Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 776
ABRAHAM RITCHISON

Abraham RITCHISON, who resides on section 13, of Clay Township, came to Harrison county in the autumn of 1855, and rented land two years in Clay Township, and then entered the land he now occupies. He secured eighty acres of prairie on section 13, and eighty of timber land on section 26. He first built a slab shanty, 12x14 feet, in which he lived two years and then built a log house 18x24 feet, which served as a residence until 1873, when he built his present frame house, the main part of which is 18x36 feet, with an ell eighteen feet square. His present farm consists of two hundred and ninety acres, on hundred and sixty of which are in Taylor Township, and the remainder in Clay. Upon coming to the country, our subject drove an ox-team from Indiana to Council Bluffs, arriving in October 1855, when there were but a few houses at the Bluffs, these being of logs. At first he saw very hard times, and was compelled to live on corn bread, but fortunately venison was very plentiful. His wife would make pumpkin pies, and in the absence of flour used corn meal, which "filled the inner man," and was perhaps more healthful than much of the modern-day superfine flour. We will now ask the reader to go with us to Hardy County, Va., for it was there that our subject was born, February 24, 1823, and when ten years of age his father moved to Ohio, remained ten years and moved to Indiana; in 1855 came to this county.

Our subject was married in Indiana, March 13, 1850, to Sarah GILMOE, by whom ten children have been born--- James, and John, deceased; Fernando, George, Jane; Walter and Abraham, deceased; Rebecca and Anna, (twins), (deceased); and Arthur.

Sarah (GILMORE) RITCHISON, was a native of Ohio, and died July 31, 1878, and March 13, 1879, our subject was united to Miss Amelia LAWSON, the daughter of Alexander and Jane (BARR) LAWSON. Our subject and his present wife have two children, May and Harriett. Mrs. RITCHISON is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, at Modale. She is an old school teacher, having taught forty terms of school.

Politically, Mr. RITCHISON believes in the general principles of the Republican party, and has held numerous local offices, including Township Trustee, and is at present one of the Road Commissioners.

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