Henry B Ritter and his third wife (our descendant) Mary Voigt RitterHenry B Ritter was born September 17th, 1835 in Kirchheim an der eck, Germany and was the son of Christian and Philipina Oswald Ritter, brother to Jakob (July 1st, 1830), Christian (1832), Philip J (September 17th, 1837) and Elisabeth (January 8th, 1845), another brother (eldest) also named Heinrich died when he was four years old.
At the age of nineteen, Henry immigrated to the state of Ohio where two of his brothers (Jakob & Christian) immigrated at an earlier date. In Ohio, he worked for two years on his brother's farm before at the request of his cousin Philip J Ritter, he moved to Philadelphia. He worked just six months at his cousin's Philadelphian company before he resigned. After he left Philip's company, he worked as a driver then conductor on a street railroad before he decided to go in business for himself.
Henry opened a hotel and saloon in the Manayunk Section of Philadelphia.
The interesting thing about Henry is that he was married four times with all four wives dying before he met his own death in April of 1893. His first wife, Mary Meiers died April 3rd, 1862. They had no children together. His second wife, Wilhelmina Hasserrick died October 4th, 1871. They had three children. However, only two survived. They are Anna Mary born March 28th, 1868 and Charles born October 14th, 1870.
But it is Henry's third wife, Mary Voigt that makes the connection with our family. The Voigts were the cousins of the Kellers and John Keller ( my great great grandfather) was our direct ancestor.
Henry and Mary Voigt Ritter had five children together before Mary died on June 12th, 1884. They are John Gottlieb (February 18th, 1874), Josephina (September 8th, 1875), Dorethea Elizabeth (June 3rd, 1877), Philip J (September 14th, 1878) and Louisa (August 4th, 1882).
Henry's fourth and final wife, Elizabeth Mary Bichlein died May 31st, 1892. They had three children together, Frederick John (June 20th, 1886), William Washington (April 24th, 1887) and Hermina (August 17th, 1890).
When Henry died in 1893, his two children from his marriage to Mary Voigt, John Gottlieb ( age 19) and Dorethea Elizabeth (age 16) assumed responsibility of Henry's hotel and saloon business and all the younger children. However, in 1899 the business proved not to be successful so he gained employment at his cousin's place, The Philip J Ritter Conserve Company where he worked various positions before he landed the position of Salesman for the City of Philadelphia.
Some personal information about Henry B Ritter and his son John Gottlieb. Henry was of dark complexion with dark eyes and a moustache. He was 5 "9" tall and his first position in Germany was a wine, fruit and grain farmer. He was baptized in the Protestant church and was a member of the Masonic Order.
John Gottlieb was 6' tall, well built with dark hair and dark eyes. He was near sighted so he wore glasses.
In the 1800's Manayunk/Roxborough was often referred to as the suburbs of the city even though it was actually part of the city. In the 1800's, Frankford was often referred to as the city and after John and Dorethea closed the hotel and saloon in Manayunk in 1899, they are referred to as moving from the suburbs (Manayunk) to the city (Frankford) to be closer to the Philip J Ritter Conserve Company which of course was located in the Frankford Section of Philadelphia.
I have alot more information about the Ritter family which I will share at a later date. I also have a photograph of Henry and Mary Voigt Ritter (Mary was a very pretty woman) and two of their children John and Dorethea which I also will share at a later date.
I want to mention that all of the above information was taken from a book originally written in 1905 by Philip John Ritter in Philadelphia PA. The book is called the Family Register of George Christian Ritter of Leiningen, Rheinpfalz, Baiern, Germany and his descendants from 1735 to 1905. which was sent to me by one of our distant cousins Curtis Arnold Ritter who along with Robert West Ritter reprinted it in 1996. The original author of this book was the brother of Curtis's great great grandfather Christian. Curtis is currently an attorney at Dow, Lohnes & Albertson in Washington, D. C. However, he was born and raised right here in Roxborough.
At the age of nineteen, Henry immigrated to the state of Ohio where two of his brothers (Jakob & Christian) immigrated at an earlier date. In Ohio, he worked for two years on his brother's farm before at the request of his cousin Philip J Ritter, he moved to Philadelphia. He worked just six months at his cousin's Philadelphian company before he resigned. After he left Philip's company, he worked as a driver then conductor on a street railroad before he decided to go in business for himself.
Henry opened a hotel and saloon in the Manayunk Section of Philadelphia.
The interesting thing about Henry is that he was married four times with all four wives dying before he met his own death in April of 1893. His first wife, Mary Meiers died April 3rd, 1862. They had no children together. His second wife, Wilhelmina Hasserrick died October 4th, 1871. They had three children. However, only two survived. They are Anna Mary born March 28th, 1868 and Charles born October 14th, 1870.
But it is Henry's third wife, Mary Voigt that makes the connection with our family. The Voigts were the cousins of the Kellers and John Keller ( my great great grandfather) was our direct ancestor.
Henry and Mary Voigt Ritter had five children together before Mary died on June 12th, 1884. They are John Gottlieb (February 18th, 1874), Josephina (September 8th, 1875), Dorethea Elizabeth (June 3rd, 1877), Philip J (September 14th, 1878) and Louisa (August 4th, 1882).
Henry's fourth and final wife, Elizabeth Mary Bichlein died May 31st, 1892. They had three children together, Frederick John (June 20th, 1886), William Washington (April 24th, 1887) and Hermina (August 17th, 1890).
When Henry died in 1893, his two children from his marriage to Mary Voigt, John Gottlieb ( age 19) and Dorethea Elizabeth (age 16) assumed responsibility of Henry's hotel and saloon business and all the younger children. However, in 1899 the business proved not to be successful so he gained employment at his cousin's place, The Philip J Ritter Conserve Company where he worked various positions before he landed the position of Salesman for the City of Philadelphia.
Some personal information about Henry B Ritter and his son John Gottlieb. Henry was of dark complexion with dark eyes and a moustache. He was 5 "9" tall and his first position in Germany was a wine, fruit and grain farmer. He was baptized in the Protestant church and was a member of the Masonic Order.
John Gottlieb was 6' tall, well built with dark hair and dark eyes. He was near sighted so he wore glasses.
In the 1800's Manayunk/Roxborough was often referred to as the suburbs of the city even though it was actually part of the city. In the 1800's, Frankford was often referred to as the city and after John and Dorethea closed the hotel and saloon in Manayunk in 1899, they are referred to as moving from the suburbs (Manayunk) to the city (Frankford) to be closer to the Philip J Ritter Conserve Company which of course was located in the Frankford Section of Philadelphia.
I have alot more information about the Ritter family which I will share at a later date. I also have a photograph of Henry and Mary Voigt Ritter (Mary was a very pretty woman) and two of their children John and Dorethea which I also will share at a later date.
I want to mention that all of the above information was taken from a book originally written in 1905 by Philip John Ritter in Philadelphia PA. The book is called the Family Register of George Christian Ritter of Leiningen, Rheinpfalz, Baiern, Germany and his descendants from 1735 to 1905. which was sent to me by one of our distant cousins Curtis Arnold Ritter who along with Robert West Ritter reprinted it in 1996. The original author of this book was the brother of Curtis's great great grandfather Christian. Curtis is currently an attorney at Dow, Lohnes & Albertson in Washington, D. C. However, he was born and raised right here in Roxborough.
1 comment:
My wife's family descended from these Ritters. I would love to get a copy of the original or the 1996 reprint you mentioned. Can not find Curtis Ritter contact information. Can you help?
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