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• FamilySearch Id: KHRB-SPN

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• FamilySearch Id: KZGD-Q5M

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RIKERs LISTED IN "National Cyclopaedia of American Biography" 1932, Vol. 22, pg. 61 RIKER, Andrew Lawrence, engineer and inventor, was born in New York city, October 22, 1868, son of William James and Charlotte Lawrence (Stryker) Riker. He was a descendant of Abraham Rycken, a native of Holland who settled in New Amsterdam in 1638: the line of descent from him and his wife Grietje Harmensen running through their son Abraham and his wife Grietje Van Buytenhuysen; their son Andrew and his wife Jane Berrien; their son Samuel and his wife Anna Lawrence; and their son John and his wife Lavinia Smith, his grandparents. Mr. Riker was educated in schools of his native city, and was a student for one year in Columbia University. In 1886, however, he began to devote his entire time to electrical and mechanical engineering, a field in which he had been an original investigator for several years. As early as 1884, he had designed and built an electric tricycle, the first successful vehicle of its kind in America, and to commercialize his inventions in this line founded the Riker Electric Motor Co. in 1888. His experiments with electric motors led to his invention of the first toothed armature, now a recognized structural feature. In 1890 he built the lightest and most compact lighting plant then available for marine work. In 1894 he developed a gasoline propelled tricycle, and an electric racing car, one of the fastest of its type ever built, and in the following year completed the first of his four-wheeled electric cars. He was particularly successful in building high-speed cars, and in 1899 established the world's speed record for electric cars of one mile in sixty-three seconds, which continued unsurpassed for ten years. By 1900, five-ton electric trucks, produced under his direction, were in use in New York city, and several of his early light wagons were in constant service for more than seventeen years. The motors built by the Riker Electric Motor Co. were recognized as standards of construction for vehicle work, many of them being used by other inventors and builders, and imitated in sundry details. Mr. Riker became vice-president of the Locomobile Co. of America, Bridgeport, Conn., in 1902, and designed their first gasoline propelled car, which embodied many features then unfamiliar in America. It had a sliding gear transmission, steel frame, four-cylinder vertical engine with high tension ignition, bronze base, bronze gearcase, and a gear driven electric generator. It was constructed secretly at Chicopee, Mass., and its first appearance in New York city was widely heralded. In 1904 Mr. Riker designed a special ninety horsepower racing car, and in 1906 built several under the old 1,000 kilogram weight limit, which, equipped with large-bore and short-stroke engines, attained speeds of over 100 mph. In 1908 he designed the famous Locomobile No. 16, which, driven by George Robertson in the Vanderbilt Cup race, broke all records, attaining an average speed of sixty-four and one-half miles an hour. During his career he was granted numerous patents on gas engines, dynamos, motors, electric systems, transformers and automobile parts. He had an extensive and intimate knowledge of both the mechanical and the electrical problems involved in automobile design and manufacture. In 1900 he was awarded a medal by the French government for merit in motor-car design. He was appointed to the U. S. naval consulting board in 1915, and was chairman of its committee on internal combustion motors and a member of its committees on aeronautics and transportation. He was a founder of the Society of Automotive Engineers, and its first president (1905-08); a life member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, and member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, British Institute of Automobile Engineers, New York Electrical Society, the Automobile Club of America, and the Engineers, Aero, Transportation, Fairfield County, Pequot Yacht and Pootatuck Yacht clubs. Politically he was a Republican, and was affiliated with the Episcopal church. Mr. Riker was married April 9, 1890 to Edith, daughter of James Raynor Whiting, of New York city, and had four children; Edith Whiting, wife of Bertram Willway Ainsworth, of Bath, England; Charlotte, wife of Hoyt Ogden Perry, of Southport, Conn.; Andrew Lawrence, Jr.; and William James Riker (d. 1910). Mr. Riker died suddenly at Fairfield, Conn., June 1, 1930. [This page was last updated 11/23/01]

Andrew married Whiting, Edith on 9 Apr 1890 in New York, United States. Edith (daughter of Whiting, James Raynor and Allen, Gertrude Ingersoll) was born on 23 Feb 1870 in Spuytendel, Bronx, New York, United States; died on 2 Oct 1933. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Mr. Riker was married April 9, 1890 to Edith, daughter of James Raynor Whiting, of New York city, and had four children; Edith Whiting, wife of Bertram Willway Ainsworth, of Bath, England; Charlotte, wife of Hoyt Ogden Perry, of Southport, Conn.; Andrew Lawrence, Jr.; and William James Riker (d. 1910). Mr. Riker died suddenly at Fairfield, Conn., June 1, 1930.

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• FamilySearch Id: KZ1D-5Z3

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1850; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M432_615; Page: 234A; Image: 475.
/535 James R Whiting 48 male Lawyer $200,000 New York
Catherine 47 fem New York
Eliza 24 fem New York
Harriet 22 fem New York
Mary 17 fem New York
Lydia 76 fem Connecticut
Caroline 34 fem New York
George Camel 38 male Gardener Ireland
Edwin Schofield 37 male Coachman Connecticut cannot read or write
Joseph Houston 19 male laborer Ireland cannot read or write
Barney McLaughlin 49 male laborer Ireland cannot read or write
Fanny Dougherty 55 fem Ireland cannot read or write
Elizabeth Houston 27 fem Ireland cannot read or write
Sarah A Briggs 34 fem New York
Ann Burke 38 fem Ireland cannot read or write
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1860; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M653_880; Page: 633; Image: 638; Family History Library Film: 803880.
1296/1495 Jas R Whiting 58 male Counsellor New York
Catherine 58 fem New York
James 25 male Attorney $$75,000/10,000
Mary 23 fem New York
Caroline Whiting 40 fem New York
Margaret 26 fem Servant Ireland
Jane 30 fem Ireland
Ann 22 fem Ireland
Ellen 25 fem Ireland
Bridget 22 fem Ireland
Joseph 30 male Coachman Ireland
John 28 male Gardener Ireland
William 23 male laborer Ireland
Nicholas 21 male laborer Ireland
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1870; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M593_1116; Page: 499A; Image: 345; Family History Library Film: 552615.
102/103 Whiting Jas R 68 male white Lawyer $6000/25,000 Conn
Catherine 68 fem white Keeping House Long Island
Jas 40 male white Lawyer New York
McKibb Ann 28 fem white Laundress Ireland
Raymond John 25 male black waiter Maryland
Prentice Isabell 40 fem white Cook Ireland
103 Paint Store
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James married Allen, Gertrude Ingersoll on 18 Nov 1868 in Spuyten Duyvil, Bronx, New York, United States. Gertrude (daughter of Allen, Horatio Philanzo and Ingersoll, Hannah Jervis) was born in 1839 in Spuytendel, Bronx, New York, United States; died on 9 May 1882. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch Id: 9WTN-F8G

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1860; Census Place: Poughkeepsie, Dutchess, New York; Roll M653_740; Page: 832; Image: 147; Family History Library Film: 803740.
1020/1115 Augustus L Allen 50 male Farmer $20,000/2500 New york

Notes:

New York City Marriages, 1600s-1800s about Gertrude Allen
Name: Gertrude Allen
Spouse Name: James Whiting
Marriage Date: 1868
Marriage Place: Manhattan, New York, New York

Marriage ID: 2220784170
Certificate Number: 7351
Other Comments: See Family History Library catalog for films 1543971-1562446 (Manhattan) and Film 1653852 (Brooklyn), for actual certificate.

Source: Marriage Registers, Extracts from Manhattan (1869-1880) and Brooklyn (1895-1897)
Publisher: Dept. of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, New York.
Publication Place: New York, NY

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• FamilySearch Id: LH5V-DT5

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1830 U S Census: New York Ward 7, New York, New York, Page: 10; NARA Roll: M19-97; Family History Film: 0017157.
James R Whiting
Male 15 to 20: 1
Male 20 to 30: 1
Fem under 5 years of age: 1
Fem of 5 and under 10: 2
Fem 20 to 30: 2
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1840; Census Place: New York Ward 7, New York, New York; Roll 301; Page: 102; Image: 207; Family History Library Film: 0017195.
Seymour Whiting
male of 40 and under 50 :1
fem of 20 and under 30:2
fem of 40 and under 50:1
James R Whiting
male under 05: 1
male of 30 under 40:1
fem under 05: 1
fem 05 and under 10: 1
fem 10 and under 15: 2
fem 20 and under 30: 4
fem 30 and under 40: 2
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1850; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M432_615; Page: 234A; Image: 475.
/535 James R Whiting 48 male Lawyer $200,000 New York
Catherine 47 fem New York
Eliza 24 fem New York
Harriet 22 fem New York
Mary 17 fem New York
Lydia 76 fem Connecticut
Caroline 34 fem New York
George Camel 38 male Gardener Ireland
Edwin Schofield 37 male Coachman Connecticut cannot read or write
Joseph Houston 19 male laborer Ireland cannot read or write
Barney McLaughlin 49 male laborer Ireland cannot read or write
Fanny Dougherty 55 fem Ireland cannot read or write
Elizabeth Houston 27 fem Ireland cannot read or write
Sarah A Briggs 34 fem New York
Ann Burke 38 fem Ireland cannot read or write
========================================================================
1860; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M653_880; Page: 633; Image: 638; Family History Library Film: 803880.
1296/1495 Jas R Whiting 58 male Counsellor New York
Catherine 58 fem New York
James 25 male Attorney $$75,000/10,000
Mary 23 fem New York
Caroline Whiting 40 fem New York
Margaret 26 fem Servant Ireland
Jane 30 fem Ireland
Ann 22 fem Ireland
Ellen 25 fem Ireland
Bridget 22 fem Ireland
Joseph 30 male Coachman Ireland
John 28 male Gardener Ireland
William 23 male laborer Ireland
Nicholas 21 male laborer Ireland
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1870; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M593_1116; Page: 499A; Image: 345; Family History Library Film: 552615.
102/103 Whiting Jas R 68 male white Lawyer $6000/25,000 Conn
Catherine 68 fem white Keeping House Long Island
Jas 40 male white Lawyer New York
McKibb Ann 28 fem white Laundress Ireland
Raymond John 25 male black waiter Maryland
Prentice Isabell 40 fem white Cook Ireland
103 Paint Store

James married Gale, Catharine in 1834 in New York, United States. Catharine was born in 1803 in New York, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

1850; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M432_615; Page: 234A; Image: 475.
/535 James R Whiting 48 male Lawyer $200,000 New York
Catherine 47 fem New York
Eliza 24 fem New York
Harriet 22 fem New York
Mary 17 fem New York
Lydia 76 fem Connecticut
Caroline 34 fem New York
George Camel 38 male Gardener Ireland
Edwin Schofield 37 male Coachman Connecticut cannot read or write
Joseph Houston 19 male laborer Ireland cannot read or write
Barney McLaughlin 49 male laborer Ireland cannot read or write
Fanny Dougherty 55 fem Ireland cannot read or write
Elizabeth Houston 27 fem Ireland cannot read or write
Sarah A Briggs 34 fem New York
Ann Burke 38 fem Ireland cannot read or write
========================================================================
1860; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M653_880; Page: 633; Image: 638; Family History Library Film: 803880.
1296/1495 Jas R Whiting 58 male Counsellor New York
Catherine 58 fem New York
James 25 male Attorney $$75,000/10,000
Mary 23 fem New York
Caroline Whiting 40 fem New York
Margaret 26 fem Servant Ireland
Jane 30 fem Ireland
Ann 22 fem Ireland
Ellen 25 fem Ireland
Bridget 22 fem Ireland
Joseph 30 male Coachman Ireland
John 28 male Gardener Ireland
William 23 male laborer Ireland
Nicholas 21 male laborer Ireland
==========================================================================
1870; Census Place: Yonkers, Westchester, New York; Roll M593_1116; Page: 499A; Image: 345; Family History Library Film: 552615.
102/103 Whiting Jas R 68 male white Lawyer $6000/25,000 Conn
Catherine 68 fem white Keeping House Long Island
Jas 40 male white Lawyer New York
McKibb Ann 28 fem white Laundress Ireland
Raymond John 25 male black waiter Maryland
Prentice Isabell 40 fem white Cook Ireland
103 Paint Store

Horatio married Ingersoll, Hannah Jervis. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]