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Sarah
Elizabeth "Betsy" |
Sarah Elizabeth "Betsy" (Minerd) Krick was born in 1838
near Scio, Harrison County, OH, the daughter of John
and Barbara (Shaeffer) Minerd Jr. She was a pioneer settler of western Ohio
and eastern Indiana.
In 1840, when Betsy was age two, she and her parents left Harrison County. Using "a good team of horses and a substantial wagon," a newspaper once said, they traveled across the state, a "very tedious and slow" journey. The family settled in Van Wert County, OH, and in 1845 moved to a farm along the Ohio state line in Allen County, IN.
On Aug. 24, 1856, Betsy married Emanuel Krick (1833-1881), a native of Ohio whose parents had been born in Pennsylvania. The ceremony took place in Allen County. He was age 27, and she 18, at the time of marriage. He also was known occasionally as "Manuel."
Their eight known children were Miner Krick, Elijah Krick Sr., Philip D. Krick, Anna B. Foster, John W. Krick, James Alfred Krick, Eva Jane Plumley and Mary "Doris" Hertel.
The Kricks' first child, Miner Krick, was born in 1857 in Ohio. When the federal census was taken three years later, in 1860, they had migrated to Decatur, Adams County, IN, where Emanuel labored a farmer. Young sons Miner and Elijah were living under their roof that year.
The
Kricks later moved back to Betsy's home area, about "five miles south-east" of
Monroeville, Allen County, IN, and three miles north of Dixon, Van Wert County,
OH. Emanuel was a farmer, and as his sons became teenagers, they too worked on
the family farm. When the census was taken in 1870, they lived as near
neighbors to Sarah's parents and brother James
Minerd.
The 1880 census shows the family of parents and seven children living and working on their farm near Monroeville. That year, they were living in the general neighborhood as Sarah's uncle, Henry Minerd.
Just three days after his 48th birthday, Emanuel passed away, on May 3, 1881. He was buried in Stephenson Cemetery, today known as Sugar Ridge Cemetery. In its "Town and Country" column, the local Monroeville Breeze newspaper simply reported: "After a long illness Emanuel Krick died." No more lengthy obituary has been found, despite a search of the Breeze for several weeks afterward. An upright marker was placed at the grave, and inscribed. The lettering was faintly legible when viewed in August 2002 and May 2009.
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EMANUEL KRICK |
Betsy survived her husband by 14 years. She was considered "a good neighbor as well as a staunch and loyal friend."
In the early months of 1895, at the age of 57, Betsy became "dangerously ill" She held on for several weeks, but died on Feb. 16, 1895. Said the Monroeville Weekly Breeze: "The funeral services were held Monday at the house and was attended by the largest crowd that has been seen in these parts for sometime.... [She] leaves a large number of children and grand children, besides a large circle of friends to mourn her loss."
Betsy was buried with her husband at Sugar Ridge. Her estate administration papers were filed in Allen County.
Writing to the Indiana Minerds in September 1929, from his home in Pittsburgh, cousin Corwin D. Tilbury asked: "How is everybody? McCormicks, Fosters, Kricks and so on down the line?" He asked again in October 1932, "How is Ida Krick?" In March 1933, he inquired, "What has become of Lige Krick? Let me know if you can." In March 1934, he asked again, "No, have had no word from Lige Krick; is he still living alone?"
Some
of the Krick descendants remained close with their cousins of the family of John
"Reuben" Minerd, who resided on a farm on the Indiana-Ohio state line near
Dixon, OH. Seen here are photographs of Kricks from the collection of the
Minerds. At left is a portrait of Ethel Krick in profile -- thought to have been
the daughter of Philip Krick -- taken in May 1971. At
right are Eleanor Dashnke and Ethel Krick in October 1970. Eleanor's precise
relationship to the family is not known, but she was known to have boarded with
Charles W. and Ethel Krick in 1930 in Monroeville, IN.
Copyright © 2002, 2006, 2008 Mark A. Miner