This is my favorite picture of the older generations of the family. I have no idea when it was taken or where. The younger man holding the dog is William Wickham and the younger lady is either his sister Ettie or his wife Emma. I tend to think it’s his sister. The old couple in the center? Well, some say it’s John Rivers and his wife Francis Jane Munson – they would be the aunt and uncle to William and Ettie. Somehow, I don’t think it’s John and Jane. I think it is more likely to be Reuben Thomas Wickham and Mary Emmaline Munson – the parents of William and Ettie.

Ruben was born in England on April 12, 1831. He immigrated with his mother, Christianna and his brothers John George and Joseph. Ruben’s father Charles had come over prior to the rest of the family.

Ruben’s mother, Christianna is listed as Hannah on the passenger manifest – which could be a nickname. The puzzle is the 10 year old boy named Charles. I know it is not a “typo” for Ruben’s father Charles due to this excerpt from the memorial for Ruben’s mother Christianna:

“They lived for six years in London and then Mr. Wickham came to America to seek a more healthful climate.  Finding that his health improved here he wrote to his wife that he would return to England for her and the children and close up their business there.  She thought it unnecessary for him to come, however, and after writing him to that effect arranged to leave her English home with her three small children.”

The three small children would be John, Ruben and Joseph. It is possible that the 10 year old Charles is a son of Charles (and therefore a half brother of Ruben, John and Joseph) from a previous marriage. But I don’t know for sure. It is also unknown at this time what happened to that 10 year old Charles.

The family came to Michigan on an oxcart after living in New York for a few years. Charles and Christianna would have 2 daughters born in New York about 1836 and 1839. Charles would only live one month after arriving in Tittabawassee Township of Saginaw County Michigan in 1840. Christianna, with 5 small children to care for, re-married on April 14, 1841 to Edward Green – who helped raise her children.

Ruben would live the rest of his life in Tittabawassee Township and Thomas Township. He married on April 26, 1858, Mary Emmaline Munson. Ruben bought 65.03 acres of land in Tittabawassee Township (Lot number 4 of Section 32 inTownship 13 North of Range 3 East) 6 years after his marriage – on April 25, 1864.

Ruben had to provide certain proofs in order to purchase the land under the Homestead Acts. The following is an affidavit made by his brother, Joseph and another gentleman by the name of William Burleson filed on behalf of Ruben.

I LOVE the detail in this document. Ruben had built for his young family a board house that was about 14×16, an addition of about the same size. The house had a board roof and floors, with 3 outside [doors] and 2 windows. It was a comfortable house to live in. He had cultivated about 12 acres of the land, cleared another 3 acres, built a log stable, an outdoor cellar, dug a well and planted a bunch of fruit trees and shrubbery. Not bad for just under 6 years.

Now looking back at my favorite picture (above) – and keeping in mind this description of his house and land – I am convinced that my thought that the old couple was Ruben and his wife Mary is correct.

Ruben died on January 16, 1903 and is buried in Owen Cemetery.