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Surnames: Rittenhouse Johnson Pierce
Classification: Biography
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/gh.2ADI/5183
Message Board Post:
Daniel Rittenhouse, second son of Aaron Rittenhouse, was born in Shelby County, Ind., May,
1827. At the age of ten years he accompanied his parents to Huntington County, and from
that time until his twenty-first year, assisted his father in clearing and developing the
farm, doing a man’s work while yet a mere boy. He was raised amid the scenes of pioneer
life, and on account of the labor required of him at home, attained but a limited
education, attending school but a few weeks each year. On attaining his majority he
provided himself with a woodman’s outfit, i.e., an ax, mal and wedge, and at once began
working for himself, making rails, chopping wood, logging, etc., receiving fifty cents per
day, or only $8 per month. With his hard earnings he was at length enabled to purchase
eighty acres of wild woodland, the beginning of his present beautiful farm, from cleared
and developed a very comfortable home. He has added to his original purchase and at this
t!
ime owns ninety-nine acres, supplied with good buildings and all the improvements and
appliances necessary to make farming pleasant and successful. His marriage took place
October 9, 1851, with Mary A. Johnson, a native of North Carolina, and daughter of Elias
and Sarah (Pierce) Johnson, of North Carolina and Virginia, respectively. Mrs.
Rittenhouse was born October 12, 1831, and at the age of fourteen accompanied her parents
to Grant County, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Rittenhouse are the parents of the following children:
Sarah J., born October 5, 1857; Elias M., born December 18, 1858; Alonzo, born March 14,
1861; Cyrenus, born June 16, 1863; Ida M., born January 2, 1866; Jesse S., born September
4, 1873; Theodore and Theophilius (twins). Mr. and Mrs. Rittenhouse are members of the
Baptist Church.
History of Huntington County, Indiana. (Brant & Fuller: Chicago) 1887. Biographical
Sketches of Rock Creek Township, page 780.