I was able to piece together some personal history (not previous recorded) on Henry B. Ritter from 1860 to his death in 1893 by city census records and directories.
In 1860, Henry B. Ritter was listed as living with his first wife and her family at 1180 Leverington Avenue in the Manayunk/Roxborough section of Philadelphia. His wife was known as Caroline even though later records would indicate her name was Mary Caroline. Caroline was listed as being 23 years old and Henry was listed as being 24 years old.
Also in the house was Caroline's mother, Louisa Mayer (age 58) and siblings, Elizabeth (age 25), Catherine (age 20) and Francis (age 13). Caroline's father was deceased in 1860. Later recording of Caroline's maiden name (Ritter Book) would indicate the spelling was Meiers instead of Mayer.
Caroline died April 3, 1862.
In 1870, Henry was married to his second wife, Wilhelmina Hesserrick and they were listed as living at 4057 Main Street with three children, Josephine (age 5), Annie (age 3) and Charles (age 1). There was also a boarder named John Clemons (age 28) in the household. Relationship to the family is unknown at this time. It is possible he was an employee at Henry's hotel and saloon. It should be noted that the eldest child known as Josephine died in 1871.
Wilhelmina died October 4, 1871.
In 1880, Henry was married to his third wife, Marie Voigt (ancestor) and they were recorded as living at 4354 Main Street with Henry's children, Anna and Charles from his second marriage and with his five children he had with Marie listed as John (age 6), Josephine (5), Dorothea (age 3), Philip (age 2) and infant Adam (age 1 month). It should be noted that Josephine was named after the deceased daughter, also named Josephine born to Henry and his second wife. (Wilhelmina) It also should be noted that there is no record of the infant Adam in the book written by Philip J. Ritter in 1900. Adam appears to have died in childhood.
Marie Ritter died June 12, 1884.
Henry married his fourth and final wife, Elizabeth Mary Bichlein in 1885. Since the city's 1890 census records were lost in a fire, I do not know where Henry and his wife Elizabeth lived after their marriage. However, the city directory listed Henry's hotel and saloon as being listed at Sunnyside and Cresson Streets. Henry and Elizabeth had four children, Frederick born in 1886, William born in 1887, Hermina born in 1890 and another daughter who died in 1892 either at birth or shortly afterwards.
It is also recorded that Henry's fourth wife, Elizabeth also died in 1892. It is possible that this death was a direct result of childbirth.
Henry died one year later in 1893 and he left behind the care of his youngest children to his older children John and Dorothea.
It is of special interest that John G. Ritter, son of Henry and Marie (Voigt) Ritter never married and after his siblings were raised, he remained in the household of his sister, Dorothea and her husband, Charles Loffelhart, the remainder of his life. I followed John and Dorothea through the years 1900 to 1930 and between 1920 to 1930, John died. Dorothea was still living in 1930, the last available record found. Dorothea and her husband never had children.
It is also of interest that John was listed in 1900 as living at 53 P&R Railroad Street in the East Falls Section of Philadelphia and working as an agent for the Railroad. Again, this information is not the same as what is recorded in the Ritter Book written by Philip J. Ritter. In the Ritter Book, Philip J. Ritter recorded John as working as a salesman for the Ritter Company. It is possible that when the census was taken in 1900, John was still employed as a railroad employee but later that year when Philip J. Ritter wrote and published his Family History Book that John was newly employed at the Ritter Company.
There are two interesting facts about the 1900 census record that was recorded. John and Dorothea were raising their siblings and the street known as P&R Railroad was once located right off Scotts Lane along the Railroad. The houses were torn down in the 1970's and were located on a street that was as narrow as a city alley.
Listed as living in the Railroad house were John (age 26), Dorothea (age 23), Philip (age 21), Louisa (age 17), Frederick (age 14), William (age 13) and Hermina (age 9). Their step-mother (mother) and father had been deceased 8 and 7 years respectively.
In 1910, John Ritter lived in the home of his sister, Dorothea and her husband Charles Loffelhart on 164 Calumet Street in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. It is of interest that two of my Boland ancestors were neighbors of these Ritters. William Boland lived at 168 Calumet and Martin Boland lived at 184 Calumet. William and Martin Boland were the siblings of my great grandather John Boland. Both Boland siblings were employed as Chemical Workers on Chemical Hill. Later, John Boland, son of my great grandfather, John Boland would also be employed at the Chemical Plant as a Chemical Worker. Charles Loffelhart was listed as a Driver in a Lumber Yard.
In 1920 and 1930, Charles Loffelhart was listed as a Driver in a Coal Yard. John Ritter was listed as a Foreman in a Factory, presumably the Ritter Company.
I was able to track Philip Ritter (Henry & Marie's son) in the 1930 New Jersey census records where he lived with his wife and children and was employed at the Ritter Company's New Jersey Plant. I will post information on Philip and also continue to track him along with his sisters born to my ancestors Henry & Marie in the future.
I will also post the actual records I found to verify the above information in a later post. I will also continue to investigate where Henry and his wives are buried.
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