Ritter Family

German, 1) designated a military servant to the king or great baron, he was mounted soldier owing loyalty to his liege lord bound to fight in his quarrels; 2) patronymic derived from the nickname which called attention to noble birth or exalted rank, means “knight.”[1]

David Spencer Ritter was born in June 1842 to George Ritter and Margaret Carper. He married Hettie Locritta Shufflebarger sometime before 1864. Hettie died on 28 October 1892 in Pulaski County; buried in the Wysor Cemetery, Dublin, Virginia. David moved to Bland County sometime in 1893 as he married Sarah Elizabeth Meadows on 18 May 1893 in Bland County. Sarah died between 1900-1904, most likely in Bland County. David married 3^rd  Bessie Pearl King probably in 1904. Bessie was the daughter of Joseph S. King and Emily Etta Pegram.

William S. Brunk and his wife Nancy C. conveyed 50 acres to David S. Ritter on October 7, 1893.[2]

James H. Overstreet and wife Mary S. and Henry J. Overstreet conveyed 50 acres to David S. Ritter on August 19,1897.[3]

David Ritter Enlisted in Company F, 54th Infantry Regiment Virginia on 09 September 1861 at the age of 17. Furloughed on 22 February 1864 (30 days). Deserted on 01 November 1864.

David Ritter applied for a Confederate Pension on May 26, 1900 in Bland County and again in 1909. He listed that he was in Company F, 54th Infantry (enlisted Newbern, VA) and had served faithfully for 4 years. He also stated that he had suffered from exposure during the war. In 1900 he was entitled to $15.00 annually. [4]  J. S. Hamblin and J. A. Meadows were witnesses.

In 1950, Junior Neal Brunk bought the Ritter land from the Ritter heirs—being a total of 100 acres. [5]

David and Hettie’s children:

1.       William Jackson born 22 December 1864 married Daisy Drawbond.

2.       George Washington born 12 May 1866 married Sarah Catherine Waddell.

3.       Cora Lee born 21 March 1868 married Sanders C. Farris.

4.       Addie Lou born 04 December 1869 married Edwin Thomas Shufflebarger.

5.       Thomas Fenton born 24 July 1871 married Martha Jane N. Johnston Bond.

6.       Nellie May born 08 March 1873 married Addison Burke Davis.

7.       David Aviner born 04 March 1875 married Della Roxie Hamblin *See Hamblin Family.

8.       John Lewis born 20 October 1879.

9.       Edward born 01 August 1881 married Alice Gray Davis. *See Henry Davis Family

10.   Allie Ann born 18 February 1884 married Eugene Edward Brunk; married 2^nd  Robert Perry.

11.   James Ernest born 03 December 1885 married Alice Blackwell.

12. Infant born 23 October 1892—stillborn.[6]

All above children were born in Pulaski County.

David and Sarah’s children:

1.       Huston Crockett born 19 March 1895 in Bland County.

2.       Frank Chaffin born 29 April 1896 in Bland County married Ethel May Williams.

David and Bessie’s children:

3.       Margaret Elizabeth born 02 April 1905 in Bland married James P. Ashley.

4.       Sanders Spencer born 12 July 1907 in Bland married Verna Alice Testerman.

5.       Claude Swanson born 06 April 1909 in Bland married Gladys Williams.