MARTIN RICKERT was born in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on 17 September 1804, the son of JOHANN HARTMAN RICKERT (1780-1828), an immigrant from Bavaria, and CATHERINE [LUBOLD] RICKERT (1785-1860), who was born in Pennsylvania. Johann and Catherine married at St. David Church in Killinger, Dauphin County, in 1800, and it is believed that Martin was their third child. In about 1828, Martin married ELIZABETH “BETSY” YERGES, who was born 25 April 1813 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of MICHAEL YERGES (1793-1866) and HANNAH [COLEMAN] YERGES (1791-1860). Martin and Betsy made their home in Specktown and raised their family there. Martin died on 22 March 1871 and is buried at the St. Peter (Hoffman) Cemetery, Lykens Township. Betsy died at her home in Specktown, Lykens Township, on 5 May 1877.
Martin and Betsy Rickert had these known children:
+ ELIZABETH “BETSY” RICKERT, born 13 November 1829, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She married MATTHIAS HATTER (1823-1903) on 1 May 1848. She died on 15 November 1899. Both Betsy and Mattias are buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Lykens Borough, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
+ SUSANNAH “SUSAN” RICKERT, born 1 July 1833, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She married SOLOMON RETTINGER (1834-1899). They had at least 11 known children. Susan died 24 December 1911. Both Susan and Solomon are buried in a cemetery in Lykens Borough.
+ HENRY RICKERT, born 1835, in Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He died in 1837 and is buried in St. Peter (Hoffman) Cemetery, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
+ REBECCA “BECKY” RICKERT, born 1 October 1837, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Early in life she was stricken with a disease which resulted in a developmental disability. However, she still worked in the home and and also outside the home as an assistant midwife, helping to deliver many of the children of her sisters. After Becky’s mother died, she made her home with her younger sister Hannah, where she died on 27 September 1918. She is buried at St. Peter (Hoffman) Cemetery in Lykens Township.
+ AMANDA “MANDY” RICKERT, born 20 May 1839, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She married HENRY HOOVER (1834-1900). Mandy and Henry had at least 17 children. She died on 5 October 1926 in Jackson Township, Dauphin County. Mandy and Henry are buried at the St. Paul (Bowerman) Church Cemetery, Enterline, Dauphin County.
+ SARAH ANN RICKERT, born 8 September 1840, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She married JONAS W. HOFFMAN (1838-1887), a veteran of the Civil War. Sarah and Jonas had at least 18 children. Sarah died on 11 October 1912. She and Jonas are buried at the St. Peter (Hoffman) Cemetery, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
+ CATHERINE M. “KATIE” RICKERT, born 15 May 1844, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She married PHILIP S. HOFFMAN (1844-1878), with whom she had one child. After his death, she married JOHN WOLAND (1830-1910). There were no children from this second marriage. However, John had a child from his first marriage. John is buried in St. James Cemetery, Carsonville, Dauphin County, with his first wife. Katie died on 28 June 1909 and is buried in I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Lykens Borough.
+ HANNAH LOUISA RICKERT, born 2 June 1847, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She married HARRISON RIEGLE (1840-1899), a Civil War veteran. Stories passed down in the family claim they had 14 children although only 12 have been accounted for. Hannah died 11 July 1919 at her home in Specktown. She is buried with her husband Harrison in the Gratz Union (Simeon) Cemetery, Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
+ SAMUEL RICKERT, born about 1850, Specktown, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He was about 8 years old when he died, but there is no known record of the date of death or the place of burial.
Note: Martin Rickert and Betsy [Yerges] Rickert were my 3rd-great grandparents.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The two original carte de viste photos (images) at the top of this blog post are my personal property and have been identified through research to be photographs of Martin Rickert and Betsy [Yerges] Rickert.. They may not be reproduced by any commercial entity (e.g., by a for-profit publisher), without prior written permission from me. They have been previously published and are therefore under copyright. Family members who wish to share the images may do so without permission, provided that the sharing is covered under the “fair use doctrine” of the copyright laws.
Hi could you please let me know if Michael yerges would have been an ancestor to my grandfather Arthur yerges 1926-2003 thank you in advance and God bless