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    HON. H. J. RITTER

    Hon. H. J. Ritter, a veteran of the Civil war, ex-State representative and ex-State senator, and a leading manufacturer of Tippecanoe City, was born at Reading, Pa., in 1848, a son of Israel and Amelia (Glase) Ritter. Mr. Ritter received his early education in the public schools of his native city, and was but little more than a lad when he entered the United States Signal corps, with which he saw service during the Civil war in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. When he had completed his service he returned to Reading and pursued a course in a business college, after which he engaged in the horse business, from which he transferred his activities to the oil business. Mr. Ritter continued in the latter line around Oil City and Titusville, Pa., for several years, then coming to Ohio, where he took charge of a large stock farm for Col. J. R. Woodward. This position indirectly led to his becoming a buyer for an important horse buying concern, which imported and bred horses, and for which he traveled in Great Britain, Germany, France and Belgium, in securing animals for his firm. He was the first purchaser from this country to buy Shetland ponies from the Shetland Islands, which he visited on his buying tour. When he returned to the United States, Mr. Ritter severed his connection with the horse business and entered manufacturing lines, in which he has been engaged with constantly growing success to the present time at Tippecanoe City. Mr. Ritter was elected to the Ohio legislature in 1905 and served two terms in that body, during one session being chairman of the house finance committee. In 1918 he was elected State senator, as the only Civil war veteran serving in that body, and served as chairman of the senate finance committee. His work in both bodies was of a highly constructive order and he conscientiously and ably conserved the interests of his state, county, community and constituency. Mr. Ritter married Ada L., daughter of Col. J. R. Woodward, his former employer. To this union there has been born one son, H. W., associated in business with his father, who married Miss Ruth Hayes, and has two children: Woodward and Bettie. During the period of the World war, Mr. Ritter was a member of all the local committees engaged in war work, and was chairman of the Red Cross and Young Men's Christian Association, for the latter of which he raised the sum Of $3,000 from Tippecanoe City. His religious faith is that of the Lutheran church, and fraternally he is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine.

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