Gazlay Family History
 

FamilyDavid Swing Ricker

DIRECT DESCENDANT OF JOHN GAZLAY (from England c.1715)
David Swing Ricker7 (Mary Swing,6 David Swing,5 Karenda Gazlay,4 James Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)

Parents

FatherJewett E. Ricker (1 November 1847 - 9 June 1925)
MotherMary Ann Swing (22 March 1856 - 1 September 1930)

Personal Information

Record Created: 2 August 2012; Last Edited: 3 February 2022 
Person ID4051
NameDavid Swing Ricker
GenderMale
Born 29 April 1878 in Oxford, Butler County, Ohio1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Married 27 January 1904 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to Elizabeth Shay10
Divorced ca. June 1909 from Elizabeth Shay11
Married 18 November 1909 in Seattle, King County, Washington to Madge Voe (born Marion Seaman)12
Married 9 December 1913 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon to Layne Virginia Donaldson1, 8, 13, 14
Married ca. 1925 to Hope Dare (born Rosie Luetzsinger)15
Died 2 June 1929 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California2, 3, 16
Buried in Elmhurst Cemetery, Joliet, Will County, Illinois2

Biography

David was a newspaper journalist in Chicago, Los Angeles, the Northwest, and Canada. Born in Oxford, Ohio, he was educated in the Chicago public schools. He graduated from Harvard University in 1902, and spent two years in sociological studies in New York. David joined the staff of the Chicago Evening Post around 1902, and he was the educational editor of the Chicago Tribune 1904-7. He was a frequent contributor to economic and educational reviews and articles. In 1905 he wrote “Unionizing the Schoolteachers,” describing the movement by Margaret Haley to create a national federation of teachers, a union of working women. David “cast his imagination 66 years into the future and saw a Chicago of 10 million souls.” His article included a map showing how the metropolis would expand, and his discussion touched on the future of transportation, communications, environment, education, and public services. His essay “The Making of Millionaires” was used in a 1909 Business Administration textbook. David lived and worked in British Columbia, Canada, for several years starting in 1910, and was the editor there of a weekly news magazine, Public Opinion. An article in 1912 announcing the publication called him “one of the best known newspapermen in America,” and mentions that he was the former editor of the Chicago Daily Tribune, and founder of The Red Book, The Blue Book, Opportunity Magazine of Chicago, and the Chicago Saturday Times. He was editor of Man-to-Man Magazine (later called British Columbia Magazine). Other ventures included promotion manager for Hearst newspapers on the Pacific Coast for eight years; director of advertising and circulation for The Picture Press (1920); and western exploitation manager of the Select Pictures Corporation, distributors of Selznick Pictures.16, 17, 18

David was married at least four times. His first marriage, to Elizabeth Shay, produced his only known child and ended in divorce in mid-1909. His wife initiated the divorce, having discovered his affair with Margaret Voe (purportedly born Marion Vantine, and also called Madge Voe), a vaudeville and stage actress. The marriage in Seattle between D. Ricker and Madge Seaman in November, 1909, is believed to be David and Madge Voe, although her use of the surname Seaman has not been explained. The 1910 U.S. Federal Census shows David and “Madge S. Ricker” living together in Seattle. The middle initial “S” may imply that her middle name or surname was Seaman, either by birth or previous marriage. On 17 September 1910, David Swing Ricker (“of Vancouver publisher”) and Madge Voe Ricker (“of Vancouver, married woman”) applied for permission to purchase 640 acres of land in the Cariboo Land District, British Columbia, Canada. Although no record has been found, he must have divorced Madge in 1912-13, and married Layne Virginia Donaldson in late 1913 in Oregon. A series of newspaper articles in 1914 trace their travels by foot from Vancouver, British Columbia, to San Diego, California, associated with David’s work “for the purpose of gathering data on the preparedness of the Pacific Coast for the growth of business and population expected to follow the opening of the Panama Canal.” His reporting is generally favorable to the conditions and towns along their route, although other reporters were critical of his accounts. David and Layne lived in Los Angeles in 1920, according to the U.S. Federal Census. David’s fourth marriage, to Rosie Luetzsinger (aka Hope Dare, actress) around 1925, is alluded to in newspaper articles about her subsequent marriage in 1939 to Julius Richard “Dixie” Davis, notorious racketeer associated with Dutch Shultz, New York City mobster, and their gang.6, 11, 15, 19, 20

David died on 2 June 1929 in Santa Monica, California, after an operation for appendicitis.16

Person/Family

Spouse 1FamilyElizabeth Shay (daughter of Thomas J. Shay and Ella C. Spurck)
Born 17 February 1881 in Illinois
Married 27 January 1904 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to David Swing Ricker
Died June 1970 in Monterey County, California
  
Children of David Swing Ricker and Elizabeth Shay:
  
+1.FamilyElizabeth Anne Ricker
Born 10 March 1907 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Married 18 August 1934 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to Charles Shepard Reed, Jr.
Died 14 March 1968 in Santa Clara County, California
  
Spouse 2FamilyMadge Voe (born Marion Seaman) (daughter of John Seaman and Jessie Devoe)
Born ca. 1884 in Illinois
Married 18 November 1909 in Seattle, King County, Washington to David Swing Ricker
Married 28 July 1921 in Manhattan, New York City, New York to Peyton Beattie Locker
  
Spouse 3FamilyLayne Virginia Donaldson (daughter of John D. Donaldson and Caroline Layne Hackney)
Born 28 May 1883 in Cleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee
Married 9 December 1913 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon to David Swing Ricker
Married 10 June 1925 in Los Angeles, California to Archie Tipton Parker
Died 8 April 1956 in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas
  
Spouse 4FamilyHope Dare (born Rosie Luetzsinger) (daughter of William A. ‘Ignas’ Luetzsinger and Sarah ‘Dollie’ McCarty)
Born 9 October 1908 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa
Married ca. 1925 to David Swing Ricker
Married 6 August 1939 in Nyack, Rockland County, New York to Julius Richard ‘Dixie’ Davis
Died 31 March 1999 in Henderson, Clark County, Nevada
  

Sources

  1. Draft Registration Card, World War I, David Swing Ricker, Serial Number 7262, Order Number 5182, age 38; born: 29 April 1880; occupation: newspaper, Republican Paper, Fresno, California; nearest relative: wife, Mrs. L. D. Ricker. Both the 1880 and 1900 U.S. Federal Census records indicate he was born in 1878, not 1880.
  2. Find a Grave (website). Elmhurst Cemetery, Joliet, Will County, Illinois, David Swing Ricker, born: 1878; died: 1929 (from record).
  3. California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994, Los Angeles County, Standard Certificate of Death, David Swing Ricker, died: 2 June 1929 in Santa Monica; born: 29 April 1880 in Oxford, Ohio; age: 49 years 1 month 3 days; married; wife: Rose Ricker; occupation: publisher, Los Angeles Examiner; father: Jewett E. Ricker, born in Ohio; mother: Mary Swing, born in Oxford, Ohio; place of burial: Joliet, Illinois.
  4. U.S. Federal Census, 1880, Ohio, Butler County, Oxford Village, E.D. 27, Page No. 33, Jewett E. Ricker, 31, Ohio, bank clerk; wife Mary A. Ricker, 24, Ohio; son D. Swing [sic, erroneously indexed as Sonny] Ricker, 2, Ohio.
  5. U.S. Federal Census, 1900, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, E.D. 721, Sheet No. 7A, Jewett E. Ricker, 50, Ohio, November 1849; wife of 25 years Mary Ricker, 44, Ohio, March 1856, 2 children, 2 living; son David S. Ricker, 22, Ohio, April 1878 reporter; son Jewett E. Ricker, Jr., 14, Illinois, March 1886, at school; servant Anna Pearson, 23, Sweden, May 1877, servant; servant Delia Monahan, 28, Ireland, April 1872, servant.
  6. U.S. Federal Census, 1910, Washington, King County, Seattle City, E.D. 95, Sheet No. 9A, border David S. Ricker, 28, Ohio, editor, magazine; border [wife of 1 year] Madge S. Ricker, 26, Illinois, no children. David’s age here is low by several years.
  7. Canada Census, 1911, British Columbia, Vancouver City, District No. 12, Enumeration District No. 7, Page 21, border David S. Ricker, 31, U. States, April 1880, adver agent; wife Madge Voe Ricker, 24, U. States, Dec. 1886.
  8. U.S. Federal Census, 1920, California, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles City, E.D. 476, Sheet No. 1A, Layne D. Ricker, F, 36, Tennessee; David S. Ricker, 40, Ohio, director of publicity, motion pict. stud.
  9. The First Five Generations of the Swing Family in America, compiled by Albert H. Swing and Harry P. Swing, April 1961. Available at Heritage Quest Online. This document provides numerous biographical and vital details, but there are few references cited for any of the information.
  10. Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920; David S. Ricker, 25, and Elizabeth Shay, 22, married on 27 January 1904 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
  11. Divorce Filing, The Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, 5 June 1909, Husband’s Misconduct Told By Mrs. David Swing Ricker. The article discusses Mrs. Elizabeth Shay Ricker’s testimony in the trial of her divorce suit against her husband, David Swing Ricker, that they were married on 27 January 1904 and separated in April 1908. They have one daughter, Elizabeth Ann Ricker, age 2 years. Mrs. Ricker said she found her husband living with another woman, Margaret Voe.
  12. Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008, County of King, Certificate of Marriage, No. 29823, D. Ricker of County of King, and Madge Seaman of New York City, married on 18 November 1909 in Seattle, King County, Washington.
  13. Oregon Marriage Indexes, 1906-2008/2009, David Lewing [sic, believed to be a mis-reading of Swing] Ricker, married on 9 December 1913 in Multnomah County, Oregon. In a separate entry, Layne Virginia Donaldson, married on the same day and place.
  14. Morning Register, Eugene, Oregon, 10 January 1914, David Swing Ricker and Pretty Bride on Unique Wedding Tour. The article indicates David and his wife were “married in Portland one month ago yesterday” and discusses their plan to cover the entire Pacific Coast on foot as part of David’s work to report on the conditions of towns on the coast. Much of the article gives Mrs. Ricker’s personal experiences during the journey.
  15. Marriage Intentions, Daily News, New York, New York, 5 March 1939, Hope Dare, Dixie Davis Will Wed, Then Separate, It Seems. The article provides details on the intention for the two to wed, prior to the sentencing of Dixie Davis after pleading guilty to conspiracy to contrive and operate a racket, and his testimony against James J. (Jimmy) Hines for racketeering. The article also provides biographical details about Hope Dare, her family background, marriage to David Swing Ricker at age 17, winning beauty contests, her work in the Follies, and meeting Dixie Davis and exposure to the world of gangsters.
  16. Obituary, Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois. 4 June 1929, David Swing Ricker, died 2 June 1929 in Santa Monica. Article cites a 2 June 1929 article from Los Angeles, California, which provides biographical details and the names of some of his survivors.
  17. Business Administration, Text Prepared by 400 of the Foremost Educators, Business and Professional Men in America. Chicago, DeBower Chapline Company, Publishers of University Textbooks, 1909. Page 299, The Making of Millionaires, by David Swing Ricker. The article leads with a summary of his education and business accomplishments.
  18. The Daily News, New Westminster, British Columbia, 14 February 1912, Page Five, New Weekly Magazine. Article about the new magazine, Public Opinion, edited by David Swing Ricker. The article indicates he arrived in B.C. two years previous, and provides information about several of his business ventures.
  19. The British Columbia Gazette, Volume L, No. 48, Victoria, 1 December, 1910, Land Notices, pages 13706 and 13752, David Swing Ricker and Madge Voe Ricker. Available at Internet Archive (website: archive.org).
  20. The Coos Bay Times, Marshfield, Oregon, 24 January 1914, Noted Writer Reaches City. David Swing and Wife Tramping Coast, Pleased With Marshfield.