His declaration for a pension, and the contents of his pension file, pretty much tell that story.
This information comes from the National Archives. Thanks to Donn for looking these up and supplying the information contained in the records.
RICKABAUGH, ADAM Widow is listed as Catherine McCoy Rickabaugh, service was in Captain Butler's Company of the Ohio Militia. Numbers are WO 8427 and WC 3541.
Clarinda Norris and her husband are witnesses. Adam said to be deceased 6/30/65 in Marion County, Iowa. Gallia County clerk attested that marriage took place 2/1/1814. Catherine was 73 yrs. old on March 19, 1872. Adam volunteered on August 10, 1812, for Isaac Briller's Company under General Tupper. He was discharged at Ft. Meigs on Feb. 10, 1813. He served again as substitute for John Shoemaker (thought to have been drafted, the application says) in Capt. Womeldorff's Company in August of 1813; he served one month. Another document says he enlisted 8/9/12 and served to 2/9/13, in Butler's Company, then 8/1/13 to 9/4/13 in Womeldorf's Company. Another document says he married Catherine McCoy on Sept. 30, 1813. Catherine lives in Marion County, Iowa, post office being Knoxville. She was awarded pension of $8 per month commencing 2/14/1871.
This one was submitted by Elizabeth, Henry having died. It's noted on the front document that she lives in Rio Grande, that she is too infirm to go to county seat. The application was rejected because she submitted insufficient information about his service. (There is a note by a higher-level officer -- unnamed -- to a major handling the case in which he suggests that she be written to and offered a chance to add more detailed information. They wrote to her but she never replied, so they rejected.) Henry died 4/1/1869. Jacob and Sarah Danner were witnesses to the application. Henry and Elizabeth married 4/28/29; a note at bottom states Henry had previously married Polley Danner, on June 26, 1821; she died 9/8/28. There are two later letters. One, from a Miss Gertrude Rickabaugh dated 3/27/1939, is most interesting. She was trying to show she could be DAR and asked about service of a John R. in Rev War and Henry in war of 1812. Her letter states John R. "came from" Shenandoah Valley, settled in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania , then moved to Gallia County in 1800. Elizabeth Griffin was his wife. She died 1/25/1834. Henry was born in the Shenandoah Valley 12/13/1786. The letter also says he married two daughters of Jonathan and Elizabeth Moyer Danner. Finally, a letter from W.A. Rickabaugh dated 2/16/1885 asked about Henry's service. There was an official reply more or less saying the above. As I recall, the letterhead was Rio Grande College.
He served 8/9/12 to 12/31/12 in Capt. Butler's Company, then in Wormlefford's Company from 8/1/13 to 9/4/13. John was awarded $8 per month survivor's pension out of the Des Moines office on April 13, 1872. He was living in Dallas County, Iowa, using Van Meter as his post office. He volunteered August 3, 1812 for Capt. Butler's Company; was discharged in Urbana, Ohio, on March 1, 1813. He enlisted again on August 1, 1813, in Daniel Womeldorf's Company. Was discharged Sept. 1813. Served under Major Nye, Col. Safford, General Tupper. Phebe died 1859. All through his affadavit and other documents he submitted, he refers to himself as "John Rickabaugh of Adam." It's at least 6 or 7 times. He must have gone by that handle to distinguish himself from the other Johns around. Another document states that in his second service, his company, which was on the upper Sandusky, took a drove of cattle to General Harrison at Seneca, Ohio. He obtained a land warrant in Iowa under the act of 1850. The application also mentions the pension act of 2/14/1871, which is what produced all three of these applications.
RICKABAUGH, REUBEN 1st Regiment Ohio (DeLong)
RICKABAUGH, ADAM Mounted Regiment Ohio (Womeldorf), 2nd Regiment Ohio (Safford)
RICKABAUGH, JOHN Mounted Regiment Ohio (Womeldorf)
RICKABAUGH, JOHN JR Mounted Regiment Ohio (Womeldorf), 2nd Regiment (Safford)
RICKABAUGH, JOHN SR 2nd Regiment (Safford)
And, from "Roster of Ohio Soldiers in the War of 1812" we find: GRAHAM, JOHN Cornet in Captain Daniel Womeldorf's Mounted Company form Gallia County.
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