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Edwards Cemetery ~ Lewis Ritner ~ part of the Polk County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
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Ritner, Lewis
LAST NAME: Ritner FIRST NAME: Lewis MIDDLE NAME:  NICKNAME: 
MAIDEN NAME:  AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3: 
GENDER: M TITLE: 
BORN: 5 Nov 1856 DIED: 21 Nov 1943 BURIED: 23 Nov 1943 (Edwards Cemetery)
OCCUPATION:  Farmer
BIRTH PLACE:  Pedee, Polk Co., Oregon
DEATH PLACE: Monmouth, Polk Co., Oregon
NOTES: 
OSBH DC (Polk County 1943) #142 - Lewis Ritner, male, widowed (Clarinda), b. 2 Nov 1856 in Pedee, Oregon, d. 21 Nov 1943 in Monmouth, Oregon at the age of 87 y's 0 m's 19 d's, name of father Sebastian Ritner (b. Switzerland), maiden name of mother Sarah [unknown by informant] (b. Pennsylvania), interment: 23 Nov 1943, undertaker A. L. Keeney, informant Pete Ritner of Pedee, Oregon.
1900 OR CENSUS - Lewis Ritner, age 42, occupation farmer, b. Nov 1857 in Oregon, is enumerated with and his wife of 19 years, Clarinda, age 34, mother of 3, b. Feb 1866 in Oregon,  along with Ella, age 17, b. Dec 1882 in Oregon, Annie, age 14, b. Jun 1885 [1886] in Oregon, and Peter, age 11, b. Oct 1888 in Oregon. Also enumerated with the family is Sarrah, identified as mother [of Lewis], age 74, widowed, mother of 12 children 7 of whom are living at the time of the census, b. Aug 1825 in Pennsylvania.
DISCREPANCY - Marker gives year of birth as 1856, biographical sketch in Portrait and Biographical Record and 1900 census records give 1857.

BIOGRAPHICAL BIOGRAPHICAL (Source - Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon, "Lewis Ritner", 1903 Chapman Publishing, pg 931):
"Among the native sons of Polk county who have spent their entire lives upon farms where they were born in the pioneer days of the state, is Lewis Ritner, whose birth occurred November 2, 1857. He is a son if Sebastian and Sarah (Woodling) Ritner, and is the second of three children born of the second marriage of his mother. Mrs. Ritner was born in Northampton County, Pa., August 5, 1817, and before her marriage was Sarah Woodling, daughter of Peter and Mary (Houghner) Woodling, the former born in England, and a farmer during his entire active life. In her native state Miss Woodling married for her first husband, in 1833, John Ritner, who was born in Switzerland, and came to the United States at an early day, locating in Missouri, Platte county. He was a mechanic by trade, and combined that with farming during nearly all of his working life. Hearing favorable reports of the agricultural prospects in the far west, he sold his farm, and left to the others his little business, outfitting in 1852 to cross the plains with ox-teams. He was not destined to reach the Mecca of his desires, for on the plains he succumbed to illness, died, and was buried in a lonely wayside grave. His wife and four children finished the journey to the coast, and the mother took up a donation land claim of two hundred and thirty acres, which is the present home of the family. In 1854 Mrs. Ritner married Sebastian Ritner, brother of her former husband, who was also born in Switzerland, the date of his birth being 1815.
Sebastian Ritner crossed the plains as early as 1845, but it is not on record that he experienced any particular adventures. He farmed for a time in Oregon, and in 1847 went to the mines of California, returning at the end of a year, considerably richer than when he went. With his earning he took up a conation claim of three hundred acres, and so successfully operated it that he was able to add to his possessions, and at the time of his death owned nine hundred acres. He engaged in general farming and stock-raising, although in his youth he had worked as a mechanic, and had a wide range of knowledge bearing upon mechanical subjects. He was a thoroughly reliable man, upright and considerate in all of his dealings, and of more than ordinary business shrewdness. He died at his home near Pedee, September 10, 1887.
The children of the first marriage of Mrs. Ritner who are now living are: Mary E., the wife of Lew Hannam, of Lewisville; Missouri Anna, the wife of Joe Edwards, of Pedee; Anna, the wife of Richard Dunn, of King’s Valley; and Flora, the wife of John Waters, of McTimmons Valley. By the second marriage there were four children: John Ritner; Lewis; Sophrona, wife of James Grant; and Frank Ritner, deceased.
Lewis Ritner spent an uneventful youth on his father’s farm, and was so thoroughly trained in the science of farming that he took charge of the whole property at the age of eighteen years. This responsibility came to him because of the marriage of his brother and his removal to a farm of his own. In April, 1883, Mr. Ritner married Corinda [Clarinda], daughter of James Edelman, Mrs. Ritner being a native of Benton county, Ore. The father was born in the state of Pennsylvania, and located on a farm in Benton county, where he died at the age of sixty-two years. Mr. Ritner is farming five hundred acres of his father’s claim, and has large number of fine stock, including thoroughbred horses, red and roan Shores, Cotswold sheep, and dairy cattle. An additional source of revenue is a logging business in which he engages for portion of each year. He also has sixteen acres under hops, and considerable fruit. He is very successful, and is regarded as one of the most scientific and practical farmers in the county. He is a Republican in politics, and with his wife is a member of the Evangelical Church of Pedee, in which he is a steward and an active worker. Mr. Ritner has the sterling and reliable traits of character which brought about his father’s success, and which have brought him many stanch [sic] friends, as well as the esteem of the entire community. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ritner have been born three children: Ella, wife of Frank Sheythe; Annie and Martin P. Ritner, at home."
DEATH CERTIFICATE: 
OSBH DC (Polk County 1943) #142 - Lewis Ritner, male, widowed (Clarinda), b. 2 Nov 1856 in Pedee, Oregon, d. 21 Nov 1943 in Monmouth, Oregon at the age of 87 y's 0 m's 19 d's, name of father Sebastian Ritner (b. Switzerland), maiden name of mother Sarah [unknown by informant] (b. Pennsylvania), interment: 23 Nov 1943, undertaker A. L. Keeney, informant Pete Ritner of Pedee, Oregon.
OBITUARY: 
Lewis Ritner, 87, the last of one of the well known pioneer families of the Pedee community and Polk county, passed away at the family home in the Ritner community near Pedee Sunday, November 21. Although his health had been failing for some time, and he had only recently received medical attention, his condition had not been considered serious. Mr Ritner was the son of Sebastian and Sarah Ritner and he was born at Pedee November 2, 1856. His father was born in Switzerland but came to this country when quite young and crossed the plains to Oregon in 1845, and his mother also emigrated to this state a short time later. Mr Ritner was married to Clarinda Edleman in 1882, and to this union were born three children, Ella Sheythe, Anna Arnold and Pete Ritner, all of whom survive and reside at Pedee. Mrs Ritner passed away in 1913 after which Mr Ritner divided his large farm between his three children and he had continued to live in his old home with his daughter Mrs Anna Arnold. Until the last, “Uncle Lew” as he was familiarly known by his many friends, maintained a keen interest in community activites and world affairs. He was a successful farmer and stock raiser and a great lover of the outdoors. In 1884 he united with the Evangelical church in which he had been a faithful member throughout the years. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. The remains were at the Keeney Funeral home in Corvallis and funeral services under their direction were held in the Pedee school house Tuesday, November 23. Rev Allen Backer, pastor of the Evangelical church at Vernonia, but formerly of Kings Valley and Pedee, officiated and interment was in the family plot in the Ritner cemetery at Pedee. 
Independence Enterprise, Friday, November 26, 1943, 1:3
INSCRIPTION: 
Ritner
Lewis
1856 - 1943
(shares marker with Clarinda)
SOURCES: 
Saucy Survey & Photographs
OSBH DC (Polk County 1943) #142 
1900 OR CENSUS (Polk Co., Luckiamute, ED 176, sheet 5B) 
Independence Enterprise, 26 Nov 1943
PBRW, pg 931
CONTACTS: 
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