Ficken was an amateur athlete and a member of the
New York Athletic Club. In 1876, he was
national champion in the
high jump and, in 1877 and 1878, he was champion in the high jump as well as the
120 yards hurdles, though he later retired from competition. In 1883, he was chosen architect of the club's new building, though his design was eventually rejected due to cost. After construction began on a more expensive building designed by
Charles W. Clinton, Ficken sued for and was awarded his full professional fee. Ficken married twice. He married his first wife Josephine Hubbard in 1880. She died in 1886 soon after giving birth to twin daughters, Margery and Dorothy. In 1889, he married Mary Beck Goddard, as her second husband. Dorothy married Frederick W. Gwynne and had three children. One of them,
Fred Gwynne, would become a noted actor. Ficken served fifteen years in the
New York National Guard, and during
World War I, he served in the
Office of the Inspector General. Ficken died January 26, 1929, at home in
New York City. ==Legacy==