The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-21
r II OF sIXTY.sIx.
Married Five Times on his Journey 20
Mormondom and seven Times Afterward.

From the Chicago later. Ocean,
CHEYENNE, wyo., Jan. lO-ln the valley of
the Snake River, near where that stream forms
the boundary line between Wyoming and Idaho,
lives the father OF the largest family on tie Amerl
can continent, and probably In The world The
owner OF this unique distinction is Heber Y Kicks,
one OF the faithful followers In religion and prac-
tees Of The late Brigham Young, Reliable per
sons who have known Kicks for many years say
he has twelve wives and sixty SIX children. Many
Of his sons and daughters have long since taken
unto themselves %helpmatcs for life, and 10 these
have been born 2iS children, thereby bringing
the number Of souls in the Kicks family. exclusive
Of the venerable father himself, up 10 POO
The members Of the Kicks family are scattered
over a stretch OF country fourteen miles long by
two miles vide. Hebcr Kicks has an even dozen
ranches. which. with those Of the sons and daugh-
,crs, make quite a good sized settlement In the
centre OF this settlement a town called Ricksyllle
has been established. Here are located u general
store and a church, the latter being the largest
as well as. the most substantial building In the
Kicks empire. During week days the church ~
employed teacher usually one OF the Kicks daugh-
ters) labors with the descendants of Heber y.
On Sundays, and no, unirequenuy Of an evening
services, which are, of course strictly Mormon,
are held These religious meetings are usually
presided over by the elder Kicks, and are very in
teres,ins, being conducted in that manner peculiar
10 the Mormon faith. In case OF the absence OF
the Bishop" as the head Of the family IN known
in the settlement. az is frequently the case when
he makes a visit TO one OF his wives living In the
| Of the sons viii hll the pulpit and preach the doe
trine Of his father
Hcber z Kicks is a giant in form and strength,
| although he is n years old, Little or nothing Is
known Of his boyhood, except that, he was reared
on n farm in western New York, He has never
been known to say much about his early life other
than that he landed in ST Louis In 1912 From
that city he went 10 a small settlement In the
vicinity, Of where Independence, Mo, now stands,
where he Joined the Mormon Church, \ little
hand of Mornons, with Kicks al their head, let,
the place early in the spring Of lsiS and turned
their faces toward Utah, Brigham Young
party Of 225. persons had gone on the previous
year and had left q faint Trail, which Kicks and
his party followed with great difficulty. This
trail led them across the State Of Nebraska along
the Platte River, up thu Big Laramie River, and
across the State Of Wyoming by way Of Fort
Laramie, and on into the valley Of the great Sal
When Kicks left Missouri. it is said. he was
a single man, hut when he and his party reached
better halves. Settling near Sal, Lake, Rick,
continued 10 take unto himself additional wives
until he had ten. Early IN the year 1850, viii
the number Of his wives increased To twelve. Rick
pulled up stakes and moved across the noun
iains through Eastern Idaho TO the valley OF Snak,
River. There upon one Of the most tertl'
! spots 10 De IOunu on te comment ne eShbllSnet
himself. The first few years were ones Of grea'
activity for Kicks and his already large family
For a time all lived in one large house, which was
hastily erected, butlater twelve houses. composed
Of roughly hewn logs. were constructed atdliIerent
points along the river To these were added. IL
due time, barns, corrals, and other outbuildings
and in a few years Ricksville was something
more than a name,
While the population in the vicinity Of thi
settlement is distinctly Kicks, there are a larg
number Of families Of other names. The settle
~ Inap nat HifFay in thiG gtag n in ANY ptba
from any Mormon settlement In Utah, Wyoming
or Idaho, and a visitor, were he not familiar wit
the history Of the Kicks family, would nevp
suspect that IIeber 4. Is the father Of so man,
children.