Not the same Ricketts #19

William Ricketts was no doubt a descendant of the above mentioned ancestors. He too was born December 6, 1804 in Maryland. He moved to Missouri where he made his living as a farmer. This William was an decendent of another William; a William Ricketts who immigrated to Maryland in 1654 where he made his living as a farmer. In 1642 Edward Ricketts arrived in the USA followed by Frances Ricketts in 1650. Both Edward & Francis are believed to have been brothers. These Ricketts all originated on the Isle of Wight off the Southern coast of Great Britain.

Of course, none of them have anything to do with the town of Ricketts Iowa, but most of the rest of this website does. As far as we know, it wasn't named after anyone named Ricketts who live around here.

Remember, if you're from Ricketts, you're invited to their annual reunion, next year it will be on the fourth Saturday in July. Now, if you're last name IS Ricketts, and you think it would be fun to have your family reunion in or around Ricketts, IA- more power to ya! Stop on by the Ricketts Kids' Reunion and say howdy when you're here!

As for everybody else, if you have memories or pictures of Ricketts to share, email them to our webmaster: ted.mallory@gmail.com I'll even accept funny, kitsch, or corny "Not the same Ricketts" ideas. Help put Ricketts on the map!

Wiebers wins Leadership Award

Bob Wiebers received this year's Ricketts Leadership Award. To help celebrate this honor are his children Janeal, Dale and Allan and his special friend Burnett, and a bunch of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sunday, January 20, 2008 at the Ricketts Community Building, Weibers was recognized for his many contributions to the Ricketts community with their annual Leadership Award at a pankcake dinner

is a member of the Untied Church of Christ in Schleswig. And now calls Mapleton his home. Although he is not currently living in Ricketts, his heart is still here.

Bob and his late wife Dorothy raised their family on their local farm. During these years Bob played a big part in establishing the Ricketts Community Club in 1967 and stayed active as long as health allowed.

Both he and Dorothy were active with the Steam and Antique shows and the tractor pulls. The Weibers played important rolls in the 75th and 100th Anniversaries of Ricketts and the building of the Ricketts shelter house. Dorothy was an original member of the Ric-Etts in 1972. The Ricketts grocery store, and community building were both efforts made possible by the Community Club through many hours of volunteerism.

Both were active in the Jolly Club, Euchre and whatever took place in Ricketts. Over the years, Dorthy enjoyed being a member of Ric-Ettes, Jolly Club, euchre, bowling, Bible study and her membership at St. Luke Lutheran Church. She treasured the fellowship found in this community.

In more recent years, Bob enjoyed Jolly Club and playing euchre in Ricketts.

The kids remember when they were young and Bob would go to town for coffee, and somehow forget to come home. Dorothy would have to call in to tell him it was time for dinner.

Bob has 3 children, Janeal of Mapleton, and Dale and Allen of the Ricketts area.

Country Churches in the snow

The Hanover and Soldier Township churches of the Ricketts Triple-Parish Lutheran Churches
I am told that there is a spot on a hill North of town, where on a clear day, you can see all three churches at the same time from the same place. I haven't quite found that yet, but the two that are each about a mile or two outside of town were too pretty not to take pictures of this afternoon.

Citizen of the Year Award Jan. 20th

The Ricketts Leadership Award Brunch will be held at the Ricketts Community Center, 9:30am-12:30pm on Saturday, January 20th. THey will be serving pancakes, French toast, coffee cakes, sausages and beverages. Cost: adults $5, Children 10 and under $3. Everyone welcome.

Free-Throw Contest

The Knights of Columbus branch 12487 is sponsoring a Free-Throw Contest January 12, 2008 at 1 PM at the Charter Oak-Ute High School Gym. Kids from the Charter Oak, Dow City and Ute areas are all eligible. Registration begins at noon, January 13. For more information, please contact Randy Staley at 712-678-3844

Good old days

1970, 1870, what's the difference? It was all about the good old days of steam powered tractors. Man, I wish somebody would bring back those old shows.

Crawford County Democrat's Caucus locations

Do your civic duty
Participate in our democracy
Join in the first-in-the-nation caucuses
Thursday January 3, 2008

Be there by or before 7pm, no one can caucus after 7.

If you're not even registered to vote or if you're an independent or a registered Republican, you can register as a Democrat and caucus that same night, so long as you're 18 and eligible.

Ricketts, Charter Oak Ute High School, 321 Main, Charter Oak, 51439

Schleswig, Schleswig Community School, 714 Date Street, Schleswig, 51461

Well duh, the Dems caucus in the same locations as the Reps, just in different rooms. Should've known, then I would've posted it all at once.

Taken by Ted Mallory, North of Ricketts December 20, 2008

Caucus location for Carwford County Republicans

Do your civic duty
Participate in our democracy
Join in the first-in-the-nation caucuses
Thursday January 3, 2008

Ricketts, Charter Oak Ute High School, 321 Main, Charter Oak, 51439

Schleswig, Schleswig Community School, 714 Date Street, Schleswig, 51461

I'll post Democrat locations if and when I find them.

You can help the Crawford County Hospital

Siemens is giving an MRI scanner away free. This $1.5 million scanner could be won by CCMH if they receive enough votes for the video they made. Go to www.winanmri.com to vote. You may vote once a day until Dec. 31st.

Veteran's Day Tribute

During the WW I years, Arthur S. Mole and John D. Thomas made some incredible human pictures by using thousands of sailors or soldiers in uniform to create images. This was taken at Camp Dodge in Iowa and involved 18,000 men!
Say a prayer for all of our service men and women and their families this Sunday at 11 AM. And please pray for peace. Remember, the armistice ending WWI was signed at 11 AM on 11/11/1919.

Rush Hour Traffic in Iowa

This is my commute. For my friends and relatives in Phoenix and LA, and scattered elsewhere around the country. I remember taking an hour to travel 4 or 5 miles on the Freeways on the way to work in the morning and on the way home in the afternoons... That was year round. Here in Iowa in only happens a few weeks out of the year, but it can sure be a drag having to crawl along at 5 or 10 MPH. Fortunately there's not much oncoming traffic, so you can pass on the downhills. In case you're wondering, that's a ice-scraper/snow brush for the windshield that's sitting on my dash in the top picture.

New Mayor

Connie Bridgmen was elected Mayor of Ricketts Iowa yesterday by a vote of 47-7.
Mind you, this is a preliminary result- I'm not the best journalist, my only source on this is my wife's grandmother, Laura Langholdt, a long time resident of Ricketts. I've tried the Crawford County website and Iowa's Secretary of State, even the Denison Bulletin/Review but no one has anything posted yet.

You may scoff at an election with only 54 people voting, but remember, the Ricketts population is only 140. When you consider how many of those 140 are children, that's an amazing turn out!

I'd better keep my nose out of it, but I can tell you that it was a rather contentious campaign. Former Mayor Copeland had a long record to run on, but still decided to "go negative" toward the end there. I couldn't tell you whether that was a determining factor or not, but I'm sure that there are plenty of those 54 voters who would tell you if you asked.

Sorry, I don't know anything about who else may have gotten onto the city council, but if you call the number for City Hall on the right side of this website, you can probably find out sooner or later.

Kudos to all you Ricketts voters who came out and participated in our American democracy. Good luck to Mayor-Elect Bridgmen.

You're all welcome to participate in this website by sending me any notices, memos, pictures, ideas, stories, memories or announcements that you'd like to share with your fellow "Rickettosians." Just write me at ted.mallory@gmail.com.

Election Day: Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Polling site: Rickets City Hall

Polling hours: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Mayor, two candidates, two-year term: Connie Bridgeman and Wayne P. Copeland

Three council positions, three candidates, two-year terms: Drene Briggle, Jennifer Hennings and Edwin D. Schreiber

Ballot question on changing the use of local option sales tax funds

Not the same Ricketts #18

Lieutenant Milton Ernest Ricketts, USN (1913-1942). Halftone photograph copied from Medal of Honor, The Navy. Lt. Ricketts was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle of Coral Sea, 8 May 1942. He was in charge of a USS Yorktown (CV-5) damage control party that suffered many casualties from a bomb explosion. Despite mortal wounds, Lt. Rickets deployed a fire hose and successfully contained the resulting fire before he died.

You guessed it, Lt. Milt here doesn't really have anything to do with the city of Ricketts, a sleepy little village in Western Iowa, but most of the rest of this website does.

Don't forget, if you're from Ricketts, you're invited to their annual reunion, next year it will be on the fourth Saturday in July. If you're Joe Ricketts, maybe you'd like to come too, and bring the team, Ricketts has a ball diamond. Maybe they'd be willing to put on an exhibition. Or play the guys in the Fire Dept? Wouldn't that be great?

As for everybody else, if you have memories or pictures of Ricketts to share, email them to our webmaster: ted.mallory@gmail.com I'll even accept funny, kitsch, or corny "Not the same Ricketts" ideas. Help put Ricketts on the map!

I mean it you guys- I need your help. There are a couple of people who hate when I post these "not the same Ricketts" things on here, well, then send me something better. What's going on in Ricketts? Any announcements? Any great memories or stories or pictures? How about from Ricketts Thanksgivings from days gone by?! Help me out- please!