Ricketts is also spelled Rickeots, Rickeotts, Rickett, Rickets, Ricket, Rickel, Rickle, Rickels, and
Rickles.
Bedford County, Pennsylvania was created on March 9, 1771 from part of Cumberland County.
Marylandwas established with religious freedom for Catholics. The colonial economy was based on tobacco cultivated by Africans who had been enslaved.
John Adams, Jr. (1735-1826) was the second president of the United States (1797–1801), the first Vice President (1789–1797).
Reason (Rezin) Ricketts was the son of Cheney Ricketts and Nancy Ann Cheney. He was born about 1764 in Maryland.
He moved to Barree Township Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania about 1784 with his family. At that time, it was still part of Bedford County.
He married Mary Long about 1786. Mary Long was probably a member of the William Long family from Barree.
Mary and Reason's children may have included: Jeremiah Ricketts (1787, married Elizabeth Ricketts), William Ricketts (1791, married Susannah Martin and Elizabeth Dougherty),
Charles Ricketts (1795),
Mary Ricketts (1797, married John Cotton Ricketts),
Jonathan Ricketts (1800, married Peggy Dearmont), and
Chaney Ricketts (1803, married Millicent Ricketts).
In 1807 Reason received land patent in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, Ohio.
Mary died on October 9, 1814 in Fairfield County, Ohio.
Reason's second wife was Hannah Meason Mason. They married July 17, 1817 in Fairfield County, Ohio. Hannah was born on January 1, 1782 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of John Meason and Hannah Frost. She had been married before to Dorsey Mason, who died on April, 25, 1814. Hannah and Dorsey's children included:
Samuel F. Mason (1800),
John Mason (1802),
Rosannah Mason (1804, married John Howe),
Harriett Mason (1806),
Thomas Mason (1808, married Harriet Dixon),
Dorsey Mason (1811, married Nancy Ricketts daughter of Charles Ricketts son of Cheney Ricketts), and
Magnus Mason (1813, married Martha Wright).
Reason and Hannah's children probably included:
Hannah Ricketts (1818),
Elizabeth Ricketts (1820),
Irena Ricketts Tharp (1822, married Armstead Bowen Tharp),
Cyrus F. Ricketts (1825, married Sarah Jane Smith),
Isaac M. Ricketts
(1826, married Nancy W. Swaim),
Frances Ricketts
Hammer (1830, married Paul V. Hammer),
The family moved to on to Fairfield County, Ohio.
The family brought their possessions on horseback, there being only Indian trails to follow.
In 1806 Reason was involved in a criminal case.
The March term of 1806 [of the Court of Common Pleas for Fairfield County opened]... its proceedings with the hearing of several criminal cases. We quote from the docket literally, thus: "State of Ohio vs. William Long;" "same vs. Samuel Chaney;" "same vs. Reason Reckets;" "same vs. same;" "same vs. same;" "State of Ohio vs. James Lambert." In no instance is the nature of the offense or crime specified. Wm. Long was fined one dollar and costs; Samuel Chaney was acquitted; Reason Rickets was fined in one case three dollars and costs; in the two others he was acquitted. (from The Complete History of Fairfield County, Ohio)
Reason appeared on the 1808, 1810 tax lists in Fairfield County.
Jeremiah Ricketts married Elizabeth Ricketts in January, 1810.
Mary Ricketts married George Russell in July, 1815.
Jonathan Ricketts married Peggy Durmot in January, 1816.
William Ricketts married Susannah Martin in February, 1816.
John Ricketts married Mary Ricketts in January 1817,
Rebecca Ricketts married James Forsythe in August, 1819,
In 1820 Reason was in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, Ohio. The household consisted of:
a man and a woman over 45 - Reason & Hannah
2 men and 2 women between 16 and 25 - Jonathan age 20
2 boys between 16 and 18 - Chaney age 17
2 girls and a boy between 10 and 15,
2 girls and 3 boys under 10 - Hannah age 2
Margaret Ricketts married Abraham Miller in June, 1821.
Chaney Rickett married Millison Ricketts in April 1825.
Susan Ricketts married Jacob Mouser in July, 1826.
Reason died on October 31, 1833 in Fairfield County, Ohio.
Hannah moved to Wells County, Indiana with some of her children and died there on August 3, 1859.
Shays's Rebellion was an armed uprising in Massachusetts in 1786 and 1787. Daniel Shays led four thousand rebels (Shaysites) in rising up against perceived economic injustices.
Daniel Shays and Job Shattuck
from Bickerstaff's Boston Almanack
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania was established on September 20, 1787 as a large region of Central Pennsylvania. It was previously part of Bedford County and the earlier Cumberland Region.
Fairfield County, Ohio originally encompassed all or parts of present day Knox, Hocking, Licking, Perry, and Pickaway counties.
Barree Township, Pennsylvania was formed in 1767 and was originally part of of Cumberland County, then it became part of Bedford County until 1787 when it became part of Huntingdon County.
American pioneers migrated west to settle areas not previously inhabited by European Americans.
