My Genealogy Hound

JOHN J. RITTER, a leading business man of Dowagiac, Cass County, Mich., now engaged in the grocery, coal and feed business, is the grandson of John and Sarah (Lybrook) Ritter, pioneer settlers of the State. John Ritter located near Niles, Berrien County, in 1828, and on August 29 of the same year made his home in La Grange Township, Cass County, where he entered land from the Government. Two days after, August 31, 1829, Grandfather Ritter was killed by a stroke of lightning, and his wife was so severely injured at the same time that she died from the effects a few years later. Of the five children born unto John and Sarah Ritter, three were sons. One child passed away in infancy, and four lived to maturity. Hannah, the eldest of the family, died in Cassopolis some years ago. Henry was a Cass County farmer and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits all of his life. Harriet M. was third in order of birth. Joseph R. Ritter was the efficient Treasurer of Cass County for four years. David M. Ritter, the second youngest child and the father of our subject, was but five years of age when he came with his parents to Michigan. He attained to manhood upon the old La Grange homestead, remaining there until his marriage with Miss Melinda Reniston, a native of Indiana. Her father, William Reniston, came to La Grange Township in 1830, and located near the site of Dowagiac, upon the land since known as the Spalding Mill property. There Grandfather Reniston set up a carding-mill and afterward ran a gristmill, but sold out in 1834 and settled on a farm located upon section 17. He resided on the homestead for many years and successfully engaged in agriculture, living to an advanced age, being eighty-nine years of age when he died in Berrien County, Mich. William Reniston was born in Mifflin, Pa., in 1796. Energetic and enterprising, he made his home in the West in 1818, and located in Noble County, Ind. Melinda, now the widow of David M. Ritter, was the eldest child of Grandfather Reniston. Mary E., the second-born, became the wife of Mr. Spalding, of La Grange Township, Cass County. Immediately after his marriage, Father Ritter bought a farm on section 8, and devoted himself to the cultivation of the soil until 1865, when he removed to Dowagiac, where he died in August of the same year. Three children had been born unto the parents, two of whom yet survive. Joseph A. died at the age of nine or ten years; William R. resides in Berrien Township, Berrien County, Mich.; John J., our subject, was born July 6, 1848, upon the homestead, in La Grange Township, Cass County.

The Ritters were among the pioneers of this part of Michigan, and the father was one of the most successful farmers of this section of country. Through his own efforts he had accumulated valuable property and at the time of his death was the owner of two hundred and forty improved acres of land. Politically, David M. Ritter was a Democrat. He was a man of upright character, highly esteemed, and a member of the Dunkard Church who aided liberally in its good work.

Our subject spent his early years upon the old farm and attended the schools of the county. Arrived at manhood, John J. Ritter was united in marriage with Miss Cynthia Bucklin, February 22, 1870. The father of Mrs. Ritter, William P. Bucklin, was a pioneer of Cass County, but was a native of Pennsylvania, born in the Quaker State December 20, 1816. When two years old, Mr. Bucklin emigrated with his parents to Sandusky County, Ohio, and at fourteen years of age came to the farther West, locating in Mottville, St. Joseph County, Mich. The early death of Mr. Bucklin’s father left a large family dependent upon the elder son and widowed mother. Faithful to his filial obligations, Mr. Bucklin aided in the support and education of his brothers and sisters. January 26, 1839, he was wedded to Miss Mary A. Lilly, daughter of David and Mary Lilly, both of Scotch descent. Having bought a small farm of forty acres, the young couple began life upon their own account. Eight years later they removed to La Grange Township, where Mr. Bucklin passed away, August 20, 1866. He was a man respected and esteemed by all who knew him and his death was mourned as a loss to the community among whom he had spent so many years of usefulness. The wife of our subject was born July 10, 1848, in La Grange Township. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Ritter made their home on the old farm, where they continued to reside until 1886, when they located in Dowagiac. Our subject, however, engaged in agriculture until 1891, when he bought out H. Tancray and devoted himself to his present line of business.

The firm, well and favorably known, is Bates & Ritter. Mr. Ritter still owns and controls his farm of eighty acres in La Grange Township, the land being used for general agriculture and stock-raising. Our subject has also a half-interest in a farm of two hundred acres located in Howard Township. The other half-interest is held by the First National Bank of Cassopolis, Mich. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Ritter was blessed, December 12, 1874, with the birth of their son Jesse W., who resides with his parents. Mr. Ritter is politically a Democrat. He is a strong temperance man, and an ardent Prohibitionist. For three years he served with great acceptability as Commissioner of La Grange Township. Fraternally, he is connected with the Modern Woodmen and is a member of the Board of the Capital Building and Loan Association of Lansing, Mich. Intimately associated with the growth and upward progress of the best interests of his home locality, Mr. Ritter enjoys the respect and confidence of a large acquaintance and is numbered among the substantial citizens of Cass County.