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History of Adair
County, Iowa, 1915.

Biographical.  Volume 2.

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W. S. Ritter.

W. S. Ritter and Family

W. S. Ritter, residing on section 35, Grand River township, is widely recognized as a representative and enterprising agriculturist of the community.  His birth occurred in Indiana on the 3d of April, 1866, his parents being Elijah and Elizabeth Ritter, likewise natives of the Hoosier state.  In 1874 they took up their abode in Madison county, Iowa, later located in Dallas county, this state, and in 1878 returned to Madison county, there spending the remainder of their lives.

W. S. Ritter enjoyed the advantages of a high-school education in his youth and spent the period of his minority under the parental roof.  Starting out as an agriculturist on his own account, he purchased a farm on section 35, Grand River township, the operation of which has claimed his time and energies continuously since.  He has erected good buildings on the place and in connection with the cultivation of cereals devotes considerable attention to the raising and feeding of stock, meeting with a gratifying measure of success in his undertakings.

On the 24th of January, 1897, Mr. Ritter was united in marriage to Miss Flora L. Savage, a native of Adair county, Iowa, and a daughter of Joel Ellis and Charlotte I. (Collins) Savage, of whom more extended mention is made on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of E. E. Savage, a brother of Mrs. Ritter.  To Mr. and Mrs. Ritter were born two children, Delmar W. and Gertrude, the latter now being deceased.  The wife and mother was called to her final rest on the 9th of February, 1915, and lies buried in the Grand River cemetery.  She was a member of the Congregational church, in the work of which she ever took an active and helpful part and to which her husband also belonged.

Mr. Ritter gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has served in the capacity of school director for eight years.  His long residence in this county has made him widely known, while his sterling traits of character have gained for him the high regard of all with whom he has come in contact.

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