John Weiss Ritter Family

1892 Photo of John W. Ritter

John Weist Ritter (1859-1944)
Lot 312 / Plot 4 Highland Cemetery New Castle, Garfield County, Colorado
Born September 1, 1859 - Sealingrove, PA
Died December 15, 1944 - New Castle, CO
Wife - Mary "Mollie" Ellen Vandeventer
Children - Robert Merritt, Mary Ellen, Neva, Lucy, John Columbine, Clay.
John was raised in Pennsylvania and came to Colorado in 1880. By age 10, (1869) John's family had moved to Austin, MO, where they farmed and owned a store. John's uncle, Peter Hachenberg, moved in with the family to help his sister when John's father died. Peter Hachenberg and his sister (John's mother), Maria Hachenberg Ritter moved to New Castle following John to live out the rest of their lives. "Uncle Pete" is buried in Highland Cemetery. He later arrived in Glenwood Springs in 1884 where he became a postmaster delivering mail from Glenwood to Chapman (New Castle) and Ferguson (Silt). He also became employed as a retailer with H.R. Kamm & Co. and eventually managed the Kamm store in New Castle. In 1892 he and partner John MacRae opened the Ritter & MacRae General store on New Castle's Main street. In 1891 he was elected as New Castle's Mayor and served in that position at different times for a total of 15 years. A highly respected leader of New Castle, John was also highly respected throughout Garfield County. A successful store owner John at times would lend money to the Town to ensure the Town was able to provide needed improvements or services. John continued to operate the store after the mine explosions in 1896 and 1913 which devastated the community and the Town saw its population leave. John was the stabilizing force that the community relied on in the years after the coal industry left. On Dec. 15 ,1944, at the age of 85, John closed up his store and was crossing the street in the dark to walk home when he was struck by a car and killed. Ritter Plaza in downtown New Castle honors John and his family.

1912  John Ritter (dark suit-center) in the Ritter-MacRae General Store on New Castle's Main Street

Circa 1930's - John Ritter standing outside of the Ritter & MacRae General Store

1936 - John W. Ritter standing in front of the side entry to the Ritter store. The area where he is standing is now a part of the Ritter Plaza created in 2000 by the Town of New Castle as a tribute to John and his family's contribution to the community.

John's family (L-R) Robert "Merritt", Mary Ellen "Meme", Neva, Lucy, John's wife Mary Ellen "Molly", John Columbine and John Weist Ritter.

Highland Cemetery New Castle, Garfield County, Colorado

Robert Merritt Ritter Biography

Robert "Merritt" Ritter (1911-2003)
Lot 312 / Plot 2  Highland Cemetery New Castle, CO
Born April 18, 1911 - Glenwood Springs, CO
Died 2003 - Merced, CA
Wife - Virginia (Duncan) Ritter (Married 1936 - Glenwood Springs, CO)
Children - Nancy (Ritter) Asay, John W. Ritter II
Parents - John W. & Mary Ellen (Vandeventer) Ritter
Siblings - John C., Clay J., Lucy, Mary Evelyn, Hazel D.
Robert was called by his middle name "Merritt", named after his grandfather Merritt Vandeventer, New Castle's first Mayor elected in 1888. His father John W. Ritter, was New Castle's 2nd Mayor, elected in 1891 and his mother, Mary Ellen "Mollie" Ritter was New Castle's first female Mayor, elected in 1921.
Merritt attended elementary and high school in New Castle, graduating in 1929. After high school he attended Colorado College where he earned a BS in Chemistry and Math. During his time at college he met his future wife, Virginia Duncan, who was attending Colorado Women's College. The two met in Denver while attending a dance that included students from both schools.
After College Merritt had hoped to pursue a medical degree and become a doctor but was unable to attend due to a lack of funding. After marrying, in 1936, he and Virginia moved to El Segundo, CA, where his sisters, Lucy and Mary Evelyn, lived to search for work. He acquired a job with Air Research as a metallurgist developing cooler for aircraft.
The job kept him out of WWII as he was provided an exemption due to the importance of his aircraft work and its value to the military. The Navy had pursued him for the purpose of becoming a doctor but the importance of his work and its value to the military prevented that.
In 1944, his father, John W. Ritter, was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle on New Castle's Main Street. John had operated the Ritter & MacRae General Store in New Castle since 1892. His mother took over the operation of the store but in 1947 she called Merritt to come home to help her. So in 1947 he left his job and purchased the store from his mom and moved the family to New Castle to operate the old Ritter General Store.
He added a drug store to the original store, complete with a soda fountain and jute box which became a popular hangout for the New Castle kids. He also built a tennis court in the vacant lot east of the store because of his love of the sport, this also was popular for the kids. His wife, Virginia became a teacher at the New Castle school.
Operating a business in New Castle was a challenge in those days as the population was small and there was little growth in the community. In 1954, he and Virginia decided to sell the business to Merritt's brother, John C. Ritter and left New Castle. Merritt returned to school for a year at Colorado College of Education, in Greeley, and received his teaching certificate. They then moved to Merced, CA, where they were both employed as teachers. They also later taught in Los Angeles and Ranch Bard No, near San Diego.
After retiring from teaching Merritt and Virginia moved to Salem, OR in 1977 near their son John. In 1995 they moved to Merced, CA near their daughter Nancy, during their time in Merced, Merritt passed away at the age of 92. Thanks to John Ritter, for the photos and information.

1929 - Merritt's Senior photo during his high school days at New Castle.

Merritt and his children, John and Nancy, in California.

Highland Cemetery New Castle, Garfield County, Colorado

Virginia Duncan Ritter (1915-2011)
Lot 312 / Plot 2  Highland Cemetery New Castle, Garfield County, Colorado
Born 1915 - On a farm outside of Denver, CO
Died 2011 - Surprise, AZ
Husband - Robert "Merritt" Ritter (Married 1936 - Glenwood Springs, CO)
Children - Nancy (Ritter) Assay & John W. Ritter II
Parents - Joseph & Effie (Ashford) Duncan
Virginia was was born and lived on a farm outside of Denver, at an early age her father, Joseph, was killed while shoeing a horse, the death occurred when the horse kicked him in the head. Her mother, Effie, quite a bit younger than her father, was a full blooded Cherokee. After the death of her father her mother married a man from the Oklahoma Indian territory that was also Cherokee and took Virginia to live in Oklahoma.
Late in her life Virginia related to her son John information about her childhood in Oklahoma. Although half-blooded Cherokee Virginia was light skinned in comparison to the members of the Cherokee family she now lived with and considered a white child by the members of the community. Her step-father and members of the community were not accepting of her. Her two Aunts in Denver were contacted and told they could come to Oklahoma to take Virginia or she would be taken to the desert and she would be left there and most likely she would parish. The Aunts traveled by train to Oklahoma and picked up Virginia to come and live with them in Denver.
Virginia was raised in Denver by her two Aunts and attended school there. After graduating from high school in 1933 she attended Colorado Women's College in Denver. While attending college she met her future husband, Robert "Merritt" Ritter at a dance. The couple married in 1936 and later that year they moved to El Segundo, CA near Merritt's sisters and where Merritt secured a very good job with Air Research.
In 1947 Merritt was contacted by his mother to help her with the operation of the old Ritter General Store and Virginia and Merritt moved to New Castle where they purchased the store and took over the operation.
While in New Castle Merritt operated the store and during that year the principal, at the New Castle School, approached Virginia and asked her to teach the 1st Grade class there. Virginia was hesitant because she had not received a teaching certificate. The principal was persistent explaining she was the only one in town with a college degree, so Virginia accepted. She continued to teach at New Castle until 1954 when they sold the store to Merritt's brother John C. Ritter.
She and Merritt moved to Greeley, CO for a year, where they attended Colorado College of Education, and received their teaching degrees. They then moved to Merced, CA where they both taught school. They would later teach in Los Angeles and Ranch Bard No, near San Diego. During that time Virginia also served as a principal for 5 years in San Diego. Overall, Virginia spent 30 plus years in education.
After retirement in San Diego, the couple moved to Salem, OR near their son John in 1977. When John left Oregon in 1995 they moved to Merced, CA to be near their daughter Nancy. Merritt passed in Merced in 2003 and later her daughter Nancy also passed. After Nancy's passing she moved to Surprise, AZ and lived with her son, John and his wife, until her passing in 2011. Thanks to John Ritter for photos and information.

Virginia Ritter

Virginia and Merritt receiving their teaching certificates and their children John & Nancy.

Circa 1943 - Wonderful photo of Virginia Ritter and her children John and Nancy

Virginia Ritter

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