HENRY RITTENHOUSE, a farmer, living near Cave in Rock, Hardin county,
Ill., is one of the best known men in his locality. He was born in Switzerland
county, Ind., Oct. 14, 1840. When he was about four years old his parents
removed to Schuyler county, Ill., where he grew to manhood and received
his education in the public schools. On Oct. 7, 1861, just a week before
he reached his majority, he enlisted as a private in Company G, Twenty-eighth
Illinois volunteer infantry, and was mustered in at Rushville. The regiment
was ordered to Kentucky and while there employed in the construction of
some earth works Mr. Rittenhouse was seriously ruptured. For some time he
remained in the hospital and on Dec. 17, 1861, was discharged from the service
on account of his disability. On Sept. 16, 1863, he was married to Miss
Charlotte Persinger, who was born and reared in Schuyler county, her parents
being Allen and Paulina (Peters) Persinger. About two months after his marriage
Mr. Rittenhouse came with his wife to Hardin county, where he rented land
until 1875, when he bought forty acres, ab out half of which was cleared,
and lived on that place for five yeaars. He then removed to the place where
he now lives. The farm is known as the "Jackson Farm," contains
188 acres, and is one of the best in the neighborhood. Mr. Rittenhouse carries
on a general farming business and devotes considerable attention to stock-raising.
He is one of the leading Republicans in his part of the county, and was
elected on that ticket to the office of county commissioner for a term of
three years. The only fraternal organization to claim him as a member is
the Grand Army of the Republic, in which he belongs to the post at Cave
in Rock. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Rittenhouse are Rosa, Laura,
Peyton, William A., Hattie and Pennington. Rosa died at the age of six months;
Laura and Peyton were twins; Peyton died and Laura is the wife of Joseph
Riggs living near; William is an attorney and abstractor of titles in Chicago;
was educated at the Northern Indiana normal, at Valparaiso, read law with
Col. Dick Taylor, and practiced for a while at Shawneetown. In Chicago he
was associated with Mrs. Deneen, who was elected governor of Illinois in
1904. Hattie and Pennington were twins. The latter died and the former is
now the county superintendent of the Hardin county schools. She was educated
at the normal school at Carbondale and began teaching at the age of seventeen.
Mrs. Rittenhouse is a member of the methodist Episcopal church. The daughter
is a Baptist.
HENRY RITTENHOUSE, a farmer, living near Cave in Rock, Hardin county,
Ill., is one of the best known men in his locality. He was born in Switzerland
county, Ind., Oct. 14, 1840. When he was about four years old his parents
removed to Schuyler county, Ill., where he grew to manhood and received
his education in the public schools. On Oct. 7, 1861, just a week before
he reached his majority, he enlisted as a private in Company G, Twenty-eighth
Illinois volunteer infantry, and was mustered in at Rushville. The regiment
was ordered to Kentucky and while there employed in the construction of
some earth works Mr. Rittenhouse was seriously ruptured. For some time he
remained in the hospital and on Dec. 17, 1861, was discharged from the service
on account of his disability. On Sept. 16, 1863, he was married to Miss
Charlotte Persinger, who was born and reared in Schuyler county, her parents
being Allen and Paulina (Peters) Persinger. About two months after his marriage
Mr. Rittenhouse came with his wife to Hardin county, where he rented land
until 1875, when he bought forty acres, ab out half of which was cleared,
and lived on that place for five yeaars. He then removed to the place where
he now lives. The farm is known as the "Jackson Farm," contains
188 acres, and is one of the best in the neighborhood. Mr. Rittenhouse carries
on a general farming business and devotes considerable attention to stock-raising.
He is one of the leading Republicans in his part of the county, and was
elected on that ticket to the office of county commissioner for a term of
three years. The only fraternal organization to claim him as a member is
the Grand Army of the Republic, in which he belongs to the post at Cave
in Rock. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Rittenhouse are Rosa, Laura,
Peyton, William A., Hattie and Pennington. Rosa died at the age of six months;
Laura and Peyton were twins; Peyton died and Laura is the wife of Joseph
Riggs living near; William is an attorney and abstractor of titles in Chicago;
was educated at the Northern Indiana normal, at Valparaiso, read law with
Col. Dick Taylor, and practiced for a while at Shawneetown. In Chicago he
was associated with Mrs. Deneen, who was elected governor of Illinois in
1904. Hattie and Pennington were twins. The latter died and the former is
now the county superintendent of the Hardin county schools. She was educated
at the normal school at Carbondale and began teaching at the age of seventeen.
Mrs. Rittenhouse is a member of the methodist Episcopal church. The daughter
is a Baptist.