San
Joaquin County
Biographies
WILLIAM H. RIECKS
One of the most popular and
efficient officers that San Joaquin County has ever had is William H. Riecks,
county sheriff since June 5, 1911. A
native son, he was born near Vernalis, on November 9,
1869, a son of William H. and Rebecca (Von Bremen) Riecks, both born and reared
in Germany and early settlers of this county.
The senior Riecks was one of the early pioneers and was engaged in ranch
work all his active life. He located in
the county before the Civil War, and from that time until his death in 1879 did
his part as a public-spirited citizen to lay secure the foundation for the
development of the county. Mrs. Riecks is
still living, and resides upon the ranch she settled on in 1868, where she is
surrounded by a wide circle of friends.
By her marriage with Mr. Riecks she is the mother of three
children: William H., of this review;
Herman A., and Karl F. She married for a
second husband Thomas Ohm, by whom she had three children: Henry T., Bertha and Tonia.
As a boy W. H. Riecks attended the
public school in the district where he was born and at the same time helped
with the ranch work; later he supplemented his primary schooling by a course at
Heald’s Business College in San Francisco.
His father’s death, when the lad was but ten years old, threw a certain
responsibility upon his young shoulders, and after his school days were over he
took up grain and stock farming on the home ranch, continuing as his mother’s
right-hand man for many years, and at the same time winning a host of friends
by his strict attention to the task he had in hand.
Mr. Riecks always took an active
part in local politics, and became recognized as a leader in the west side
political arena for the Republican Party.
Upon the death of Sheriff Sibley in 1911, the board of supervisors
sought the best man in the county to fill the vacancy and offered the position
to Mr. Riecks; and so ably did he fill the responsible office that at the
general election in 1914 he sought the nomination at the polls and won out at
the primary over five opponents. He
succeeded himself in the office again in 1918, and likewise in 1922, after a
hard-fought campaign; the voters were satisfied with results in the past and
returned their favorite to the office.
Mr. Riecks has a force of seventeen deputies, and with the growth of the
population in the county the responsibilities of his office are increasing each
year; but he has so systematized its routine that wonders are accomplished in
the maintaining of law and order. The
deputies under him are all capable and trustworthy men and are loyal to their
chief, who never sends a man where he won’t willingly lead. In maintaining law and order Sheriff Riecks
shows no partiality, and has no favorites to protect; his aim is and has been
to serve the whole people to the best of his ability, and such has been his
success that his popularity is constantly growing.
The marriage of W. H. Riecks united
him with Miss Sarah E. Prather, born in Missouri, but from infancy a resident
of San Joaquin County. With her husband
Mrs. Riecks takes an active interest in community work. Mr. Riecks is a Mason, belonging to the Lodge,
Chapter, Scottish Rite Consistory in Stockton, and to Aahmes Temple, A. A. O.
N. M. S., of Oakland. He is also a
member of the Sciots, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Loyal Order of
Moose, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Knights of Pythias, the Foresters of
America, the Woodmen of the World, Tracy Parlor, and
Native Sons of the Golden West. Since
attaining his majority, Sheriff Riecks has always given his aid in all
enterprises that had for their objective the upbuilding of San Joaquin
County. His activity was especially
noted as a member of the bond-selling committee during the World War.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
613. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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