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Family tree▼ (edit)
m. 11 Feb 1836
(edit)
m. 29 Aug 1865
Facts and Events
On the 1850 census, age 12, with his father and step-mother, Fairfield Co., Oh.[p 44 2 fam #147/160] He moved west with his family in 1853, and, at age 22, is the oldest child h ome with his stepmother, Christina, on the 1860 census in Jefferson Twp., Polk Co., Ia.[fam # 742/697] The family story is told to us in a journal supplied by Laura (Rittgers)(Peitzman ) Emmert: "Reuben was a carpenter and a farmer, Johnston, Ia. He built a house at Appledoor' 1/2 mile E. of Merle Hay Rd. on NW 62nd Ave. North side of road. Reuben was a devout Ch ristian and his diaries tell of his attendance at worship services. Perhaps he went to Metho dist Meetings in a bldg. on the SE corner of the intersection (now) of Merle Hay and NW Beave r Dr. I think this church had disbanded by the time a Presbyterian Church was built in the y ard just south of Ridgedale Cemetery, across the road from Hyperion Club House. Reuben wrot e in his diaries of attending "meeting" at McDevett's Grove (70th and Meredith Dr.) and at Pr airie Home, a school house located 2 mi. west & so. of Grimes.(It wasn't until many years lat er that the area was called Johnston, but it identifies the area where the land is.) "Probabl y the Findleys worshiped at Prairie Home and I suspect it was not altogether the service ther e that attracted him." Reuben writes of helping Abel, his future father-in-law, build a lo g house. He wrote several comments in his diaries about Abigail, so we are told. Civil Wa r erupted. Reuben was mustered into the U.S.Army on 1 June 1864, in the 44th Iowa Volunteers , Co. "H", for a term of 100 days. His original discharge paper is believed to have been i n the possession of a descendent, but lost when their house burned down. Photocopies preserv e this precious document for us. In it, it describes Reuben as being 5'7", light complexion, hazel eyes, dark hair. He was discharged 1 5 Sept 1864. A story related in Emmert's Journal tells us that Reuben had barely gotten hom e in Sept 1864 when word reached the family that brother John Henry had succumbed to measles on the way home from his military service. Reuben hitched up the team and drove the wagon into Kellogg, Ia., which is as far as the train came at that time. He stabled the horses and took the train to Davenport, Ia., to receive John's body. Back in Kellogg, he again hitched the horses and brought John home to be buried in the Rittgers family cemetery. It appears this story got a bit distorted, as in his journal, under Thursday, February 21, 1867, he relates getting his team and heading home "Suffered much with the cold." On Friday, 22, "Jacob Rittgers and Mr. Hooper dug grave. We buried John's remains at 3 after noon. Rev. Mark officiated. It was a solemn time." This information explains the information that he is listed as being buried in National Cemetery, Rock Island, Ill., on the Ancestry.com data base "Full Context of American Civil War Soldiers." He marrie d Abigail Ann FINDLEY 29 Aug 1865 in Valley, Dallas Co., Ia.[Certificate of Marriage Record , found in Civil War pension file, does not state Book and page no. Several places in Civi l War file, Abigail swears to her marriage date.] She was born 1 Feb 1845 in Westmoreland Co ., Pa., the daughter of Abel Findley, JR. and Mary Jane KERR. In a diary owned by descendan t Gail (Rorabaugh) Cox of Mount Dora, Fla., Abigail documented their first year of marriage . She speaks respectfully of "Mother Rittgers. Among the brief entries of her domestic chor es, and visits with friends and family, she notes "Election Day. Went over with Reuben but di dn't go to the Lecter was afraid they would object to my voting." On 31 Oct 1865, we learn t hat "Reuben came home today very sick, had a high fever..." The next day "..better today bu t far from well. He thinks it is a very severe turn of Ague..." He continued ill until 4 Nov, when Abigial "sent to Des Moines for Dr. Beach...He said that the fever was bordering on T yphoid, left some medicine which (thanks be to God) works like a charm and he is better alrea dy." Reuben didn't get back on his feet until 15 Oct. Then on 28 Dec, Reuben hurt his back . It appears Reuben had been thinking about going into the ministry, as she writes "Promise d Reuben to go with him through all the trials he may have to encounter in his new calling . I know we shall have to bear many hardships in many different ways, but God is good...I th ank Him that I have been enabled to give up all my worldly anticipations with as light a stru ggle as I have." This is the only mention of this "calling", and we know he remained on his f arm. They also kept a careful accounting of what they cost "Mother Rittgers" and noted she wa s paid in full. It is interesting to note that she mentions "being ill" in one of the last e ntries in the diary, but never once mentions she is pregnant! The diaries were discovered i n the attic at Appledoor by Gretchen Rittgers in the 1920's and are now all in the possessio n of Laura (Rittgers) (Peitzman) Emmert and Thomas E. Rittgers, with the exception of the on e mentioned above. Another note in Emmert's Journal points out "Reuben and Abbie were very d evout Christians and raised their children in a religious emphasis' atmosphere." Reuben's n ame appears over several years in the estate of his father, Daniel. It appears that Reuben p urchased back most of the land that had been divided between he and his brothers and sisters . He was appointed administrator of the estate 21 Nov 1865, when the former administrator re signed. At this time he was also made guardian of his minor brothers & sisters. He was disch arged as administrator 16 Jan 1867, upon declaration that all debts were paid, and he is orde red to pay all heirs their share of the estate. His guardianship ended 14 July 1877, when th e youngest became 18. [Abst. #76811] A handwritten paper, handwriting verified by Florida de scendants as being Abigail's handwriting, is now in the possession of Vivian Adelaid (Rittger s) Rorabaugh's son Philip Rorabaugh (#162A.4). It is entitled FAMILY RECORD and gives birt h of Abigail's parents, their marriage date, and verifies her birth and marriage to Reuben Ri ttgers. A story passed down in the family reports that, with her parents, Abigail rafted dow n the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers to the Mississippi. The family story gives her age as 16, bu t when we look at the births of her siblings, we see that the trip was made in 1852 or 1853 , when she was seven or eight. The family moved to Polk Co., Ia., after July 1860 (as that i s the date thecensus was taken in Van Buren Co., showing the family there at that time) and b efore July 1863, when her youngest sister was born. In a story told by the family of U.S. an d Rosa (Rittgers) Findley we learn that shortly after the family first settled in Iowa, an I ndian boy was seen by their fence several days. Over a period of time he became bolder and wa s soon looking in the cabin windows. The family tried to ignore him until one day the boy an d his father came to the yard. The Indian father approached Abel Findley about buying his 1 1 year old daughter as a bride for his son. Abel was shocked and ordered them away. A few d ays later, the Indian father returned. He asked Abel to step outside to talk. No one coul d hear what was said, but after the Indian left, Abel secured the house and ordered everyon e to stay inside. He enlisted the help of a few neighboring farmers to watch his family and h e left for two days. When he returned, he had sold his farm and his mill, and the family mov ed "to the next county." The family was never told what the Indian father had said to Abel . The way the story was reported, it is said that the family moved from Polk to Dallas Co. , when this happened, but at the time Abigail was 11, the family lived in Lee Co., Ia. When t hey left in a hurry, they went just north to Van Buren Co., where they are seen on the 1860 c ensus. We are told that Abel had a wagon and hauled freight from the Mississippi River to D es Moines. On the 1870 census, Reuben listed as living near Christine and family. He is 30 , married to Abigail and they have Ambrose, age 3. Reuben is a farmer and claims his land i s worth $7500, with $1395 worth of personal property. [p 407 fam #109/199] 1880 finds our fam ily growing rapidly. Reuben, 42, continues farming in Valley, Polk Co., Ia. Abigail, 36, i s caring for their six children. The youngest, Walberg age 2, has a notation, not often see n in the records, that states "Paralized, Dr. Carter". He died shortly after the census wa s taken.[ED 172, p 545, fam #213/218] In 1890 the United States Government passed a bill enab ling disabled Civil War Soldiers to have a pension. Reuben applied on 12 Sept 1890. He stat es he is now 52 years old, was honorably discharged and "unable to earn a support by manual l abor, by reason of Rupture on right side; partial deafness; diseased condition of eyes; gener al debility; catarrh of head" (Catarrh is an old fashioned term for chronic congestion of mu cous membranes, such as in sinus conditions. Also was sometimes used for emphysema or asthm a in the elderly.) Death was caused by Bronchitis. The pension records contain an Affidavi t of Death filed by Abigail giving the date of death as 18 Nov 1893. In a rare find, a cop y of his will is in his pension file, as well as a transcript from Dallas Co. of their marria ge. The land abstracts and pension file follow Reuben's estate over the next several years . At his death in 1893, Reuben left nine minor children. The next entry in his pension fil e tells us that Abigail is filing for widow's benefits. She states Reuben was receiving $1 2 per month. His will reports that property, including "land situated in Colorado & six an d one half acres of timber land situated in Jefferson Twp., Polk Co., may be sold" He speak s of children under age 21, but none are listed by name. Reuben died 18 Nov 1893 in Webster , Polk Co., Ia, and was buried in Rittger's Cemetery, Johnston, Ia.[RitCem] The 1900 census finds Ab igail as head of household in Grimes, Polk Co., Ia. As we have found many times, the record i s wrong in that it states Abigail was born in 1855 and is 45 years old. The record taker tra nsposed the numbers. She states that she bore 13 children, 10 are alive at this time. (Visio n, Branch, and Walberg died as infants.) Four minor children in the home at this time. [ED 11 2, p. 8B, fam #152/159] Abigail had to apply twice for widow's pension. The first time she w as declined as she had property that brought in "in excess of $250 per year." As she got old er and the law changed, she got $12 per month by 1908. On the 1910 census Abigail is with s on John and his wife Gretchen in Precinct #1, Webster, Polk Co., Ia. She is 65 and a widow.[ ED 184 fam #89/89] By 1916 she was receiving $20 per month from her husband's pension. We se e Abigail one more time on the 1920 census. She is now 74 and in the home of son John and hi s wife Gretchen in Walnut Twp., Dallas, Ia.[ED 21, p 8B, fam #192/194] Abigail died 22 Jun 1 920 in Johnston, Polk Co., Ia. On 4 July 1920, The postmaster at Grimes, Ia., had the sad duty t o return a pension check to the government in the amount of $85.50 (quarterly payment) becaus e the pensioner, Abigail A. Rittgers died 22 June 1920. Her cause of death is listed as "Hypo static Pneumonia, Myocarditis." or heart failure. She is buried in Rittgers Cemetery with Re uben.[RitCem] We are told by the children of daughter Vivian (Rittgers) Rorabaugh, (#162.A ) of Lake Co., Fla., that Abigail visited them in Clermont, Fla., when they were small. Vivi an's oldest child, John Rorabaugh, told the story of Vivian receiving word that Abigail was q uite ill. She had to take her youngest, Abigail, as she was still nursing, but the other chi ldren were in school. It was up to John to take care of the other children while their fathe r worked. Vivian rode the train to Iowa, and stayed until after Abigail had passed away and w as buried. The children reported it was a great relief to see their mother getting off the tr ain when she returned. They tell us John was too strict and not a good cook! The estate of A bigail was handled by son Jasper Co. Rittgers, and in a Petition for Administration, it is state d that "since that time [Abigail's death] by agreement of a majority of the heirs, Jasper Co. C . Rittgers has been managing the real estate belonging to the estate." In a final report , 3 June 1936, it lists that at her death, Abigail "was seized of" several pieces of real est ate, including about 160 acres locally, and 6 acres of timber, as well as "160 acres preempti on claim in Kiowa Co. Co., Colo. It appears that Jasper Co. bought much of the land from his sibling s. In the records of Abstract #76811, we can follow the next generation for several years. From Diary of James Milo Nosler: 31st May 1863 "Today I go to church with Maud Madison. Tonight go to meeting. Rube Rittgers goes home with Sarah S. (I learned afterwards that she told him never to come back again. She had mittened him once or twice before.) References
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