Above: L to R: Albert Ritchie WWI, Medical Core; Edgar Pete Ritchie, U.S. Army, WWI and Robert Ritchie, Flight Officer Air Force, WWII.
Above L to R: Walter Pete Nign, WWII, Francis Nign, WWII & Clyde Nign, age eleven.

HISTORY OF RITCHIE/NIGN FAMILIES

{Vicki Nign submitted the following article.} “I would like to extend a very special thank you to the Gay H. Bossetti family of Port Clinton, Ohio who received a box of photos and funeral cards on our family and was gracious enough to see that they got to the Jefferson County Genealogical Chapter. Gay got them from someone who purchased them at an auction. A special thanks to Flora VerStraten and Jim Baxter for getting them to the Carroll County Genealogical Chapter for us to identify our family. This is better than finding gold or hitting the lottery.

The photos in the box were of the family of David and Martha J. Lucas Ritchie who were married 22 December, 1881 and were the parents of eight children: Charles R., born 1883, died 1897; William E., born 28 October, 1885, died, 1969 who married Mary Warner; Albert J., born 10 October, 1887, died, 1963 who married Ada Gotschall. Albert served in WWI in the Medical Core; Samuel “Todd” O., born 9 April, 1890, died 1959, served in WWI. Their only son, Robert served in WWII as a pilot and went down in the ocean. Since the body was never recovered, his mother, Hilda, had her son’s uniform buried with her; Blanche B., born 26 December, 1894, died 30 July, 1971 who married John Nign; Raymond “Dewey”, born 9 October, 1896, died 1959 who married 1) Hazel Sullivan, 2) Jurlee Owens; Glen, born 15 September, 1900, died 9 April 1961 who married Hallie Warner.

While looking at the photos and reminiscing, we found the graduation picture of Agnes Nign Guy, Blanche Ritchie Nign’s oldest daughter. Later, we happened upon a shot of Blanche’s youngest son, Clyde, who died shortly after mastoid surgery, at the age of eleven, {pictured above}.”