Byron Hamilton Rickard was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio in 1844. I will refer to him as Byron as that seems to be the name he used consistently in his adult life. However, he was called Hamilton or the nickname "Bina" when he was younger. And many records refer to him as B H Rickard.

Byron became a lawyer after he served in the Civil War and married. His work allowed him to purchase a second home, a "plantation" or farm in the Florida panhandle which was a priority due to health issues incurred during his military service.

I have struggled to clarify Hamilton's father. Today (13 Oct 2020) I received 4 obituaries for Ezra C Rickard (1819 - 1892) from the Findlay, Ohio Library. Each of the four state he was the father of B. H. Rickard. However, Byron appears in the household of Orange and Martha Jane Rickard in the 1850 and 1860 Censuses. Also, Orange Rickard died at Byron's home in Findlay, Ohio.

After doing extensive research on Byron, Orange Rickard, and his wife Martha Jane Reed, and finding what I could on Ezra Rickard (whose wife was Calista), my conclusion is that Ezra Rickard was very likely Byron's biological father but that Orange Rickard was the man who raised him from childhood. I am therefore honoring Orange Rickard with the role of father. I believe Ezra and Orange were brothers.

I've found a similar situation in one other case I've researched, although that person was publicly known as an "adopted son". I haven't found the term "adopted" at all for Byron, but I believe that is the case. It is very clear Martha Jane Reed is Byron's mother.

All are buried in Maple Grove Cemetery except Byron who died at his winter home in Florida. Byron's wife, Mary Matilda, is buried next to Ezra Rickard, I suspect, because Calista was buried elsewhere (likely died much earlier, have not found details regarding her death) and Byron's paternity was likely commonly known.

Finding Byron in Early Records

The earliest Census Hamilton is in is the 1850 Census in the household of Orange and Martha Jane Rickard in Ashtabula County, Ohio. Here he is listed as Zebina, age 6. I hadn't looked at Hamilton's research material for awhile (6 years) and discovered that per his Civil War Pension File from the National Archives, he stated he was called Bina as a child because others couldn't pronounce his name. I had thought Zebina might have died as a child but now I know this is the boy who grew up to use the name Byron as his first name.

That 1850 Census (taken 13 Aug) shows the family in Monroe Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio:

Orange Record: 39, b NY, Shoemaker
Martha Jane Record: 27, b Ohio
Sarah N Record: 10, b Ohio (became my 2X Great Grandmother)
Zebina Record: 6, b Ohio
Almira A Record, 4, b Ohio

The 1860 Census shows Sarah has left home (married) and 3 siblings have been born. Daughter Almira has died. The family is now in Sheffield Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio:

Orange Rickard: 47, b NY, shoemaker
Jane Richard: 39, b Ohio
Hamilton Richard: 15, b Ohio
Morris Richard: 9, b Ohio
Willard Richard: 6, b Ohio
Ernest Richard, 1, b Ohio

Byron Marries

Hamilton married Mary Matilda Newell on 20 Jan 1868 in Ashtabula County. Per the 1900 Census they had 2 children, but only 1 was living at the time of the 1900 Census. Records I located were for a daughter, Edith, who was born in Jan 1880. A Family Tree I've seen shows the child who died before 1900 as Edward Rickard; I've searched for records for him but found none. My hunch is he was Byron and Mary's first child simply because they had been married 12 years when Edith was born.

Byron in the Civil War

Byron "enrolled" (enlisted) in Company F, 2nd Regiment, Ohio Cavalry in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) on 20 July 1861. I believe this is very soon after Fort Sumter was fired upon, starting the Civil War. He was discharged 8 Oct 1865 at Little Rock, Arkansas; this I believe is shortly after the close of the War. So it appears he served pretty much the entire period of the Civil War.

Byron served as a Bugler his entire service, which is the rank of Private. I have not traced the battles his unit but it is clear from his Civil War Pension File (ordered from the National Archives) that Byron was an active soldier and his unit served in multiple locations in Missouri and Kansas based on his record of hospitalizations, starting with measles shortly after he began service.

My hunch is it was during his 4 years of service that Byron was exposed to administrative/legal issues as he later attended law school and became a practicing lawyer in Findlay, Ohio where he lived after obtaining is degree. I haven't found anything that documents that, but somehow he developed an interest in the legal profession and it seems his military service was a likely source of exposure he hadn't found earlier as the son of a shoemaker.

-- edits above done T 11/3 -- next put most of the pension section in an addendum or similar --

Hamilton became a lawyer and today, 13 Oct 2020, I finally found proof of that achievement. In the Evening Star newspaper of Washington, DC, 26 March 1881, there is a brief mention of former graduates of a Law School there that includes Hamilton's name:

"At the meeting of past graduates class of 1881 of the National University Law School, officers were elected as follows: President, Wm Newell; vice-president, Geo W Ward; secretary, J C Dowell; treasurer, B H Rickard."

A Wikipedia article on the National University Law School states it ws founded in 1869/1870 the first graduation was held in 1872 with 31 graduates. The school had challenges similar to those of most schools of higher education, and finally in 1954 it merged with George Washington University.

It is also noted the brief article that showed Hamilton being elected treasurer of his law school's graduate group, also shows a William Newell being elected president. Could he be related to Mary Matilda in some way?

From reviewing Hamilton's own letters in his voluminous Pension File, I saw that he wrote in a beautiful cursive and demonstrated strong language skills; he was obviously an educated man.

UPDATE FROM HIS CIVIL WAR PENSION FILE

--- ORIGINAL APPLICATION INFO - JUNE 1890

Hamilton's Pension File (from NARA) came in 2 parts as it was nearly 200 pages. I was hoping for a reference to his birth but no such luck. Most content focused on Hamilton writing the Pension Board to apply for his original pension and then for increases authorized by Congress as time passed and veterans grew older.

There are also many pages of affidavits by colleagues from his time in the Army and notably, a couple who were neighbors in Ashtabula, Ohio where Hamilton was born and lived for a period of time. What I'll include here I thought was revealing about how easy it was for a soldier to become ill and the lifelong effects such illness/disease had. Also, how much "proof" the US Pension Office required from veterans to show they met the qualifications for an Invalid Pension. One 1898 letter from Hamilton to the Pension Board, for example, notes he is writing in response to "a statement made to Senator J. ?. Foraker 25 Oct 1897" (formerly the Governor of Ohio, now a US Senator from Ohio).

Following are some specifics about Hamilton regarding is health history, role, and history with the Ohio Cavalry during the War and after.

Because Hamilton applied for an "Invalid Pension" (as in "sick/infirm"), he included the following about his physical appearance: 5'9" tall, florid complexion, light hair, and blue eyes. This was from an affidavit he submitted 28 June 1890 at the Court of Common Pleas in Hancock County (city of Findlay); this was his first application for a pension. He was only 45 years old.

In this 1890 Affidavit, Hamilton writes about the genesis of his health issues during the war. In this handwritten affidavit he notes the following:

-- He got measles at Camp Dennison (Ohio) on 6 Jan 1862 (a little after 5 months in the service). He was sent to the hospital (no location given so must be at the Camp
-- On 15 Jan (little over a week later), he was sent to the St Louis General Hospital
-- On 23 Jan, he was sent to St Charles, MO (presumably another hospital)
-- On 27 Jan, he was sent to Hudson, MO (again, presumably another hospital)
-- On 29 Jan, he was sent "via Weston" to Platt City (MO) Hospital "on Main Street"; while there he was exposed to cold winds at the railway station and thru open windows. At this hospital he noted he received no food or medical care with the exception of come cursory attention by a drunken doctor. He ended up with "pneumonia and pleurisy and the mumps and overall general debility, followed by pericarditis, hypertrophy, and dilation of the heart". (I was horrified to read this, but much has been documented about the high level of disease during the War and the shortage of doctors.)

He was left at the Platt City Hospital while he regiment moved out ; Hamilton notes he "followed them to Kansas City" and was in the hospital in Kansas City 27 Feb thru 5 March 1862. This was followed by hospitalizations at:
-- Fort Scott 28 April-30, 1862
-- Iola, Kansas 27 - 30 May, 1862
-- Fort Scott (again) 30 May - 15 July 1862

Hamilton also states in this 1890 Affidavit that he was transferred and mustered out of the 25th Battery, Ohio St (Stockton's) Artillery Volunteers at Crane (?) Creek, MO on 17 Feb 1863 "by order of the Secretary of War".

The next note is surprising considering his health and all the time Hamilton spent in hospitals: he re-enlisted in "the same company" (assume Co F, 2nd Regiment, Ohio Cavalry) on 4 Jan 1864 at Little Rock, Arkansas "and discharged for promotion in the same company 7 April 1865." This date is 6 months earlier than the Discharge Date he noted at the beginning of the Affidavit.

Since his Discharge, Hamilton wrote that he had been residing in:
-- Cleveland, Ohio
-- Ashtabula, Ohio
-- Lebanon & Buffalo, Missouri
-- Topeka & Grasshopper, Kansas
--Washington, DC
-- Findlay, Ohio

Hamilton also noted his occupations since his Discharge:
-- Agent for Cleveland Transfer Company
-- Painting (?) Railroading
-- Merchant
-- Clerk
-- Practicing Attorney

Then he notes "I was healthy, robust before entering service. I was a farmer. I've been totally disabled for the past 25 years, unable to earn my living thru manual labor" (last point required for maximum pension). "So I am asking to be placed on Invalid Pension Roll of US. I've not received or applied for a pension. My Post Office is Findlay, Ohio."

-- HAMILTON FINALLY GETS A PENSION

By Sep 1893 Hamilton had received an Invalid Pension because this record was an application for "Increase of Invalid Pension" and is stamped 24 April 1893 by the Pension Office. In this document is found "enrolled for Pension at Columbus, Ohio".

This application provided other information regarding Hamilton's health history. It notes he "was injured by a bucking horse on the pommel of his saddle, resulting in a right inguinal Hermia". (A later record stated this came from a "new" horse his commanding officer had gotten for him so he could ride faster.) Then a long list of more familiar health issues was given: valvular disease of the heart, congestion of lung, bronchitis resulting from pleurisy/pneumonia, measles (and more) contracted in the line of duty.

Hamilton noted he had been seen by 4 or 5 doctors who all told him "nothing more could be done for him" and he should "stay calm and only take stimulant in an emergency". Hamilton noted his treatment consisted of quinea (quinine?), Valerian, Digitalis, Acetate of Seed (?), Tincture of Iron, something of Iodide-Bromide, and other items. Then Hamilton noted "I abandoned all of these upon the advice of a physician who told me instead, to focus on "good food, air, moderate outdoor exercise and plain whiskey on occasion. He states he has suffered less in the past 2 years than the prior 24, "notwithstanding" his attacks are more serious each year but less frequent".

-- HIS NAME IN MILITARY RECORDS

In a short letter dated Jan 1893 to the Pension Office, Hamilton wanted to clarify re his name. Whether he was asked about this or did it his own volition was unclear. However, he begins the letter stating his name "is Byron Hamilton Rickard", but that he enlisted in the Army as "Bina H Rickard' because he was "called Bine or Bina during his boyhood and school days. He states "as far as he knows, his name appears on all Muster Rolls as Bina H Rickard".

At the end of the letter he clarifies the units he was in:
1. The 2nd Ohio Cavalry
2. The 25th Ohio Battery St Art (Artillery) Volunteers "to which I was transferred" (I discovered in another record the "St" was short for "Stockton", the commander of this Artillery unit, and that it was "an independent unit")

-- MOVE TO FLORIDA

By late October 1897 Hamilton is living in Dalkeith, Calhoun County, Florida. I haven't found a record of the year he and his wife moved there, but clearly it was since 1893 from prior correspondence.

The document in the Pension File from April 1898 is a one page affidavit given under oath at Calhoun County, Florida by Hamilton to provide detail re his Hernia injury suffered when he was in the Stockton Battery (25th Ohio). He notes in the statement that there was no doctor with the unit at the time of the injury, nor in subsequent locations he was at and so he did not receive any care for the injury. He further stated he never received any medical care for the Hernia "unless heat applications" were considered medical. At the end of the affidavit he states: "I make this affidavit in response to statement made to Senator J B Foraker Oct 25, 1897 addressed to me at Findlay, Ohio".

9 - 13 Oct 2020: Initial Draft
3 Nov 2020: Adding Census info and related
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles
Related to Byron thru his parents, Orange Rickard & Martha Jane Reed, who are my 3X Great Grandparents