. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Wellman and has the warm regard of his brethren of that fraternity. He has lived to see many changes in the county for in this day the log cabins are few, most of the farm homes being commodious and at times even palatial residences. Xo longer is the countryside covered with the native prairie grasses, but in rich fields responds to the care and cultivation of the farmer, who annually harvests good crops of corn, wheat and other cereals or meets with equal success in the raising of stock. Through the wise use of his opportunities Mr. Rickey has made steady progress and is now the owner of a valuable property, which forty-five years ago surrounded a little pioneer cabin in which he first opened his eyes to the light of day.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

T. W. RICKEY.

T. W. Rickey is well known in Crawfordsville and throughout Washington county, for though he is now living retired he was long associated with business affairs as a representative of both farming and banking interests. He ever manifested an intelligent appreciation of opportunities which he utilized to the best advantage and now his invested interests are sufficient to bring him a substantial annual revenue. Mr. Rickey was born in Harrison county, Ohio, November 2, 1840, and is a son of Benjamin and Susan (Williams) Rickey. The father was born in Ohio and in 1852 arrived in Iowa, locating in Louisa county, where he made his home until his death in 1877, his remains being interred in the village cemetery at Crawfordsville. His entire life was given to general agricultural pursuits and his persistent labor constituted the basis of his success. In antebellum days he was a stanch abolitionist, being greatly opposed to the system of human slavery as practiced in the south. When the republican party was formed to prevent its further extension in northern territory, he joined its ranks and continued one of its stalwart advocates until his death. He held membership in the United Presbyterian church which in former years was know li as the Scccders church. His wife was a native of Ohio and they were married in that state. She survived her husband for about ten years and died in Louisa county in 1887. In their family were five sons: Samuel W., who now follows farming in Crawford township; William, a soldier of the Civil war, who formerly carried on general agricultural pursuits hut is now living retired in Sheriilan,

Iowa; T. W., of this review; John, who was a soldier in the Union army and IS now deceased; and Joseph, who Hkewise defended the old flag but has now passed away.

T. W. Rickey spent his youthful days in his parents' home, accompanying his father on their removal to Iowa when a youth of twelve years. He acquired his education in the district schools of his native county and in Washington county, Iowa, and gave his father the benefit of his services until twenty-one years of age, when he began farming on his own account in Louisa county. He continued to till the soil in Louisa county until 1894, when he put aside the work of the fields and removed to Crawfordsville, where he erected a building that has since been known as the Crawfordsville Savings Bank. He established a banking business which was the first in the town and he remained sole owner of the enterprise until 1908, when he organized a stock company and withdrew from active connection with the bank. While he carried on farming he engaged extensively in feeding and shipping stock and this proved a profitable branch of his business. He is still the owner of valuable farm property, including one hundred and sixty acres of well improved land in Louisa county and two hundred acres in Crawford township, together with two hundred and ninety-six acres in Arkansas. He likewise owns town property in Crawfordsville, also has realty holdings in Chicago, so that his extensive invested interests are amply adequate to his needs and also bring to him an income sufficient to supply him with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.

In 1861 Mr. Rickey was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Purbis, a resident of Louisa county, Iowa, and they have two sons: James R., now a banker of Crawfordsville: and John F., who follows farming in Henry county, Iowa. The wife and mother died in 1891 and was laid to rest in the Crawfordsville cemetery. In 1897 Mr. Rickey was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Maggie Adams, nee Gordon. In his political views Mr. Rickey is a republican while his religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. His life has been well spent and without ostentation or display he has commanded the respect of his fellowmen by reason of his enterprise, the reliability of his methods in business affairs and the substantial support which he has given to all matters of progressive citizenship.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.