47. Floyd "Hoed" Leroy
Ritchie(34) was born on Feb 9
1884 in Dunham Twp., Washington Co., Ohio.(81)
His birth record lists his name as Floid Austin Ritchey, when Social
Security enrollment became available he had it corrected at the Washington County
Courthouse.
He is listed at age 17 in Winford Ritchie's (his older brother) household in
the 1900 Census. He may also have lived with his uncle and aunt, Elijah and
Mary F. "Fannie" [Rollins] McMahon. According to Herman "Nig"
Ritchie (Floyd's son), when Floyd was about sixteen, he worked in the coal mines
for Coke And Coal Company in the Gauley River area of West Virginia. He worked
the mines only for a short time because a support beam fell and broke both of
his legs. Floyd worked most his life as a black powder man and foreman in a
stone quarry near Constitution, Ohio.
He resided at Bramblewood Heights about 1929 in Warren Twp., Washington Co.,
Ohio.(82) Russ Chidester remembers during
the great depression, Hode and Mahala would have square dances at their house.
They would clear out the furniture in the living room and invite friends and
family. Russ played a tenor banjo, while Kelsey Parks played lead on the fiddle.
Other musicians included Bun and Clyde Ritchie. He died on Oct 24 1960 in Vienna,
West Virginia.(9) His obituary appeared
in the Marietta Times on Tuesday October 25, 1960. It reads: "Floyd Leroy
Ritchie, 76, of Marietta Route 4 died Monday at 12:15 p.m. at the Riverview Nursing
Home at Vienna, W. Va. He was born February 9, 1884 in Dunham Township, a son
of the late Theodore and Martha Rollins Ritchie. On January 9, 1904, he married
Mahala Hawkins who survives with three sons and five daughters, Gilbert Ritchie
of Jackson, Michigan; Herman Ritchie of Lewisville, Fred Ritchie of Marietta;
Mrs. Wayne Masters and Mrs. Clifford Harris of Marietta Route 4; Mrs. Hazel Plaugher
of Marietta; Mrs. Martin Cagle and Mrs. Charles Schultz of Jolliet, Illinois.
One step-son, Perry Hawkins is deceased. There are 30 grandchildren and 17
great- grandchildren. Two brothers survive, Winfield (Winford) Ritchie of Oklahoma
and Earl Ritchie of Marietta. Two brothers, Oliver B. Ritchie and William A.
Ritchie and two sisters, Mrs. Stella Martin and Mrs. Mattie Armstrong are deceased.
He is also survived by a number of other relatives and friends. Mr. Ritchie
had been employed in the stone quarries until his retirement 11 years ago. Funeral
services will be at the Doudna & McClure Funeral Home with burial in the
Gravel Bank Cemetery." He was buried in Gravel Bank (Riverview) Cemetery
near Constitution, Ohio.(9)
He was married
to Mahala Isabel Hawkins (daughter of John Hawkins and
Martha Pitts) on Jan 9 1904 in Washington County, Ohio.
(83) Floyd's uncle Elijah McMan (McMahon) was listed as Floyd's guardian
and gave consent on their application. They were married by Tom McDermott, a
Justice Of The Peace. Nig Ritchie also informed me that Floyd and Mahala set
up household an Island on the Ohio River for a period of time.
Mahala Isabel Hawkins(38)
was born on May 2 1881 in Washington County, Ohio.
(38) She died on Sep 3 1973 in Marietta, Ohio.
(43) She was buried in Gravel Bank (Riverview) Cemetery near Constitution,
Ohio.(13) Floyd "Hoed" Leroy
Ritchie and Mahala Isabel Hawkins had the following children:
+105 i.
Thelma Beatrice Ritchie.
+106 ii.
Gilbert "Gib" Leroy Ritchie.
+107 iii.
Elmer "Nig" Herman Ritchie.
+108 iv.
Elsie Marian Ritchie.
+109 v.
Frederick Floyd Ritchie.
+110 vi.
Hazel Guila Ritchie.
+111 vii.
Carrie Louise Ritchie.
+112 viii.
Iva "Wilma" Wilma Ritchie.
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