Mary was the daughter of Judson and Calista Newell, born in Ashtabula County, Ohio on 5 Sep 1848 per her Death Certificate and Obituary. It is noted her grave marker shows 1847 as her year of birth. I found Mary's birth name originally in her husband's Civil War Pension file.
Mary is living as a 2-year old with her parents in Ashtabula County, Ohio per the 1850 Census. But in 1860 I finally found her living as Mary M Rickard, 12, b Ohio, with her mother and stepfather. It appears Mary's parents had separated (he was living in Illinois) and her mother has married Ezra Rickard. The family is living in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, just across the border from Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Mary married Byron Hamilton Rickard in 1868 in Ashtabula County and had 2children with him according to her obituary. The daughter, Edith, I have researched and found records of her life, but a son, Edward has yielded no records nor a grave marker. However, it is clear he died before 1900 as Mary reports in that Census that she's had 2 children but only 1 was living. My suspicion is he died in infancy or childhood.
Because her husband had numerous health issues from his Civil War service, the couple purchased a 2nd home in Florida to retreat to during the harsh Ohio winters. That home was a farm in the panhandle region of Florida, likely very undeveloped during the time they lived there.
Mary died at her Ohio home on 24 Aug 1933 of a heart issue and old age. She is buried next to Ezra Rickard who claimed in his obituary to be her father. Perhaps the word "Stepfather" was not in use in 1892 when Ezra died. (Note: several versions of Ezra's obituary omitted the "Mrs" in "Mrs B H Rickard" which made it read like Ezra claimed to be Byron Rickard's father which led me to examine every version of Ezra's obituary I could find!) Since Byron is buried in Florida because he died there while he and Mary were at their winter home, it does not seem inappropriate for Mary to be buried next to her stepfather.
9 Oct 2020: Brief notes made
30 Oct 2020: Draft based mostly on obituary recently received from Findlay Public Library
2 Dec 2020: Finalized after finding obituary version for Ezra Rickard claiming to be Mary's father (in reality stepfather); updated bio re 1860 Census; linked Mary to her mother, Calista Crosby
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Connected thru her husband's birth family (Rickard)
Mary is living as a 2-year old with her parents in Ashtabula County, Ohio per the 1850 Census. But in 1860 I finally found her living as Mary M Rickard, 12, b Ohio, with her mother and stepfather. It appears Mary's parents had separated (he was living in Illinois) and her mother has married Ezra Rickard. The family is living in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, just across the border from Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Mary married Byron Hamilton Rickard in 1868 in Ashtabula County and had 2children with him according to her obituary. The daughter, Edith, I have researched and found records of her life, but a son, Edward has yielded no records nor a grave marker. However, it is clear he died before 1900 as Mary reports in that Census that she's had 2 children but only 1 was living. My suspicion is he died in infancy or childhood.
Because her husband had numerous health issues from his Civil War service, the couple purchased a 2nd home in Florida to retreat to during the harsh Ohio winters. That home was a farm in the panhandle region of Florida, likely very undeveloped during the time they lived there.
Mary died at her Ohio home on 24 Aug 1933 of a heart issue and old age. She is buried next to Ezra Rickard who claimed in his obituary to be her father. Perhaps the word "Stepfather" was not in use in 1892 when Ezra died. (Note: several versions of Ezra's obituary omitted the "Mrs" in "Mrs B H Rickard" which made it read like Ezra claimed to be Byron Rickard's father which led me to examine every version of Ezra's obituary I could find!) Since Byron is buried in Florida because he died there while he and Mary were at their winter home, it does not seem inappropriate for Mary to be buried next to her stepfather.
9 Oct 2020: Brief notes made
30 Oct 2020: Draft based mostly on obituary recently received from Findlay Public Library
2 Dec 2020: Finalized after finding obituary version for Ezra Rickard claiming to be Mary's father (in reality stepfather); updated bio re 1860 Census; linked Mary to her mother, Calista Crosby
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Connected thru her husband's birth family (Rickard)
Mary was the daughter of Judson and Calista Newell, born in Ashtabula County, Ohio on 5 Sep 1848 per her Death Certificate and Obituary. It is noted her grave marker shows 1847 as her year of birth. I found Mary's birth name originally in her husband's Civil War Pension file.
Mary is living as a 2-year old with her parents in Ashtabula County, Ohio per the 1850 Census. But in 1860 I finally found her living as Mary M Rickard, 12, b Ohio, with her mother and stepfather. It appears Mary's parents had separated (he was living in Illinois) and her mother has married Ezra Rickard. The family is living in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, just across the border from Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Mary married Byron Hamilton Rickard in 1868 in Ashtabula County and had 2children with him according to her obituary. The daughter, Edith, I have researched and found records of her life, but a son, Edward has yielded no records nor a grave marker. However, it is clear he died before 1900 as Mary reports in that Census that she's had 2 children but only 1 was living. My suspicion is he died in infancy or childhood.
Because her husband had numerous health issues from his Civil War service, the couple purchased a 2nd home in Florida to retreat to during the harsh Ohio winters. That home was a farm in the panhandle region of Florida, likely very undeveloped during the time they lived there.
Mary died at her Ohio home on 24 Aug 1933 of a heart issue and old age. She is buried next to Ezra Rickard who claimed in his obituary to be her father. Perhaps the word "Stepfather" was not in use in 1892 when Ezra died. (Note: several versions of Ezra's obituary omitted the "Mrs" in "Mrs B H Rickard" which made it read like Ezra claimed to be Byron Rickard's father which led me to examine every version of Ezra's obituary I could find!) Since Byron is buried in Florida because he died there while he and Mary were at their winter home, it does not seem inappropriate for Mary to be buried next to her stepfather.
9 Oct 2020: Brief notes made
30 Oct 2020: Draft based mostly on obituary recently received from Findlay Public Library
2 Dec 2020: Finalized after finding obituary version for Ezra Rickard claiming to be Mary's father (in reality stepfather); updated bio re 1860 Census; linked Mary to her mother, Calista Crosby
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Connected thru her husband's birth family (Rickard)
Mary is living as a 2-year old with her parents in Ashtabula County, Ohio per the 1850 Census. But in 1860 I finally found her living as Mary M Rickard, 12, b Ohio, with her mother and stepfather. It appears Mary's parents had separated (he was living in Illinois) and her mother has married Ezra Rickard. The family is living in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, just across the border from Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Mary married Byron Hamilton Rickard in 1868 in Ashtabula County and had 2children with him according to her obituary. The daughter, Edith, I have researched and found records of her life, but a son, Edward has yielded no records nor a grave marker. However, it is clear he died before 1900 as Mary reports in that Census that she's had 2 children but only 1 was living. My suspicion is he died in infancy or childhood.
Because her husband had numerous health issues from his Civil War service, the couple purchased a 2nd home in Florida to retreat to during the harsh Ohio winters. That home was a farm in the panhandle region of Florida, likely very undeveloped during the time they lived there.
Mary died at her Ohio home on 24 Aug 1933 of a heart issue and old age. She is buried next to Ezra Rickard who claimed in his obituary to be her father. Perhaps the word "Stepfather" was not in use in 1892 when Ezra died. (Note: several versions of Ezra's obituary omitted the "Mrs" in "Mrs B H Rickard" which made it read like Ezra claimed to be Byron Rickard's father which led me to examine every version of Ezra's obituary I could find!) Since Byron is buried in Florida because he died there while he and Mary were at their winter home, it does not seem inappropriate for Mary to be buried next to her stepfather.
9 Oct 2020: Brief notes made
30 Oct 2020: Draft based mostly on obituary recently received from Findlay Public Library
2 Dec 2020: Finalized after finding obituary version for Ezra Rickard claiming to be Mary's father (in reality stepfather); updated bio re 1860 Census; linked Mary to her mother, Calista Crosby
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Connected thru her husband's birth family (Rickard)
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