My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM RITCHEY McCULLOCH, a retired farmer of Shippensburg, represents an old and prominent family. He was born in Newton township, Cumberland county, near Big Spring, March 5, 1829. His grandfather, James McCulloch, a native of Scotland, settled at Newton township, Cumberland county, about 1760, his landed estate there amounting to some 600 acres. He married Miss Henderson, who lived at Newville, and by her he had two sons.

John McCulloch, son of James and father of William R., was born in Newton township, March 13, 1793, while his wife. Elizabeth (Clarke) McCulloch, was born Jan. 17, 1798, and died June 25, 1845. John McCulloch died Jan. 31, 1866, and he and his wife are buried in the United Presbyterian churchyard at Newville. Robert Clarke, father of Mrs. McCulloch, was married three times and was the father of twenty-one children by two wives. He was a prosperous farmer of great energy and force of character, and widely and favorably known.

William Ritchey McCulloch spent his youth upon the farm, attending district school at Stoughstown, and later he went to the school at Newville. He began teaching in 1852 at Whiskey Run, Mifflin township. His second school was located at Stoughstown. Later he began farming on the old McCulloch place in Newton township. After his marriage he settled on a portion of the homestead, and when his father died, this property was divided between our subject and his brother, James Houston McCulloch. When this brother died, Mr. McCulloch purchased the remainder of the farm, which comprised 200 acres. Later Mr. McCulloch sold fifty-four acres, and still has 146. He has been a successful farmer and grain raiser, and continued to reside upon the farm until 1883, when he moved to Shippensburg township, and purchased the farm of William Linn, consisting of 126 acres, well improved. Upon this he made his home until 1899, when he moved to Shippensburg, where he has quietly resided ever since.

In 1857, Mr. McCulloch married Mary Hemminger, who was reared near Carlisle, having been born on a farm near that city. She was fifth in a family of twelve children born to John and Eliza (Heagy) Hemminger, prominent people of that locality. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McCulloch: Sarah E., born May 26, 1860, married Hayes Sharpe; Anna M., born Jan. 12, 1862, is at home; Margaret M. married Robert Johnson; George H., born May 2, 1869, resides on the Walnut Bottom farm, in Shippensburg township; John Clarke, born May 10, 1871, resides on the McCulloch homestead in Newton township. In politics, Mr. McCulloch is a Democrat, and is prominent in the councils of his party. For three years he was assessor of Newton township, and for fourteen years was a member of the school board of the same place. He and his wife were formerly members of the United Presbyterian Church of Newville, but are now members of the Presbyterian Church of Shippensburg. For three years Mr. McCulloch was trustee of the Cumberland Valley State Normal School. The family residence at Shippensburg, the property of Mr. McCulloch, is a very comfortable one, and there he and his wife dispense a gracious hospitality to their many friends.