My Genealogy Hound

JACOB K. RICKERT. The career of this gentleman, who is Justice of the Peace of Franklin Township, Carbon County, has been crowned with success, which those meet who steadily pursue their way, doing always that which their hand findeth to do. He is one of the prominent residents of the county, and is carrying on an extensive business as a dealer in flour, feed, lumber, railroad ties, coal, etc.

Our subject was born in Bucks County, this state, February 10, 1821, and is the son of Daniel and Elizabeth Rickert, also natives of that county. The Rickert family came originally from Germany many generations ago, and made location in this state, with whose interests they have been prominently identified for many years.

The subject of this sketch was reared to man’s estate on his father’s farm and acquired a good fund of knowledge in the pay schools of his native county. After completing his studies he taught several terms of school in Lehigh County, whence he removed in the year 1846. Young Rickert first engaged to clerk in a store in Washington Township, but gave up the position a short time thereafter in order to teach in a private school.

In 1849 we find our subject residing in Carbon County. At Stembersville he was proprietor of a hotel for a short time. His next move was made to what is now Trochsville, where he had the honor and distinction of erecting the first house, which was a brick structure, and was the first resident in the locality. The land round about began to sell rapidly, and opening up a hotel, he conducted it from 1851 to 1857 with good success and was very popular as “mine host.”

In the last-named year Mr. Rickert located in Franklin Township near the city of Weissport where he has been engaged in the lumber, coal flour and feed business since that time. He is one of the shrewd business men of the neighborhood and by judicious investments and good management has acquired a goodly amount of this world’s goods, and his record in all the relations of life and in the duties devolving upon him as an honorable citizen is of the highest.

Jacob K. Rickert and Miss Mary Newhart, a native of this county, were united in marriage in 1848. To them have been born two children, Hiram and Daniel. Mrs. Mary Rickert departed this life in 1858, and two years later Mr. Rickert married Eliza Huffman, who is also deceased.

In public affairs our subject is interested and well informed, and has been called by his fellow-citizens to numerous positions of trust and responsibility. Among the offices which he has filled are those of County and Township Auditor, School Director and Justice of the Peace; and the duties of the latter office he is discharging in an able manner at the present time. He belongs to the Evangelical Church and is honest and upright in all the relations of life.