Person:Rosannah Rittgers (1)

She is age 4 on 1860 census, with mother and siblings Polk Co., Ia.[p 94 fam #742/677] and on 1870 census, age 14.[p 406 fam #96/106] Rosannah had an extensive obituary written about her. It outlines her religious convictions and the moral character of her children. A copy of her "Memorial Record" is in the possession of Jon Findley, and is a roster of the Rittgers and Findley families of that time. Wandah M. (Findley) Diehl (#16A3.3) shares with us some memories of her grand-parents. She reports Ulcestes was often called "Uncle Bub." When about three, Wandah remembers him holding her on his lap in a big rocking chair. She doesn't remember if she was tired or sick, but shares how safe and loved she felt as she looked up in to his beard. Wandah has that rocking chair now and loves it. "Aunt Fern" had a doll she would allow the girl cousins to play with seated on the window box in her room. Wandah also has that doll, as well as a large bowl her grandmother used on special occasions. She remembers playing in front of the fireplace, and "Grandma" giving the grandchildren big sugar cookies . Times were hard, growing up during the depression, but Wandah remembers the love and good times with the family; the bags of candy, nuts and fruit Santa would pass out at church on Christmas Eve, dinners at one or another of the many families. Ulcestes had several pear trees , and the children would pick the pears and wrap them in newspaper to ripen slowly. She sadly remembers when Rose was ill. They let her go into the room where she was and told her that Grandma had a sleeping sickness. Later, the children saw the men sliding the casket out of the bedroom window, as the house had too many turns and twists to get it out through the house.

1. ↑ Abstract number 76811 - Daniel Rittgers. (Extracted from Deeds of Polk Co., Ia., under name of Daniel Rittgers.)
   Probate Journal Bk 1, p. 364, 22 Jan 1977.
2. ↑ Tombstone, Sunny Hill Cemetery, Grimes, Polk Co., Ia..
3. ↑ p. 285, fam #63
   Rittgers, Daniel, 45, farmer, b Oh, #yrs in Iowa - 2
   Christina, 25, b Her
   David F., 19, b Oh
   Reuben, 17, b Oh
   Sarah, 13, b Oh
   Melinda, 11, b Oh
   John H., 9, b Oh
   George, 7, b Oh
   Michael, 3, b Oh
   Rosanna, 1, b Ia
4. ↑ p. 94, fam #742/61
   Rittgres, Christina, 29, no occupation, $5000 RE, b Germany
   Reuben, 22, no occupation, $1000 RE, b Oh
   Mary Ann, 19, no occupation, $1000 RE, b Oh
   Malinda, 15, no occupation, $1000 RE, b Oh
   John, 13, no occupation, $1000 RE, b Oh
   George, 11, $1000 RE, b Oh
   Michael, 9, $1000 RE, b Oh
   Caroline, 7, $1000 RE, b Oh
   Rosina, 4, $1000 RE, b Oh
   Nancy J., 1, $1000 RE, b Oh