Historical Society House

Jefferson and Martha Richcreek purchased land from Jacob Dirk in 1881. They ordered a prefab Queen Anne-style house from the George Barber Company of Knoxville, TN. The home, Design Number 56, then cost between $2,400 and $2,700. The house was shipped in parts to North Baltimore on the B & O railroad and was assembled by a local builder in 1895.

Jefferson Richcreek was one of North Baltimore’s earliest entrepreneurs, having been an undertaker, owning a furniture store, and a drug and toy store. He was also one of the founders and builders of the First National Bank, and the village Treasurer. Jefferson may have been one of North Baltimore’s earliest scoundrels as well. In spite of early success in North Baltimore, Jefferson Richcreek ran into financial problems due to bad investments during the oil boom. This led him to embezzle money from the First National Bank where he worked, to repay money he had embezzled from the Village as treasurer. He then set his furniture store on fire to collect the insurance money. He was caught for all three misdeeds and ended up in the village jail. Jefferson left town disgraced and divorced, ending up in Oklahoma, where he died in poverty.

The home has served as the residence for many notable citizens in North Baltimore until 1948, when the Disciples of Christ Church purchased it. It was the church parsonage and housed several ministers, including Rev. James Carter, and hosted many weddings.

William Ankney bought the home in 1976.

In 1998, the North Baltimore Public Library purchased the house with the involvement of Bonnie Knaggs and the support of Dr. Ralph Wolfe and other community members. The Society was established and has remained at this location as a result of the ongoing support provided by the Library Board, Directors, and Staff.

Original Oak Stairway

Lattice Transom

Sad Tale of Jefferson Richcreek
By Margaret Bobb
June 2025

Jefferson Richcreek first came to North Baltimore shortly after his marriage to Martha Pickett in the Fall of 1874. Jefferson “Jeff” Richcreek's life might be considered to be a story of rags to riches. He was born in 1849 on his parents' farm in Muskingum County and was trained as a carpenter. Upon coming to NB he immediately became involved in the growth of the area. In 1884 the Richcreek's purchased the property at 229 N. Main Street but of the Victorian house did not begin until 1894 and was completed in 1895.

In August 1888 Richcreek went into business operating a drug store which was one of the first in Wood County. He also operated a furniture and hardware store and became the village's undertaker. In those days it was common for undertakers to also sell furniture due to the fact that they employed individuals to construct wooden caskets and these people could also make wooden furniture pieces.

He was one of the founding officers, a prominent stockholder, and vice-president of the First National Bank which was organized in 1890. He also elected Village Treasurer in 1895. He became known as one of the wealthiest gentlemen in the county and was well-known throughout the area.

And then his problems began....

due to poor investments in connection with the Oil Boom Richcreek found himself in financial difficulty in 1896. This led to him stealing money from the village's accounts. Repayment became necessary at the end of his term as treasurer due to the fact that he felt his crime would be discovered. So, he embezzled money from the First National Bank (with the knowledge and assistance of at least two other officers of the bank) to return the money to the village. To remedy the situation with the bank, Richcreek and his furniture store manager, William Bryant, came up with a scheme to collect the insurance on the store to cover the debt to the bank. At that time the village had electricity however it was not operational at all times of the day, but was turned on in the evening only. Bryant and Richcreek came up with a scheme in which they wrapped the light bulbs in the store with tissue paper held with rubber bands. When the electricity came on the bulbs became very hot and caught fire … and the burning tissue paper fell into the fell into the combustible materials they had piled under the light fixture.

Richcreek attempted to re-establish his furniture business but was unsuccessful and eventually went to Alabama and then of Okmulgee, Oklahoma where he died in a boarding house of a sunstroke suffered while working on the town's roads.

In the meantime, Richcreek went to the insurance office to make sure that his account was paid-up and then went to Findlay where he spent several hours in a bar. He eventually returned to NB to discover that his furniture store had been destroyed by fire. Richcreek collected the insurance money and purchased a furniture store in Toledo which he operated for a short time. The scheme was not discovered until 1903!

Bryant and Richcreek were found guilty of arson and insurance fraud. Richcreek served a short term in the Wood County Jail but was allowed to come and go as he pleased and given a job painting the jail building during his incarceration. He was forced to file for bankruptcy and lost the home he had built for his family at 229 N. Main Street. Interestingly, the gentlemen who purchased the Richcreek home, and lived there for many years, was one of the bank officer “accomplices” who was aware of the embezzlement at the time it happened. A few years later Martha Richcreek filed for divorce claiming cruelty and she moved to Toledo. A newspaper article of the time states that Jefferson “brained” his wife with a large piece of coal during an argument. There were also several accusations of Martha having gentlemen callers, some of whom were prominent residents, when Jefferson was out of town several on business.

The End

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