In the 1861 England census John, Mary and Isaac were enumerated in the Yarborough parish, which according to Ancestry.com is/was an ecclesiastical parish associated within the Louth registration district. The entry for their household shows John was born in Laceby Parish, Mary in Welton Le Wold Parish and Isaac in Yarborough Parish (which I understand today is Yarburgh).
When Isaac was eight years old he lost his father in a tragic accident.
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| Lincolnshire Chronicle pub. 12 July 1867, pg. 5, col. 5 |
Mary Rickell Wilson recorded this record of her family. Brandon is not a surname, but rather the name of the town in Wisconsin where she lived at the time.
The entry of Mary's death appears to be in the handwriting of her son, Isaac. Isaac's death was recorded by his daughter, Bertha.
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| Photo of Mary Ann Sinyard Rickell and her children taken in England. Original with the Rickell family papers |
Mary immigrated to the U.S. in 1869 with relatives. They eventually settled in Wisconsin. John William died 8 Jun 1869, about two weeks shy of his second birthday. Daughter Mary Ann died 20 Mar 1870, age eight. Of Mary's six children, only Isaac lived to adulthood.
According to family tradition, Mary "brought her three (surviving) children to America where there were better advantages and a chance for a good education for her children. Two or three families of their relatives came over at the same time but we don't know where they settled. It took two weeks to make the trip in a "sailing vessel". She and her children settled in Brandon, Fon-du-Lac County, Wisconsin. (Isaac) was nine years old at the time. (Mary) kept a boarding house to make a living for her family and send her children to school." This information was written by Isaac's daughter.
I wonder if the above photo was taken shortly before Mary and her family left for America. The children would be about the right ages. Perhaps a farewell gift for the family she left behind?
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| Isaac Rickell |
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| Mary Ann Sinyard Rickell |
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| Isaac Rickell |
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| Back of Photo |
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| Isaac Rickell - Probably taken in Nebraska |
Isaac's mother died 9 May 1883 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, St. Edward, Boone County, Nebraska. Isaac was now alone and in the words of his daughter "decided to cast his lot with the pioneers of western Nebraska". Free land was available to United States citizens, and at 23, Isaac (a subject of the Queen of Great Britain) filed a Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen.
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| Isaac Rickell - 1883 Declaration of Intention |
