George Ricker

George Ricker[1]

Male 1651 - 1706  (54 years)

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  • Name George Ricker 
    Born 3 Aug 1651  St. Peter, Jersey, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _UID 7D940801E11A4641932AD4DF1E353B8A24D0 
    Died 4 Jun 1706  Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I4454  Strong History
    Last Modified 6 Jan 2018 

    Family Eleanor Evans,   b. 1659, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1700, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 41 years) 
    Children 
     1. Mary Ricker,   b. 22 Mar 1685, Somersworth, Strafford, New Hampshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Dec 1733, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 48 years)
    Last Modified 14 Jan 2020 
    Family ID F1386  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • "George (1) Ricker and his younger brother Maturin (2) as previously indicated from fairly well authenticated family tradition came from The Isle of Jersey, an island about twenty miles off the coast of that part of France formerly called Normandy, but ruled by the English Crown. The exact year and point of emigration is unknown. The nearest principal English points of departure of emigrants at that time were Cowes, Plymouth, Falmouth, Portsmouth and Southhampton,. Many settlements in this country were named after the places from which the emigrants came. the earliest record books of Dover, New Hampshire to which George and Maturin came are lost, The earliest begins with 1 October 1647. It is known however, that Edward Hilton, William Hilton and Thomas Roberts, and perhaps others with their families were there as early as the Spring of 1623. Others have not been recorded until 1631. Captain Thomas Wiggins, the first govenor of Cocheco, went to England in 1632 and returned in 1633 with a large accession to the colony. Dover was incorporated in 1641. A fort was ordered constructed by a Mr. Coffin on Dover Neck at the Selectman's meeting 4 and 5 September 1667 to be 100 feet square, with sconses 16 feet square, all timber 12 inches thick with walls 5 feet high. the Selectmen were to pay him 100 pounds, in days worked at 2 shillings sixpence (about 60 cents) each day. The mound where this fort surrounded the meeting house could be seen in 1851.
      George Ricker first appeard at Dover, New Hampshire, as far as records show, in 1670. He is first taxed in 1672. Unverified family tradition says that he came over with Parson Rayner and at his expense and that after paying the Parson his next earnings went to bring his younger brother Maturin over. Maturin was not taxed in 1672 and the next lists are lost. Parson Raynor, born at Gildersome, County York, England came to Plymouth Massachusetts in 1665 on the ship Coplin Chapel with Johathan Mitchel, Richard Matthew, Richard Dinton, Peter Proder, Michael Wigglesworth, and 100 other passengers from around Harfordshire, England. Parson Raynor was chosen teacher at Plymouth and lands were granted him 6 February, 1636. He left Plymouth for Boston in 1655. He was called to Dover, NH where he died 21 February, 1669. His will, proved at Exeter, NH mentions his lands in Gildersome Parish of Ratley, County York, England. It would therefore seem from this that family tradition on our Ricker ancestors arriving with Parson Rayner was in error unless he made other trips and they came over before he died.
      In Dover, New Hampshire tax list of 1670 the name of George (1) is given as RICKER as it is called on a petition signed by both George and Maturin in 1689, but in this they did not sign their own names, making their mark (X) instead. The first available actual signatures of either is of George on 18 May, 1697 on an inventory of the estate of Nicholas Otis, who was killed by the Indians on 26 July, 1696, at a time when there was open hostility, in which he spells his name RICARD. In one sentence in Pike's journal it was spelled RICCAR, but it was only a very short time before all of them adopted the present spelling.
      The first real Indian war at Dover resulted in the destruction of the garrison and burning of the old fort commanded by Major Waldron. Fighting began on the morning of 18 June, 1689. This fighting continued for five years. The Waldron Garrison stood on Second Street in the rear of Morrill's Block and opposite the Court House.
      George and Maturin were both killed by the Indians on 4 June, 1706. George was killed while running up the lane near Heard's Garrison which stood in the garden of the late Friend Bangs. The lane was the crossroad at the Southern base of Garrison Hill. Maturin was killed in his field and his little son Noah was carried away. With them and killed were Mary Jones, Richard Otis, Anthony Rounder, Experience Heard, Nicholas Otis and a Mr. Evans, probably the father of Eleanor, wife of George. Mr. Evans was burned to death in his barn. A young George Evans was chased by the Indians, was captured and died soon after.
      Most of the early information on the Dover, New Hampshire Ricker's has been obtained from the Journal of Rev. John Pike, Minister at Dover.
      George and Maturin were buried in a cemetery on ground that was owned in 1908 by Andrew Rollins and who sold it to C.L. Howe. In 1914 it was owned by a Greek. Andrew Rollins states that the ground was purchased about 1827 by William Rollins from Paul Ricker, great grandson of the first George Ricker. The locations of the graves were supplied to Dr. John Ham by Lydia Ricker who lived on Washington St., Dover, NH and died in 1881, age 65 years. She was the daughter of Nicholas (4). Only two stones could be located in the above cemetery in 1914. One was Lydia, wife of Otis Balser, who died 17 January 1757 at the age of 23 years and the other marked S.B. 1757.
      Other extremely valuable data was furnished by Rebecca (360) Ricker, daughter of Moses (3) of Lebanon, Maine who died in 1879 at the age of 96 years; and George D. Ricker, son of Paul (4). His father Paul was most interested in the family History and contributed many valuable records. George W. Ricker (6), son of Jacob (5), an Apothecary of Boston, contributed the first notes on the family in 1851." - Ricker Genealogy Vol. I and II. found at the Springvale Maine Library.

  • Sources 
    1. [S12] Ancestry Family Trees, Ancestry Family Trees.