An American Family History

"...never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced...-- Abraham Lincoln 1863

Samuel Lowe Ricketts was born on January 19, 1843 in Woodford County, Illinois. His parents were William Ricketts and Harriet Dean.

Samuel served as a private in the Union army in Company G of the 17th Illinois Infantry from Woodford County. He joined for three years on July 1, 1861 when he was 18. His residence when he joined was Upper Alton, Madison County, Illinois. He had brown hair and eyes and was 5' 7.5."

He married Mary Lavina Holder on January 2, 1868 in Woodford County. Mary was born on November 18, 1848 in Green, Grant County, Indiana. She was the daughter of Thomas Holder and Willa Witt Carmichael and the sister of Margaret C. Holder Ricketts, second wife of Samuel's brother, Garrett Larew Ricketts.

Samuel and Mary's children included:
Oscar Lorenzo Ricketts (1869, married Margaret Byrnes),
Sarah Jane Ricketts Bohlander (1871, married Peter Bohlander),
Alva Larue Ricketts (1880, maried Olivia N. Kuntz) and
Myrtle Mae Ricketts Nofsinger Ellis (1881, married Zeria Austin Nofsinger and Forrest Wilbert Ellis).

Mary died on April 28, 1900 in Benson, Illinois.

In 1900, Samuel was living with his mother, and sister and brother-in-law, Sarah and Hardin Edwards, in Eureka, Woodford County, Illinois

He married his second wife, Laura Adaline Smith LeFurge, on August 6, 1901 in Eureka, Woodford County, Illinois. Laura was born November 21, 1848 in Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois. Her parents were James Smith and Sarah Huntley. Laura had been married before to James LeFurge.

In 1919 when his brother, Garrett Ricketts, died he was living in Eureka.

Samuel died on July 31, 1924 in Peoria, Illinois. Samuel and Laura are buried at Olio Township Cemetery in Eureka, Woodford County, Illinois. Samuel 's grave is marked with a GAR emblem

Children of William Ricketts and Elizabeth Oxley Celia Ricketts Holmes John Ricketts Eli Ricketts Mary Ann Ricketts Planck Clutter Isaac Ricketts William Ricketts Prior Ricketts Eliza Ricketts James Ricketts Elizabeth Ricketts William Ricketts and Harriet Dean Garrett Larew Ricketts Robert L. Ricketts Sarah L. Ricketts Edwards Isabella Ricketts King Samuel Lowe Ricketts Susanna Ricketts Marian Amanda Ricketts Kent George Washington Ricketts Andrew Jackson Ricketts Noah J. Ricketts