Hon. Craig Ritchie and Mary Price
Husband Hon. Craig Ritchie 1
Born: 29 Dec 1758 - Glasgow, Scotland 2 Christened: Died: 13 Jun 1833 - Canonsburg, Washington Co, PA 3 Buried:Marriage: Abt 1788
Wife Mary Price 2
Born: - Maryland Christened: Died: 1836 - Canonsburg, Washington Co, PA 2 Buried:
Children
1 F [Unk] Ritchie
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Rev. Andrew Wylie, D.D. ( -Bef 1882) 4 5
2 M William Ritchie 6
Born: Christened: Died: 1838 - Wheeling, Ohio Co, WV 3 Buried:Spouse: S. Dorsey ( - ) 3
3 M John Ritchie 7 8 9
Born: Christened: Died: Bef 1882 - Texas Buried:Spouse: Eleanor Campbell ( -1872) 8
4 F Ann Ritchie 3
AKA: Elizabeth Ritchie 10 Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Dr. Jonathan Letherman ( -Bef 1882) 3
5 F Mary Ritchie 3
Born: Christened: Died: Bef 1882 Buried:Spouse: Dr. George Herriott ( -Bef 1882) 3
6 F Catharine Ritchie 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Rev. Samuel F. Leake ( - ) 3
7 F Eliza Ritchie 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Redick McKee ( - ) 3
8 M Hon. David Ritchie 6
Born: Christened: Died: Bef 1882 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA Buried:
9 M Craig Ritchie 6
Born: 24 Nov 1807 - Canonsburg, Washington Co, PA 3 Christened: Died: Bef 1882 Buried:Spouse: Mary Ann Chickering ( -Aft 1882) 3
10 F Abigail Ritchie 10
Born: Christened: Died: Bef 1882 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
11 F Jane Ritchie 10
Born: Christened: Died: Bef 1882 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
General Notes: Husband - Hon. Craig Ritchie
He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and emigrated to America in 1772. He early evinced extraordinary talents for business, and soon succeeded in working his way to the position of a successful merchant in Canonsburg, Washington County, Pennsylvania. His energy of character, business habits, integrity of principle, and general intelligence secured to him a widely extended reputation. He was early elected to the Legislature, and served his country for some years in that capacity. During the "Whiskey Insurrection" he took a decided stand on the side of law and order, and rendered himself so unpopular with some of the leaders of that unhappy affair that he was in danger of their vengeance. Indeed, nothing but his absence in attendance at the General Assembly of the State saved his property from the torch of the incendiaries at the time that Gen. Neville's house was burned to the ground, as some of the party told the family.
He enjoyed the confidence and especial friendship of Gen. Washington, who often visited him and corresponded with him, and availed himself of Mr. Ritchie's aid in the management of his landed interest in Washington County. He not only lodged With Mr. Ritchie, and often dined with him, but took many a walk with him along the banks of Chartiers, conferring with him, not only about his own private interests, but the public concerns of the country. He also enjoyed the friendship and confidence of Dr. McMillan, who made Mr. Ritchie's house his home whenever he was in Canonsburg. For more than forty years there was an unbroken intimacy between these men.
It would be hard to say how much Jefferson College is indebted to Mr. Ritchie for its successful struggles in its most perilous times. He was one of its first trustees, and secretary of the board for a long time. He also was appointed treasurer at various times, and managed the financial affairs of the college with great judgment and success, often paying large sums in advance from his own pocket. He was by far the best business man they had, and did more in devising ways and means to sustain the college than perhaps all the other trustees together, even including Dr. McMillan himself. He gave a large portion of his time and personal attention in superintending the progress of the new building (Providence Hall), and provided from his own resources whatever might be temporarily wanted by the workmen. When, in 1817, every other trustee seemed to despair of the further existence of the college, Mr. Ritchie was unmoved and immovable, and took such energetic steps as reanimated the friends of the institution and secured its continuance.
He was a gentleman of the old school. His dignified and somewhat aristocratic manners and his fine personal appearance commanded respect wherever he might be found. For honesty of principle, goodness and charity, and for self-sacrificing efforts in behalf of Jefferson College, the church of his choice, and the country of his adoption, Mr. Ritchie had no superior in the men of his day. To have so long enjoyed the confidence and esteem of Gen. Washington and Dr. McMillan is a high honor to which few, living or dead, can lay claim. He left behind him a large family of uncommon intelligence and refinement, though a number of them died in infancy.
1 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 604, 624.
2 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 624.
3 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 625.
4 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 687.
5 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 853.
6 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 604, 625.
7 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 251, 604, 625.
8 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 592.
9 —, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 7.
10
Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 604.
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