Henry Rickel
Henry Rickel, of Cedar Rapids (Iowa), was born in Richland County, Ohio, August 16, 1835. His father, Samuel Rickel, was of German descent and was born in Bedford County, Penn. Several members of his family were in the revolutionary war, and an uncle was killed at the battle of Brandywine. His more remote ancestors came from Frankfort-on-Main, where many of the same name are now living. He was a cabinet maker, and in 1829 removed to Richland County, Ohio. He married Barbara Smith, who was of German and English descent, and whose father, Henry F. Smith, was a soldier in the war of 1812. Samuel Rickel and his family moved in 1839 to Springfield, Ill.; from there to Galena, and in 1849 to Clayton County, Iowa.
Henry Rickel's education was commenced in a log schoolhouse in Illinois, and completed in the schools of West Union, Iowa. He learned the cabinetmaking trade and worked at that until about 21 years old. After that he engaged in the book and stationary business at McGregor and at West Union, Iowa, under the firm name of Rickel & Huffman, until 1860, when he commenced the study of law with Hon. L.L. Ainsworth, of West Union. In September, 1862, he assisted in raising Company C, of the Sixth Iowa cavalry, and served with that regiment until June, 1864, when he was compelled by ill health to resign. Captain Ainsworth commanded the company and Mr. Rickel was second lieutenant. The regiment was engaged in frontier service, under Gen. Alfred Sully. Before enlisting he assisted in raising five other companies in Fayette County.
In 1866 Mr. Rickel formed a law partnership with Hon. William McClintock, of West Union, which continued for a number of years. He was also connected in the law business with Hon. William E. Fuller and D.W. Clements, of the same place. Later he was a partner of Hon. W.V. Allen, now United States Senator from Nebraska. In 1878 he removed to Cedar Rapids, and became a member of the firm of Rickel, West & Eastman. For the past twelve years he has been a member of the firm of Rickel & Crocker.
Politically, Henry Rickel is a republican and his first vote was cast for John C. Fremont, but from 1863 to 1874 he voted with the democratic party. He then voted for Hayes for president, and since that time has usually voted the republican ticket. He was for several years mayor of the city of West Union, and was a member of the house of representatives from Fayette County during the session of the Seventeenth General Assembly.
He was married October 14, 1857, to Susan Brown, of West Union, who was born in Yates County, N.Y. They have had two children, Willie, who died at the age of 11 years, and Lillian M., who is the wife of Alfred H. Newman, of Cedar Rapids. Mr. Rickel is a member of the Methodist Church, and belongs to the Odd Fellows. For many years he has been active in promoting temperance reform in Iowa, and took a leading part in the enactment and enforcement of the prohibitory law, delivering many lectures in northern Iowa.
From Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa by B.F. Gue, Des Moines, 1899