Biographies and Obituaries
In loving memory
William E. Ritter
History of Daviess Counties
Goodspeed Publishing Company 1886
ELDER WILLIAM E. RITTER, minister and farmer, was born in Indiana April 7, 1836, son of John L. and Jane (Fate) Ritter, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee. The father followed the millwright's business and also farmed to some extent. About 1820 he came to Indiana, and after residing here a number of years moved to Texas, where he died in 1859. The mother died in 1836, when our subject was only a few days old. He was taken to raise by William Moore, with whom he lived until twenty-five years old, and received his education in the subscription and free schools. September 18, 1856. he married Cecelia A., daughter of John and Rachael (Raney) Hastings. Mrs. Ritter was born January 3, 1836, in Indiana. They have two children: Eliza Ellen (widow of Samuel Guthrie) and John William. After his marriage Mr. Ritter lived with Mr. Moore four years, and then located on an eighty-acre tract, given him by Mr. Moore. By his energy and good management he now owns 240 acres of land on which are erected good buildings. He is a Republican and cast his first vote for Lincoln. He and his wife are members of the Church of Christ. He was ordained elder of said church in 1864, and in 1878 was ordained evangelist, and has since been preaching the doctrines of that church. He is a true Christian, and a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.
Contributed by: Michael L. Tedrow