He was married
to MARY EXUM on 14 Oct 1699 in CHUCKATUCK, SUFFOLK
CO., VIRGINIA. IN THE QUAKER CHURCH.
"FROM OUR MEN'S MEETING AT CHUCKATUCK, 14 AUGUST 1704, THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN JEREMIAH EXUM AND ISAAC RICKS SR., IS FINALLY ENDED UPON THIS RESERVATION,
ISAAC JUNIOR OR HIS BROTHER ROBERT, EACH OF THEM TO PAY TWO THOUSAND POUNDS OF
TABACA TO THE WIDOW, NAMELY, MARY RICKS, THE WIDOW OF JACOB RICKS, DECEASED,
WHICH IS DONE IN LIEU OF HIS CHILDRENS PORTION OF LAND OR ANYTHING ELSE WHICH
MAY BE CLAIMED AFTER THE DEATH OF ISAAC RICKS SENIOR, AND WE ARE WITNESSES OF
THE SAME WHOSE NAMES ARE INSERTED."
SIGNED NATHAN NEWBY,
DANIEL SANBOURN,
JNO. PORTER,
JNO. SMALL,
BENJAMIN SMALL,
JNO. MURDAH.
Children were: ISAAC RICKS (RICKESIS),
THOMAS RICKS (RICKESIS).
She was married to JOSEPH JORDAN on 1 Feb 1723 in CHUCKATUCK, SUFFOLK CO., VIRGINIA. IN THE QUAKER CHURCH.
She was married to BARNABY MCKINNIE JR..
He was married to RACHEL BUNN.
She was married to COL. BENJAMIN SHERROD.
He was married to PATIENCE HELTY. Children were: JACOB RICKS, JOEL RICKS, LEWIS RICKS, SERGEANT MAJOR BENJAMIN RICKS, MOLLY RICKS, THOMAS RICKS, WILLIAM RICKS, JOSIAH RICKS, MERIDITH RICKS, JOHN RICKS, ABRAM RICKS, SARAH RICKS, PATIENCE RICKS.
She was married to SILAS SANFORD SMITH.
She was married to RICE PIERCE.
She was married to WILLIAM SCOTT on 2 Oct 1742. PAGAN CREEK
He was married to SARAH MCKINNIE. ROBERT AND ABRAHAM RICKS, SONS OF THE ABOVE, IN 1702 BUILT A QUAKER MEETING HOUSE ON THE WESTERN BRANCH OF THE NANSEMOND RIVER, AND WERE PAID 32,000 POUNDS OF TOBB (TOBACCO), WHICH WAS THE MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE. Children were: WILLIAM RICKS , ISAAC RICKS, JACOB RICKS , BENJAMIN RICKS, ROBERT RICKS , RICHARD RICKS, ABRAHAM RICKS , ALICE RICKS, ELIZABETH RICKS .
He was married to SARAH BURKE. Children were: JAMES RICKS, JOHN RICKS , CHARITY RICKS, JONAH RICKS .
He was married to OLIVE FORT in 1788. Children were: MARTHA (PATSIE) RICKS, ORRIN RICKS, CHARLOTTE RICKS, ABRAM RICKS, ISAAC RICKS, RICHARD RICKS, MARY RICKS, JOHN SHERROD RICKS, ELIZABETH RICKS, BENJAMIN SHERROD RICKS, PHERIBEE RICKS, ROBERT RICKS.
He was married to BEDIE WHITEFIELD.
He was married to PHOEBE HORN.
He was
married to ELEANOR MARTIN on 1 May 1827 in DONALDSON
CREEK FARM, TRIGG CO., KENTUCKY. AFTER HE MARRIED ELEANOR MARTIN, HE REMAINED
WITH HIS FATHER WORKING ON THE FARM UNTIL 15 JULY 1829. HE WENT TO THE NEW STATE
OF ILLINOIS. HE WENT AS FAR NORTH AS MADISON COUNTY, WHERE HE FINALLY FOUND A
FARM ON SILVER CREEK ABOUT 20 MILES EAST OF ALTON TO SETTLE ON. HE RETURNED TO
KENTUCKY AND BROUGHT BACK FAMILY TO ILLINOIS ON 12 SEPT 1829. ABEL OLIVE, SECURED
A FARM A SHORT DISTANCE FROM JOEL. AND HIS COUSIN, WILLIAM RICKS, SETTLED ON
A FARM FURTHER NORTH IN CHRISTIAN CO.
ABOUT 1830, JOEL AND HIS WIFE JOINED THE (CAMPBELLITE) CHRISTIAN CHURCH, WHICH
THEY CONTINUED TO AFFILIATE UNTIL THE FALL OF 1840, WHEN MORMON MISSIONARIES
CAME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PREACHING THEIR DOCTRINES. AFTER A COUPLE OF MEETINGS
HE SOON DECIDED TO JOIN THE MORMON CHURCH, AND WAS BAPTIZED ON 6 JUNE 1841.
ON 20 MARCH 1842, JOEL WENT TO NAUVOO, ILLINOIS TO SEE FOR HIMSELF WHAT THE
NEW CHURCH ORGANIZATION WAS, AND WHAT MANNER OF MAN WAS JOSEPH SMITH, THE PROPHET
WAS. JOEL WAS GREATLY IMPRESSED AND IN AUGUST OF 1845, HE SOLD OUT HIS POSSESSIONS
IN MADISON CO., AND IN COMPANY WITH JAMES OLIVE, REMOVED WITH HIS FAMILY TO NAUVOO
AND WAS THEREAFTER, UP TO THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, IDENTIFIED WITH THE MORMON ORGANIZATION.
SHORTLY AFTER HIS ARRIVAL IN NAUVOO, HE BOUGHT A CITY LOT ON THE PRAIRIE SOME
DISTANCE BACK OF THE TEMPLE, FOR A TOWN RESIDENCE, AND ALSO A FARM AT APPANOOSE.
JOEL WITH SEVERAL TEAMS, CROSSED THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT FORT MADISON ON 27
APRIL 1846 AND WAS AMONG THE PIONEERS WHO CROSSED THE TERRITORY OF IOWA. AT REGULARE
INTERVALS THE PIONEERS TARRIED FOR A FEW DAYS AND PLOWED AND SOWED LARGE TRACTS
OF LAND TO BE HARVESTED BY THOSE WHO SHOULD COME AFTER THEM.
ARRIVING AT THE MISSOURI RIVER NEAR COUNCIL BLUFFS IN JULY, JOEL AND HIS FAMILY
MADE A TEMPORARY RESIDENCE ON SILVER CREEK, WHERE HE PLANTED AND HARVESTED A
CROP AND MADE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS TO CONTINUE THE JOURNEY WESTWARD. IN 1847, HE
SENT ONE OF HIS BEST TEAMS WITH A PIONEER COMPANY WHICH LEFT THE MISSOURI RIVER
FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BRIGHAM YOUNG. THIS COMPANY AFTER
MANY HARDSHIPS AND TRIALS REACHED THE VALLEY OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE ON 24 JULY
1847, WHERE THEY FOUNDED SALT LAKE CITY.
JOEL REMAINED AT THE MISSOURI RIVER UNTIL THE SPRING OF 1848, WHEN HE JOINED
THE GREAT COMPANY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HEBER C. KIMBALL. THIS COMPANY CONSISTED
OF 2417 SOULS AND 792 WAGONS AND WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST CARAVANS THAT
EVER CROSSED THE GREAT PLAINS.
WHILE ON THE ELKHORN RIVER, ABOUT 20 MILES WEST OF OMAHA, THIS COMPANY WAS
ATTACKED BY INDIANS. THOMAS E. RICKS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER YOUNG MEN CROSSED
THE RIVER ON HORSE BACK TO DRIVE IN SOME CATTLE THAT WERE FEEDING THERE WHEN
THE INDIANS OPENED FIRE UPON THEM. THOMAS WAS WOUNDED AND FELL FROM HIS HORSE
AND WAS LEFT FOR DEAD BY HIS COMPANIONS. AS SOON AS THE NEWS WAS BROUGHT TO CAMP,
JOEL HITCHED UP A TEAM AND CROSSING THE RIVER WENT OUT IN SEARCH OF THE BODY
OF HIS SON, SUPPOSING THAT HE HAD BEEN KILLED. AFTER LOOKING AROUND FOR SOME
MINUTES HE WAS SET UPON BY TWO INDIANS ON HORSE BACK. AS SOON AS HE SAW THEM
HE TURNED HIS HORSES TOWARDS CAMP AND TRIED TO ESCAPE BUT, THEY RODE UP ON EACH
SIDE OF HIM AND ONE OF THEM POINTED HIS GUN AT JOEL AND WITH THE MUZZLE 2 OR
3 FEET FROM HIS BODY, PULLED THE TRIGGER, THE GUN MISSED FIRED. THIS WAS REPEATED
TWO OR THREE TIMES AND WHEN THE INDIAN FOUND HE COULD NOT KILL HIM, HE DROPPED
BACK TO THE REAR OF THE WAGON WHERE HE STOLE A SMALL TRUNK CONTAINING SOME CLOTHING
BELONGING TO MRS. RICKS. IT HAD TRANSPIRED THAT THOMAS HAD BEEN RESCUED BY SOME
OF HIS COMPANIONS WHO HAD CROSSED THE RIVER AND FINDING HIM LYING IN THE GRASS
HAD SUCCEEDED IN CARRYING HIM AWAY. THE WOUNDS THAT HE RECEIVED PROVED VERY SERIOUS
AND ONE OF THE BULLETS HE RECEIVED ON THAT OCCASION HE CARRIED IN HIS BODY AS
LONG AS HE LIVED. NOT TO DELAY THE COMPANY ANY FURTHER A SPRING WAGON WAS FITTED
UP AND THOMAS WAS PLACED IN IT AND WAS CARRIED ALONG IN THE PILGRIMAGE WESTWARD.
HE RECOVERED RAPIDLY AND WAS PRETTY NEARLY WELL BEFORE THE COMPANY REACHED THE
ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
JOEL ARRIVED AT THE VALLEY OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE, IN SEPT. HE LOCATED TEMPORARILY
AT BOUNTIFUL, ABOUT 12 MILES NORTH OF SALT LAKE CITY. HERE HE ERECTED A SAW MILL
AND REMAINED DURING THE WINTER OF 1848\49. IN THE SPRING OF 1849, HE TOOK UP
SOME LAND AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAINS AT CENTERVILLE, 6 MILES NORTH OF BOUNTIFUL,
BUILT A HOME AND RESIDED HERE FOR 9 YEARS. SOON AFTER LOCATING AT CENTERVILLE,
HE ENGAGED IN THE TANNING BUSINESS AT FARMINGTON, THE CO. SEAT OF DAVIS CO.,
6 MILES NORTH OF CENTERVILLE.
WHILE AT CENTERVILLE, HE PASSED THROUGH THE FAMINE PERIOD CAUSED BY THE GRASSHOPPERS
AND CRICKETS. IT WAS THE YEAR OF 1854 THAT THE GRASSHOPPERS CAME.
IN THE SPRING OF 1858, WHEN THE STATE WAS THREATENED WITH INVASION BY THE UNITED
STATES ARMY ALL OF THE MORMON SETTLERS LEFT THEIR HOMES AGAIN AND HEADED TOWARDS
THE DESERT REGION, TOWARDS MEXICO. JOEL WITH HIS FAMILY WENT WITH THE REST AS
FAR AS NEBO, IN JAUB VALLEY. THEY RETURNED IN EARLY JULY, AFTER THE THREAT HAD
PASSED.
ON 23 JULY 1859, JOEL TOOK HIS FAMILY AND ARRIVED AT CACHE VALLEY. THEY MADE
A TEMPORARY ENCAMPMENT ON THE PRESENT SITE OF THE BRIGHAM YOUNG COLLEGE. THIS
FAMILY WAS WITH HIS WIFE, SARAH B. HE DID RETURN AND BROUGHT HIS OTHER FAMILY
TO LOGAN AND BUILT THEM A CABIN ON THE BROW OF THE HILL.
IN CONNECTION WITH EZRA T. BENSON AND OTHERS HE BUILT THE FIRST SAW MILL AND
GIRST MILL IN LOGAN, HE ALSO ENGAGED IN THE TANNING BUSINESS WHICH AT THAT TIME
WAS A VERY IMORTANT INDUSTRY FOR THE EARLY SETTLERS. HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
STOCK HOLDERS OF THE CO-OPERATIVE INSTITUTIONS WHICH WERE ORGANIZED IN 1868,
ALSO THE DESERET TELEGRAPH COMPANY, WHICH WAS FORMED ABOUT THE SAME TIME. HE
MAINTAINED FOR YEARS A FERRY BOAT ON THE LOGAN RIVER ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE
VALLEY, AND LATER BUILT A BRIDGE THERE WHICH HE PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY. HE SERVED
AS TREASURER FOR CACHE COUNTY FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, HIS DESCENDENTS IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION NUMBERED
377 SOULS. Children were: THOMAS EDWIN RICKS,
LEWIS RICKS, SALLY ANN RICKS,
CLARINDA RICKS, TEMPERANCE RICKS,
WILLIAM RICKS, JONATHON RICKS,
MARY RICKS, JOSIAH RICKS,
JOEL MARTIN RICKS, NATHAN RICKS.
He was married to SARAH BERIAH FISK on 26 Oct 1852. Children were: EZRA VARNUM RICKS, SARAH BERIAH RICKS, ELLEN RICKS, JOEL RICKS JR., ADELIA RICKS, ESTHER ADELINE RICKS.
He was married to MARY BUNN in NANSEMOND CO., VIRGINIA.
He was married to RHODA BARNS in 1810.
He was married to SARAH WHITFORD .
He was married to TEMPERANCE EDWARDS in 1796 in EDGECOMBE CO., NORTH CAROLINA. Children were: ELIZABETH RICKS, LEWIS RICKS , MARTHA RICKS, JOEL RICKS , CHARITY RICKS.
He was married to LUCY ANN MERRILL on 11 Jul 1869.