USA > Ohio > Fulton County > The County of Fulton: A History of Fulton County, Ohio, from the Earliest Days, with Special Chapters on Various Subjects, Including Each of the Different Townships; Also a Biographical Department. > Part 62
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Odd Fellows, having been the third person to unite with the same. March 12, 1871, Mr. Richardson married Miss Philinda Welsh, daughter of Erastus and Lenora (Gates) Welsh, of Royalton town- ship, and of this union twelve children have been born, namely: Rose, Leo, George, Elizabeth, Frank, Belle, Mark, Olive, James, Nellie, Roy and Mabel. Rose is the wife of William Barnes. Leo is the wife of Mahlon Terry. Elizabeth is the wife of William Gep- hart. Frank is the wife of Ernest Hinkle. Belle is the wife of Jacob Gephart.
SIDNEY J. RICHARDSON, M. D., is one of the representative physicians and surgeons of Fulton county, being successfully estab- lished in practice at Swanton. He was born on a farm in Webster township, Wood county, Ohio, on the 22nd of April, 1869, and is a son of Dr. William D. and Ann L. (Warser) Richardson, both of whom were born in Erie county, Ohio. The father accompanied his parents on their removal to Wood county, in the early pioneer days, and he there assisted in the reclamation of the home farm, and later he improved a farm of his own, in the same county. He now resides on his home place, the one on which his son, Sidney J., was born, and for many years he has been engaged in the practice of medicine, and also giving his supervision to the operation of his farm. He is an able physician and controls a large practice. He and his wife have two sons and five daughters, all of whom are living except one daughter, Mrs. Emily S. Lundy. All the children remain resident of Wood county with the exception of the subject of this sketch. Dr. Sidney J. Richardson received his preliminary educational train- ing in the public schools of his native county and supplemented this by a course in the Northwestern Ohio Normal University, at Ada. He prepared himself for the pedagogic profession, but after a brief experience as a teacher he determined to adopt the profession of medicine, initiating his technical studies in 1899. In the autumn of that year he entered the Detroit Homeopathic College, in the city of Detroit, Mich., where he was a student for two years. He then was matriculated in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College, where he completed his course and was graduated in the spring of 1903, receiving his degree from this unexcelled professional institu- tion. He did not engage in the active practice of his profession until the spring of 1905, when he located in Swanton, where he en- tered into a professional partnership with Dr. Samuel Odell, and he is meeting with unequivocal success in his professional work. The Doctor is independent in his political views, and in a fraternal way he is affiliated with Middleton Lodge, No. 786, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Dunbridge, O.
EDGAR H. RITCHEY is one of the native sons of Fulton county who is here exploiting the fine possibilities of successful enterprise in the domain of advanced agriculture and stock-growing, being one of the prominent farmers of Amboy township. He was born in this township, on the 19th of January, 1858, and is a son of John W.
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and Mary Ann (Luke) Ritchey, the former of whom was born in Bedford county, Pa., and the latter in Shelby county, Ohio. Joseph Ritchey, of Holland-Dutch descent, was the founder of the family in Fulton county, being the grandfather of him whose name initiates this paragraph. He settled in the wilds of Amboy township in 1836 and here cleared and otherwise improved a farm of eighty acres, upon which he continued to reside until his death. He married Miss Rebecca Young, a native of Pennsylvania, and they became the par- ents of ten children, namely: John W., Malinda, Edward, Emanuel, Amanda, Henry, Joseph, Urilla, Rebecca and Linza. Of the chil- dren four are living at the present time. John W. Ritchey was a child at the time of his parents' removal from Pennsylvania to Ful- ton county, and here he was reared to manhood under the environ- ments of the pioneer era. He became one of the large land-holders of Amboy township, where he reclaimed a fine farm from the virgin wilds, and of this old homestead his son, Edgar H., now owns one hundred acres, eligibly located, one and one-half miles south of the village of Metamora. John W. Ritchey retired from the farm in the autumn of 1888 and took up his residence in Metamora, where he was successfully engaged in general merchandise business until the time of his death, which occurred .February 14, 1900, at which time he was seventy-four years of age. His widow still resides in Metamora. They reared to maturity four children, of whom two are living-Alvina, who is the wife of David Seebring, of Lenawee county, Mich., and Edgar H., who is the subject of this review. Those deceased are Elba and Zoa. Edgar H. Ritchey was reared ' on the farm which is now his home, and his scholastic advantages were those of the public schools of the locality. He has always lived on the old homestead and been concerned in its operation. He has had the entire charge of the place since the removal of his father to Metamora, as noted, and he is recognized as one of the progressive farmers and loyal and enterprising citizens of his native county, where he is ably upholding the high standard of the honored name which he bears. In 1894 he became an interested principal in the Metamora Lumber Company, with which he has since been identified, the con- cern controlling a large and constantly increasing trade. In poli- tics Mr. Ritchey is a stalwart Republican, has been a prominent fac- tor in public affairs of a local nature, and the esteem in which he is held in the community has been shown in the offices to which he has been called through the franchise support of his fellow citizens. He served six years as trustee of Amboy township, and is now serving his second term of three years in the responsible office of county com- missioner. In a fraternal way he is identified with the lodge, chapter, and council of the Masonic order and with the Kinghts of the Mac- cabees of the World. November 20, 1887, Mr. Ritchey was united in marriage to Miss Addie Crockett, daughter of Willard and Hannah (Rice) Crockett, of Ogden, Lenawee county, Mich., and they have one daughter, Rowena.
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HENRY H. RITTENHOUSE, ex-sheriff of Fulton county, was born in Wayne county, Ohio. He is the son of J. D. and Sarah E. (Gant) Rittenhouse, both born in Westmoreland county, Pa. His grandfather, Henry S. Rittenhouse, also a native of Pennsylvania, .came from that State, first to Wayne county and afterwards to Fulton township, Fulton county. Here he located on a farm in 1840 and spent the remainder of his life. J. D. Rittenhouse, born in 1822, ·located on his father's farm in 1848. Taking an active part in the public affairs of his township, he served as justice of the peace and trustee. He and his wife are still living, being hale and hearty, not- withstanding he is eighty-four and his wife eighty-seven years old. The subject of this sketch came to Fulton township with his parents when three years old. He received his education in the public schools of his home county. At the early age of eighteen years he entered the employ of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern rail- way company and served them faithfully for eighteen years. For sixteen years of that time he acted as foreman of track work on the Air-Line division of that road. After leaving the employ of the railway company he served as street commissioner and city marshal of Wauseon for sixteen years. In 1900 he was elected sheriff of Ful- ton county and was re-elected in 1902. During his administration he arrested the first party tried and convicted of murder in the first degree in his county, and witnessed the electrocution of the criminal at Columbus, June 3, 1904. T. F. Rittenhouse, an only brother of the subject of this sketch, is foreman in the Toledo, O., tube-works. Henry H. Rittenhouse married Miss Eliza A. Saul of the village of Milbern, Williams county, O. She is the daughter of George Saul, one of the pioneer settlers of that county, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania. There has been one child to bless this marriage, Al- bert, who died in infancy. The career of Henry H. Rittenhouse has been a remarkably successful one. He has always held positions of great responsibility, and has invariably filled them satisfactorily. His long service as a railroad man speaks well of his capacity for work of that kind. To be retained as street commissioner and city marshal so long reflects great credit on him for bravery and faithful- ness to duty. No other sheriff has done more than he to stamp out crime and to punish criminals. He was elected to execute the law in the county, and he did his duty fearlessly and without favor.
CASSIUS M. ROBINSON, proprietor of a livery, sales and feed stable at Swanton, is the representative of a family long established ·on American soil, his maternal ancestors having come from Scotland .and Germany. His father, Barnet Robinson, was born on a farm at the head of Seneca Lake, in Cayuga county, N. Y., and came to Ohio about seventy years ago, being one of the very earliest settlers of this territory. In those days he did his milling at Maumee, using an ox team, and spending three days on the round trip. He bought a tract of one hundred and five acres of heavily-timbered land. With the aid of his sons he cleared this land and brought it to a high state of cultivation. In answer to his country's call for defenders, he en-
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listed in the Sixty-seventh Ohio volunteer infantry and served with credit throughout the war. The maiden name of his first wife was Miss Caroline Frost, a native of New York State, who died in early womanhood. To this union there were born six children, of whom four are still living. Their names follow: The eldest died in infancy; Marvin, a mechanic, of Lyons, O .; Sarah, the wife of John Gillis, both deceased; Carrie, now Mrs. Vincent Smith, of Morenci, Mich .; Mah- lon, a farmer of Van Buren county, Mich., and Cassius M. The father's second wife was Miss Julia Carey in maidenhood, who died one year after her marriage. Cassius M. Robinson was born in Royalton township, Fulton county, on February 22, 1859. With the exception of three years, spent at Toledo, O., he has always lived in this county. He received a limited education in the schools of his native township. At the age of fourteen years he left home and has been self-dependent ever since. For fourteen years he was en- gaged in the carpenter business. From early manhood he followed farming until he established his present business at Swanton in 1902. He has prospered sufficiently to own his farm and all the livery equip- ments, as well as a fine residence. While Mr. Robinson is actively identified with the Republican party, he has never sought or held public office. He is a Past Noble Grand of the Swanton Lodge, No. 528, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. On December 1, 1881, he chose as his life partner Miss Frances Fenton, the daughter of the Hon. John Fenton, late of Fulton county, who represented that county in the State legislature for four years. To Cassius M. Robin- son and wife there have been born two children. They are: Mar- garet Myrtle and Lloyd, both still at home and the latter a student at school.
HUBERT D. ROBINSON, who is now living retired in the at- tractive village of Metamora, is the owner of one of the fine farm properties of Amboy township and was long and prominently iden- tified with the agricultural interests of the county, the family having located here in the early pioneer days. Mr. Robinson was born in Amboy township, this county, on the 5th of January, 1847, and is a son of George and Rebecca (Davis) Robinson, who came to this county in 1846, settling in Section 20, Amboy township, where the father secured eighty acres of land, which he reclaimed from the na- tive forest, developing one of the excellent farms of the county and being a citizen of prominence and influence in his community, where he was held in unequivocal esteem. He continued to reside on this old homestead until his death, on the 6th of January, 1897, in his nine- tieth year. He was born in the State of New Jersey, May 14, 1807, and in 1830 was united in marriage to Polly Morehouse, whose death occurred about nine years later. They became the parents of five children, of whom two are living: Julia, wife of Jonathan Worden, and Jane, the wife of John Henwood. In 1840 George Robinson married Rebecca Davis, who was born and reared in the State of New York, and whose family were residents of Indiana for a number of years prior to coming to Fulton county, Ohio, where her marriage
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to Mr. Robinson was solemnized. Of this union were born nine children, of whom eight attained to years of maturity: Louisa, who is the wife of James Blaine; Lyman, who was a soldier in the Civil war and died at Columbus, Ohio, while in the service; Hubert D., who is the immediate subject of this sketch; Didama, who became the wife of Ambrose Stevens and is now deceased; Albert, who resides in Colorado, and Amos, who is engaged in farming in Michigan; Melinda, who is the wife of Scott Taylor; John M., deceased, and William, deceased. Hubert D. Robinson was associated in the work of the old homestead farm until he had attained the age of twenty- two years, and his early educational advantages were those to be had in the common schools of the locality. In 1869 his father gave him forty acres of land in Section 17, Amboy township, to which he later added by the purchase of an adjoining forty acres, and a considerable portion of this tract was cleared by him, and he placed the farm under a high state of cultivation and made all the excellent permanent im- provements to be noted on the same to-day, the buildings being of substantial and attractive order. He continued to reside on this homestead until the spring of 1890, when he removed to Metamora, where he has since lived retired, having a pleasant home in this vil- lage, but still retaining the ownership of the farm. In politics he is a stanch Republican and he has ever shown a loyal interest in public affairs of a local order. He has served as mayor of the village of Metamora and is now rendering effective service in the capacity of street commissioner. He and his wife are members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. On Christmas day, of the year 1869, Mr. Robinson was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Kennedy, daugh- ter of Robert and Hannah (LaDow) Kennedy, of Fulton township, this county, both having been natives of the State of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have one daughter, Estella, wife of William Penny, who resides on and operates her father's farm.
JOHN RUCKMAN, a representative farmer and stock-grower of York township, was one of the brave "boys in blue" who upheld the glory of the Union arms during the turbulent epoch of the Civil war, and in the times of peace he has been found equally true to duty, in whatever way it has presented, so that he has always commanded the confidence and esteem of his fellow-men. Mr. Ruckman was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, August 16, 1836, and is a son of James and Hannah (Hoffman) Ruckman, the former of whom was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, November 29, 1807, and the latter in Columbiana county, Ohio, in 1811. The father came to Ohio in 1830, and here followed agricultural pursuits during his active career, both he and his wife passing the closing years of their lives in Hancock county. He died in October, 1892, and his wife passed away in February, 1903, at the very advanced age of ninety-two years. John Ruckman was reared to maturity in Hancock county, receiving a com- mon-school education and early becoming inured to earnest toil and endeavor, since he was reared to the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm. In March, 1858, he started out for himself, being variously em-
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ployed up to the time of the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion. On the 21st of October, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Fifty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and he continued in the service of his country three years, nine months and twenty-three days-represent- ing practically the entire period of the war. He was mustered out, at Little Rock, Arkansas, August 14, 1865. He participated in more than twenty of the most important battles of the great conflict, and was taken prisoner at Atlanta, in July, 1864, being exchanged two months later, in time to accompany Sherman on the ever memorable "march to the sea." He took part in the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, the Corinth and Atlanta campaigns, the battles of Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Dalton and Atlanta. He thus saw about as arduous and im- portant service as any of the soldiers who so valiantly fought for the old flag. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Ruckman located in Fulton county in 1874, and has resided on his present homestead for the past thirty-one years, having a well-im- proved farm of eighty acres. He is a Democrat in politics and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist-Episcopal church. March 20, 1866, Mr. Ruckman was married to Miss Nancy J. Kleck- ner, who was born in Hancock county, Ohio, October 1, 1847, being a daughter of Isaac and Barbara J. (Fishel) Kleckner, both of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Ruckman have had four children: Mary, who is the wife of Irving D. Miller, of Kansas; Maggie V., who is deceased, having been the wife of William H. Lefferson; Anna, who is the wife of G. F. Sams, of Clinton township, and John W., who has the practical management of the home farm, and who was born on this homestead on the 15th of March, 1877.
EDWARD W .. RUPPERT, one of the progressive and successful farmers of York township, is a representative of one of the old and honored families of Fulton county, his grandfather, Henry Ruppert, having been one of the early settlers of York township. Henry Rup- pert was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and was there reared to maturity. In 1851 he took up his residence in York township, Fulton county, Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his life, having here developed a good farm from the virgin wilds. He was a man of a strong mentality and received a good common-school education, hav- ing been a successful teacher for a season, when a young man, and having thereafter followed the weaver's trade, in Pennsylvania, until his removal to Ohio. In the old Keystone state was solemnized his marriage to Mrs. Magdalene (Zimmerman) Keller, and they became the parents of four children. Sallie Ann, widow of Benjamin Miller, resides in Blissfield, Michigan; John Adam is deceased; Lena became the wife of Lewis Gerringer and is now deceased, and Henry also is deceased. John Adam Ruppert, father of him whose name initiates this review, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in May, 1830, and was reared to manhood in his native State, where he was afforded the advantages of the schools of the county in which he was born. He accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, and he settled in Section 29, York township, Fulton county, where he became a
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prosperous farmer and honored and influential citizen, continuing to reside in that township during the remainder of his life, save for a few years passed in the city of Wauseon. He first married Miss Eliza- beth Lillich, daughter of John M. Lillich, who was an early settler of Clinton township, this county. Mrs. Ruppert was summoned into eternal rest in 1871, having become the mother of eight children, namely: Edward W., who is the immediate subject of this sketch; Alfred, Charles O., Samuel and Henry, all of whom reside in Wauseon, this county ; Benjamin, who is deceased; John A., who is a resident of Wauseon; and Lizzie, who is the wife of Philip Upp, Jr., of Wauseon. In 1873 John A. Ruppert married Miss Rachel Ruppert, who died about two -years later, the two children of this union having died in infancy. In 1876 Mr. Ruppert married Mrs. Mary (Stimmel) Mayer, who sur- vives him, no children having been born of this marriage. Mr. Rup- pert died on the 7th of May, 1896. He was a man of sterling integrity and was a citizen who commanded unqualified respect. He was a Republican in politics and his religious faith was that of the Evangeli- cal church. Edward W. Ruppert, eldest son of John A. and Elizabeth (Lillich) Ruppert, was born in York township, on the 19th of July, 1857, and here he has ever maintained his home, having been identi- fred with the great basic industry of agriculture from his youth to the present and being now the owner of a well-improved farm of twenty acres. He received his early educational discipline in the public schools of his native township, and his interest in all that pertains to the wel- fare of the community and county is reinforced by the associations and memories which cover the span of his life thus far. He is a stalwart adherent of the Republican party, but has never been a seeker of public office; is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, and both he and his wife are members of the Evangelical church. On the 4th of February, 1886, Mr. Ruppert was united in marriage to Miss Nora Biddle, daughter of George D. Biddle, of whom specific mention is made elsewhere in this publication. They have two children-Frances Chloe and Clive Biddle.
AMOS L. RUSSELL, one of the representative farmers and stock- growers of Gorham township, has passed his entire life in Fulton county and is a member of one of its honored pioneer families. The old homestead in which he was born was located about forty rods south of his present residence, on the opposite side of the road, and there he made his debut on the stage of life, January 13, 1848, being a son of Benjamin F. and Delia (Ford) Russell. Benjamin F. Rus- sell was born in the city of Rochester, N. Y., March 9, 1818, and was a son of Simon and Polly (Bailey) Russell, who were born in Maine, of Scotch and Welsh descent, respectively. They settled in Monroe county, N. Y., within the first decade of the nineteenth century, and in 1818 they came to Ohio and located in Lake county, being pio- neers of that section of the State, where Simon Russell died about the year 1852, and his widow died in 1855, in Henry county, this State. They became the parents of eleven children, of whom eight attained years of maturity : Mrs. Rebecca Knight, James, Mrs. Mary
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Winkler, Benjamin F., Mrs. Abigail Chase, Joseph, Mrs. Elizabeth Blakely, and Mrs. Caroline Cram. Simon Russell was a shoemaker by trade and followed the same as a vocation during his entire busi- ness career. Benjamin F. Russell was less than a year old at the time of his parents' removal to Ohio, he passed his boyhood and youth in Lake county, and he learned the baker's trade when a young man, but never followed the same as a vocation. In 1841 he en- gaged in the grocery and provision business in Maumee, Lucas county, and in the following year he was engaged as salesman in the grocery store of his brother at Canandaigua, Lenawee county, Mich., and in 1843 he settled in Gorham township, Fulton county, where he pur- chased thirty acres of land, for a consideration of one hundred and twenty dollars, eventually adding to it and becoming the owner of a well-improved farm, having been one of the prominent and honored citizens of this section, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1897. In 1843 he was united in marriage to Miss Elmina Ford, who was born in Massachusetts, being a daughter of Ansel and Deborah (Tower) Ford, who were early settlers of Gor- ham township, whither they came from the old Bay State, here pass- ing the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Elmina Russell died in Septem- ber, 1846, and of her three children none attained years of maturity: On the 2d of March, 1847, Mr. Russell married Miss Delia Ford, who was born April . 29, 1827, being a sister of the first wife. Benjamin F. and Delia (Ford) Russell became the parents of eight children, of whom two died in early childhood, and Elmina, who was born March 3, 1852, died August 10, 1870, from blood poisoning, re- sulting from the bite of a potato bug. The names, with respective dates of birth, of the five living children are as follows: Amos L., subject of this review, January 13, 1848; L. Fremont, August 25, 1854; Flora May, May 16, 1857; Emily Virginia, October 7, 1860; and Mary Ophelia, September 12, 1862. Amos L. Russell passed his boyhood days on the home farm, in Gorham township, and was af- forded the advantages of the district school and the graded schools of Fayette. At the age of twenty-three years he engaged in farm- ing on his own responsibility, on the John Smith place, in Section 25, Gorham township, and in 1880 he purchased and located upon his . present farm, the same comprising one hundred and sixty acres of fine land and being well improved in all respects. He devotes his attention to general farming and the raising of stock, buying and feeding cattle, which he places upon the market in considerable num- bers each year. In politics he is a supporter of the cause of the Re- publican party, and he is an appreciative member of the Masonic fraternity, in which his affiliations are with the following bodies: Fayette Lodge, No. 387, F. & A. M .; Wauseon Chapter, No. III, R. A. M .; Wauseon Council, No. 68, R. & S. M .; Defiance Command- ery, No. 30, Knights Templar; and Fayette Chapter, No. 77, Order of the Eastern Star. It will thus be seen that he has completed the circle of York Rite Masonry, and he takes a deep interest in the work and affairs of each of the bodies with which he is identified. February 19, 1871, Mr. Russell married Miss Fliza Hutchinson, who
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