Cabell County, West Virginia Biography of C. L. RITTER ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 96 C. L. RITTER, president of the Rock Castle Lumber Com- pany, has been actively identified with lumber manufacture in West Virginia since early youth, and the organizations of which he is directing head comprise one of the largest individual groups of capital and resources in the lumber industry of the state. Mr. Ritter, whose home has been at Huntington for twenty years and whose active associations with the lifff and affairs of that city proclaim him at once a man of prom- inence, was born at Muncy, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1863. His father, Daniel S. Ritter, was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, December 27, 1828, and died at Milton, that state. April 11, 1913. During his long residence in Lycom- ing County he was a farmer, a hotel proprietor, held the office of overseer of the poor and county supervisor. He was a democrat and a member of the Lutheran Church. His wife was Catherine Cramer, born in Lycoming County in 1833 and died at Muncy in 1901. The oldest of their chil- dren is Dr. William E., a physician and surgeon at White- wood, Virginia; C. L. Ritter is the second in age; John is a trader living at Williamsport, Pennsylvania; the youngest, Mazie, died in childhood. C. L. Ritter acquired a common school education in Lycoming County, attended the Williamsport Seminary, and the first twelve years of his life were spent on his father's farm and after that he lived with his parents at Muncy and Williamsport until he was nineteen. For two years he was in the mercantile business at Muncy, and in 1889 came to West Virginia and entered the lumber business at Oak- vale on East River. His lumbering interests subsequently took him into McDowell County and also to Clay County, in both of which counties he was a manufacturer, and in 1901 he removed his headquarters to Huntington. The Rock Castle Lumber Company, C. L. Ritter and other lumber companies, of which he is president have mills in several parts of the state, and the business is both manufacturing and wholesale. Of his business associations that arc more immediately identified with Huntington arc the Central Realty Com- pany of which he is president, also has interests in the Standard Printing & Publishing Company and with the Watts-Ritter Company, wholesale dry goods; is vice presi- dent of the Huntington Land Company; has important interests in the Kenna Land Company; is president of the Empire Furniture Company, furniture manufacturers, is a director of the First National Bank of Huntington. He has some valuable property interests, including his office building, known as the Ritter Building, on Fourth Avenue, a three-story structure, owns a half interest in the six- story building at the corner of Tenth Street and Fourth Avenue, a half interest in the two-story business house on the opposite corner of Tenth Street and Fourth Avenue; and is a half owner of the Orpheum Theater Building. Mr. Ritter is a republican, a member of the Lutheran Church, and is affiliated with the Guyandotte Club of Hunt- ington, the Country Club, and during the World war was chairman of the Cabell County Chapter of the Red Cross and gave time and means to the support of the Government during that period. His home is one of the best residences on Ritter Hill. In 1910 he purchased Ritter Hill, and was instrumental in securing Ritter Park, part of which was given by him to the city. He was quite active in opening up Ritter Hill as well as Ritter Hill Addition. He married at Huntington in 1902 Miss Mabel McClintock, who is a graduate of Mar- shall College at Huntington. Mr. and Mrs. Ritter have three children: Charles Lloyd, born March 3, 1904; Wil- liam Randolph, born December 31, 1903, and Don McClintock, born April 24. 1908. Charles Lloyd and William Randolph are students in Adirondacks Florida School, while Don McCintock Ritter is attending St. Christopher's School at Richmond, Virginia. Mrs. Ritter was born in Dempseytown, near Oil City, Pennsylvania May 9, 1880, a daughter of Charles A. and Adeline (Richey) McClintock, of whom extended mention is made in the sketch of Herbert D. McClintock. Mrs. Ritter is a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Dur- ing the war she was active in Red Cross work, being at the head of the teaching force of surgical dressings for two years. She is a member of the Woman's Club and an active member of Buford Chapter, D. A. R., having been its regent for two years.