Notes for Richard Hughes Rixey

Notes for Richard Hughes Rixey

!US Census 1870 (4 June) Missouri, Clay Co., Liberty Township, Series M593_770 Part 1, Page 753A, line 14: Richard Rixey (b. 1853 - 17 - in MO - Occ: Attending School). **Residing with Philander Locicus (b. 1836 - 34 - in MO - Occ: Judge Circuit Court)

!US Census 1880 Missouri, Platte Co., May Township; FHL Film 1254710; National Archives Film T9-0710; Page 186A: Richard RIXEY (b. Abt 1854 - 26 - in MO - Occ: Farmer - Fa: VA and Mo: NC) married to Lucy RIXEY (b. Abt 1855 - 25 - in MO - Fa: KY and Mo: KY). Also listed are: Eliza BROOKS (b. Abt 1857 - 23 - in MO - Occ: Servant - Fa: MO and Mo: MO); and Jackson FISHER (b. Abt 1845 - 35 - in KY - BLACK - Occ: Farm Hand - Fa: KY and Mo: KY)

Lived in Half Moon Bay, California during the 1930s.

!Obituary: "Lincoln Friend Cremated in Coast Blaze - Stricken, Knocked over oil Stove, Belief Drum Explodes" - "Dick Rixey Sat on Lap of Lincoln"
HALF MOON BAY, April 10, 1940 Richard ("Dick") Rixey, 87 years old Half Moon Bay resident who as a child sat upon the lap of Abraham Lincoln three week before his assassination, was dead today, burned beyond recognition in a fire that destroyed his frame cabin near here last night. Recontructing the tragedy Deputy Corner Aubrey Thompson and Constable Fred Simmone believe Rixey suffered a stroke or heart attack and in falling knocked over a coal oil lamp and stove, immediately making a roaring furnace of the two-room cabin. "Drum Explodes" - A 50 gallon drum of coal oil he kept in reserve exploded and blew out the end of the cabin. Rixey was found on the floor beside the stove, just two feet from a door that led outside. Thompson and Simmons say that he could easily have run or crawled outside had he been conscious the fire was noticed shortly after 9 o'clock by three coastside residents, Pat Cardoza, John Marsh and Paul Peeche, as they were enroute to San Mateo they thought at first it was a barn on the neighboring Marsh Ranch. Rixey's cabin was located on a ranch owned by Frank and Quillie Madonna and was but a short way from the Marsh Ranch. "Told of Illness" - Although usually active despite his years, Rixey had complained the past weekend of not felling so well. He told several friends around Half Moon Bay that if I come up missing don't look for me. After water had been poured on the burning runs of the cabin, all that was found of Rixey was his badly burned body. The arms and legs were completely burned off. Early Yesterday, he took a long hike in the hills back of Half Moon Bay and the exertion could have brought on an attack, according to Simmons. "Tended Bees" - Rixey seldom slept at his cabin on the Madonna Ranch. He made his home with Mrs Minnie Peeche in Half Moon Bay and had lived at the Peeche
Residence the last 19 years. He had bee hives near the scene of last night's tragedy and was often to be found tending the Bees. His cabin on the Madonna Ranch was a half mile east of the new cemetery near Half Moon Bay. Investigating the cabin's ruins this morning. Constable Simmons found Rixey's watch, $3.50 in silver and two pocket knives. At his home in town, $55 in currency was found. "Here Forty Years" - Rixey came to Half Moon Bay 40 years ago, ten years after his wife had died in New Mexico. The two had
moved to New Mexico hopping Mrs Rixey would recover her health. During the years they spent there, Rixey worked as a cow puncher. Coming to Half Moon Bay he turned carpenter. He made some money on his bee hives and for several years had given honey to George Dunn, coastside publisher to distribute to San Mateo County Newspaper editors. Rixey never tired telling of the time, when 12 years of age, when he sat upon Lincoln's lap. "After all these years, I cannot forget his great, sad face" he told The times when the event was recalled by celebration of Lincoln's birthday last February. "Funeral Tomorrow" - "Motion picture attempt to portray Lincoln on the screen but in the two pictures I have seen, they have failed to catch that infinite sadness that shone in his eyes". Lincoln was shot three weeks later and young Rixey saw soldiers looking for Wilkes Booth, the actor who shot Lincoln, in West Virginia Woods. Only known survivors are a niece and a half brother believed in Platte Co., Missouri. Their names Unknown. Funeral services will be held from the Dutra Chapel here tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock with interment at Old fellow's Cemetery.