Ritchey Family
Last updated 13 May 2023
This page provides family history information about Thomas Ritchey, his wife Frances "Fanny" (Brown) Littler Ritchey, and their family.
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Thomas Ritchey was born in 1802 in Wheatfield, Jasper County, Indiana. He married Fanny Brown Littler in 1827 in Fulton County, Illinois. Fanny was a recent widow of Seth Littler; and had a son, Nathan Littler, who became a teacher and author of Littler's History of Washington County, Iowa.
They moved to Warren County, Illinois, near Monmouth. Thomas and Fanny had 4 children; three were born in Illinois and the youngest was born in Washington, Iowa.
In February of 1836, Thomas journeyed to Iowa with his brothers Adam and Matthew, and some neighbors from Illinois. They staked off claims and everyone returned home, except Adam Ritchey. In April 1837, Thomas and family moved to Wayne Township in Henry County, Iowa and settled on the east fork of Crooked Creek, a few miles south of where Winfield is now located.
Mr. Ritchey was one of the first settlers in Washington County. He served as one of three commissioners who selected Washington as the site for the County seat in 1839.
The Thomas Ritchey family went to Washington County in March of 1839, and settled about three miles southeast from Washington, and in 1847 they moved to Washington. Thomas Ritchey built the original three-story house with three rooms in 1847-48 which is now the southeast corner of the Conger House. The property was 77 acres and was one quarter mile east of Washington.
His brother Adam died of typhoid in February 1948. On the day of his brother's burial, Thomas was thrown from a wagon and killed.
In 1855, following the death of Thomas Ritchey, his stepson, Nathan Littler sold the farm to Jonathan Clark Conger.
Biographies, Obituaries, and Tidbits
Nathan Littler - Son of Fanny and stepson of Thomas Ritchey
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Edwin Ritchey married Mary Henkle on May 14, 1874.
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