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| Craig Ritchie and Neighbors, 1790 |
p. 604, from the general history on Canonsburg Borough
Craig Ritchie, whose name also appears as a purchaser in 1787, was born in Glasgow, Dec. 29, 1758; emigrated to this country in 1772, and when thirty years of age married Mary Price. He came to this section of country before 1782, as he was with Col. William Crawford in the Sandusky expedition in that year. Immediately upon the purchase of the lot in Canonsburg he opened a store and carried on the mercantile business for many years. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1784, and served in the Legislature of the State in 1793-95. He was also one of the first trustees of Jefferson College, secretary of the board, and treasurer. He died at Canonsburg, June 13, 1833, aged seventy-five years, and left a large family. Rev. Andrew Wylie, president of Jefferson and Washington Colleges, married the eldest daughter. Rev. Samuel F. Leake also married a daughter. Elizabeth became the wife of Dr. Jonathan Leatherman, and settled in Canonsburg. Another daughter became the wife of Dr. George Herriot. Drs. Leatherman and Herriot both practiced in Canonsburg, and died there. Abigail and Jane, also daughters of Craig Ritchie, lived and died unmarried. John, a son of Craig Ritchie, removed to New Orleans, and finally to Texas, where he died. David studied law, and practiced in Pittsburgh, and died there. He was at one time member of Congress from that district. William, another son, removed to Wheeling, where he died. Craig Ritchie, the youngest son, remained at Canonsburg, and carried on the mercantile business at the old place, where the Ritchie Block now stands. Later he went to Wheeling, Va., where he married Mrs. Chickering, and remained a number of years. He returned to Canonsburg, and lived there till his death. His widow still resides in Canonsburg, and his son, William H. S. Ritchie, is a merchant on the site where his father and grandfather kept store before him.
pp. 624-5, The Biographical Entry for W.H.S. Ritchie
…Hon. Craig Ritchie, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, Dec. 29, 1758. He emigrated
to this country in 1772. He early evinced extraordinary talents for business, and
soon succeeded in working his way to the position of a successful merchant in Canonsburg.
At the age of thirty he secured to himself the possession of a most estimable and
valuable wife by marrying Miss Mary Price, a native of Maryland. She died at Canonsburg
in 1886. This excellent lady, who became the mother of a large family (fourteen
children), pre-eminently adorned her station, and greatly contributed to Mr. Ritchie's
happiness and success in life. She sympathized with him in his toils and struggles
to sustain Jefferson College through its early history; and her name ought ever
to stand with those of Mrs. Canon, Mrs. McMillan, and other noble women who labored
and prayed and made such sacrifices for this institution.
Mr. Ritchie's energy of character, business habits, integrity of principle,
and general intelligence secured to him a widely extended reputation. He was early
elected to the Legislature, and served his country for some years in this
capacity. During the "Whiskey Insurrection"
he took a decided stand on the side of law and order, and rendered himself so unpopular
with some of the leaders of that unhappy affair that he was in danger of their vengeance.
Indeed, nothing but his absence in attendance at the General Assembly of the State
saved his property from the torch of the incendiaries at the time that Gen. Neville's
house was burned to the ground, as some of
the party told the family.
It would be hard to say how much Jefferson College is indebted to Mr. Ritchie
for its successful struggles in its most perilous times. He was one of its
first trustees, and secretary of the board for a long time. He also was appointed
treasurer at various times, and managed the financial affairs of the college with
great judgment and success, often paying large sums in advance from his own pocket.
He was by far the best business man they had, and did more in devising ways and
means to sustain the college than perhaps all the other trustees together, even
including Dr. McMillan himself. He gave a large portion of his time and personal
attention in superintending the progress of the new building (Providence Hall),
and provided from his own resources whatever might be temporarily wanted by the
workmen. When, in 1817, every other trustee seemed to despair of the further existence
of the college, Mr. Ritchie was unmoved and immovable, and took such energetic
steps as reanimated the friends of the institution and secured its continuance.
He died June 13, 1833. He was a gentleman of the old school. His dignified
and somewhat aristocratic manners and his fine personal appearance commanded respect
wherever he might be found. For honesty of principle, goodness and charity, and
for self-sacrificing efforts in behalf of Jefferson College, the church of his
choice, and the country of his adoption, Mr. Ritchie had no superior in the men
of his day. To have so long enjoyed the confidence and esteem of Gen.
Washington and Dr. McMillan is a high honor to which few, living or dead, can lay
claim. He left behind him a large family of uncommon intelligence and refinement.
…
According to records found at FamilySearch, a Craig Ritchie, the son
of William Ritchie and Margaret Provand, was baptized on 30 December 1758 in
Glasgow. At least four other children were born to the couple: Craig (1757), Jean
(1761), Isobell (1763), and John (1765).
A quick check on Ancestry.com shows Craig Ritchie in the 1790
(Washington County), 1800 (Chartiers Township, Washington County), 1810
(Chartiers Township), and 1830 (Canonsburg) censuses. While it looks like he
moves within the county, he’s probably in the same spot the whole time. It’s
just that the census districts get smaller and more defined as the population
increases. He also appears in Pennsylvania Land Warrant records. The only
evidence of his trip across the Atlantic on Ancestry is an entry from page 371
of Donald Whyte’s A Dictionary of
Scottish Emigrants to the USA. Vol. 1. I would bet dollars to doughnuts that
Whyte’s source was Cumrine. AOne of the neatest things I’ve found on Ancestry is here: a scan of a note from George Washington inviting Craig Ritchie to dinner in March 1796.
An application to Sons of the American Revolution,
based on Ritchie’s service in the American Revolution is here. There has always been this idea that the Scots were
overwhelmingly loyal during the American Revolution (see the recent article in
the Scotsman by Tom Devine for an example). I don’t doubt that many were; but I
have found countless examples of people like Ritchie who obviously were not
loyal. So, I remain unconvinced.
The information on Craig Ritchie was found in two places in
the Washington County History: the opening section on Canonsburg and then
within the biography of his grandson W.H.S. Ritchie. In fact the biographical
entry about the grandson is almost entirely about the grandfather and the
father. I have only shared the information about the grandfather here. I have found that bigoraphical information is almost always imbedded in the township history section - so always read through that as well as the "official" biography section.
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