GEORGE WASHINGTON RIKER
George Washington Riker, living retired in Russell
after many years’ close connection with agricultural interests
of Lucas county, was born in Cayuga county, New York, December
9, 1837. He is a
son of Henry L. and Ann C. (Thorne) Riker, natives of Dutchess
county, that state, the former born January 29, 1814, and the
latter July 26, 1817. Their
marriage occurred December 3, 1835, and they resided in Cayuga
county many years thereafter, later moving to Dutchess county,
where their deaths occurred.
Eight children were born to their union: Mrs. Elizabeth
Knapp, deceased; George W., of this review; William Henry, who
resides in New York; Martha Ann, deceased; Ganzewoort
Melville, of New York; Mrs. Anna L. Eckert, deceased; Frank,
who has also passed away; and Cora, who resides in Rochester,
New York.
George Washington Riker grew to manhood in Cayuga
county and acquired his education in the public schools there. When he was
twenty-four years of age he removed to Dutchess county and
there followed farming for some time, after engaging in the
boot and shoe business.
In 1871 he moved to Lucas county, this state, and
settled on a farm in Washington township, becoming in the
course of years a representative and successful agriculturist,
with extensive interests in farming lands. He resided upon his
property until 1882 and then purchased eleven acres also in
Washington township but within the incorporated town of
Russell and retired from active life. Since that time he
has given a great deal of attention to the care of bees,
finding both recreation and profit in bee culture. He has in addition
perfected a number of interventions upon which he has taken
out patents, among them a wire stretcher, a wire splicer and a
culvert form, all of which have been tried and found
practicable and useful.
Mr. Riker has been twice married. He wedded first, in
New York, September 2, 1861, Miss Angeline E. Benedict, who
was born in Cayuga county, New York, September 7, 1839. She was a daughter
of Smith and Eliza Ann (Williams) Benedict, the former a
native of Connecticut, born February 27, 1809, and the latter
of New York, born January 4, 1810. Both have passed away, the father dying
July 18, 1881, and the mother January 29, 1890. In their family
were four children: William,
who has passed away; Angeline and Adaline, twins the former of
whom became the first wife of the subject of this review and
the latter of whom has passed away; and one child who died in
infancy. Mr.
Riker became the father of three children by his first
marriage: Smith
Henry, who was born September 2, 1863, and who is residing in
Troy, New York; George B., whose birth occurred March 26,
1865, and who lives in Fort Morgan, Colorado; and Mrs. Addie
S. Huston, who was born August 26, 1867, and who makes her
home in Russell. Mr.
and Mrs. Riker also adopted into their family, Walter B., the
son of James and Florence Bell Russell, who was born at
Lincoln, Nebraska, July 26, 1885, and who on January 26, 1867,
was given by his mother to Mr. and Mrs. Riker to keep and rear
as their own. This
trust they lovingly fulfilled, giving him the care of a father
and mother. He
has now grown to manhood and bears the surname of Riker. He is a brakeman on
a passenger train on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
Railroad with a run from Burlington to Creston, Iowa. The first Mrs.
Riker passed away June 16, 1901, and two years later Mr. Riker
was again married, his second wife being Mrs. Ellen (Taylor)
Van Auken. She
was born in Cayuga county, New York, a daughter of William and
Marilla (Northrup) Taylor, natives of Connecticut. Both have passed
away, the father dying in Russell and the mother in New York. They were the
parents of three children:
Ellen, the wife of the subject of this review; Mrs.
Almira Osborne, who died in 1913; and William, who lives in
New York. After
the death of William Taylor’s first wife he again married and
by his second union had three children: Eugene, who has
passed away; James, who resides in New York; and Mrs. Emma
Rainey, of New York. By
her marriage to Mr. Van Auken Mrs. Riker had four children, as
follows: William,
who was born May 14, 1872, and who makes his home in New York;
Mrs. Gertrude Brown, who was born May 26, 1873, also a
resident of that city; Floyd, whose birth occurred April 15,
1876, and who makes his home in San Diego, California; and
Howard, whose birth occurred February 25, 1880, and who now
resides in Los Angeles.
Mr. Riker was at one time a member of the Independent Order of Good Templars and belongs to the Grangers. He is a republican in his political beliefs and served for some time as a member of the town council of Russell, being always active in public affairs and cooperating heartily in all measures to promote general advancement and growth. He is well and favorably known in the city, where he has resided since 1882, and throughout Lucas county, where he has lived for forty-two years, his neighbors and friends holding him in high regard as a representative business man and an upright and loyal citizen.