RICKE

The Breda Centennial Book, Older Days Renewed, pages 150 & 151

The commercial, financial and political interests of Breda, Carroll County, Iowa, have all felt the stimulus of the sound judgment and business sagacity of J.H. Ricke, who for many years had been one of the prominent and foremost businessmen of this community. His birth occurred in Hanover, Germany on the 22nd of June, 1854 and he came to America with his family in 1860.

In 1871, he came to Iowa, locating in Carroll County, and the succeeding six years were passed in agricultural pursuits in Kniest Township. In 1877, he went to California, and until 1882 was employed in the capacity of street car conductor in San Francisco. In the latter year he returned to Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and there, in 1885, was married, after which he again came to Carroll County, Iowa. Taking up his abode in Breda, he here became identified with the grain business and subsequently purchased the hardware business of H. Olerich, forming a partnership with his brother-in-law, H.F. Soat. Under the firm style of Ricke & Soat they conducted a hardware, furniture and undertaking establishment; this relation existing until 1894, when they sold their business and Mr. Ricke became associated with Joseph Olerich with whom he continued until 1897. In that year their establishment was burned out, after which Mr. Ricke operated a grain elevator for the Northern Grain Company at Breda for one year. He was then appointed postmaster of that town in 1898, at which time he established a general merchandising business in connection with H.D. Bruning, being thus identified until October 3, 1907. He served as assistant postmaster and postmaster of Breda for eighteen years, and later sold one-half of his interest in the mercantile business to William Ricke, the present postmaster. The year 1906 witnessed his initiation into financial circles, assisting in the organization, in January of that year, of the Breda Savings Bank, of which he was elected first vice president, and in this office remained until chosen to the presidency.

Mr. Ricke was married, in 1885, to Miss Mary Ann Soat, and unto this union a son, Arthur J. was born August, 1894.

Submitted by Anita Henning - Lemon Grove, CA