Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Ryckman, Thomas 1834 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 December 30, 2019, 8:30 pm

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

   THOMAS RYCKMAN, a well-known and highly respected old settler, and one of the
most successful and prominent stock-raisers and farmers in the northern part of
Meeker county, resides on section 14, Union Grove township.

   Mr. Ryckman was born in Upper Canada, on November 2, 1834, and is a son of Munson
and Fidelia (Ganford) Ryckman. He remained on bis father’s farm, attending school
during the winter months and working on the farm during the summer, until he was
about twenty-two years of age, when he started to make his own way in the world. In
1857 he came to Stillwater, Minn., and remained there for about three months,
working some at harvesting, but putting in the most of his time looking for a
suitable location. In September, 1877, he came to Meeker county and pre-empted land
on section 28, in what is now Manannah township. He was married on the 11th of
February, 1862, to Miss Harriet Maybee, a daughter of Charles and Harriet (Smith)
Maybee. They were living on their farm when the Indian outbreak occurred. As a full
history of that matter is given in another department of this work it is unnecessary
to repeat it here. Mr. Ryckman took a prominent part in the moves of those times,
and was on some of the most perilous and dangerous expeditions that were made. Upon
hearing the news of the massacre at Acton, August 17, 1862, with the others they
went to Forest City, and a day or two later, Mrs. Ryckman went to St. Paul, while
Mr. Ryckman remained to look after his stock, and was back and forth between Forest
City and his claim, besides many other perilous trips he made, he was with a party
of eleven that went to Caswell’s farm, and four of the party were killed, William
Maybee, a brother of Mrs. Ryckman, being among the slain.

   After the close of hostilities they returned to their farm, and in 1865 they sold
the Manannah farm and moved to their present place on section 14, Union Grove
township. He now owns 550 acres of land, one of the most valuable farms in the
county, and his buildings are by far the best in the township, being a credit to
himself and also to the neighborhood. The residence alone cost $3,000.

   Mr. and Mrs. Ryckman are the parents of the following children— Ella Jane, born
April 13, 1863; John Nelson, born October 31, 1865; Cora Edna, born April 20, 1871;
and Roy Franklin, born June 27, 1882.

   Mr. Ryckman has four brothers in Oregon— Tobias, James, John and Descum, and four
sisters in Canada— Abigail, Sarah, Harriet and Ellen. His parents both died in
Canada. The parents of Mrs. Ryckman reside in Litchfield. She has two sisters—
Adelia, wife of James A. Lee of Litchfield, and Augusta Jane, wife of Wallace Smith,
of Fair Haven, Stearns county, Minn.

   Mr. Ryckman has taken an active interest in township and educational matters, and
has held various offices of this nature. He is one of the leading and most
influential citizens of his town.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/meeker/bios/ryckman127nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mnfiles/

File size: 3.6 Kb