Durham, N. N.  "Spokane and the Inland Empire: History of the City of Spokane
and Spokane County Washington."  Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912.

JOHN RICKEY

John Rickey, who has been successfully identified with the dairy interests of
Colville for the past sixteen years, has also been a factor in public life here,
having served an unexpired term, to fill a vacancy, and two full terms as
treasurer of Stevens county. He was born in Knox county, Ohio, on the 19th of
October, 1844, and is a son of Foster and Nancy (Bowles) Rickey. The father, who
was one of the pioneer agriculturists of Ohio, passed away in 1851 and the
mother survived until 1863.

The common schools of Ohio and Illinois equipped John Rickey for the
responsibilities of life by providing him with a good, practical education. At
the age of eighteen years he left Illinois and went to Iowa, engaging as a farm
hand. Two years later he again started westward, locating in California, where
he spent a similar time, working in a flour mill. In April, 1866, he came to the
Colville valley and engaged in prospecting in the mines, devoting the majority
of his time to this occupation during the next ten years, two of which he spent
in British Columbia. In 1872 he took up a homestead in the vicinity of Colville,
operating his land in connection with his other activities for twenty years and
set out the first orchard in Stevens county three miles below Kettle Falls, in
1874. It was this orchard that revealed to the settlers the suitability of the
land and climate for that purpose and it has been resultant in the present large
acreage in this district devoted to that pursuit. In 1 887 he embarked in the
general mercantile business in Colville, continuing in this line for about
eighteen months. He was appointed county treasurer in 1889 to fill an unexpired
term of one year, at the expiration of which period he was elected to the same
office, being reelected in 1892. When he withdrew from public life in 1894, he
engaged in the dairy business, which he followed for three years. At the end of
that time he retired but the following year again resumed the operation of his
dairy and has ever since been identified with the business. He has a fine place,
well equipped with all modern appliances and conveniences for the work of
dairying, in which he is meeting with good returns. On the 9th of October, 1882,
Mr. Rickey was united in marriage to Miss Delphine Jeanette, a daughter of Frank
Jeanette, a resident of Stevens county. Of this union there have been born nine
children, seven of whom are living, as follows: Foster, who married Hazel
Jameson; Ida; Meta; lona; Nora; Bertha, and Orpha. Those deceased are Walter,
and an infant who was not yet named.

In his political views, Mr. Rickey is a republican, and besides filling the
office of treasurer he served for several years as justice of the peace while a
resident of Kettle Falls precinct, when living on his homestead. He has also
been a delegate to a number of county conventions, always having been prominent
in his party. Mr. Rickey is a member of the Stevens County Pioneers Society, and
has always taken an active and helpful interest in all matters pertaining to the
public welfare and the development of the community.

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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in June 2017 by Diane Wright.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.