I would like to acknowledge several people without whom this project would never have happened. Mrs. Vera Hoover, who lives with her family at the original Jacob Rickenbach homestead, first sent me a copy of "Memoirs of James Rickenbach" in 1998. Mrs. Colleen Rickenbach Schulze, a great-great-granddaughter of James, contributed most of the old photographs that illustrate this memoir. She also introduced me to many of the locales featured in the memoir. Mrs. Jeanette Jones Pollard, a great-granddaughter of James, provided a great deal of background and insight into life at Rickenbach Station. Ms. Jennifer Loose and her father Ron, who are descended from James cousin Silas, first pointed out Rickenbach Station to me on a map.
This project is really a tribute to my grandfather, Howard F. Rickenbach Sr. (a great grandson of James). Though I never knew him, his meticulous hand-written notes and remembrances made this memoir come alive for me. This project is literally his work.
I also have to say that if my sister Frieda had not put together a genealogy project in college many years ago, based on some of my grandfather's work, I would not have been inspired to search for more. Heck, before I knew much about my own family, my brother John and I just made up a bunch of stuff about a couple of British families in the 15th century. It's nice to know that the events in this memoir actually happened.
Finally, I hope this memoir inspires us to write down something about our own lives for our children, like "Aunt Becky" had the foresight and patience to do.