Rishton, Thomas

RISHTON

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 10/5/2008 at 20:53:31

Thomas Rishton

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.191, Neola Twp.)
Thomas Rishton, merchant, Neola, was born in Manchester, England, July 11, 1840, son of Henry and Mary (Bland) Rishton, natives of England, he born April 10, 1810, she born May 9, 1815. The parents were married in England November 11, 1832, and have eight children. The father was a block printer in England, which occupation he followed when first coming to this country, in 1844. He was one of the first seven printers who came to America. His wife came over the year after he did, and he worked at his trade in Rhode Island and Massachusetts until May 15, 1850, when they started for Council Bluffs, the journey occupying over six weeks, their express team being two cows yoked together. Our subject beganlife as a farmer in this county. This occupation he followed till 1864, when he went to Montanta Territory, where he remained on a ranch till 1867. He then returned to Springfield, Ill., remained a year, and settled, in 1868, in this county, on a farm, where he remained five years. In 1873, he went to Council Bluffs and clerked for Gould & Johnston for a year, then kept a grocery for four years, the firm name being Mullis & Rishton. In 1878, the firm of Rishton Bros. opened their business in Neola. Our subject continued a member of this firm till August, 1881, when he started a separate store, which he still continues. He was married, in Council Bluffs, in March, 1863, to Mary Breckenridge, born in Sangamon County, Ill., January 15, 1841, daughter of Preston and Catharine (Moler) Breckenridge; he, born near Paris, Bourbon Co., Ky., August 5, 1807, died July 25, 1880; she, born August 30, 1804, died February 4, 1847. Mr. Rishton is an Odd Fellow and a Democrat. Mrs. Rishton's maiden name, Breckenridge, had the following peculiar origin: A family in Scotland by the name of McIlvain, while participating in one of the wars between the Protestants and Roman Catholics, were defeated, and sought refuge under a species of low shrub called brack, which grows on the ridges of the Highlands of Scotland; hence the name McIlvain changed to Brack-on-ridge, and finally merged into Breckenridge. The same family took part in some of the religious wars of Ireland, in which they were eventually defeated. The great-grandfather of Preston Breckenridge (father of Mrs. Rishton) was a leader in these wars, and upon being defeated, fled, with his brothers, to America. One of the brothers settled in Pennsylvania and the other in Virginia. The latter raised a family, among whom was one son, Alexander, who had a son Robert, who was the father of John, who had two sons - Robert J. (better known as Rev. R. J., D. D.) and Joseph Campbell, the latter of whom was the father of John C. Breckenridge, ex-Vice President of the United States. Alexander (before mentioned) was the father of George, who had a son Alexander; he was twice married, and the eldest child by the second wife ws Preston, father of Mrs. Thomas (Breckenridge) Rishton. Preston Breckenridge married Catharine Moler, in Kentucky, November 17, 1827. They had twelve children, who were born and married as follows: Alexander, born October 31, 1828, married, May 25, 1852 to Martha H. Barnhill, they had eight children; Hugh, born December 9, 1829, married, February 22, 1855, to Sarah M. Randolph, have two children; Cornelius, born March 12, 1831, married, September 4, 1855, to Elizabeth L. Barnhill, they have five children; Joseph, the last, born in Kentucky, was born on July 17, 1832, married, March 28, 1855, to Sarah J. Matthew, had two children; Elmore, born November 4, 1834, the first of the family born in Sangamon County, Ill, married, November, 1857, to Susannah Randolph, had six children; Cleophas, born August 7, 1836, married, after serving in the army, to Lilian T. Cave, have two children; Catharine, born June 19, 1838, married, January 30, 1856, to Simon P. Randolph, they have six children; Elizabeth and Mary were twins, born January 13, 1841; Elizabeth married, April, 1862, to James H. Abell; Mary, married March, 1863, to our subject; Preston, born December 11, 1842, was in the army, returned home sick, August 7, 1865, and died the following day; Jane, born February 9, 1845, married, August, 1864, to William Kamlage. Mr. Breckenridge's second marriage was with Lucy Robb; she died November 18, 1854, leaving two children - David, born December 28, 1850, lives in Texas, unmarried, and Lucy D., born August 13, 154, married, October 13, 1874, to W. H. Hunter. Mr. Breckenridge was a man of political notoriety, having opposed Abraham Lincoln for the State Legislature of Illinois, and was elected over him and served during the years of 1851 and 1852.