In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1838
From The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominen (1883)
JAMES RICKNER, Esq., farmer and stock-raiser, section 8, post-office Carthage, grandson of William Brown, the pioneer settler of Jasper county. His father, Jacob Rickner, came to the county in 1835, and married Miss Anna, daughter of William Brown, two years later. Our subject was born March 28, 1838. His youth was spent in assisting his father in a tannery, which business he established in 1840. His education was acquired at the pioneer schools. During the war of the Rebellion he was a staunch Union man, enlisting in 1862 in Company B, Ninth Regiment Missouri State Militia. His service was of a nature familiar to all old settlers of the Southwest. He was married in Jasper county Jan. 17, 1861, to Miss Jane Mc- Kelvey, a native of Pennsylvania. Of this union there are seven children: Francis S., born Feb. 2, 1862; Allie A., born May 30, 1863; Emma E., born April 25, 1866; Joseph M., born March 27, 1872; William B., born Dec. 12, 1874; Jacob A., born Feb. 15, 1878; and Rosa C, born May 22, 1880. Since the war Mr. Rickner has been a farmer. He has been honored by the people with the office of justice of the peace and other offices of minor importance.
As printed in The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominent (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.