Philip and Emma Rick
Philip Rick, the popular proprietor of the West Side Hotel at Marion, Illinois, is a native of Baden, Germany, where he was born January 6, 1857. He was reared on a farm and received the thorough and liberal training of the German schools. At 16 years of ago he left school, and coming to America in 1873 entered the service of a Reformed Mennonite Minister at Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois, by the name of John Wickesser for whom he worked on a farm for five years. He then put in four more years for others when he married and rented a farm for seven years.
His wife was Anna Ensey, of Swiss parentage, but American born and reared. They were married December 20, 1882 at lndianapolis, Indiana. She died July 18, 1901 in Morrison, leaving him two children, Jessie, the wife of Dave Bailey, and Earl P. Rick.
In connection with his farm, Mr. Rick ran a general store and Post Office at Ideal, DeKalb County, Illinois. On the 2nd day of March 1902, he married again and this time took Mrs. Willis Roberts, a widow. In September, 1903, he sold out his farm property In Northern Illinois and moving to Marion, Illinois established the West Side Hotel.
His wife, Emma, was born in Posey County, Indiana. February 28, 1853 and was taken to Gibson County by her parents when a child and to Williamson County when seventeen. She married Willis Roberts September 3, 1891 and became a widow. She worked the hotel with her husband Philip and together they ran the most popular travelers’ resort in Marion. He was a Republican and an Adventist.
Emma and Phillip Rick and their son Earl lived at the hotel the whole term of its existence. Phillip served as owner/operator, Emma was the hotel mistress and Earl was a hotel clerk. In April 1936 their son Earl passed away and was buried at Rose Hill cemetery. Emma lasted one year later and died in April 1937 and was buried next to her son.
In January of 1950, Philip passed away and was buried with his wife and son at Rose Hill. This marked the final end of the West End Hotel.
(Data and photo from 1905 Souvenir History, WCHS; Federal Census Records, Marion, Illinois business and street directories, Marion City Cemetery records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 01/31/2013)