"[L]iberty must at all hazards be supported.
We have a right to it, derived from our Maker.
But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us,
at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood."
-- John Adams, 1765
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.
In 1762 the town of Elizabethtown was founded in Frederick County, Maryland.. In 1786 it became the county seat of newly created Washington County. In 1813 the name was changed to Hagerstown.
Robert Ricketts was born on January 15, 1765 in Elizabethtown, Frederick (then Montgomery) County, Maryland which is now Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland. His father was probably Anthony Ricketts. Some researchers believe his father was Jacob Ricketts or Edward Ricketts.
In 1780, when he was fifteen years old, he enlisted as a soldier in the American Revolution. (pension record page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4, page 5, page 6, page 7, page 8, page 9, page 10). According to the Atlas of Moultrie County and the State of Illinois he was "first a substitute, and afterwards enlisted and served until the close of the struggle."
According to an often cited letter from 1927, Robert was living in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania when he enlisted and he served as a private in the company commanded by Captain James Johnson in Colonel Piper's Regiment. Colonel John Piper was protecting the lead mines in Sinking Valley. He served with, Nathan Ricketts.
The letter also said that in 1782, when he was 17, he lived in the Kishacoquillas Valley in Pennsylvania and he enlisted again and served under Captains Roberts, Samuels and Bowls. Pay musters indicate that he served three months and seven days as a private in Captain Robert Samuel's Company. Captain Samuel commanded the 8th Batallion of Cumberland County. He served with Zachariah Ricketts.
Mason County, Kentucky was established by the Virginia legislature in 1788 from Bourbon County. Nineteen Kentucky counties were formed from the original Mason County.
Frederick County, Maryland was created in 1748 from parts of Prince George's and Baltimore Counties. In 1776 it was divided into Washington, Montgomery and, Frederick Counties. In 1837 parts of Frederick and Baltimore Counties formed Carroll County.
Muster Rolls of Militia, Captain Robert Samuel’s Company. “A pay book of Second and Third Classes of the Eighth Battalion of Cumberland County Militia, commanded by Col. Alexander Brown, who performed a tour of duty in Kishacauquillis Valley in the year 1782." List includes “Zacaria Rickets" and “Robert Rickets" Dated February 27, 1783.
Robert Ricketts was born on January 15, 1765 near Hagerstown, Maryland. His pension (S17047) states he served for six months in 1780 under Capt. James Johnson in the Pennsylvania Militia. He was living in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania when he entered the service again in 1782.
May 27, 1927
Mrs. W. H. Shonts
203 E. Marion St.
South Bend, Indiana
Madam: I have to advise you that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 17047, that Robert Ricketts was born January 15, 1765, near Hagerstown, Maryland. He enlisted in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1780 as a private in Captain James Johnson’s Company in Colonel Piper’s Pennsylvania Regiment and served three months. While living in Kishacoquillas Valley, Pennsylvania, he enlisted in 1782 and served three months and seven days as a private in Captains Robert's Samuel’s and Bowls’ Pennsylvania Companies. He was allowed pension on his application executed September 18, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Dearborn County, Indiana. He died February 14, 1853, leaving a widow and eleven children, their names not stated. His widow died February 20, 1853.
Respectfully,
Winfield Scott
Commissioner
Maryland was established with religious freedom for Catholics. The colonial economy was based on tobacco cultivated by Africans who had been enslaved.
The Amos Family by Maurine Collins Schmitz and Glendola Amos Peck, 1964
Robert Ricketts was born January 15 1765 near Hagerstown, Frederick County, Maryland. According to his pension claim (S17047) he served for six months and seven days in 1780 in a company of Pennsyvania Militia commanded by Capt. James Johnson under Col. Piper. Again in 1782 he was in the company of Capt. Robert Samuels of the Cumberland Coumty Militia, serving three months and seven days. He was in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania when he entered service. In 1782 his home was in Kishocoquillas Valley, Pennsylvania. He lived in Pennsylvania for about ten years after the Revolution and then went to Kentucky, where his name appears on the tax list in 1790 of Mason County, which at that time included much of the eastern end of the state.
He had 158 acres surveyed in Dearborn County, Indiana, November 28, 1804. The same area (at 160 acres) was surveyed for him November 22, 1813. His brother Nathan came about the same time and testified on his pension application that he had known Robert since birth. Robert was inscribed on the Indiana rolls for $20.77 per annum; certifivcate issued Augut 28, 1833. In the history of Randollph township it is noted that Robert had a cabin on section 16 and was one of the mounted rangers. His pension record states that he had died February 14, 1853 and his wiodw on February 20 of the same year. There were eleven living children at that time.
According to his deeds his wife Susanah and the 1850 census informs us that Susan was born in 1767 in Maryland. Names of children are not given. History mentions Phoebe and deeds of 1819 and 1822 in Dearborn County names his sons Robert and John and their wives Margaret Ricketts Kelso was a daughter of Robert according to her granddaughter, Mollie Dickerson Amos. In 1850 Elenor Conover, 13 was living with Robert and Susanah, She might have been a grandchild.
A militia is a military unit composed of citizens who are called up in time of need.
