The department of biography is crowded with the lives of men distinguished in war, politics, science, literature and the professions. All the embellishments of rhetoric and the imagination have been assayed to captivate, stimulate and direct into these "upper walks of life" the youthful mind and ambition of the country. The result of this system is manifest and by no means fortunate. The ranks of the professions are filled to overflowing. Thousands of young men of respectable abilities, entirely capable of achieving competence and character in the useful and more unpretending employments, are annually lured into professions for which they are entirely unsuited, and in which they can never succeed. To instill into the minds and hearts of the young respect for great attainments and reverence for great virtues, and to excite the generous emulation, by holding up, as examples for admiration and imitation, the lives of the wise, the great and the good, is commendable and right. But the field of example should be extended, and lessons of industry, energy, usefulness, virtue, honor, the true aims of life and the true sources of happiness, should be gathered and enforced from all the various provinces of human labor, however humble. Our country is eminently in need of increasing intelligence in commerce, agricultural and mechanism. Those great divisions of labor should be rendered not only lucrative and respectable, as they are, but honorable and attractive to the young in all classes of society. The lives of eminent merchants, farmers, manufacturers, mechanics,--of all who by honest labor have achieved distinguished success in the different occupations, should be written and commended to the young men of the republic. The path of labor and usefulness should be indicated as the highway to honor.

Mr. Ritter is recognized as one of the most prominent business men of Miami county, and in the active affairs of life has not only won prosperity but has gained the honor and esteem of his fellow men. He was born near Reading, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1848, and is a son of Israel Ritter. When seven years of age he accompanied his father on his removal to Reading, where he remained until be entered Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, attending school until 1864, at which time he responded to his country's call for troops. He was then sixteen years of age, but a patriotic spirit prompted his enlistment and he joined the signal corps, his duties calling him to Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. He served until August 5, 1865, when he received an honorable discharge at Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and with a creditable military record returned to his home. The duties in the service of the signal corps are of the most delicate, arduous and oft times dangerous nature and are of the greatest importance.

Upon again reaching Reading Mr. Ritter entered the business college at that place and graduated in 1866. He then accepted a clerkship in a hardware store, where he remained for a year, after which he removed to Carroll county, Missouri, where, in company with his brother-in-law, he engaged in the stock business for one and a half years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Pennsylvania and, with headquarters at Reading, began dealing in horses, making a specialty of trotting stock. His time was thus occupied until 1871, when he went into the oil fields near Titusville Pennsylvania, becoming connected with the important industry of the development of oil wells. He, however, continued his operations as a dealer in horses until 1874, when he came to Tippecanoe City and took charge of Colonel John R. Woodward's stock farm in Bethel township, Miami county, continuing as the manager until the fall of 1876. The Colonel died in 1876 and Mr. Ritter took entire charge of the stock farm, breeding and developing trotting horses until 1881. He then came to Tippecanoe City, and in the spring of 1882 went to Europe as a purchasing agent of the well known firm of Powell Brothers, horse importers of Shadeland, Pennsylvania. He was with that firm for eight years, during which period he crossed the water sixteen times, traveling through England, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, France, Germany and the Shetland Islands, in which countries he purchased fine horses, shipping them to America.

In the spring of 1890, Mr. Ritter again came to Tippecanoe City and in 1894 he purchased the business of C. Trupp & Company and re-organized it under the name of the Tippecanoe Building & Manufacturing Company. He became its principal stockholder, also general manager, secretary and treasurer, and in these capacities he has since been connected with what is now one of the most extensive and important industries of this section of the county. The company do a large contracting and building business, operate lumber yards, a planing mill and sawmill, and also manufacture novelties. Employment is furnished to about sixty men, and the output of their plant is very extensive, its products being sold in many parts of the country. Mr. Ritter is also a director in the Monroe Building & Loan Association, and is the manager and president of the Tippecanoe City Inter-urban Telephone Company, which was organized in January, 1899. He is also a director in the Troy Buggy Works Company, of Troy, Ohio. He is recognized as one of the most prominent business men of this section of the state, possessing resourceful ability, keen discernment and unfailing diligence, which qualities enable him to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes.

On the 14th of October, 1879, Mr. Ritter was united in marriage to Miss Ada L. Woodward, a daughter of Colonel John Woodward, who was born in Bethel township, Miami county, December 10, 1835, and was a son of William Woodward, whose birth occurred in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and who was one of the pioneer settlers of Miami county. The Colonel was married, October 14, 1856, to Miss Marcella Bell, and to them were born two children, William B., who is interested in a large lumber yard at Washington Court House, and Mrs. Ritter. During the civil war Colonel Woodward responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting in September, 1861, as the captain of Company C, Seventy-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He participated in the battle of Shiloh and remained at the front until August, 1862, when he returned to his home. In 1864 he aided in organizing and raising the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Ohio Regiment for one hundred days' service and was chosen lieutenant colonel. At the close of the war he received an honorable discharge, and, returning to the farm in Miami county, remained there until his life's labors were ended in death. Mr. and Mrs. Ritter have one son, Harry Woodward, who was born February 19, 1886.

In his social relations Mr. Ritter is connected with D. M. Rouzer Post, G. A. R., of Tippecanoe City, and is a past commander. He also belongs to Tippecanoe Lodge, No. 174, F. & A. M.; of Franklin Chapter, R. A. M.; the Coleman Commandery, K. T., of Troy, and the Royal Arcanum lodge, of which he is a past regent. In his political views he is a Republican, firm in the support of the principles of the party. For seven years he has served as a member of the school board and for four years was its clerk. He has also been a member of the board of aldermen of Tippecanoe City, and in that capacity labored earnestly and effectively to promote the best interests of the community. He has for many years been a member of the Lutheran church, and at all times he gives his support to the measures which are calculated to promote the material, social, educational and moral welfare of his community. His life has indeed been well spent, and his success is the merited reward of his own efforts, for he started out upon his business career in the humble capacity of a clerk. In manner Mr. Ritter is genial and kindly, his unfailing courtesy being manifest in his business as well as social life, and his employees never see any traces of the overbearing taskmaster in him. He inspires personal friendships of unusual strength, and all who know him have the highest admiration for him because of his many fine qualities of mind and heart.