Thomas E. Ricks (Mormon)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Edwin Ricks was a prominent Mormon pioneer
, a community leader, and a settler of the western United States
.
, the son of Joel Ricks
and Eleanor Martin. In 1830, he moved with his family to Silver Creek, Illinois where his family started a branch of the Campbellite
Church. In 1840, his family was introduced to missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS Church) and in 1841, Ricks' parents and siblings were all baptized into that church.
In 1844 Ricks had an accident while breaking a horse. The horse landed on his left leg. As a result of this accident Ricks' left leg did not grow as long as his right leg. As a result, wearing a platform shoe, he walked with limp, and later used a cane.
Ricks was baptized
a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at age sixteen and a month later he moved with his family to Nauvoo
, Illinois. There he helped in the construction of the Nauvoo Temple
.
. He initially crossed the Mississippi River heading west with the Charles C. Rich
family. Ricks left the Rich family at Garden Grove, Iowa
to meet up with the rest of his family in Council Bluffs, Iowa
. Ricks stayed with his family for two years in Council Bluffs while Brigham Young
took the first group of Mormon Pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley. One of the teams used by this first pioneer group was donated by the Ricks family. On May 29, 1848 Ricks left Winter Quarters, Nebraska headed for the Salt Lake Valley
in Heber C. Kimball
's company.
On June 6, 1848, a group of Native Americans raided Ricks' pioneer company, stealing some of their cattle. Ricks and some other youth in the camp went to pursue them. The youth were ambushed and Ricks was shot three times, twice in the kidneys and once in his backbone. His companions, sure he was dead, returned to the company. Learning of his son's demise, Joel Ricks set out to retrieve the body. Finding him clinging to life, Joel brought his son safely back to the wagon train. At one point he floated his son across a river on a buffalo hide. As a result of the injury, Thomas traveled most of the way to the Salt Lake Valley in his family's wagon.
Ricks would later assist five additional groups of pioneers to make the same trek. In 1856, returning from a colonizing mission in Las Vegas, Nevada, he immediately left to be part of the rescue party sent from Salt Lake to assist the stranded Martin Handcart Company near the Sweetwater River
.
A colonel in the Utah Militia, Ricks was commissioned to locate a better route from the Cache Valley to the Bear Lake Valley, in Northern Utah. While thus engaged, he discovered a natural spring flowing from the cavity of a large rock. To this day, Ricks' Spring bares his name. It can be found on U.S.-89, between Logan Utah, and Bear Lake, on the Utah-Idaho boarder.
and Idaho
. He is known as the founder of Rexburg, Idaho
, and participated in the founding of the Bannock Stake Academy, which would eventually evolve into Brigham Young University–Idaho
. This school was named in his honor for a period of 99 years first as Ricks Academy (1902–1917) and later as Ricks College (1917–2001).
Ricks served as a bishop
and later as a stake president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Rexburg area.
, President of the LDS Church, said of him at his funeral, "It may be a long time before we find another man his equal in honor, mind, and unswerving loyalty to the cause of God and his people."
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
, a community leader, and a settler of the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early years
Ricks was born on July 21, 1828 in Western KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, the son of Joel Ricks
Joel Ricks
Joel Ricks was a Mormon Pioneer and community leader who helped settled the Salt Lake Valley and Cache Valley, Utah. He was the father of Thomas E. Ricks.-Early life:...
and Eleanor Martin. In 1830, he moved with his family to Silver Creek, Illinois where his family started a branch of the Campbellite
Campbellite
Campbellite refers to any of the religious groups historically descended from the Restoration Movement, a religious reform movement in the early 19th century in the United States...
Church. In 1840, his family was introduced to missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS Church) and in 1841, Ricks' parents and siblings were all baptized into that church.
In 1844 Ricks had an accident while breaking a horse. The horse landed on his left leg. As a result of this accident Ricks' left leg did not grow as long as his right leg. As a result, wearing a platform shoe, he walked with limp, and later used a cane.
Ricks was baptized
Baptism (Mormonism)
In Mormonism, baptism is recognized as the first of several ordinances of the gospel.-Overview:Much of the theology of Mormon baptism was established during the early Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr...
a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at age sixteen and a month later he moved with his family to Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, Illinois. There he helped in the construction of the Nauvoo Temple
Nauvoo Temple
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States in 1836. When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois in the...
.
Pioneer years
At age twenty, Ricks crossed the plains to the Salt Lake ValleySalt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
. He initially crossed the Mississippi River heading west with the Charles C. Rich
Charles C. Rich
Charles Coulson Rich was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
family. Ricks left the Rich family at Garden Grove, Iowa
Garden Grove, Iowa
Garden Grove is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 250 at the 2000 census.-History:On April 24, 1846, emigrants affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the direction of Brigham Young established a way station halfway into their trek...
to meet up with the rest of his family in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
. Ricks stayed with his family for two years in Council Bluffs while Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
took the first group of Mormon Pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley. One of the teams used by this first pioneer group was donated by the Ricks family. On May 29, 1848 Ricks left Winter Quarters, Nebraska headed for the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
in Heber C. Kimball
Heber C. Kimball
Heber Chase Kimball was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Latter Day Saint church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his...
's company.
On June 6, 1848, a group of Native Americans raided Ricks' pioneer company, stealing some of their cattle. Ricks and some other youth in the camp went to pursue them. The youth were ambushed and Ricks was shot three times, twice in the kidneys and once in his backbone. His companions, sure he was dead, returned to the company. Learning of his son's demise, Joel Ricks set out to retrieve the body. Finding him clinging to life, Joel brought his son safely back to the wagon train. At one point he floated his son across a river on a buffalo hide. As a result of the injury, Thomas traveled most of the way to the Salt Lake Valley in his family's wagon.
Ricks would later assist five additional groups of pioneers to make the same trek. In 1856, returning from a colonizing mission in Las Vegas, Nevada, he immediately left to be part of the rescue party sent from Salt Lake to assist the stranded Martin Handcart Company near the Sweetwater River
Sweetwater River
Sweetwater River may refer to:*Sweetwater River , a river in San Diego County, California, USA*Sweetwater River , a river in Natrona County, Wyoming, USA...
.
A colonel in the Utah Militia, Ricks was commissioned to locate a better route from the Cache Valley to the Bear Lake Valley, in Northern Utah. While thus engaged, he discovered a natural spring flowing from the cavity of a large rock. To this day, Ricks' Spring bares his name. It can be found on U.S.-89, between Logan Utah, and Bear Lake, on the Utah-Idaho boarder.
Colonizing years
Ricks was also an influential church and community leader in both UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. He is known as the founder of Rexburg, Idaho
Rexburg, Idaho
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,257 people, 4,274 households, and 2,393 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,534.4 people per square mile . There were 4,533 housing units at an average density of 928.4 per square mile...
, and participated in the founding of the Bannock Stake Academy, which would eventually evolve into Brigham Young University–Idaho
Brigham Young University–Idaho
Brigham Young University–Idaho is a private university located in Rexburg, Idaho. Founded in 1888, the university is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and transitioned from a junior college to a four-year institution in 2001, known for the greater part of its...
. This school was named in his honor for a period of 99 years first as Ricks Academy (1902–1917) and later as Ricks College (1917–2001).
Ricks served as a bishop
Bishop (Mormonism)
Bishop is the highest priesthood office of the Aaronic priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement. A bishop is usually the leader of a local congregation of church members. The Latter Day Saint concept of the office differs significantly from the role of bishops in other Christian denominations,...
and later as a stake president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Rexburg area.
Death
Ricks died September 28, 1901 at age 73. Joseph F. SmithJoseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, President of the LDS Church, said of him at his funeral, "It may be a long time before we find another man his equal in honor, mind, and unswerving loyalty to the cause of God and his people."