Isaac Ritter 1823 – 1880 OH

Isaac Ritter was born in 1823 and died 5 August 1880 in Ohio. He was the son of Johannes Ritter, Jr. and Anna Mariah. He married Isabell Fisher. He died 5 august 1880 in Chester, Ohio. Isaac and his wife are buried in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery, Ohio.

Isaac grew up on the farm about five miles north of Wooster and helped his father take care of the farming and other necessary jobs. In those days, the pioneer farmer was truly a jack of all trades, having to do everything himself due to the lack of tradesmen. One of the jobs frequently required was carpentry. Some of Isaac’s brothers were working as carpenters and Isaac learned the trade, also.”[1]He also wrote,“At his new home along Rice Hill Road, Isaac was growing enough food with a garden and peach orchard to feed everyone. His carpentry skills were useful around the Cedar Valley area and helped create some extra income for the family. Isaac was also an accomplished woodworker and built, with his own hands, some of the furniture owned by his children.[2]

Isaac Ritter married Isabell (Fisher) Ritter 16 November 1848.[1]She was the daughter of John and Catherine Fisher of Bethlehem Township, Stark County, Ohio. Isaac and Isabell raised a large family in Wayne County. Larry Knox retells a story of a trip the family took to Kansas as told by their daughter, Mary Catherine,

It was about their trip out to Kansas when she was young. [she]told of the long trip out in a covered wagon and the chore of having to cross the Mississippi River. After they got there, they decided they didn’t like it, so they packed up and came all the way back home.[2]

In 1860 Isaac Ritter and his family were living in Wayne Township, Wayne County, Ohio.[1]  He was a 37 year old carpenter. The census showed three men in Wayne County were involved in “carpentering” and twenty-three involved in furniture and cabinet making that year. There were 237 carpenters in the state.[2] By the time the next census was tallied Isaac was a widower. Isabell (Fisher) Ritter died in childbirth on 8 March 1870.[1]^,[2]Isabell and her child died.

On 14 July 1870 the census taker visited the family.[3]  Isaac was a 40 year old carpenter. His real estate was valued at $300. Eight children were with Isaac: L.B. (Elidia Rebecca), 16; B.A. (Barbary Ann), 14; Amos, 11; L.A., 9 (Elizabeth Ann) E.D. (Eslie D), 7; C.A. (Anthony Casper), 5; M.L. (Matilda Jane), 4; and Philip, 2 years old. We can safely assume that Elidia and Barbary Ann, after the death of their mother, took care of the younger children. Henry Miller was living with the family and helping with the farm work.  In 1870 he married Mary Catherine. For a time Henry and Mary C, (Ritter) Miller raised the younger children.

In 1880 the family was in Chester Township.[1]Four children were listed with Isaac: Eslie, 16; Anthony, 16; Jane, 13; and Phillip, 11 years old.  Isaac was a carpenter. He had consumption.

Isaac died in August 1880 from consumption.[1]  He had been treated by C. J. Warner, M. D. since December 1868. Dr. Warner had visited Isaac many times, giving him medicine and once dressing a wound. Isaac died in August that year. The record of his death says he died on 5 August though his tombstone says tombstone says he died two days later.

Isaac’s land was sold to pay his debts. Read more here.

[1]Record of Deathfor Isaac Ritter, 5 August 1880, Volume 1, Page 118, Wayne

County Probate Court, Court House, 107 West Liberty Street, Wooster, Ohio.

[1]1880 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Ohio; 1880; Compiled by Richard G. Smith 1979,

Published by Wayne County Historical Society Genealogical Section, Wooster, Ohio;

Page 41, #383; State Library of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio. Isaac Ritter.

[1]Death Record for Isabella Ritter, 7 March 1870, Volume, page 14, Wayne

County Probate Court, Court House, 107 W Liberty St., Wooster, Ohio.

[2]Genealogical Section of the Wayne County Historical Society. Wayne County,

Ohio Burial Records. Ohio: Privately printed.

[3]1870 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Ohio; 1870; Volume 60 (1-124); Page

14, Line 9; Family History Center, Loudonville, NY Microfilm #552779.

[1]1860 U. S. Census, Wayne, Wayne Co., Ohio. Isaac Ritter family.

[2]1860 U. S. Special Census, Manufacturing Census, Wayne County, Ohio.

[1]Record of Marriage for Isaac Ritter and Isabella Fisher, 16 November 1848, Volume 4B, Page 383, Wayne County Probate Court, Court House, 107 West Liberty Street, Wooster, Ohio.

[2]Knox, Larry. The Ritter Family.

[1]Knox, Larry. The Ritter Family. Privately Printed, 1999.

[2]Ibid.

1 Isaac Ritter b: 1823, d: 05 Aug 1880 Chester, OH
…… + Isabell Fisher b: 5 Apr 1828 Bethlehem, Stark, Ohio, m: 13 Nov 1848 in Plain Twp., Wayne, Ohio, d: 8 Mar 1870 in Chester, Wayne, OH
…………2 Lovina B. Ritter b: 5 Jan 1850 Chester, Wayne, OH , d: 10 Aug 1850
…………2 John W Ritter b: 19 Dec 1850 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 12 Mar 1932 OH
………… + Ruth Scott b: Oct 1848, m: 13 Apr 1871 Wayne, OH, d: 8 Sep 1900 OH
………………3 Ida A. Ritter b: c 1870 OH
………………3 Susan Ritter b: 29 Dec 1874 Wayne, OH, d: Aug 1918  Wayne, OH
……………… + William Henry Messmore b: 19 Mar 1861, m: 19 Jan 1894 OH
………………3 Nora Gelaina Ritter b: 25 Nov 1876 in Congress, Wayne, Ohio
……………… + James Messmore
………………3 Emma D. Ritter b: 25 Nov 1876 Wayne, OH, d: 19 Oct 1969 OH
……………… + James E Messmore b: 18 Mar 1873, m: 4 Mar 1897 Cleveland, OH
………………3 William Isaac Ritter b: 5 Jul 1879 in Ohio, d: 25 Jul 1961
……………… + Louise Sophia Schultz b: 12 May 1879, m: 12 Dec 1906
………………3 Edith Edna Ritter b: 2 Jul 1881 Wayne, OH, d: Apr 1947
……………… + Herman E. Hagans m: 2 Sep 1897
……………… + Lemuel W. Ulman
………………3 May Melissa Ritter b: 20 Jan 1884 Wayne, OH, d: 16 Nov 1890
………………3 John Charles Ritter b: 23 Sep 1885 Wayne, Ohio, d: 31 Jan 1978
……………… + Jennie Madora Hartsel
………… + Minnie J. Marshman m: 1 May 1919
………… + Mary E. Cobler
…………2 Mary Catherine Ritter b: 24 Feb 1853  Wayne, OH, d: 21 May 1938
………… + Henry C. Miller b: c 1847 OH, m: 15 Jun 1870 OH, d: Bef. 1910
………………3 Charles Henry Miller b: 24 Aug 1871 OH, d: 18 Jun 1949
……………… + Effie Belle Raudebaugh
………………3 William Isaac Miller b: 10 Jan 1873 OH, d: 30 Jun 1949
……………… + Eldora Wagner
………………3 Dora A. Miller b: 10 May 1875 in Ohio, d: 05 May 1941
………………3 Harvey E. Miller b: ABT 1877 in Ohio
………………3 Jonathan J. Miller b: 09 May 1879 OH
………………3 Emma May Miller b: 16 Aug 1880, d: 27 Aug 1880
………………3 Anna Ora Chloe Miller b: 13 Mar 1888, d: 24 Sep 1888
………………3 James Ray Miller b: 30 Jul 1889 in Ohio
………………3 Russel Grover Miller b: 23 Jun 1892 in Ohio
………..2 Elidia Rebecca Ritter b: 30 Jul 1854 Wayne, OH, d: 28 Aug 1912 OH
………… + William Mark b: 26 May 1844  OH, m: 20 Apr 1878 OH, d: 1904  OH
………………3 William M. Mark b: 12 Feb 1877  Wayne, OH, d: Aft. 1920
……………… + Alice  Heacock b: 3 Oct 1880 Ashland, OH, m: 19 Oct 1899 OH
………………3 George Washington Mark b: 1 Apr 1878  OH, d: 16 Oct 1938 OH
……………… + Elizabeth Shifferly b: 1881 OH, m:  1901 OH, d: 3 Sep 1949 OH
………………3 Thomas Kenneth Mark b: 19 Jul 1879 OH, d: 12 Feb 197  OH
……………… + N Regina Gruissy b: 1879 OH, m: 1903 OH, d: 24 May 1959 OH
………………3 Margaret Maude Mark b: 06 Jan 1881 OH, d: 10 Jan 1964 OH
……………… + Ralph C Kauffman b: 1877 OH, m: 1937 OH, d: 12 Nov 1968
……………… + Samuel Martin Jolliff b: 1871 OH, m: 1898 OH, d: 28 Jan 1927
………………3 Emma Jane Mark b: 27 Apr 1882 OH, d: 9 Dec 1961 OH
……………… + Alfred C. Pfeifer
……………… + Elmer Howard Wilson b: 10 Oct 1879 NJ, d: 12 Jul 1959 Delaware
………………3 William Hercules Mark b: 30 Apr 1884 OH, d: 12 Aug 1929 OH
………………3 Mary Jeanette Mark b: 28 Feb 1886 OH, d: 06 May 1940 OH
……………… + John Rickert Shaw b: 13 Jan 1886, m: 12 Jun 1912, d: ABT 1984
………………3 Amos Martin Mark b: 21 Jun 1888 OH, d: 16 Jun 1969 OH
……………… + Lillian Hoverstock b: OH, m: 28 Apr 1914 OH, d: 10 Oct 1975 OH

………………3 Eslie Guy Mark b: 02 Dec 1890 OH, d: 10 May 1972 OH
……………… + Golda Mae Warner b:  OH, m: 15 Apr 1922, d: 25 Mar 1982OH
………………3 Charles Forest Mark b: 2 May 1892OH, d: 30 Apr 1967 in Ohio
……………… + Bertha Flickinger b: 1904 OH, m: 2 Jun 1923 OH d: 1 Jul 2000 OH
………………3 Elva Gale Mark b: 28 Jun 1894  Wayne, OH, d: 12 Jan 1959 OH
……………… + Myron A. Boreman b: ABT 1893 OH, m: 13 Sep 1912 Wayne, OH
………………3 James Everett Mark b: 28 Oct 1896 OH, d: 28 Oct 1968  Ohio
……………… + Effie  Carter b: 15 Feb 1904 OH, m: 31 Dec 1924, d: 5 Apr 1966
…………2 Barbary Ann Ritter b: 07 Feb 1857 Wayne, OH, d: 26 Apr 1928
………… + Allen G. Messmore b: Apr 1830 in Ohio, m: 03 Jun 1880
………………3 David Ellsworth Messmore b: 17 Jan 1876 in Ohio
………………3 Ada Lavina Messmore b: 18 May 1878 in Ohio
……………… + Harvey E Miner m: 1 Apr 1901
………………3 Bertha Messmore b: Aug 1879 Ohio
………………3 Oliver Messmore b: Apr 1881 Ohio
………………3 Clyd Messmore b: Aug 1883 Ohio
………………3 Edward Messmore b: 06 Feb 1886 Ohio
………… + John Mangues
…………2 Amos Ritter b: 19 Dec 1858 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 14 Sep 1953
………… + Emma Levina Smith b: Sep 1862 in Ohio, m: 29 Aug 1880
………………3 Marton Ritter b: 25 May 1880 Ohio
………………3 Mary Ann Levina Ritter b: 16 May 1885 Chester, Wayne, OH
…………2 Elizabeth Ritter b: 25 Dec 1860 in Ohio, d: 01 Jan 1950
………… + William Hawk b: 1847, m: 22 Feb 1880, d: 14 Jan 1915 in Wayne, Ohio
………………3 Gertrude Hawk b: 04 Mar 1877 in Ohio, d: Bef. 1950
……………… + Elmer Califax Raudebaugh
………………3 Forest Emerson Hawk b: 12 Mar 1881 in Ohio, d: 25 Nov 1947
……………… + Millicent Cox
………………3 Lulu Mabel Hawk b: 07 Feb 1884 in Ohio
……………… + George Newton Miller
………………3 William Wellington Hawk b: 26 Aug 1884 in Ohio
………………3 John Ellsworth Hawk b: 10 Jul 1894 in Ohio
……………… + Ethel Miller
………………3 Ruth Naomi Hawk b: 09 Apr 1896 in Ohio
……………… + Milton Guy Currier
…………2 Eslie D. Ritter b: 26 May 1862 in Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 16 Mar 1940
…………2 Anthony Casper Ritter b: 21 Apr 1864 Wayne, OH, d: 8 Dec 1953
………… + Emma Alice Mowrer b: Jan 1860 OH, m: 15 Nov 1883, d: 1937
………………3 Clement Ritter b: 08 Nov 1884 in Congress, Wayne, Ohio
………………3 Elmer William Ritter b: 20 May 1887 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio
……………… + Caroline Cutten
………………3 Harvey Allen Ritter b: 05 Feb 1890 in Wayne, Wayne, Ohio
……………… + Florence Franks
………………3 Fredrick Isaac Ritter b: 17 Jul 1893 Wayne, OH, d: Feb 1975 OH
……………… + Elta Mae Sprankle
………………3 Mary Isabell Ritter b: 30 Mar 1896 in Wayne, Wayne, Ohio
……………… + Archie Monyer
…………2 Matilda Jane Ritter b: 24 Mar 1866 Wayne, OH, d: 27 Feb 1914
………… + Smith Sebastian Boney b: 1841 OH, m: 28 Jun 1889 OH, d: Bef. 1910
………………3 Nellie Boney b: Apr 1890 OH
………………3 Smith Boney b: May 1893 OH
………………3 Ina G. Boney b: Jul 1897 OH
…………2 Philip Ritter b: 30 Apr 1868 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 5 Apr 1950
………… + Mary E. Cornelius m: 21 Apr 1892 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio
………………3 Orpha Isabel Ritter b: Mar 1894 in Ohio
……………… + Thomas G. Bush
………………3 Gertrude Isena Ritter b: 13 Feb 1896 in Polk, Wayne, Ohio, d: 1902
………………3 Infant Ritter b: ABT 1897, d: ABT 1897
………………3 Isaac Cornelius Ritter b: 11 May 1898 OH, d: Aft. 1950
……………… + Florence Edna Younker
…………2 Infant Ritter b: 08 Mar 1870 OH, d: 8 Mar 1870 OH

Learn much more about this family in my book, ‘The Mark Family Story’.