George Washington Ritchey was born July 13th, 1875 near the little town of Williamburg in Moultrie County, Illinois, the eldest child of Daniel and Sarah Jane Rippey Ritchey. His parents farmed for a living. In the late 1880's his father Daniel purchased 160 acres just west of Stewardson in Shelby County, Illinois where they lived in a large house with 3 dormers. Daniel also operated a general store in nearby Windsor. In the late 1890's George's father Daniel decided to go west, and the family settled first in Page County, Iowa by 1900 and later took claim to ranch land just outside of Monida, Montana.
In the meantime, George who was now of age, was found living in St. Louis, Missouri in 1900 with his 2nd cousin John W. Rippey and family working as a packer. John Rippey age 31 was working as a driver and had a wife Mattie and 3 young children. Also living with them was John's father and mother David and Elizabeth Rippey. David was working as a street sweeper. David was a cousin of George's mother Sarah Jane Rippey Ritchey.
George was musically talented and also worked in vaudeville for a time. In April of 1910, he was found living in Bartlesville, OK working as a cook in a cafe. He was living in a rooming house. George had earlier purchased land near his father and brothers for ranch property outside of Monida, Montana. They all sold the land in 1918 and moved to Morton, Washington. In September of 1918, George was living in Portland, Oregon when he registered for the draft. He gave his permanent address as Morton, Washington. He was then working at Union Depot as a mail truck worker for the Oregon Washington Railroad and Navigation Company.
In September of 1919, at the age of 44, George returned to Illinois to the town of Arthur in Moultrie County, where he was married to Miss Mary Ruth Craig, age 26. They moved back to his home in Portland, Oregon where he now owned a house at 923 Gladstone Avenue. They were found living here when the 1920 Census was taken, and George was still working as a mail truck driver. Sometime in the early 1920's they moved back to Illinois, living in Arthur, where their 2 children were born: Patricia Ellen in 1925, and Marianna in 1929. When the depression came on in the 1930's it appears that they moved in with Mary's widowed father James Buchanan "Buck" Craig in Arthur, Moultrie Co, IL. George got job working as a shoe salesman in Arthur. In 1933, George's father Daniel died in Morton, Washington and George probably went back west around that time. I believe he and his wife had also separated around the same time. George was living in Colby, Kansas in 1935, and by the 1940 Census, was living in Idaho Falls, Idaho, occupation hardware store clerk. He did not have an address, but was listed as "sleeps in store". Mary and the 2 daughters stayed in Arthur.
About 1950, George moved to Centralia, Washington. His mother had moved from Morton, Washington to Centralia about 1946 where she died the next year.. She had been living with her daughter Olive (George's sister) and her husband William Dengler after the death of her husband (George's father Daniel Ritchey). George's brother James Abraham Ritchey who had been married to Pearl Mahar in 1920 had died in 1935, leaving his widow with 3 sons. They also lived in Centralia and George became an important father figure to his nephews. George lived at 407 S Tower Street. His brother's family lived at 1300 Crescent Avenue.
George stayed active in his old age, and still enjoyed his music. He played various instruments including both the fiddle and the mandolin. He also enjoyed ice skating even into his 80's and often took walks around town. He died at the age of 95 while on one of his walks. He was buried in the Stricklin Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery where his family erected a tombstone for him which was engraved with a violin.
George's wife Mary remarried late in life in 1974 to a widower Charles Barton Howard who died in 1977. She died in 1984 and is buried in Arthur. Both of his daughters married and had families: Patricia married Willis Appleby and had 4 children (Patricia, Gary, Karen, and Jack Appleby). Marianna married Monte Holl and had one son Timothy Holl.
In the meantime, George who was now of age, was found living in St. Louis, Missouri in 1900 with his 2nd cousin John W. Rippey and family working as a packer. John Rippey age 31 was working as a driver and had a wife Mattie and 3 young children. Also living with them was John's father and mother David and Elizabeth Rippey. David was working as a street sweeper. David was a cousin of George's mother Sarah Jane Rippey Ritchey.
George was musically talented and also worked in vaudeville for a time. In April of 1910, he was found living in Bartlesville, OK working as a cook in a cafe. He was living in a rooming house. George had earlier purchased land near his father and brothers for ranch property outside of Monida, Montana. They all sold the land in 1918 and moved to Morton, Washington. In September of 1918, George was living in Portland, Oregon when he registered for the draft. He gave his permanent address as Morton, Washington. He was then working at Union Depot as a mail truck worker for the Oregon Washington Railroad and Navigation Company.
In September of 1919, at the age of 44, George returned to Illinois to the town of Arthur in Moultrie County, where he was married to Miss Mary Ruth Craig, age 26. They moved back to his home in Portland, Oregon where he now owned a house at 923 Gladstone Avenue. They were found living here when the 1920 Census was taken, and George was still working as a mail truck driver. Sometime in the early 1920's they moved back to Illinois, living in Arthur, where their 2 children were born: Patricia Ellen in 1925, and Marianna in 1929. When the depression came on in the 1930's it appears that they moved in with Mary's widowed father James Buchanan "Buck" Craig in Arthur, Moultrie Co, IL. George got job working as a shoe salesman in Arthur. In 1933, George's father Daniel died in Morton, Washington and George probably went back west around that time. I believe he and his wife had also separated around the same time. George was living in Colby, Kansas in 1935, and by the 1940 Census, was living in Idaho Falls, Idaho, occupation hardware store clerk. He did not have an address, but was listed as "sleeps in store". Mary and the 2 daughters stayed in Arthur.
About 1950, George moved to Centralia, Washington. His mother had moved from Morton, Washington to Centralia about 1946 where she died the next year.. She had been living with her daughter Olive (George's sister) and her husband William Dengler after the death of her husband (George's father Daniel Ritchey). George's brother James Abraham Ritchey who had been married to Pearl Mahar in 1920 had died in 1935, leaving his widow with 3 sons. They also lived in Centralia and George became an important father figure to his nephews. George lived at 407 S Tower Street. His brother's family lived at 1300 Crescent Avenue.
George stayed active in his old age, and still enjoyed his music. He played various instruments including both the fiddle and the mandolin. He also enjoyed ice skating even into his 80's and often took walks around town. He died at the age of 95 while on one of his walks. He was buried in the Stricklin Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery where his family erected a tombstone for him which was engraved with a violin.
George's wife Mary remarried late in life in 1974 to a widower Charles Barton Howard who died in 1977. She died in 1984 and is buried in Arthur. Both of his daughters married and had families: Patricia married Willis Appleby and had 4 children (Patricia, Gary, Karen, and Jack Appleby). Marianna married Monte Holl and had one son Timothy Holl.
George Washington Ritchey was born July 13th, 1875 near the little town of Williamburg in Moultrie County, Illinois, the eldest child of Daniel and Sarah Jane Rippey Ritchey. His parents farmed for a living. In the late 1880's his father Daniel purchased 160 acres just west of Stewardson in Shelby County, Illinois where they lived in a large house with 3 dormers. Daniel also operated a general store in nearby Windsor. In the late 1890's George's father Daniel decided to go west, and the family settled first in Page County, Iowa by 1900 and later took claim to ranch land just outside of Monida, Montana.
In the meantime, George who was now of age, was found living in St. Louis, Missouri in 1900 with his 2nd cousin John W. Rippey and family working as a packer. John Rippey age 31 was working as a driver and had a wife Mattie and 3 young children. Also living with them was John's father and mother David and Elizabeth Rippey. David was working as a street sweeper. David was a cousin of George's mother Sarah Jane Rippey Ritchey.
George was musically talented and also worked in vaudeville for a time. In April of 1910, he was found living in Bartlesville, OK working as a cook in a cafe. He was living in a rooming house. George had earlier purchased land near his father and brothers for ranch property outside of Monida, Montana. They all sold the land in 1918 and moved to Morton, Washington. In September of 1918, George was living in Portland, Oregon when he registered for the draft. He gave his permanent address as Morton, Washington. He was then working at Union Depot as a mail truck worker for the Oregon Washington Railroad and Navigation Company.
In September of 1919, at the age of 44, George returned to Illinois to the town of Arthur in Moultrie County, where he was married to Miss Mary Ruth Craig, age 26. They moved back to his home in Portland, Oregon where he now owned a house at 923 Gladstone Avenue. They were found living here when the 1920 Census was taken, and George was still working as a mail truck driver. Sometime in the early 1920's they moved back to Illinois, living in Arthur, where their 2 children were born: Patricia Ellen in 1925, and Marianna in 1929. When the depression came on in the 1930's it appears that they moved in with Mary's widowed father James Buchanan "Buck" Craig in Arthur, Moultrie Co, IL. George got job working as a shoe salesman in Arthur. In 1933, George's father Daniel died in Morton, Washington and George probably went back west around that time. I believe he and his wife had also separated around the same time. George was living in Colby, Kansas in 1935, and by the 1940 Census, was living in Idaho Falls, Idaho, occupation hardware store clerk. He did not have an address, but was listed as "sleeps in store". Mary and the 2 daughters stayed in Arthur.
About 1950, George moved to Centralia, Washington. His mother had moved from Morton, Washington to Centralia about 1946 where she died the next year.. She had been living with her daughter Olive (George's sister) and her husband William Dengler after the death of her husband (George's father Daniel Ritchey). George's brother James Abraham Ritchey who had been married to Pearl Mahar in 1920 had died in 1935, leaving his widow with 3 sons. They also lived in Centralia and George became an important father figure to his nephews. George lived at 407 S Tower Street. His brother's family lived at 1300 Crescent Avenue.
George stayed active in his old age, and still enjoyed his music. He played various instruments including both the fiddle and the mandolin. He also enjoyed ice skating even into his 80's and often took walks around town. He died at the age of 95 while on one of his walks. He was buried in the Stricklin Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery where his family erected a tombstone for him which was engraved with a violin.
George's wife Mary remarried late in life in 1974 to a widower Charles Barton Howard who died in 1977. She died in 1984 and is buried in Arthur. Both of his daughters married and had families: Patricia married Willis Appleby and had 4 children (Patricia, Gary, Karen, and Jack Appleby). Marianna married Monte Holl and had one son Timothy Holl.
In the meantime, George who was now of age, was found living in St. Louis, Missouri in 1900 with his 2nd cousin John W. Rippey and family working as a packer. John Rippey age 31 was working as a driver and had a wife Mattie and 3 young children. Also living with them was John's father and mother David and Elizabeth Rippey. David was working as a street sweeper. David was a cousin of George's mother Sarah Jane Rippey Ritchey.
George was musically talented and also worked in vaudeville for a time. In April of 1910, he was found living in Bartlesville, OK working as a cook in a cafe. He was living in a rooming house. George had earlier purchased land near his father and brothers for ranch property outside of Monida, Montana. They all sold the land in 1918 and moved to Morton, Washington. In September of 1918, George was living in Portland, Oregon when he registered for the draft. He gave his permanent address as Morton, Washington. He was then working at Union Depot as a mail truck worker for the Oregon Washington Railroad and Navigation Company.
In September of 1919, at the age of 44, George returned to Illinois to the town of Arthur in Moultrie County, where he was married to Miss Mary Ruth Craig, age 26. They moved back to his home in Portland, Oregon where he now owned a house at 923 Gladstone Avenue. They were found living here when the 1920 Census was taken, and George was still working as a mail truck driver. Sometime in the early 1920's they moved back to Illinois, living in Arthur, where their 2 children were born: Patricia Ellen in 1925, and Marianna in 1929. When the depression came on in the 1930's it appears that they moved in with Mary's widowed father James Buchanan "Buck" Craig in Arthur, Moultrie Co, IL. George got job working as a shoe salesman in Arthur. In 1933, George's father Daniel died in Morton, Washington and George probably went back west around that time. I believe he and his wife had also separated around the same time. George was living in Colby, Kansas in 1935, and by the 1940 Census, was living in Idaho Falls, Idaho, occupation hardware store clerk. He did not have an address, but was listed as "sleeps in store". Mary and the 2 daughters stayed in Arthur.
About 1950, George moved to Centralia, Washington. His mother had moved from Morton, Washington to Centralia about 1946 where she died the next year.. She had been living with her daughter Olive (George's sister) and her husband William Dengler after the death of her husband (George's father Daniel Ritchey). George's brother James Abraham Ritchey who had been married to Pearl Mahar in 1920 had died in 1935, leaving his widow with 3 sons. They also lived in Centralia and George became an important father figure to his nephews. George lived at 407 S Tower Street. His brother's family lived at 1300 Crescent Avenue.
George stayed active in his old age, and still enjoyed his music. He played various instruments including both the fiddle and the mandolin. He also enjoyed ice skating even into his 80's and often took walks around town. He died at the age of 95 while on one of his walks. He was buried in the Stricklin Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery where his family erected a tombstone for him which was engraved with a violin.
George's wife Mary remarried late in life in 1974 to a widower Charles Barton Howard who died in 1977. She died in 1984 and is buried in Arthur. Both of his daughters married and had families: Patricia married Willis Appleby and had 4 children (Patricia, Gary, Karen, and Jack Appleby). Marianna married Monte Holl and had one son Timothy Holl.
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