Person:Isaac Ricks (1)

The History and Genealogy of the Ricks Family of America, Guy Scoby Rix, 1908:

The first one of the name of this branch of the family was Isaac Ricks, who was born in England in 1638, and a tradition exists that he came from England and landed at Jamestown, Virginia, and settled in Warrasquyeake, one of the eight shires of Virginia, which was changed in 1737, to Isle of Wight County, which included the present counties of Nansemond and Southampton.

These counties were peopled largely by Puritans and Quakers whose records began in 1663. The land and court records of these counties were destroyed by fire many years ago, and genealogical records are very meagre.

Isaac Ricks was a Quaker, and was a member of the Quaker Church, located at a place called Chuckatuck, situated on the western branch of the Nansemond River, in what is now Nansemond County. At this point, about ten miles from Suffolk and near the line of Isle of Wight County, was the Quaker Church built by Robert and Abraham Ricks in 1702.

It is not known exactly in which county Isaac lived, whether in Isle of Wight, or Nansemond County, but very likely he lived near the church, as he was a constant attendant as the records show.

The following transcript is from the publications of the Southern Historical Society. The many changes in spelling the name will be noticed, but it is as written on the church books. Here follows the records from the old church books, which are deposited in Baltimore, Md., for safe keeping;

"Isaac Rickesis and Kathren, his wife, their children nativities as follows:

"Isaac Rickesis, son of afore Is and Kathren was born the seventeenth day of the sixth month in the year 1669."

"Willaim Rickesis son of sd Is and Kethren was born on the fifth day of the eighth month, 1670."

"Jno. Rickesis son of sd Is & Kathren was born the thirtieth day of the tenth month, 1672."

"Abraham Rickesis son of sd Is and Kathren was born the third day of the tenth month, 1674."

"Jacob Rickesis son of sd Is and Kethren was born the seventeenth day of the first month 1677."

"Robert Rickesis son of sd Is and Kethren was born the fourteenth day of tenth month, 1679."

"Friends Book of records per mee, Isaac Rickesis in the year 1700."

Note : — The above records were erased in the original, but are still legible. The above records can be found on page 18, Vol. XII of the publication before mentioned. On page 97 of the same volume can be found the following, but in another handwriting. Additional records:

"Benjamin Rickesis was born the seventeenth day of the eleventh month, in the year 1682."

"Kathren Rickesis was born the twentieth day of the tenth month, who lived ten months and two weeks and so departed this life, being in the year 1684."

"Richard Rickesis was born the thirtieth day of the fifth month in the year 1684."

"Jeane Rickesis was born the last day of the sixth month in the year 1687."

"James Rickesis was bom the seventeenth day of the first month, in the year 1690."

Why Americans besiege Norfolk's fantasy castle - The Telegraph, David Sapsted, 03 April 2001:

The mystery of why Americans keep turning up in a quiet seaside village demanding to see a medieval castle that has never existed has been solved.

The tourists know the history of Brancaster Castle, on the Norfolk coast, and are familiar with the nobles who lived and fought there. Until now, villagers in the resort have only been able to smile and explain that the only thing approaching a castle in Brancaster is a ditch marking the boundary of a Roman fort that fell to pieces almost 2,000 years ago.

Now, Bernard Lock, a civil servant living in the village near King's Lynn, has uncovered the reason for the procession of visitors. The culprit turns out to be an American called Guy S Rix, a descendant of a 17th century emigrant from the village who, in 1906, wrote a book, now in the Library of Congress, entitled The History and Genealogy of the Rix Family of America.

In it, the late Mr Rix embellishes his family's life and standing in Britain by inventing a titled past and life in Brancaster Castle. The fad among Americans for tracing family roots prompted the pilgrimages to Brancaster Castle. Mr Rix's book gives what is believed to be an accurate history of the family since Isaac Ricks, a Quaker, sailed into Jamestown, Virginia, after his marriage in Brancaster in 1668. Only the bits before that are bogus.

He quotes a letter, supposedly written in 1894 by a Mrs HLM Fry - "daughter of Sir John Rix, son of the Earl of Offord, an ancient family, a branch of the house of Norfolk" - in which the castle comes alive. It is described as having once been "one of England's bulwarks" and "battlemented and flanked by four high towers, the northern tower looking out on the German Ocean".