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Family tree▼ (edit)
m. 9 May 1797
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m. 11 Feb 1836
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m. 7 Sep 1848
Facts and Events
Daniel's father, John, is one farm away from that of one John Foght. Eve bore Daniel several children before dying 8 Jan 1848. She is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Fairfield Co., Oh. Second wife, Christina, was the daughter of Michael and Christine (Jenner/Genner) Schmidt (Schmied). It was Anglicized to "Smith" in many records. On 12 Mar 1849, Daniel bought part of the NW quarter of the NW quarter of section 24, Twp. 14, range 18, containing 18 acres. (Fairfield Co., Oh, Deed Bk 15, p. 708.) He bought for $385, 38 acres in section 13, Twp. 14, range 18, in Berne Twp., Fairfield Co., on 23 Feb 1850. (deed bk 17, p. 329)
The 1850 census shows us Daniel, age 39, with wife Christina, age 20, born in Oh. With them are David, 13, through Michael, 1/12 (or one month old). Daniel is a farmer with $3000 worth of property in Berne Twp., Fairfield Co., Oh. We know that Christina was not born in Ohio. This is a common error in census. In later census' she is listed as from Germany. [p 44 2 fam #147/160] Family record gives her birth, but age on stone calculates to 30 Aug 1830. Daniel and Christina sell the above pieces of land for $2500 on 24 Sept 1853. (deed bk 21, p. 12)
In her letter of 1914, Sarah (Rittgers) Good, (#12.A) tells us "Uncle Daniel came from Ohio to Iowa in 1854 or 1855 to the farm on the Des Moines River. He MAY also have owned land on the west side of Beaver [Drive, JR] or perhaps not. James Denny of the next generation owned on the west side."
In the land records of Polk Co., Ia., we find that Daniel Rittgers purchased from Stephen Y. Gose, a "fractional quarter" of land for $1400 dated October 29, 1853 and filed Nov. 3. The area is now listed as Rittgers Acres. [Abst #76811]
There was an Iowa state census in 1856. Here we find Daniel, 45, farmer, in Polk Co. He declares he has been in Iowa 2 years. With him is wife Christina, 25, and eight children.(1856 census, p. 285, #63) Descendent Jon Findley (#16A11.1) reports that he owns an old mantle clock that has been passed on to him through his family. In an attempt to restore the clock, he opened the back panel and found stuck in the casework a note: "Clock bot second hand from a family going west by the name Wright who were overloaded and wanted to sell about 1856 to 1858 bot by Danial Rittgers."
Daniel died 9 June 1859, and is buried in the Rittgers Cemetery, Johnston, Iowa. The estate was opened 17 June 1859. At that time only David and Reuben were of age. The others are listed as "minor child". Reuben was appointed administrator. [Probate Journal "O", p. 541. Reported in Abst 76811.] Christina kept the children together and all the family stories tell us she was a wonderful mother to Eve's children as well as her own. Daughter Mary Ann filed an "Oral Will" regarding her father's property dated 16 July 1859. In it she states that he bequeathed her $300 as a legacy over and above the share she would be entitled to as a legal heir. The court apparently asked the other heirs, as there is an "Order Establishing Oral Will" filed that this was a true statement. She was paid $300 on an administrators report dated 28 June 1862. It is quite probable that this legacy was made as Mary Ann was blind.
The widow was assigned her dower - the homestead - and the remainder of the property was divided among the children. Over several years the lands were purchased from the others by Reuben. He had in his ownership most of this land at his death in 1893.
Christina, 29, is head of house in Jefferson Twp., Polk Co., Ia., on the 1860 census and has Reuben, at 22 the oldest child in the home, with her - apparently farming the land - and all the rest of the children, both hers and Eve's, down to one year old Nancy J. [fam #742/ 677] By the 1870 census, George, Christina's first, is the oldest at home, age 21, with the rest of the children. [p 406 fam #96/106] Reuben (#16.2) married in 1865 and brought his bride, Abigail Findley to the Rittgers home until he could build their house. In a diary kept the first year of their marriage, Abigail speaks of "Mother Rittgers". In a carefully kept accounting, Reuben and Abigail kept track of what they "borrowed" from Christina, items such as "August 31st both ate two meals" "Sept 8 Myself two Reuben one [meal]", "Borrowed of Mother Rittgers sugar .50; Lining for shirt cuffs." "All accounts between Mother and us being ballanced up to July 27, 1866, I find myself in debt to Mother $35.45 being in full of all accounts. R.R. Rittgers."
In Fairfield Co., Oh, Deeds, Bk 34, p. 127, we found a deed of one John M. Smith & wife, and several others named, selling for $1800 property in Twp. 14, range 18, Fairfield Co. Signing the deed were Henry and Maria Zeingmeister; John and Christina Smith; Frederick & Doretta Dowler; Christina Smith, widow of Michael Smith, deceased; and Christina Rittgers, "of Co. of Polk & state of Iowa - Judge John B. Miller" signed the affidavit that Christina voluntarily signed the deed on 8 Dec 1868.
Christina married Moses Lawson, and the family tells us she "married a lot of hard work, as he was not a good provider."(Oral history) In "History of Polk Co.", [p. 986] we find an article on Moses Lawson that reports he married as his second wife "Miss Christina Rittgers." Moses was born in York Co., Pa., Aug 1827. He moved to Indiana about 1837, where he "learned the trades of carpenter and millwright." In 1855 he came to Polk Co., Ia. By 1857 he was "engaged in the saw-mill business, and in the spring of 1864 commenced farming." He married first in Indiana, 6 Sept 1854, Miss Abigail Finnick, who died 3 Oct 1872." At the time of his marriage to Christina, 30 Sept 1874, Moses had seven children, and Christina still had two or three daughters at home.
In 1868 one Moses Lawson purchased property that had originally belonged to Jacob Rittgers. In 1870 we find Moses with his wife Abigail and seven children in Valley Twp. Another mortgage in the name of Moses Lawson "and wife" is on file in 1872. Yet another in 1876 lists Moses and "wife Christina." By 1879 all three mortgages were declared free and clear with no taxes or liens. The 1880 census, Valley Twp., Polk Co., Ia., shows Moses and Christina with children, surnamed Lawson, Elizabeth A, 18; Henry E., 14; Marilda E., 11; and Minnie, 7. [ED 172, fam 122/125] She raised Eva's, then hers, and now is raising yet another family!! In 1900, Webster, Polk Co., we find Christina, age 69 and giving a birth date of Aug 1838. She declares they have been married 25 years and she has born 5 children, all alive at this time. Moses H. is 72, b. Aug 1838, declares he is a farmer, retired. They are boarding an 11 year old boy, John Krupka, in their home. [ED 112, p 5, fam #164/171]
Christina was buried with Daniel in the Rittgers Cemetery, Johnston, Ia. Her stone reads "Christena - Wife of - Daniel Rittgers", with an age of "74 yr, 7 mo, 21 d"
Moses Lawson is buried with his first wife, Abigail in the Kinsey Cemetery, Johnston, Polk Co., Ia. This is directly across 64th Street from the Rittgers farm property.
References
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