DeSoto Parish, Louisiana; Biography: Marmaduke Ricks - r200

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Submitted by Gaytha Carver Thompson
Typed by Trudy Marlow
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            Marmaduke Ricks is a dealer in general mer-
         chandise, and has been engaged in this business
         in Mansfield since 1858.  He was born in Greene
         County, Ala., March 24, 1828, and is a son of
         Josiah and Sallie (Gandy) Ricks, natives of North
         Carolina, who emigrated to Alabama, being among
         its pioneer settlers.  They died on a farm in
         Greene County, the mother in 1834 and the father
         some twenty years later.  They were the parents
         of ten children, six now living:  John, Robert F.,
         Marmaduke, Charity, Sallie A. and Petty H.
         The Ricks family originally came from Eng-
         land, and both the paternal and maternal grand-
         fathers of the subject of this sketch served in
         the Revolutionary War.  Marmaduke Ricks was
         reared on a plantation in his native county,
         receiving the advantages of the common schools,
         and in 1849 came to Louisiana and located in
         De Soto Parish.  At that time his capital was
         very small, and after working around for some
         time he purchased a farm, but gave up tilling
         the soil in 1858 to engage in the mercantile
         business at Mansfield, which establishment he has
         since conducted, with the exception of the time
         spent in the war.  In 1862 he enlisted in the
         Eleventh Texas Infantry, Company B, and served
         until the surrender, being in all the principal en-
         gagements in which his regiment took part.  After
         the war he returned to Mansfield, again opened
         business, and is now one of the pioneers of the
         place, and has witnessed the growth of the coun-
         try.  He was mayor of Mansfield for several years,
         was appointed police juror in 1888, and has held a
         number of other local offices.  He was first mar-
         ried in 1859 to Miss Mary Williams, by whom he
         has one child, Willie F., his second union taking
         place in 1866, the maiden name of his wife being
         Laura McFarland.  Four children have blessed
         this union:  Angy, Mattie, Duke and Ben.  Mrs.
         Ricks is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
         Church.  Mr. Ricks is a large real estate owner, a
         his property lying in both city and country and
         on one of his farms is a mineral well, which he
         discovered in 1889.  A well was dug in 1885 but
         was re-dug in 1889, going fifty feet deeper  The
         water was then found to contain valuable mineral
         properties, but wishing it analyzed, some was sent
         to Tulane University of New Orleans for that pur-
         pose, the analysis she wing that it contained
         (iron) carb., 6.248; calcium (lime) carb., 4.069;cal-
         cium sulphate, 39.117; calcium chloride, .725; mag-
         nesium chloride, 11.766; sodium chloride, 16.845;
         sodium sulphate, 12.292; potassium sulphate,
         1.978; alumini, .772; silica, .460, and a trace of
         organic matter.  This well was brought to the
         notice of the medical practitioners, and it is now
         being prescribed for indigestion and malarial dis-
         eases, dyspepsia, etc.  Mr. Ricks is now at work
         clearing off his land, and is putting up a large
         hotel near this well, which he expects to have in
         operation by the summer of 1891.  The accommo-
         dations will be excellent, and conveyances can be
         easily procured from all railroad depots.