Nose Against the Wall

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 26, 2009 at 8:30pm

Hi Robert-
You may have your father's death record, but I will attach the record I found for the benefit of others. Father is listed as Joseph Ricker, mother is Emma Sickmann.

Attachments:

• Ricker_1949.pdf, 59 KB

Permalink Reply by Robert Ricker on August 26, 2009 at 8:50pm

Thanks for your reply. I do have this record. My problem is I can't find much beyond what few records, father's birth cert., a few city directory listings and other odds and ends I have. Joseph ricker is shrouded in mystery.

Permalink Reply by Robert Ricker on August 30, 2009 at 3:58pm

Sorry about my tardy reply to this and you other comments.

The Joseph Ricker's death record, Benjamin and Williams service / draft registrations records and Emma Sickerman's death record and ship's register listing are known to me. A little of Emma's history, she came to the US in June of 1881, Wieland out of Bremmen L'Harve to New York. If I am reading it correctly she traveled in a cabin alone... a record that points to one of two things, she came from a well-to-do family or she was some one's on-board domestic. By 1888 she is living in St. Louis MO is married to Joseph Ricker and has her first child, Benjamin, 09/19/1888. Joseph ricker died in 1899 (?) Emma remarried in 1900 to Louis Stumpe. They have a daughter, Lillian 1901. All other information I have is anecdotal.

I no nothing of Joseph Ricker. The 1880 census. St. Louis City lists a Joseph Ricker, age 16, attending school. The parents, John and Margaret Ricker, both 40, born in Ireland. A good lead but I haven't found much more to confirms or eliminate it. Central to this search is Emma and Joseph's not yet found marriage license and or certificate. I'm planning a trip to the MO State Archives in Jefferson City soon.

Thanks for your help and interest.

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 30, 2009 at 5:37pm

I found Emma and Lily in 1930, I'm attaching the census record for the benefit of other researchers. According to the record, Emma was first married at 15 years of age. According to her death certificate from 1957, she was 93, so, she was born circa 1863. So if she actually married at 15, she married about 1878, so I'm wondering if Joseph Ricker was her second husband?

Attachments:

• Stumpe_1930.jpeg, 633 KB
• Emma_DC_1957_pdf, 56 KB

Permalink Reply by Robert Ricker on September 2, 2009 at 11:20am

I have the 1930 census record, also. There is confusion as to her date of birth. I have it as 1867. Further more there is question to her daughter's birth date, 1900 or 1901.

The oral history as I have it:
Emma Sickerman was the daughter of the Burgermiester of Bielefeld. She was sent to the US by her family as punishment for some youthful indiscretion. She married three times. First, Staley or Stahle. Second, Joseph Ricker. Third, Louis Stumpe.

Discounted the Burgermiester story. There is no Sickerman or similar spellings listed in the history of Bielefeld mayors.

I haven't found record to support the "first" marriage. If she did marry at fifteen it took place in Germany. Record has her immigrating to the US in 1881.

I have no confirmation of her marriage to Joseph Ricker.
I have copy of her application for marriage license to Louis Stumpe.

She, as an aunt on my mother's side said, "was mean but after what her parents did to her". Emma was also very secretive about her past.

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 26, 2009 at 8:47pm

Robert-
Can you tell us what you know about Emma? I cannot seem to find Benjamin and William on census records. I believe I find both of them on the WW1 draft registrations, but that doesn't help in locating their parents.

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 27, 2009 at 3:32am

Hi Robert-

I found this for a Joseph Ricker on the St. Louis, Missouri Death Records 1850-1899 on Ancestry:

Joseph Ricker,
Date of Death: July 28, 1899
Place: Alexian Brothers Hospital
Volume:38
Page 462
County Library: RDSL
Missouri Archive: C 10403
SLGS Rolls: 330

It appears if you can order this record there may be more information, but, these are entries on the death registry, not death certificates :

http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5696&enc=1

I've been trying to find out more about the specific hospital where he died, but not having much luck, perhaps you can try contacting the Alexian Brothers and see if they would have archives from the 1899 period?

https://www.alexianbrothershealth.org/contact/general-inquiries-for...

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 27, 2009 at 11:31am

Hi Robert-
Trying another tactic, i looked at the St Louis City Directories for Joseph, Emma, Benjamin and William. I never found a Joseph on the directories near the time of his sons' births, but in 1907 and 1911, I found that a Benjamin and a William were sharing the same address, also check out the Mrs. E.S. Ricker, could be Emma?

Attachments:

• Ricker_1907.jpg, 44 KB
• Ricker_1911.jpg, 73 KB

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 27, 2009 at 4:09pm

After further research, it appears that Mrs. E.S. Ricker was probably an Ellen Ricker, widow of Robert RIcker. Do you know when Emma died? Perhaps from her death record we can find some trace of Joseph?

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 31, 2009 at 11:17am

On the 1917 St Louis Directory, I find an Emma Stumpe, widow of Louis. I'm attaching the segment.

Attachments:

• Emma_Stumpe_1917.jpg, 120 KB

Permalink Reply by Robert Ricker on September 2, 2009 at 11:45am

I haven't seen this entry. It is typical of what I find of her, a simple listing giving little information. The address is new to me, though. It is in the same neighborhood where I know they lived.