NICHOLAS RICKS

The family of Richard¹ Ricks, of Charles City and James City Counties, is the family from which your Ricks line originated. Next in line was John² Ricks, who was the father (?) of Benjamin³ Ricks (see note below concerning John). The progenitor in your material, Nicholas Ricks, was the son of Benjamin Ricks, who originally lived in Prince George County.

Benjamin Ricks moved to Surry County about 1729 and lived near the Ellises and Barkers. Benjamin associated with and had family connections with the Wyatts, Washingtons, Floods, Jordans, Nibletts, Talbotts, and Shipdhams. This family history includes a survey of all surrounding county records in which members of the Ricks family appeared.

These records are analyzed and compared with others to extract all possible genealogical information.Nicholas Ricks began to appear in Surry County records about 1737. Sometime after 1748, Nicholas moved out of Surry County, probably to Goochland County (not proved). His descendants are found in the records of Albemarle, Henrico, and Goochland Counties.

I've spend my previous Virginia research time in records from 1638 to about 1750, mainly in Charles City and Surry Counties. This is a new area of research, but from early results it looks like we will have good success. Almost every Ricks in Prince George, Surry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Albemarle, and Charles City County is likely related and descend from the same progenitor, Richard Ricks.

The Isaac Ricks family, of Isle of Wight County, is a seperate line, perhaps. At least, there is no proof of connection, yet. I have an opinion, though.

Generation Three

Nicholas descends from Benjamin Ricks; that statement is proved by a power of attorney located by David Hutchinson at the Goochland County Courthouse (Deed Book 18, p. 34). Other deed records are now available for review. The emphasis now be in finding a probate or other estate records to confirm the known children of Nicholas Ricks Sr. The only know child at this point is Nicholas Ricks Jr., probably others.

Other known Rickses in the area, who married between 1790-1815, present a lineage challenge because the father of two generations had the same name, Nicholas Ricks (Sr. and Jr.).

David, since your research identitied that Benjamin was the father of Nicholas Ricks Sr., and that Nicholas left a son named Nicholas, further progress should come quickly, if an estate record exists. The Staunton District Chancery Court record should provide additional information, and that record should be in the court books for 1821-1822 (Wingfield v Ricks). I also hope that some later descendant or family record will lead to the additional information sought. This is especially likely, since we know know that the widow of Nicholas Ricks Sr., Francis [-?-], married a man named WOOD. We will certainly need to review the actual copy of the Goochland Co. marriage record between Susanna Ricks and John Wood (1793).

Nicholas Ricks Sr. first appeared in Surry County records in 1737, probably when he was an adult. The year of birth was developed from the following analysis:

If Nicholas began to create records about age of 21, the first one was a 1737 deed and another a 1738 court record involving a suit, he was born probably about 1717. His birth likely occurred in Martin Brandon Parish, Prince George County, because his father lived there at that time. If at Nicholas birth his father, Benjamin Ricks, was at least age 21, the father would have been born about 1686-96 (thirty year between generations is approximate). Nicholas Wyatt stated that Nicholas Ricks was his grandson in his 1720 will, about the correct span of time for the father to have married and had at least one child. Nicholas was the only known child from Benjamin's marriage to Sussanah Wyatt.

Children of Benjamin³ Ricks (John², Richard¹) and his wife (1) Susannah Wyatt, daughter of Nicholas Wyatt:

No.	Name	Born	Place	Died	Place
1M	Nicholas4 Ricks	about 1717	Prince Geo. Co.	unknown	Prob. Goochland Co.

Children of Benjamin Ricks and his wife (2) Elizabeth [Ellis?, Barker?]:

No.	Name	Born	Place	Died	Place
2M	Thomas Ricks	about 1732	Surry Co.	12 Oct. 1802	Granville Co., N.C.
3F	Sarah Ricks	About 1733	Surry Co.	Unknown	Unknown
4F	Mary Ricks	About 1734	Surry Co.	Unkown	Unknown
5M	Charles Ricks	About 1735	Surry Co.	Unknown	Unknown
6M	Philimon (Phillip) Ricks	About 1736	Surry Co.	After 1800	Mechlenburg Co. (?)

Generation Four

Children of Nicholas⁴ Ricks (Benjamin³, John², Richard¹) and his wife Frances [-?-], perhaps others:

No.	Name	Born	Place	Died	Place
1M	Nicholas5 Ricks	about 1747	Goochland Co. (?)	unknown	Goochland Co. (?)

For speculation purposes, calculate three generations forward from 1717 (approximate year Nicholas was born), the next generations would appear in 1747 and 1777. Nicholas Ricks Sr. disappeared from Surry County records in 1747 (likely married about that time). If Nicholas Ricks Jr. was born about 1747 and Nicholas Jr.s son, Gilbert, about 1777, Gilberts children would be born at least by 1807 and would marry at least by about 1837. We see Gilberts (youngest?) daughter Elizabeth marrying, with consent, in 1849. That is almost thirty years for children (possibly from two wives) to be born, marry, and have children.

Example of the 30-year rule, using my lineage:

Donald M.⁸ Ricks (William Roscoe⁷, William Edward⁶, John W.⁵, Ransom⁴, John³, Edward², Jonas¹).

John W. Ricks was born in 1850, his son William in 1875, Williams son (my father) William in 1904, and I was born in 1943 (father married twice, and I was child 2 from #2). It averages out about right, from 1850. John W. Ricks father, Ransom, was born in 1820, his father John in 1798, and his father Edward in 1769. Still, not much deviation.

Generation Five

Children of Nicholas⁵ Ricks (Nicholas⁴, Benjamin³, John², Richard¹) and his wife Mary [-?-], perhaps others:

No.	Name	Born	Place	Died	Place
1M	Gilbert6 Ricks	About 1777	Goochland Co.	About 1842	Albemarle Co.
2F	Frances (Fanny) Ricks	Unknown	Goochland Co. (?)	Unknown	Unknown
3F	Susannah Ricks	Unknown	Goochland Co. (?)	Unknown	Unknown
4F	Nancy Ricks	Unknown	Goochland Co. (?)	Unknown	Unknown
5F	Elizabeth Ricks	Unknown	Goochland Co. (?)	Unknown	Unknown
6F	Mary Ann Ricks	Unknown	Goochland Co. (?)	Unknown	Unknown
7F	Theodophy Ricks	Unknown	Goochland Co. (?)	Unknown	Unknown
8F	Jane Ricks	Unknown	Goochland Co. (?)	Unknown	Unkn. Could be dau. of Gilbert

Gilbert Ricks was the son of Nicholas Ricks Jr. This is proved by the power of attorney appointment found in Goochland County records, the same record that established Nicholas Sr. as the father of Nicholas Jr.. In 1800, Gilbert was attorney for his father in a Lunenburg County deed that involved Phillip Ricks, half-brother of Nicholas Ricks Sr. This act provides a clue that Gilbert Ricks was an adult as he performed that duty for his father.

Since Gilbert Ricks was an adult when he acted as his father's agent, he was probably married about that time. To counter that statement, we have only one record that shows Gilbert Ricks married, and that record states he married Nancy Mullins in 1818. This could have been a second marriage. Nancy Ricks married (2) Pleasant Moore in 1842, the approximate period when Gilbert Ricks passed away.

Nancy Moore gave consent for Elizabeth Ricks to marry Charles D. Smith 12 Dec 1849, so this couple should appear on the 1850 U. S. Cens., Pop. Sch., Albemarle County. They were in fact enumerated in Nancy Moore's household, on page 170, dwelling 1418, line 34. I am not sure of the age reported for Nancy. It appears to be 26 years, but that might not be correct. Elizabeth was 25 years old (b. 1825), Charles was 28 years old (b. 1823). John Ricks, age 21 (b. 1829), lived in this household, too. These children whose birth year will be known are the seventh generation from Richard Ricks. As I am the seventh generation, my earliest ancestor should have been born 210 years before 1943, or about 1733. I have calculated the birth of Jonas Ricks at about 1742.

Additional information on this family will help sort out the story for the upcoming publication of the family history. I especially would like to see census, church, deed, and probate records.

It might seem strange that someone not known to be of this family is conducting such indepth research, but I feel that this branch of the Ricks family has been neglected for several hundred years. They were significant in early Charles City and Surry County history, and I do not definitely know that I am not of this family.

The search for the answer to that question of descent prompted this research. Jonas Ricks, of Guilford County, came from one of the Virginia families, I am almost certain. Nicholas is not a good candidate, but there were a few children in the Jonas Ricks family with given names seen in the families of Gilbert or Nicholas ( Jonas and wife Gwin named their children: Edward, Thomas, John, Jonas Jr., Hannah, Elizabeth, Nancy, Gwin).

Here is a brief list of immediate research needs:

• To review and abstract each available deed record. Names and dates are important. These records will contain clues for further research. I have not searched the records of the three counties mentioned below, as I am just now entering this period of research (after 1750).

• Review (copy) the actual marriage records for those known to be of the Nicholas Ricks family (Goochland, Henrico, and Albemarle Counties).

• Review Lunenburg and Mechlenburg County deed records for the Ricks family. Look for a property division of the land Benjamin Ricks owned at his death in 1753. Court records probably contain a record of dispute over the settlement. James Ricks, son of Phillip, appears in deeds about 1830. His wife was Susan D. Elliot (Ellett). Another son of Phillip was Benjamin Ricks. Edmond Ricks, of Pitt Co., N.C., had a son named Benjamin (there is so much to track down on this family!)

• Obtain a copy of each census page for members of the Nicholas Ricks family (previous and following pages). This will tell us who lived in the community.

• Identify the surnames of the men that married Ricks women and search their family records.

• Find a will or other probate record for Gilbert Ricks and his children (Nicholas, too).

• Check for a war record for any of these Ricks males (pension applications contain lots of information). Have already sent to National Archives for a copy of the Rev. war record for Edmond Ricks (probably son of Charles, son of Benjamin). You can see my query at Pitt Co., N.C., GenWeb page site.

• Check for church records in the three Va. counties mentioned.

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