A member of the third generation of the Ricker family sought to transform the family homestead into something more lucrative than a country farm.
Hiram Ricker, born in 1809, came of age during the 1830s, and was the quintessential common man on the make turned ambitious entrepreneur.
He persisted through a string of a half dozen failed business ventures in manufacturing, lumbering, and transportation to preside over Hiram Ricker and Sons, a business empire that included two hotels and a thriving spring water business.