SECOND GENERATION

4. Alexander "Alex" J. Ritchey⁽¹⁾ was born on Feb 14 1841 in Washington County, Pennsylvania.⁽²²⁾ He was enlisted in Company F of the 63rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private on Oct 10 1861 in Marietta, Ohio.⁽²⁾ He was twenty years old when he went off to war. His father enlisted a year later. He was shot in the left shoulder and was listed as badly crippled. He was discharged on Dec 21 1864 in Savannah, Georgia.⁽²⁾ The following are excerpts from his military pension records:

Louis Schmidt, 1st Lieutenant, Co. F 63rd OVI on March 11, 1879 "states on oath, that Alexander Ritchey of Co. F 63rd Ohio Inf. Vols. at Decatur Georgia about July 22nd 1864 was wounded in battle by a gunshot in the left shoulder - totally disabling him for duty at the time."

"State of Ohio - County of Washington - On this 5th day of November A. D. one thousand eight hundred and eighty four personally appeared before me, Deputy Clerk of the Common Pleas Court, a court of record within and for the County and State aforesaid, Alexander Ritchey age 40 years a resident of the vicinity of Constitution, county of Washington, State of Ohio, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Alexander Ritchey who was enrolled on the 10th day of October, 1861, in Company F of the 63rd Regiment of Ohio Infantry commanded by -- and was honorably discharged at Savannah, Ga. on the 26th day of December 1864; that his personal description is as follows: Age 40 years; height, 5 feet 8 inches; complexion, dark; hair, dark; eyes, dark. That while a member of the organization aforesaid, in the service and in the line of his duty at Marietta, in the State of Ohio on or about the -- day of January 1862 he contracted Measles and while suffering from said disease he caught cold giving him Lung Fever with Typhoid Symptoms totaling disabling him at the time, affecting his lungs and since causing Rheumatism & Kidney Disease. He was treated in hospitals as follows; Treated by Surgeon Monahan, now dead, from about June 1862 to (?) 1862 and by Dr. Gilbert, now dead, while home on sick leave in 1862. That he has not been employed in the military or naval service otherwise than stated above except on detachment duty in the 3rd Michigan Battery from about Aug 1862 to 1864. That since leaving the service this applicant has resided from discharge to 1884 at Constitution in the State of Ohio and his occupation has been that of a Cooper." Attested to by Thomas Vanwey and Fred Miller

Charles Cone on July 14, 1886 stated "Alexander Ritchey made (barrels?) for me in 1865. He is a cooper by trade and has made (barrels?) for me to put apples in, has made (barrels?) for me most every year since. Some times can work & some times can't, has the rheumatism most of the time and all (crippled?) in other ways, in the winter mostly crippled."

Frank S. Marvin on July 30, 1887 "says that he first became acquainted with the physical condition of Alexander Ritchey on or about the 20 day of February 1864 at Elk River Tennessee. He was at that time complaining of his lungs and rheumatism up to the time he was discharged at Savannah Georgia about Dec 1864. He always complained and at times was not fit for duty. He oft times went to sick call and Dr. Moneyhan excused him from duty. His condition seemed to grow worse up to the time he was discharged. After we waded the Ogelia Canal near Savannah, he took cold and his condition worsened up to his discharge at Savannah. My means of knowing is that I was a Private of Co F 63 Ohio Vol and was with him at the time. I have no relation and have no interest in his pension claims. My Post Office address is Bellaire, Belmont Co. Ohio."

He died on Jun 30 1916 in Mile Run near Marietta, Ohio. ⁽⁹⁾ His July 1, 1916 Marietta Times obituary reads: "DEATH CALLS AGED VETERAN Friday evening at 6 o'clock at the late home at Mile Run occurred the death of Mr. Alexander Richards (surname is misgiven in newspaper), a well known Civil War Veteran. Death was due to advanced age. The deceased was born in Washington County, PA., February, 1841, and was 75 years of age. When a small boy he moved to Wells county (mistake in paper, this should read Washington County, there is no Wells County in Ohio), O., from which place he enlisted in Company F, 63 OVI, October 10, 1861, serving until honorably discharged in 1864. While in the service he was in several large battles and was with Sherman in his march to the sea. Mr. Richards was a member of the C. B. Gates Post and the United Brethren church. His wife died in 1908 and the deceased is survived by two sons; Albert of Oklahoma and Arthur of Marietta; two sisters; Mrs. Viola Sayers of Briggs and Mrs. Nancy Swords of Marietta and one brother, Theodore, of Belpre. Funeral arrangements have not been completed." He was buried in Gravel Bank (Riverview) Cemetery near Constitution, Ohio. ⁽¹³⁾ His grave marker reads: Alexander Ritchey - Born Feb, 14 1844 - Died (no death date cut).

He was married to Diantha Flowers (daughter of Silas Flowers and Polly Goodwin) on Jul 25 1866 in Washington County, Ohio.⁽²³⁾ They were married by F. A. Wheeler, a Justice of the Peace. Diantha Flowers⁽¹⁾ was born on Feb 1 1847 in Marietta, Ohio.⁽¹³⁾ According to 1850 Census, Silas her father was a 24 year old laborer, Polly her mother was 17, Diantha was 2, and Alfred her brother was 5 months old. They lived in Warren Township. Silas Flowers was a Civil War veteran (Company K 2nd Ohio Heavy Artillery) and is listed in the 1890 Census of Veterans and Widows of the Civil War. In the 1860 Census, Silas age 35, Diantha age 13 and Alfred age 11 are listed with the household of William and Margeret Fullerton in Barlow Township. Evidently Diantha's mother died between 1850 and 1860. She died on Jul 15 1910 in Warren Twp., Washington Co., Ohio.⁽⁹⁾ Her obituary appeared in the Saturday Evening Marietta Times on July 16, 1910: "Mrs. Alexander Ritchie died Friday evening about 11:30 o'clock at her home on Telegraph Hill, near Moore's Junction, after an illness of Bright's disease. She was 63 years of age and is survived by a husband and two children. Funeral services will be held Sunday morning at 9 o'clock from the residence and internment will be made at Gravel Bank." She was buried in Gravel Bank (Riverview) Cemetery near Constitution, Ohio.⁽¹³⁾ She is buried with her husband and daughter, Catherine. Her side of the grave marker reads reads: Diantha Flowers - Born Feb (illegible day) 1847 - Died Jul 15 1910. According to the 1900 Federal Census, Diantha had mothered 5 children. I have only been able to account for four of them. The missing child probably died in infancy. Alexander "Alex" J. Ritchey and Diantha Flowers had the following children:

+23 i. Jeanette "Nettie" A. Ritchie.
+24 ii. Albert Leroy Ritchie.
+25 iii. Catherine "Katie" Ritchey.
+26 iv. Arthur "Art" Alexander Ritchie.

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