Putting faces to names - Washington Ritter and Eliza Johnson

Recently my aunt sent me old photos which included beautiful portraits of my ancestors Washington Ritter and Eliza Johnson. This was the first time I had ever seen pictures of them, and I was thrilled to finally put faces to their names.

Washington Ritter about 1860

When these pictures were taken Washington and Eliza Ritter lived in the affluent New York City suburb of Tremont, a neighborhood in West Farms. In the 1860s this was in Westchester County. Years later New York City annexed the area, and it is now part of the Bronx. If you have ever driven on 95 through the city, you have driven very close to where they lived. Sadly the area is now more industrial than residential.

Eliza (Johnson) Ritter about 1860

In Tremont the Ritters lived in a large house on Madison Avenue. They were comfortably well off, and Washington worked as an accountant. Washington was also a savvy businessman and put the house and property in Eliza’s name to avoid any probate expenses when he died.

Washington died in 1867 at the relatively young age of 48. He died from tuberculosis which was common at the time. Because antibiotics were not around, many people slowly wasted away from this disease.

Eliza remained in Tremont for about five years after Washington died. Then she sold the property and eventually moved in with her son William Ritter. William had married Catherine Blackett in Brooklyn, New York, in 1867, just a few months before his father died, and about 1873 moved his family to Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked for the railroad.

Eliza lived with William and his family in Boston and died there in 1876. That was a sad episode in the Ritter family. Eliza’s six-year-old granddaughter Nellie Ritter died of croup on March 1st. Six days later on March 7 Eliza died from heart problems. She was 54 years old. Then on March 29, Nellie’s four-year-old cousin Clara Blackett fell ill. Catherine Blackett’s brother and his family also lived in the Ritter household in Boston. Poor little Clara also died from croup, on April 7, 1876.

Washington and Eliza are buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. I visited the cemetery years ago and discovered their grave does not contain a headstone. It is unclear why there is no memorial as they are surrounded by two of Eliza’s siblings and their families who do have headstones.

The Ritter Family

Washington Ritter was born in New York City about 1819 and died in Tremont, a village of West Farms, New York, on 12 October 1867. He was the son of Henry Ritter, an upholsterer who made cushions for family pew boxes in New York City churches. Henry was born in New York city on 4 October 1792, married Ann Laboyteaux there in 1818, and died in Hoboken, New Jersey, on 25 December 1854. Ann is still a mystery but maybe someday I’ll learn more about her.

Henry was the son of Daniel Ritter, a tailor who kept a shop on Water Street in New York City for many years. Daniel was born in New York City on 16 September 1760, married Elizabeth Hoghland (or Hoagland) there in 1783, and died in New York City on 19 January 1825. Elizabeth was of Dutch descent.

Daniel’s father was Michael Ritter. Michael was born in Staudernheim, Germany, on 5 September 1734. He immigrated to New York with his father and his siblings in 1739. Michael was a merchant and kept a shop on Chatham Street in New York City until his death there on 1 November 1799. Michael married Margaret Brant in 1757.

Michael was the son of Johann Peter Ritter. Johann Peter was born in 1698 near Staudernheim in the Rhineland-Palatinate in southwest Germany, near the present-day border with Luxembourg. Johann Peter died in New York City on 5 January 1747. He married a woman named Marie Elizabeth about 1722.

Eliza Johnson’s Family

Eliza Johnson was born in New York City on 2 July 1821 and married Washington Ritter there on 24 December 1845. She died in Boston, Massachusetts, on 7 March 1876. Eliza was the daughter of Thomas Johnson and Mary Disbrow. Unfortunately, I know very little about Thomas Johnson other than he was a merchant. He probably was born in the 1790s and died sometime after 1840.

Eliza’s mother Mary was the daughter of John Disbrow and Elizabeth Altgelt. Mary was born about 1797, married Thomas Johnson in New York City in 1815, and died there on 4 October 1841. She grew up on North Moore Street in New York City where her father owned six townhouses on the street. This is probably where Mary met Thomas Johnson as he rented the house next door to her.

Mary’s father John Disbrow was born about 1775 and died in New York City on 23 July 1825. I am unsure of exactly who John’s parents were, but DNA evidence supports a possible relationship to Samuel Disbrow and Mary Rich of Mamaroneck, New York. It is possible John was the son of Samuel and Mary. John was a merchant tailor and married Elizabeth Altgelt in New York City in 1797.

Elizabeth Altgelt was born probably in Dutchess County, New York, in 1779 and died in Poughkeepsie, New York, on 11 August 1853. She was the daughter of Jakobus Altgelt and Mary Seyn, descendants of another German family from the Rhineland-Palatinate area.