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.
Most Americans were farmers in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
He married Sarah A. Rush on January 12, 1841. Sarah was born on September 26, 1820 in Ohio. Her parents were James Rush and Barbara Barngrover.
Sarah and John's children included:
Elizabeth P. Ricketts Bales (1842, married Samuel Bales), William Taswell Ricketts (1844), and
James R. Ricketts (1847).
At the time of the 1850 census, they were living in Sugar Creek, Shelby County, Indiana. The household consisted of John Rickets age 36, Sarah age 28, Elizabeth p. age 8, Wm. F. age 6 and James R. age 4. The census says that John was born in Delaware.
John died about 1852 when he was only 37 years old in Shelby County, Indiana. After his death, Sarah married Peter Snider. Peter was born about 1805 in Kentucky.
In 1860 the household was in Brandywine, Shelby County, Indiana. The household consisted of Peter Snider age 55, Sarah Snider age 50, William Ricketts age 16, James Ricketts age 13, and Sarah Carey ag 16.
Ricketts is also spelled Rickeots, Rickeotts, Rickett, Rickets, Ricket, Rickel, Rickle, Rickels, and
Rickles.
Ohio County, Indiana was first created in 1844 from Dearborn County. The county seat is Rising Sun which is in Randolph Township. Ohio County is in southeast Indiana on the Kentucky border. In 1826, the Dearborn County Courthouse burned containing all records.
