Page 99 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

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-- . .. HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

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i1of the p e w and school diredor, the latter office in Dallan Connty, Ala., in May, 1836, and was
He has been a member of the Masonic Lodge lor Capt. J . F. Ritchie is a real estate dealer at

about three years. and has held the office of justiee Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Ark. He was born

1for about six years. He entered the Union army n sou of John C. and Jane (Campbell) Ritchie,

under Col Faulkuer in 1862, and his first note. natives of South Carolina and Tenneo~e,respect.
worthy engagement was a t Chiekamauga, where he i ively. The family is of Scotch descent ou the

was slightly wounded three times. He was die- fat.her'e side, and'of Irish descent on the mother's

charged at Louisville, Ky.. on Sept.ember 6, 1865, side. His great-grandfather on the mother's side

after which he returned to his home and entered emigrated to America with two brothera, he set-

npon the praotice of his profession. He moved ; tling in Virginia, while his brothere located in the

from Illinois to Arkansas in 1872, and located at North. Tbis ancestor was in the Revolutionary

Wrightuville, where he laid out the town by that War, and died in Virginia. The father of John

name in 1873. He subsequently aoted as the first . C. Ritchie (William Ritchie) was a farmer, served

postmaster. He moved to Redfield in 1881, and in the War of 1812, and died in South Carolina.

ha8 resided there ever since. Mrs. Reynolds is a John C. Ritchio and wife were married in Ala-

member of the Baptist Church. bama, emigrated to Misaissippi in 1840, and in

D. B. Riggin, dealer in allkindsof lumber and 1856 came to Arkansas, wbeu they located in

general furnishings, such as sash, doors and ! Bradley County, where he opened up a store and

mouldings, was born near Baltimore, Md., in 1815, also carried on a plantation. He died in Ouaehita

being the son of George W. and Martha (Ronnda) County, Ark., in the year 1861, being at that time

IRiggin. The father, a farmer by calling, was probate judge of that county, which office he held

born in 1808, and is still living; the mother. whose for twelve or fifteen years. His wife is yet living
birth occnrred in 1804, died in 1865. a member of I and resides in Uamden, Ark. There are six chil.

the Methodist Episcopal Chnrch. She had borne dren of that family still alive: James F., George

.eight children, seven of whom are now living, and L., John C., Fannie (now Mrs. IVhite), Mrs. W.

of these onr snbject was next to the yonngest. K. Ramsey, and Mrs. Charlea Gordon. Mr. J.

The lat.ter was reared to farm life, and a t the age i F. Ritchie was raised in Mississippi, educated in

of twenty.one commenoed workingat carpentering, the common schools of that State, and at the age

serving several years for small pay till his trade of nineteen began the study of law, and in 1857

was learned I n 1871 he came to Pine Blnff and was admitted to the bar of Itawamba, Miss. The

worked by the day a t hie adopted vocation until following year he removed to Calhoun Connty,

1877, when he engaged in saw-milling, generally, where he pradieed until 1860, when he waseleoted

whioh buainess he has since followed, in comec- to the office of land attorney and State colleobr,

tion with contracting and building. Mr. Riggin which was paying him about $20,000 per annum, he

is one of the self-made, energetio men nf this por- being only a young man of twenty four, but the war

tion of thn State, and by hard and earnest work has breaking ont, he felt it his duty to enter the ser-

made for himself a name among other worthy in- vice, andthe following year enlisted in the Capital

dividuals. He is now the proprietor of the Star Guards of Little Rock. I n the same year he was

Planing & Shingle Mills, au establishment adding elected to lieuteuantcy of Deshar Battalion, and in

snbstautially to the material interests of Pine 1862, after the battle of Shiloh, when his company

Blnff. He is a member of the I. 0. 0.F. and was consolidated with the Eighth Arkansas, he was

Knights of Honor. I n 1881 Mr. Riggin married made captain, which position he filled nntil hewas

Miss Katie Stephens, daughter of A. J. Stephens wounded at the battle of M u r h b o r o , by his right

(deaeased). To them have been born three ohil- arm being shot entirely away, being taken off
dren: George A. and Katie Belle, now living, and
John H. (deoeased). -about half way between elbow and shoulder. He

7 was left on the battlefield and was then taken pria-

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