My Genealogy Hound

RICKART, JOSEPH, farmer, White Hall. The subject of this sketch is the seventh child of a family of eleven children. His father was Joseph Rickart, a Virginian by birth, born at Abington about 1785; he located at Cincinnati, when the entire village could have been purchased for a small sum; moving to Hamilton, O., he followed farming and carpenter work, and is said to have been a very enterprising man; he married at or near Hamilton, Miss Delila Crooks. Building a large, tannery, Mr. Rickart soon had it in running operation; this was an extensive establishment, and a large trade was done. In 1839 Mr. R., who was then quite wealthy, moved to Illinois, locating at Greene County, and purchasing the farm of Z. Allen; on this farm he passed the remainder of life, January, 1844. Mrs. Rickart died in 1847, a fine type of those noble women who dared the dangers of Western life. On the death of the father, the entire property reverted to the wife and children. A few years ago Joseph Rickart ran the entire farm, consisting of 400 acres. No better evidence can be shown of the business capacity of Mr. R. than to state that he now owns 560 acres of as good land as can be found anywhere in America; 100 acres lies in the corporation of White Hall. With the exception of the hard times of 1857, Mr. R.’s career through life has been one of continued prosperity. Lately he erected a handsome residence near the town of White Hall. In 1873 he was assessor and treasurer of the county. When the Louisiana Branch of the C. & A. R. R. was contemplated, Mr. R. was among the first in favor of locating the road here. He was married to Miss Mary E. Baskin, a daughter of Charles E. Baskin; there were born of this marriage eight children, seven of whom are living: David, who owns a valuable farm property in Kansas, Addie, Ella, Minnie, Joseph, Curtis, and Leroy.