Thomas E. Ricks (Mormon pioneer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thomas E. Ricks |
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| Born | Thomas Edwin Ricks July 21, 1828 Trigg County, Kentucky, United States |
| Died | September 28, 1901 (aged 73) Rexburg, Idaho, United States |
Thomas Edwin Ricks (born July 21, 1828 – died September 28, 1901) was an important Mormon pioneer. He was a strong community leader and helped settle the western United States.
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Early Life of Thomas Ricks
Thomas Ricks was born on July 21, 1828, in Kentucky. His parents were Joel Ricks and Eleanor Martin. In 1830, his family moved to Silver Creek, Illinois. There, they started a branch of the Campbellite Church.
In 1840, missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited his family. By 1841, Thomas's parents and siblings were all baptized into the church. A month later, the family moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. Thomas helped build the Nauvoo Temple there.
In 1844, Thomas had an accident while training a horse. The horse fell on his left leg. Because of this, his left leg did not grow as long as his right. He walked with a limp and used a special shoe and later a cane.
Pioneer Journeys and Adventures
When Thomas was 20, he traveled across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He first crossed the Mississippi River with the Charles C. Rich family. Thomas left them at Garden Grove, Iowa, to meet his own family.
He stayed with his family for two years in Council Bluffs, Iowa. During this time, Brigham Young led the first group of Mormon Pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley. The Ricks family even donated one of the teams used by this first group. On May 29, 1848, Thomas left Winter Quarters, Nebraska. He headed for the Salt Lake Valley with Heber C. Kimball's group.
On June 6, 1848, a group of Native Americans raided Ricks' pioneer company. They stole some of their cattle. Thomas and other young men went to chase them. The young men were ambushed, and Thomas was shot three times. His friends thought he was dead and returned to camp.
Thomas's father, Joel Ricks, went to find his son's body. Joel was also ambushed but returned to camp safely. He was relieved to find that other men had found Thomas. They floated him across the river on a buffalo hide. Then, they brought him the rest of the way to camp by wagon. Because of his injuries, Thomas rode in his family's wagon for most of the trip to the Salt Lake Valley.
Thomas later helped five more groups of pioneers make the same journey. In 1856, he returned from a mission in Las Vegas, Nevada. He immediately joined a rescue party from Salt Lake. This group helped the stranded Martin Handcart Company near the Sweetwater River.
Thomas Ricks was also a colonel in the Utah Militia. He was asked to find a better route from Cache Valley to Bear Lake Valley in Northern Utah. While doing this, he found a natural spring coming from a large rock. This spring is still called Ricks' Spring today. You can find it on U.S.-89, between Logan, Utah, and Bear Lake.
Building Communities in Utah and Idaho
Thomas Ricks was a very important church and community leader. He helped build communities in both Utah and Idaho. He is known as the founder of Rexburg, Idaho. He also helped start the Bannock Stake Academy. This school later became Brigham Young University–Idaho.
The school was named in his honor for 99 years. It was first called Ricks Academy (1902–1917). Later, it was known as Ricks College (1917–2001).
Thomas Ricks served in the LDS Church as a bishop and a stake president in the Rexburg area.
Later Years and Legacy
Thomas Ricks passed away on September 28, 1901, at the age of 73. Joseph F. Smith, who was the LDS Church president at the time, spoke at his funeral. He said, "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."
