Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 1204.
 
CASPER RICKARD

     One of the successful farmers of Lane county, living near Junction City,
Oregon, was born in Davidson county, North Carolina, March 3, 1822.  His
parents, Peter and Susan (Kipley) Rickard, were natives of the same State, but
in 1835, immigrated to Pike county, Indiana; there the father reduced a wild
tract of land to a state of cultivation, and also engaged in the blacksmiths'
trade.  Casper Rickard remained with his parents until 1847, but during the
latter years of his residence at home he had independent agricultural and
milling interests.  He was married in Pike county, Indiana, March 25, 1847, to
Miss Catherine Kime; he purchased a farm after this event, and lived on the
place until 1853.  He then sold out, and with tow wagons, seven yoke of oxen and
fifteen cows, he set out to cross the plains to the Pacific coast, as captain of
a train of seven wagons.  The latter part of their journey was most laborious,
as they opened their own trail, much of the time traveling in the river bed.  At
the end of eight months they arrived in the Willamette valley; the whole company
had suffered from illness, and the oldest son of Mr. Rickard had died.  Much of
the live-stock perished, and it became necessary to purchase an extra yoke of
oxen to complete the journey.
     Mr. Rickard located in Benton county, twelve miles south of Corvallis on a
claim of 325 acres; he followed farming and stock-raising for twenty years, and
added other lands by purchase to the amount of 1,000 acres.  About the year 1875
he removed to Lane county, and bought a tract of 562 acres of land, which he has
since increased to 760 acres; 170 acres are sown to grain, and the place is well
stocked with sheep, cattle and horses.
     Mr. and Mrs. Rickard have four surviving children:  Jasper, Susanna, wife
of Ferdinand Tracer; Amanda J., wife of James Calvert; Sarah A., wife of
Alexander A. Foster.  Mr. Rickard is a member of Junction City Lodge, No. 56,
A.F. & A.M.  Politics have claimed little of his attention, but though he has
attained the allotted three score years and ten, he still takes the active
management of his estates.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in February 2006 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.