MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA Obits Ritch, Thomas Jefferson File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by "Franklin Ingram" http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/obits/ritch.txt This is the annotated obituary of Thomas Jefferson Ritch (Muscogee Co. GA) from The Atlanta Journal, 28 Dec 1921. “Mr. Thomas J. Ritch, Pioneer Georgian, Dies From Injuries in Fall” Mr. Thomas Jefferson Ritch, beloved Confederate veteran and pioneer Georgian, died Wednesday morning at his home at 97 Elbridge drive, from injuries sustained Tuesday evening, when he fell and struck his head against the fire grate in his room. Physicians declared that a paralytic stroke caused the fall. The funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 o’clock Thursday afternoon from the chapel of H. M. Patterson & Son, with the Rev. Henley officiating. Interment will be in Hollywood cemetery. The John W. Wilkerson lodge of Masons will conduct the services at the grave. Mr. Ritch was eighty-one years of age and for ten years had been making his home in Atlanta with his son, Charles E. Ritch. He was a native of Upatoie, GA., near Columbus, and resided there before coming to Atlanta. He served with distinction as a lieutenant in the Fifty-fourth Georgia regiment in the War Between the States, and was never wounded during the four years of service. He was widely known throughout his section of the state. For many years he was a member of the Masonic lodge at Elberslie, GA. [Note: he was a Sgt.] Surviving him are his wife, three daughters, Mrs. D. E. Boswell, Mrs. J. I. [F.] Ingram and Mrs. R. S. Snellings; four sons, Charles E., H. P., J. T. and C. H. Ritch, and thirty-four grandchildren.” 28 Dec 1921, The Atlanta Journal, Wednesday PM, p. 20, c. 4 Annotations: Thomas Jefferson Ritch was born in Muscogee Co GA c. 1841. He was the son of Emanuel Ritch, b. NC, (1814-1884) and Sarah Jane Gilmore, b. Washington Co GA, (1816-1891). He was the grandson of David Ritch (Muscogee Co GA Will). Emanuel and Sarah Jane Gilmore Ritch and all of their children, except Thomas Jeffersom Ritch, are buried in 21 graves in Cemetery #38 (Ritch Cemetery) Fort Benning Reservation, Muscogee Co GA. According to Lillian Henderson’s Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia: 1861-1865, Vol. 5, p. 692, Thomas J. Ritch—3rd Sergeant (not a Lieutenant) May 12, 1862. Co. G., 54th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee, C.S.A., Muscogee County, Georgia. He was discharged, furnished substitute, in 1863. Appointed Sergeant of Co. K, 12th Regiment, Georgia State (Robinson’s) Guards Cavalry, August 4, 1863. Mustered out at Atlanta, GA. February 4, 1864. Thomas J. Ritch’s wife was Julia Amanda Harris (b. c. 1845), daughter of Gray Harris, b. NC, and Nancy Fuller, b. GA. They married in Putnam Co GA. Mrs. J. I. Ingram should have been Mrs. J. F. (Jefferson Franklin) Ingram. She was Ida Blanche Ritch. Mrs. D. E. Boswell was Mrs. Daniel Evans Boswell. She was Nona “Naomi” Thomas Ritch. Mrs. R. S. Snellings was Mrs. John Robert Snellings, later Mrs. Crockett M. Gammage. She was Alma Pearl Ritch. C. E. Ritch was Charles Emmett Ritch. C. H. Ritch was Cliff H. Ritch. H. P. Ritch was Henry Perse Ritch and married Mittie Keziah Snellings If you have questions or additional information, please contact Franklin Ingram, f_w_i@msn.com Raleigh, NC. ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============