Research Notes:
Jacob Ritner, son of ex-governor Joseph Ritner, was an early settler in Churchtown. [1]
1827 Jacob Ritner, formerly of Washington County, and Miss Hannah Scott, of Cumberland County, were married on February 16. [2]
1830 Jacob Ritner lived in Monroe Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in a household with males: 1 (under 5), 1 (5 thru 9), 1 (10 thru 14), 1 (15 thru 19), and 1 (20 thru 29); and females: 1 (15 thru 19) and 1 (20 thru 29). [3]
1839 Jacob Ritner of South Middleton, and Elizabeth Smith of Monroe Twp were married on December 26, by Rev. John Ulrich. [4] An obituary dated 1889 reports that her maiden name was Moore and that this was Jacob's second marriage.
1840 Jacob Ritner lived in South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in a household with one male age 0-5, one male age 20-30, one male age 30-40, 4 females age 0-10, one female age 20-30, and one female age 30-40. [5]
1841 John C A Ritner (September 2 - September 11, 1841), was buried at Carlisle Cemetery. He was listed next to Jacob Ritner (1802 - 1873). [6]
1845 Hannah Ritner, of Monroe Twp, Cumberland County, was listed in the probate index, dated October 28, 1845, with executor Jacob Ritner, and sureties by Thos Crisswell, Robert Wilson, and Jas H Blaine. [7] [8] [9] Why was the probate delayed until this time, if Jacob had remarried in 1839?
1846 Henry H Ritner (May 21, 1846 - April 15, 1847), was buried at Carlisle Cemetery. He was listed next to Jacob Ritner (1802 - 1873). [10]
1848 Jacob Ritner warranted 75 acres in Cumberland County on March 20, 1848. [11]
1850 Letters of administration were issued on April 2, to Jacob Ritner on the estate of Margret Ritner, late of Maryland, rec'd inventory account to be exhibited according to law. Bail by Jos Ritner and John Hyer. [12]
1850 Jacob Ritner Esq, surveyor (age 48) lived in South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania with Elizabeth (age 39), Hettie (age 19), Margaret, (age 13), and Mahala (age 11). Henry Hosler (age 29), a farm hand, lived with them. [13]
1852 Henry Hosler married Hettie Ritner, daughter of Jacob and Alice Scott Ritner of Cumberland County. [14]
1858 The home of Jb Ritner, Esq. was shown on a map of South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. [15]
1858 The G & S mill of Jb Ritner was shown on a map of South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, south of the home of Jb Ritner, Esq. Perhaps Jacob was both a lawyer and a mill owner, or perhaps the mill was owned by a different Jacob Ritner. [16]
1860 Jacob Ritner, attorney at law (age 58) lived in South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania with Elizabeth (age 50), Margaret (age 23), Mahala (age 21), and Mary (age 16). [17]
1870 Jacob Ritner, surveyor (age 68) lived in South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania with Elizabeth (age 65). Margaret Ritner (age 30) and Emma Ritner (age 55) lived with them. [18]
c 1872 Jacob Ritner, retired attorney, surveyor, and farmer lived in District 16 of South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. [19]
1873 The will of Jacob Ritner, of South Middleton Twp, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, was dated September 11, 1872 and was proved in probate court on March 28, 1873. The will named wife Elizabeth, daughter Hettie Hosler, son Joseph, daughter Margaret L, daughter Mahala S; Robert W, Emily G, and Berth C Moore; daughter Mary the wife of William Moore, [20]
1873 Jacob Ritner died on March 21 and was buried in the Carlisle cemetery. Jacob was born on February 28, 1802. [21] [22] Adjacent lots were for John C.A. Ritner 2 Sept, 1841-11 Sep, 1841 and Henry H Ritner 21 May, 1846-April 15, 1847.
1889 Elizabeth Smith Ritner died on November 14 and was buried at Mount Holly Springs Cemetery, Mount Holly Springs, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth Smith Ritner was born on November 28, 1810. [23] [24]
Elizabeth Ritner, relict of Jacob Ritner, died at 1 30 o'clock Thursday morning, at her home, one mile north of Mount Holly Springs. For the past five weeks she has been confined to her room and gradually failing. Old age was assigned as the cause of her death.
Mrs. Ritner was born Nov 28, 1810 and would have been 79 years of age had she lived until the 28th of the present month. She was the mother of Mrs. William Moore and Mrs. Henry Wollet, both of whom were with her constantly during the late sickness.
The deceased was a Christian woman, having united herself with the Reformed Church when quite young, but of late years, failing health prevented her from attendance at services. She had been a widow for about 17 years and was the second wife of Jacob Ritner, who was the eldest son of Governor Ritner. The funeral took place at her late home, on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. Interment in the cemetery at Mount Holly.
1889 Mary Moore was the executor for the estate of Elizabeth Ritner of South Middleton. [25]
1906 Margaret L Ritner died on June 8 and was buried at Old Graveyard, Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Margaret L Ritner was born on September 19, 1836. [26]
Carlisle Evening Herald, Jun 9, 1906 Page 1
Miss Margaret L. Ritter: Last evening Joseph R. Hosler, of South West street, received a telegram from Littleton, North Carolina, announcing the death of his aunt, Miss Margaret L. Ritner, which occurred at the home of a relative near Odell that state. Miss Ritner was a daughter of the late Jacob Ritner, and resided in South Middleton township near Moore's Mill, along the Holly pike for many years. She was 70 years of age and a consistent member of the Second Presbyterian Church, of this place.Last February she went to North Carolina in the hopes that her health would improve, but she slowly grew worse and about a week ago became critically ill. The telegram was very brief, but it is thought she died on Thursday evening. The cause was a complication of diseases. A step sister, Mrs. Mary Moore, resides at Moore's Mill. Mrs. Henry Hosler, late of Carlisle, was a sister of the deceased.
The remains will be brought here for interment.The funeral will be held at 6 o'clock this evening from the rooms of Funeral Director Ewing, on West High street. Interment in the Old Graveyard.
Research Notes:
We have suspected that Mahala Smith Ritner was a daughter of Elizabeth Moore by her prior marriage to Smith, based on the date of marriage (1839) of Jacob Ritner and Elizabeth Moore Smith and the date of birth of Mahala Smith (1838). However, DNA matches between desendants of Mahala Smith Ritner and descendants of other Ritner family members suggest that Mahala was a daughter of Jacob Ritner.
[1] H. C. Bradsby, Aaron Sheely, M. A. Leeson, History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania [Adams] (Warner, Beers:1886), 316, [GoogleBooks].
[2] Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985, Historical Society, Index Cards, Marriages and Deaths (A-Sn), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[3] United States Federal Census, 1830, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[4] Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985, Historical Society, Index Cards, Marriages and Deaths (A-Sn), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[5] US census, 1840, Reel 0455, Image 311, line 13, page 152, [InternetArchive].
[6] Sarah Woods Parkinson, Memories of Carlisle's Old Graveyard (1930), 89, [AncestryImage].
[7] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[8] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, Cumberland Administrator book E-11, [AncestryImage].
[9] Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Will Administrators E-11, [FamilySearchImage].
[10] Sarah Woods Parkinson, Memories of Carlisle's Old Graveyard (1930), 89, [AncestryImage].
[11] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 24 (Warrantees of Land 1) (1898), 755, [InternetArchive].
[12] Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994, Cumberland, Administration Record E-98, [FamilySearchImage].
[13] United States Federal Census, 1850, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[14] Jeremiah Zeamer, Biographical Annals of Cumberland County Pennsylvania (1905), 569, [InternetArchive].
[15] Henry F. Bridgens, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: from actual surveys (Philadelphia: Friend & Aub Lith., 1858), [LibraryOfCongress].
[16] Henry F. Bridgens, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: from actual surveys (Philadelphia: Friend & Aub Lith., 1858), [LibraryOfCongress].
[17] United States Federal Census, 1860, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[18] United States Federal Census, 1870, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[19] F. W. Beers, publisher, and Louis E. Newman, engraver, Atlas of Cumberland Co. Pennsylvania (New York, F. W. Beers, 1872), 36, South Middleton, [Alabama University], [Ancestor Tracks].
[20] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, Cumberland will P-179, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[21] Find A Grave Memorial 96080499, [FindAGrave].
[22] Sarah Woods Parkinson, Memories of Carlisle's Old Graveyard (1930), 89, [AncestryImage].
[23] Find A Grave Memorial 53881078, [FindAGrave].
[24] Newspaper, Carlisle Weekly Herald, Nov 21, 1889 Page 3.
[25] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, Index entry, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[26] Find A Grave Memorial 96080516, [FindAGrave].