Person:William Rittgers (4)

12D.1 William Henry(4) RITTGERS (Henry3, Jacob2, John1) was born 30 Nov 1873 in Rippey, Gree ne Co., Ia., the son of Henry C. RITTGERS and Luesia Jennette EDWARDS. He is on the 1880 cen sus, age 6, with parents in Lone Pine, Inyo Co., Ca.[p 503 fam #148/188] He married Meliss a May MERRIAN 19 Dec 1900 in Ia. She was born about 1889 in Ia. The family story tells us h e married in "Robert, Ia." We are told he lived three years at Emmetsburg, Palo Alto Co., I a, where their first child, Ross, was born. On the 1910 census, they are in Glenwood, Pope C o., Minn. Wm. H., 33, is a "fireman, locomotive". Melissa, 31, declares they have been marri ed 9 years. She has born 4 children, three alive at this time. She states her father born i n Ohio and her mother born in NY. [ED 99, p 7B, fam #91/106] We are told William entered th e employ of the Soo Railroad as a fireman, later became an engineer, and operated out of Glen wood and Thief River Falls. Later lived at Anoka, Minn, then entered the employment of the G reat Northern Railroad at Minneapolis, Minn. William died 6 Feb 1936 in Minneapolis, Minn.

1. ↑ Family Group Sheet.
2. ↑ Family Group Sheet.
3. ↑ p. 503, fam #148/188
   Rittgers, Henry, 32, head, laborer, b Oh to father b Pa mother b Oh
   Louisa, 27, wife, b NY to par b Eng
   William H., 6, son, b Ia
   Emma I., 4, dau, b Calif
   John A., 3, b Calif.
4. ↑ ED 99, p. 7B, fam #91/106
   Rittgers, William H., head, 33, m9yr, b Ia to father b Oh, mother b Ill, fireman,
   locomotive, rents house
   Melissa M., wife, 31, b Ia to father b Oh, mother b NY
   Ross H., son, 8, b Ia
   Fern, dau, 5, b Minn
   Lester N., son, 2, b Minn