The Mary Ann Wade (Nee Rickenberg) Family

Mary Ann was the only child of Delbert Rickenberg and Altha, nee Gathman, Freedom Township. She was born September 6, 1946, at Heller Memorial Hospital. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Napoleon Township, where she is still a member. She enjoyed attending elementary and high school at Ridgeville School, Ridgeville Corners. After high school she worked a year and a half at Sauder Manufacturing as a secretary. Realizing this was not her life's ambition, she decided to attend Bowling Green State University majoring in elementary education. Upon receiving her bachelor of science degree in 1969 she took a teaching position with the school system in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. After her mother's illness she moved back to her parents' home and took a position with the Napoleon Public Schools, where she is presently teaching third grade at C. D. Brillhart.

On August 25, 1973, Mary Ann was married to John Philip Wade at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Napoleon Township. Phil is the son of John Wade and Anne, nee Patton who formerly lived in Napoleon Township for four years but now make their home in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Wades have lived in many parts of the U.S. because of Mr. Wade's job with Eagle-Picher Industries. Mrs. Wade is very active in doll collecting. The Wade family is of English and Scottish descent. Phil has one brother, Jim, and two sisters, Cindy and Janie.

Altha Lena Gathman, mother of Mary Ann, was born February 7, 1917, in Freedom Township. She was baptized and confirmed in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Napoleon Township by Rev. George Haas. Altha spent all of her life in Henry County. The Gathman family moved to many different homes in the area, most of which did not have electricity. The whole family worked very hard to keep their household running. Since the family was poor there were many hand me down clothes and renovated objects shared. In fact during the depression old clothes were taken apart, redyed and sewed together again for something new to wear. Even though they didn't have any money they still begged to go into Napoleon, just to look. Altha attended some one room schools and attended Liberty Center High School. The need for help at home stopped her from completing high school. On February 16, 1941, she married Delbert Rickenberg. One daughter was born to them, Mary Ann. Altha worked hard on the farm and at her housework and was kind and loved by all. She was a Sunday School teacher for 15 years, member and officer of the church Women's Society, and also active in the Heller Memorial Auxiliary. In 1970 she became aware of having cancer. After treatments, surgery and showing much faith and courage, she died October 23, 1971, at age 54.

Altha's mother was Anna Sophia Catherine Margaretha Doris Rohrs. Anna was born in Freedom Township, September 15, 1888, and was also baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Napoleon Township. Her brother was Henry Rohrs and sister, Mrs. Mary Buchhop. On March 3, 1910, she was married to Herman Gathman. They had four sons and three daughters: Mrs. Emma Kahrs, Wauseon, Mrs. Altha Rickenberg, Fred and Lillian, both died very young, Karl, Defiance, Clarence and Herman, Wauseon. Anna (Rohrs) Gathman was an invalid for 25 years. During this whole time she showed great courage and never seemed to complain or be sad. But at age 68 on February 28, 1957, her years of being an invalid had ended. Anna had been the daughter of Fred Rohrs and his wife, Sophia, nee Dierks. Fred Rohrs had been known in this area in the 1800's as a wood carver. Most of his talent was in making furniture and caskets. Some of his work is still being used by the family and is holding up fine. Fred's wife, Sophia came by herself from Germany to the United States when she was around 18 years old

Altha's father was William Herman Gathman born in Gross-Steins, Hanover, Germany, on September 27, 1883. He came to America with his parents when he was a boy of perhaps 10 years. His parents were Christopher Henry Gathman and Catherine Margareta, nee Schroeder. Brothers and sisters of Herman were Henry Gathman, Mrs. Mary Volkman, Mrs. Meta Peper, Sophia, died in U.S. and another brother who died in Germany in quicksand. Herman worked very hard on the farm they settled in Freedom Township. He spent many hours walking behind the plow. He was also a hired hand which meant he had to do his studying walking to and from school. He worked as a carpenter before he was married to Anna Rohrs and then became a farmer. Herman was known as a gentle man who loved smoking pipes. The story goes that on Sundays when the mud road was really bad, Herman would get the team of horses out to pull the car, with the family in it, to a good road. Then he would walk the horses back to the house and then walk to the car. Then they would finally go to church. When they came home, they would have to go through the whole process again. Herman Gathman enjoyed good health most of his life until he had an operation from which he never fully recovered. He died September 22, 1950, at the age of 66. Both Herman and Anna Gathman are buried in the cemetery of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Napoleon Township.

Delbert John Rickenberg, father of Mary Ann, was born on June 29, 1917, in Freedom Township. He was baptized and confirmed in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Napoleon Township by Pastor George Haas. Delbert has spent all of his life on the farm in Freedom Township on the corner of T and 18, which has been in the family for years and was before called the Gar- hart farm. In early years Delbert helped run the family sawmill but later much time was spent on farming, which is his present occupation. Delbert attended the one room school which is now the house where the Wades live. He also attended Ridgeville High School. After his father's death when Delbert was only 20, he was given complete responsibility for the farm, which after 1941 was shared with his wife, Altha. Delbert has served as a Freedom Township Trustee for the past 18 years. Delbert has two sisters, Mrs. Evelyn Schuette, Holgate and Mrs. Lona Campbell, St. Clair Shores, Michigan.

Delbert's father was John Rickenberg who was born in Napoleon Township on September 24, 1890. The Rickenberg family made their home five miles west on what was called the Bryan Pike, now U.S. 6. John helped his father, George, and the rest of the family run the sawmill which was at their home. On October 5, 1916, John married Mary Wendt at St. John's Lutheran Church, Ridgeville Township. They made their home where Delbert now lives and raised their three children. The neighborhood where John and Mary lived was a jolly group. They would get together at different homes for food, drink, and dancing. The music was supplied by Bill Tietje on violin and his wife, Della, on organ. John suffered of asthma and died of it at his home November 28, 1937, at age 47. He was buried at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Napoleon Township where he had been a member. John was the oldest of his family and had three sisters, Mrs. Minnie Schuette, Helen, died at 11 months old, and Mrs. Lorena Zumfelde, and two brothers Ernest and Martin, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan.

John was the son of George Rickenberg and his wife Magdelena Elisabeth, nee Hoyer or Heuer. George was born in Napoleon Township and was the son of Henry Rickenberg and his wife Elizabeth, nee Moritz, of Germany. Again George ran the sawmill that was located 5 miles west of Napoleon on U.S. 6. He was said to have burned some holes in his clothes one Christmas as he was putting out the candles on the Christmas tree. George died very suddenly of a stroke in January of 1911 at the age of 46. He had two brothers Henry and Fred with many descendants in Henry County. George's wife Magdelena Elisabeth Hoyer was daughter of John Hoyer and Friederike, nee Simon. She was born on March 6, 1867, in Sellhorn, Hannover, Germany. In 1887 Lena came to the U.S. and worked as hired help. On November 14, 1889, Lena married George Rickenberg. They lived in Napoleon Township and raised their four children. Lena became ill in 1920 and moved to each child's house for nursing care. She died on January 21, 1943, at age 75 in the same house on U.S. 6. Lena had two sisters, Mrs. Katie Holmes, and Mrs. Don Baden, Germany, and four brothers, John, George, Herman, and Fred Hoyer.

Delbert's mother was Mary Rickenberg, nee Wendt. Mary was born in Ridgeville Township on August 23, 1895. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church, Ridgeville Township. She has two brothers Emil and Alfred. After her marriage to John she moved to Freedom Township and raised their three children. Years after her husband's death she lived in Defiance and Napoleon. Some of you may remember her as the jolly lady that worked in the boy's department at Hahn's Clothing and The Charles Co. On April 28, 1957, she married August Schnitkey. They moved to Ridgeville Corners where they now reside. She enjoys making quilts, afghans, pillow cases and other crafts.

Mary was the daughter of John Wendt and Emma, nee Wesche. Emma Wesche was born at the family home west of Ridgeville Corners on March 8, 1870. Her parents were Johann Friedrich Daniel Wesche, born May 20, 1839, and Carolina Friederika, nee Martens, born December 21, 1848. Emma was of big stature and pictures of her make her look very cross but her personality was very warm and kind. She gave birth to Emil, Alfred and Mary and twins, Luella and Ervin, who died very young. After having an operation on a tumor and having trouble with high blood pressure, she died in the summer of 1926.

Daniel Wesche was the father of Emma. Daniel's parents were Andrew Frederick and Johanne Lucie Friederike Wesche, nee Brandes who came from Veltheim, Germany, in 1858. Andrew was born June 6, 1791, at Kneitlingen, Brunswick, Germany. Their son Daniel did some traveling first but finally bought 40 acres in Ridgeville Township in 1865. The Wesche homestead was started between what is now U.S. and Route 34. On May 7, 1869, Daniel married Carolina Friederika Martin who had just arrived from Prussia. There were fifteen children: Mrs. Emma Wendt, Mrs. Friedericka Schroeder, John, William, Mrs. Wilhelmine Nagel, Mrs. Mary Lindau, Mrs. Dora Dehnke, Mrs. Lucinda Schweinhagen, Frederick, Mrs. Augusta Schultz, Carl, Henry, Albert, Daniel, and Mrs. Laura Karies. Nine were born in the log house and the last six in the frame house that is on the farm. Twelve of the original 15 were buried in northwest Ohio. Many people in Ridgeville are descendants of this family line. All fifteen of the children attended the Dittmer School and attended church at St. John's Lutheran Church, Ridgeville Township. It was a happy family, in fact it was reported that when the parents went to town, often the children would hitch a horse to a wagon and went racing over the farm. Grandmother Lucie not only gave her consent to this forbidden recreation, but went along for the ride also. While expecting her sixteenth child, Mrs. Wesche became suddenly ill and died February 4,1894, at the age of 45. Daniel lived to raise his family until July 7,1925.

John Wendt, Mary's father, was born October 22, 1860, in Ridgeville Township. He was the son of John Wendt and Sophie, nee Linau from Germany. John was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church, Ridgeville Township. On April 15, 1887, John married Emma Wesche. They had twins, Luella and Ervin, who died in infancy, Emil, Ridgeville Corners, Alfred, and Mrs. Mary (Rickenberg) Schnitkey. John Wendt was a good farmer but retired from it in 1914 and moved to Napoleon. He then was a carpenter for a number of years. His wife, Emma, died in 1926. He remarried on October 6, 1927, to Mary Schroeder. John had a stroke in 1938 and died March 11, 1939, at age 79 and is buried in Glenwood Cemetery. John had two brothers, August and Fred and two sisters, Mrs. Emma Backhaus and Mrs. Minnie Nagel.

When John and his family lived on the farm south of St. John's Lutheran Church on the old Route 66, they were known to be a very generous family. Since they lived on a road that was well traveled they would have many types of people stopping in. The Wendts would very willingly give them something to eat and drink. Some of these people, which we could call tramps today, wanted to sleep at the Wendt farm. The people were asked to take everything out of their pockets to check if they had matches so they couldn't start any fires. Then they would be allowed to sleep in the furnace room in the basement or in a small barn. There were two of these travelers that were especially remembered. One was called "Supar-Lips" who traveled around with his wagon of pots and pans and other goodies. He would travel around and once a year would stop at the Wendt home, get some food and camp in their nearby woods. "Sam-Stein" was another traveler close to the family. Sam Stein was a junk dealer, but on a visit he would bring the family a meal of pickerel to eat. He was very close to the family so he was allowed to sleep in the house. For entertainment he would ask little Mary to play the piano so he could dance his Russian dances. Tribes of gypsies were also known to camp in the Wendts' woods.

Submitted by Mary Ann Wade