Biographical Sketch of John Ritter, Franklin County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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John Ritter, farmer and merchant, was born in Berne, Germany, in 1839
and here he grew up and received his education.  In 1863 he left his
native country and sailed for America, to make a home in the new 
world.  After landing at New York he came to St. Louis, and worked at
the stone-mason's trade, and in connection with this ran a small lunch
house and carried newspapers.  About 1875 he came to Franklin County,
and settled upon his present farm, which he had purchased some years
previously.  The same year he opened a small store of general merchan-
dise, and this has grown to be one of the best country stores in the 
county.  In 1882 he secured the postoffice at Port Hudson, and of this
he has been postmaster ever since.  In 1868 he married Miss Christina
Meismann, a native of Prussia, Germany, born in 1842.  The fruits of 
this union were four children: Henry (who died when an infant, in
1872), Mary, Rosa and William.  Mr. Ritter is a Democrat in his poli-
tical views, and he and his wife are members of the Catholic Church.
His father, Henry Ritter, died in Germany at the age of fifty-two, and
his mother, whose maiden name was Mary E. Pane, after her son had loc-
ated here, crossed the ocean and made her home with out subject until
her death, which occurred in this county.  In connection with his 
store Mr. Ritter is interested in farming, and now owns 170 acres.  At
the time of his advent to this country he had but ninety-five cents,
and now he is a successful farmer and business man.

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