Ricketts is also spelled Rickeots, Rickeotts, Rickett, Rickets, Ricket, Rickel, Rickle, Rickels, and
Rickles.
Kentucky was originally a Virginia county and included the lands west of the Appalachians. In 1780, it was divided into Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties. Kentucky officially became a state on June 1, 1792.
Indiana became a state in 1819. The north was settled by people from New England and New York, the center by people from the Mid-Atlantic states and Ohio, and the south by people from Southern states, particularly Kentucky and Tennessee.
Celia Ricketts Holmes was born on March 30, 1813 in Dearborn (now Ohio) County, Indiana. She was the oldest daughter of William Ricketts and Elizabeth Oxley.
When she was 19, Celia married William Holmes on February 20, 1832 in Dearborn County, Indiana. William was born December 16, 1809 in Harrison County, Kentucky. His parents were James Holmes and Prudence Clambert.
Celia and William's children included:
Elizabeth Holmes Bodger (1834, married William R. Bodger),
Prudence Holmes Anderson (1836, married Caleb M. Anerson),
James William Holmes (1839, married Eliza A. Merion),
Sarah Holmes Bodger (1842, married George R. Bodger),
George Washington Holmes (1844, died age 20),
Mary E. Holmes McFadden (1846, married David McFadden),
Robert Holmes (1848), and
Lewis C. Holmes (1851, married Ruth McFadden).
At the time of the 1850 census, they were living in District 56, Woodford County, Illinois. The household consisted of William age 40, Celia age 38, Prudence age 16, James W. age 14, James W. age 10, Sarah age 8, George W. age 6, Mary E. age 4, Robert age 2, and Celia's nephew, Caleb Rickets age 25. William was a farmer.
In 1860 they were in Deer Creek, Tazewell County, Illinois. The household consisted of William age 50, Celia age 46, Elizabeth age 26, James W. age 21, Sarah age 18, Mary age 14, Washington age 16, Robert age 11, Lewis C. age 9, and Calvin Ricketts age 19.
In 1870 the household consisted of William age 65, Celia age 55, Sarah age 26, Robert age 21, and Lewis age 19.
William died on November 8, 1873 in Illinois and Celia died on July 11, 1884 when she was 71. They are buried together in Old Washington Cemetery in Tazewell County, Illinois.
American pioneers migrated west to settle areas not previously inhabited by European Americans.
A prairie is a temperant, level region with grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees. Most of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma are prairie.
Illinoisbecame a state in 1818. A large influx of American settlers came in the 1810s by the Ohio River.
