Ricks Family History, Tangipahoa, Washington and St.Helena Parish, Louisiana Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Hugh A. Ricks, Oct. 1999 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ The following is a history of my Ricks line, starting with my father's generation and working back to the earliest known ancestor. It is not an authoritative work of my own and it contains a great deal of unsubstatiated and undocumented information. Much of the information has been collected from oral tradition, family Bible records, family members and the work of several knowledgeable researchers (see note at end of history). Undoubtedly, there are errors and omissions and I hope to hear from you if you have a criticism, comment or contribution. I apologize for submitting what might be called a reverse genealogy, but it seemed to me that the reader might be more interested in going back from a familiar place than going forward from 1638. It is my intention and indeed my current task, to document all of the information listed below and to make it available to those interested in this branch of the Ricks family . Names and dates are constantly being added and revised and I will endeavor to keep available an updated version of this genealogy. New information is being gathered even as I write. Anyone with information, photographs or documents, please contact me by e-mail at: laughart@home.com). Hugh A. Ricks 6440 Canal Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70124 Telephone 504-482-0562. 1.Van A. Ricks, born Feb. 28, 1905, Tangipahoa Parish, La. ; died June 2, 1948, New Orleans, La. Married 1st: Katherine Ritt, born New Orleans,.La. ?; died Feb. 15, 1990, Metairie,La. Children of Van A. Ricks and Katherine Ritt: i. Shirley Mae Ricks, born Feb. 25, 1927, New Orleans, La. ; died Dec. 19, 1986, Kenner, La. was married to Royce D. Bufkin. ii. Gertrude Gabriel Ricks, born Nov. 10, 1928, New Orleans,La. Married 1st.S.N. Hudson; 2nd. Edward Sutton ; 3rd. Joseph Clark. iii. Van A. Ricks,Jr., born May 31, 1932, New Orleans, La.; died Feb.1, 1933. Died at 9 mos. of congestive heart failure. Married 2nd: Ida Mae Hales, born Dec. 11, 1908, West Greene, Greene Co., AL ; died Nov. 12, 1975, New Orleans, La. Children of Van A. Ricks and Ida Mae Hales: i. Hugh A. Ricks, born Jan. 20, 1939, New Orleans, La. Married 1st. Janice Darlene Schmit; 2nd. Laura Marie Rizzo. ii. James Patrick Ricks, born April 9, 1941, New Orleans, La. Married 1st. Yvonne Deslatte; 2nd. Nola Mae Barnes; 3rd. Elinor Stansel Meyer. iii. Van Dewey Ricks, born Jan. 7, 1947, New Orleans,La. ; died Nov. 14, 1996, New Orleans, La. Married 1st. Mary Ellen Stolf; 2nd. Tanya Rita Hymel; 3rd. Cheryl Ann Maher; 4th. Dorothy Davis Mooney. Van A. Ricks' siblings were: i. Will W. Ricks, born Aug. 5, 1894, Tangipahoa Parish, La.; died ?. ii. Edith Ricks, born June 20, 1896, Tangipahoa Parish, La.; died abt. 1989. Married Elmer Leath. iii. Burell (Buell?) Ricks, born Aug. 19, 1898, Tangipahoa, La. ; died ?. iv. Tincie Ricks, born Aug. 20, 1902, Tangipahoa, La. ; died abt 1980-85. Married Archie Miller. v. Dewey H. Ricks, ( later given the Christian name James Patrick Ricks) born May 16, 1904 Tangipahoa Parish, La. ; died 1995, New Orleans, La. Married Blanche ?. vi. Herman Chess Ricks, born Jan. 23, 1907, Tangipahoa Parish, La. ; died Mar. 28, 1985 , Baton Rouge , La. Buried Bolivar Baptist Church Cemetery. Bolivar, La. Married Winnie Bell Crawford, born MAR. 13, 1916. 2. Henry Chess Ricks, born Aug. 7, 1869, Tangipahoa Parish, La. ; died Mar. 13, 1924, Tangipahoa Parish, La. Married Nina (Ninnie) Strahan, born July 19, 1874 ; died Jan. 23, 1907 (childbirth), Tangipahoa Parish, La. Children of Henry Chess Ricks and Nina Strahan are listed above under siblings of Van A. Ricks. Henry Chess Ricks' siblings were: i. Delilah Julia Ricks, born Mar. 26, 1856, died ?. ii. Charles Neven Ricks, born Sept. 15, 1857, died ?. Married Mary Jane Parker. iii. Leah Elizabeth Ricks, born Mar. 27, 1858; died JUNE 9, 1939 . Buried Beulah Baptist Church Cemetary, Kentwood, La. Married Charles Crawford. iv. Rebecca Ann Ricks, born Mar. 27, 1861; died ?. v. Joshua Ricks, born Mar. 3, 1862; died ?. vi. Major Obediah Ricks, born Apr. 14, 1865, died ?. Married Rosa Ricks. vii. John Sherrod Ricks, born Dec. 8, 1866; died ?. Married Francis Elizabeth Ricks. viii. Frances Dona Ricks, born Feb. 21, 1871; died ?. Married Jonathan Dent Grace. ix. Otis Dudley Ricks, born Mar. 24, 1873; died ?. Married Dolly Ricks. x. Lewis Benjamin Ricks, born Aug. 6, 1875; died 1958. Married 1st. Mary Goings. 2nd. Rosa Arabelle (Arabella) Barker, 3rd. Ada Fussell Wainwright. 3. Warren Woodard Ricks, born Aug. 13, 1830, Washington Parish, La. (later Tangipahoa); died Feb. 24, 1909, Tangipahoa Parish, La. Warren was a Confederate Veteran of the Civil War. Married Nancy Caroline Varnado on Jan. 25, 1855. Nancy was born Feb. 8, 1831, Washington Parish, La.; died Dec. 15, 1900 in Tangipahoa Parish, La. Nancy was the daughter of William Pearl Varnado, B. abt. 1811 in Indian village on the Pearl River in Marion Co.,MS and Rebecca Jane Thompson, b. July 10, 1813 in Pike Co. , MS. Children of Warren Woodard Ricks and Nancy Caroline Varnado are listed above under siblings of Henry Chess Ricks. Warren Woodard Ricks' siblings were: i. John Quincy Ricks, born (he was 21 years old in the 1850 census); died ?. ii. Robert (Bob) Ricks, born ( he was 14 years old in the 1850 census); died ?. Some family tradition has it that Bob was killed by Indians in West Texas or New Mexico while on his way to California as a young man. 4. Benjamin Sherrod Ricks, born abt 1800 in Georgia; died between 1836 and 1838 in Washington Parish, La. (since I have no birth date for Benjamin, I am not certain of the birth order between he and his siblings, but I believe that he was the eldest son). Tradition has it that Benjamin was killed while breaking a horse at his home near Spring Creek. This house was still standing when I visited it in 1973. Married Rebecca Cutrer. Rebecca later married Jesse Tate. Rebecca was the daughter of Joseph Cutrer, b. ? in SC , d. 1837, Washington Parish, LA. and Nancy Pendarvis, b. ?, d. ?. Children of Benjamin Sherrod Ricks and Rebecca Cutrer are listed above under siblings of Warren Woodard Ricks. Benjamin Sherrod Ricks' siblings were: i. John Debro Ricks, born about 1803 ( he is listed as 67 years old in the 1870 census). Died ?. ii. Robert Ricks, born about 1809 (he is listed as 61 years old in the 1870 census). Died ? Married Elizabeth Cutrer (sister of Rebecca Cutrer). 5. John (C?) Ricks, born abt 1770, North Carolina; died before 1830, Washington Parish, La. John moved to Georgia from Nort Carolina sometime before 1800. He and his brother Johannon Ricks moved to Washington Parish, La. about 1810. All of John's sons (listed above)were born while they were in Georgia. Married Catherine (Steadman, Steadway, Treadway ?) born 1776, North Carolina; died after 1850, Washington Parish, La. Children of John (C?) Ricks and Catherine are listed above as siblings of Benjamin Sherrod Ricks. Siblings of John Ricks were: i. Isaac Ricks, born ( was "of age") in 1790, died ?. ii. Jacob Ricks, born (was "of age") in 1790; died ?. iii. Ann Ricks, born ?; died ?. Married John Watkins. iv. Richard Ricks, born ?; died ?. v. Sarah Ricks, born ?; died ?. Married a Denson. vi. Delilah Ricks, born ?; died ?. vii. Johannon Ricks, born after 1775, North Carolina; died ?, Washington or St. Tamanny Parish, La. MarriedEleanor Thompson, born ?; died 1840 in La. viii. Gideon Ricks, born ?; died ?. ix. Redmond Ricks, born ?; died ?. x. Larry Ricks, born ?; died ?. xiJesse Ricks, born ?; died ?. 6. John Ricks, born 1732 in Virginia; died 1790 in North Carolina. Married 1st. Ann Ross, 2nd. Esther Horn Ross, 3rd. Mary Denson. Dates of these marriages and birthdate of #5 John C. Ricks tend to indicate that Esther Horn Ross was #5 John C. Ricks' mother. All of John Ricks' wives were born in Virginia. Children of John Ricks and his three wives are listed above as siblings of John C. Ricks. Siblings of John Ricks were: i. James Ricks, born about 1728 in Virginia, died 1792. Married 1st. Judith Ross, 2nd. Mary Crudrope, 3rd. Phoebe Horn. ii. Sarah Ricks, born 1734 in Virginia; died 1781. Married Daniel Ross. 7. Isaac Ricks , born Dec. 27, 1702 in Virginia; died ?. Married Eleanor Bunn, born ???; died 1790 in North Carolina. Children of Isaac Ricks and Eleanor Bunn are listed above as #6 John Ricks and his siblings. Siblings of #7 Isaac Ricks were: i. William Ricks, born July 15, 1698 near Chuckatuck Church, Va. ; died ?. Married 1st. Esther Long, 2nd. Sarah ?. ii. Jacob Ricks, born Feb. 11, 1705 in Va. ; died after 1758. iii. Benjamin Ricks, born 1707 in Chuckatuck, Va. ; died (will closed on May 5, 1744. Married Patience Helty. iv. Robert Ricks, born ?, died ?. v. Richard Ricks, born ?, died ?. vi. Abraham Ricks, born ?, died ?. vii. Alice Ricks, born ?, died ?. Married Colonel Benjamin Sherrod. viii. Elizabeth Ricks, born ?, died ?. 8. Isaac Ricks, born June 17, 1669 in Va., died after Sept. 27, 1736. Married (Sarah?) Children of #8 Isaac Ricks and wife (Sarah?) are listed above as #7 Isaac Ricks and his siblings. Siblings of #8 Isaac Ricks were; i. William Ricks, born Aug. 5 1670 in Va. , died ?. ii. John Ricks, born Oct. 30, 1672 in Va., died ?. iii. Abraham Ricks, born Oct. 10, 1674 in Va., died ?. iv. Jacob Ricks, born Jan. 17, 1677 in Va., died ?. v. Robert Ricks, born Oct. 14, 1679 in Va., died ?. vi. Benjamin Ricks, born Nov. 17, 1682 in Va., died ?. vii. Kathren Ricks, born 1683 in Va., died ?. viii. Richard Ricks, born May 30, 1684 in Va., died ?. ix. Jeane Ricks, born June 30, 1687 in Va. , died ?. x. James Ricks, born Jan. 17, 1690 in Va. , died ?. 9. Isaac Ricks, born 1638 in England or Virginia, died Nov. 3, 1723 in Va. Married Kathren (?), born ?, died August 11, 1717 in Va. Children of #9 Isaac Ricks and Kathren (?) are listed above as #8 Isaac Ricks and his siblings. I do not know of any siblings of #9 Isaac Ricks. End of History. Notes: I make no claim to groundbreaking discoveries in the research of this Ricks family. Instead, I have simply recorded what I have found to be available from the sources listed below. I think that it would be impossible to know anything about our families if we did not rely on the works and knowledge of those who preceeded us and took the time and energy that is required to keep a living history of a family. It is my sincere desire that those who have an interest in this genealogy will help to keep it alive by adding to it where it is lacking and correcting it where it is in need of correction. i. Mr. Guy Scoby Rix, History and Genealogy of the Ricks Family of America, 1908 ii. Mr. Donald Milton Ricks, The Descendants of Jonas Ricks and Other Ricks Families in America, Published by the author in 1998. Copies of this excellent book are available by contacting the author at e-mail: donrix@worldnet.att.net iii. Mr. Norman J. Flythe of Raleigh, NC who has provided me with some of the earliest records of the Ricks Family which are on record in the NC State Archives in Raliegh. iv. Mr. Herman Chess Ricks (my uncle) who first gave me information that spurred my interest in family history. Much of what is recorded here was passed down from him while sitting on his porch near Bolivar in Tangipahoa Parish. v. Mr. Truett Ambrus Ricks (my cousin) and his son, Mr. Bobby Earl Ricks who taped an interview with Mr. Junie Ricks of Kentwood. They then transcribed from those tapes, 113 pages of dialog with "Uncle Junie". vi. Winnie Bell Crawford Ricks (my aunt) who has kindly given access to her home and anything that she has that could contribute to this project.