Known As  One record shows Johannes and one shows Johanns; He changed his name to John Rieker sometime after immigrating to America; He appears erroneously as Jacob Rieker in a few records
Notes  There is no known relationship between this John Rieker and the John Rieker who married Elizabeth Petermann and had a daughter Bertha (see Joe & Bertha Breymaier).
Born  Schlierbach, Wurttemberg, Germany
Occupation  Linen weaver
Died  Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County)
Buried  Zoar Cemetery, Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County); Tombstone, which is gone, showed John Rieker
Parents

Father  Johann Jakob RIECKER (1757 Mar 16 - 1825 Feb 6) g.15
Mother  Anna MOLL (1769 Jul 8 - 1834 Jun 7) g.15

Known As  She appears as Ana Maria Braun or Anna Marie Braun in a few records.  Microfilm images of German church records provided in 2017, which have not yet been processed for this website, show her as Anna.
Born  Schlierbach, Wurttemberg, Germany
Died  One record shows August, 1842;  See also Notes, below
Buried  Zoar Cemetery, Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County); Tombstone, which is gone, showed her as wife of John Riecker
Parents

Father  Friedrich BRAUN (b. - d.) g.15
Mother  "Mrs." Margaretha "Braun" [p] (b. - d.) g.15
Notes  It is unclear whether Margaretha was her first name or maiden name.

Number  At least 6, listed chronologically (some family records show 7)
Notes  The first 5 children were probably born in Germany, with the spelling of surname changed to RIEKER or RICKER in America.

Marriage  John NOTTER (1834 Jan 31 - 1895 Aug 25) g.17

Notes  His first name and dates have been assumed by a pair of matching tombstones.  Both are buried in Zoar Cemetery, Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County).

Marriage  Elizabeth "Mrs. Riecker" [p] (1833 - 1912) g.17

Notes  The name is spelled RICKER on both tombstones.  Their marriage has been assumed by a pair of matching "Father" and "Mother" tombstones, both inscribed "At Rest."  Both are buried in Zoar Cemetery, Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County).

Known As  Mary

Marriage  "Mr." LANGLOTZ [p] (b. - d.) g.17

Notes  Christian might not be Irma's child as explained in Notes, below.

Known As  Elis; Some records spell her name Elizabeth
Born  Metzingen, Wurttemberg, Germany
Died  Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County)
Buried  Zoar Cemetery, Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County); Older tombstone, which is gone, showed her as wife of John Rieker; Newer tombstone has name spelled Elizabeth

Number  At least 6, listed chronologically

Born  She was born before John and Elis married.

Born  Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County)
Marriage  Joseph BEITER (ca.1860 - d.) g.17

Notes  Joseph was born in Zoar, Ohio (Tuscarawas County).

Old family legend says John came with other Riekers from Germany to Zoar during its early years, and John married Irma in Zoar.  Modern research disputes this.  A record apparently from his daughter Anna Maria Rieker (g.17) translates as, "In the year of 1840, we traveled to America on June 11."  Lilla (Rieker) Herl's family records show June 8, 1840.  A Schlierbach, Germany, church record for John Rieker shows "with wife and children to N Amerika 1841."  These place their marriage in Germany as well as the births of all their children except Christian.  The church record implies either Irma might have been pregnant with Christian when she left Schlierbach, or else the family arrived in America in 1841.

Christian's mother is presented above based on a mid 20^th Century reinterpretation of conflicting records found then in the Zoar archives.  Those records show Christian born to Irma in 1844 after she died.  The 1842 date for Irma's death is confirmed by Zoar records, family records, her tombstone, and the position of her grave within the chronological burial sequence in the Zoar Cemetery.  Previously, Christian's daughter Emma (Rieker) Harrington taught that he was one of several children born to John and Elis before they married and after Irma died.  (Rosina Rieker was born to them before they married.)  Emma said she personally knew Elis as her grandmother.  Records obtained in 2009 through descendants of John & Eliza Smith show Christian was born October 22, 1841, to Irma ("Ana Maria").  One of these records appears to be from Anna Maria Rieker, Christian's sister.  Military records show he was born in 1841.

Lineages  BEITER, RIEKER/RIECKER

Places  Metzingen, Schlierbach, Zoar, Zoar Cemetery

Sources  CST, TTP, PBH, SSZ, TSR, CCBB, LEH, CTD, Tombstones