Wilhemine "Minnie" Henrietta Ritter, 1873-1945

Wilhemine “Minnie” Henrietta Ritter was born 151 years ago this week. She was one of six known children born to George and Henrietta (Belk) Ritter. She is one of my Great Grandmothers. 

 Minnie was born on March 9, 1873, near Chebanse, IL. Her parents had been born in Germany. Her father George had arrived in New York City in July of 1865. He was a harness maker. Her mother Henrietta arrived in New York City in July of 1867. 

 Growing up in and around Chebanse… Minnie would have witnessed several firsts for the town. She wouldn’t have remembered it, but when she was a year old, Chebanse got their first water tower. She was 7 when they got their first fire department. She was 9 when the first telephone came to town. She was 11 years old when General John. A. Logan (of Southern IL and Civil War fame) came to Chebanse on his campaign for Vice President in 1884. I would imagine she probably remembered that for her whole life (whether or not she was on the grounds)… a crowd of 15,000 people attended the BBQ dinner at Milk’s Grove (due West of Chebanse and Clifton). I bet she also would have remembered the big snowstorm that hit when she was 12 years old. The town had to shovel the roads by hand. When she was 13, a tornado caused total destruction in a 4-mile wide path through Chebanse. 

1884 article about the Logan campaign stop

 Minnie married John D. Offerman on Nov. 23, 1898, when she was 25 years old. They moved to a farm southeast of Irwin (northwest of Chebanse). They would have 3 daughters, the middle one being my Grandmother, Leona. On the evening of July 17, 1903, a tornado hit their area. It did a lot of damage to surrounding farms, as well as their own. I assume they had a storm cellar that the family (John, Minnie, 4 yr old Mildred, 1 ½ yr old Leona) sheltered in that night. When the storm was over, John and Minnie had lost their house, barn, corn cribs, a windmill and their crops. Minnie was about 6 months pregnant at the time, with their 3rd child. 

1903 tornado article

the John Offerman home after they rebuilt

 The Offerman’s rebuilt and by the 1920’s, they owned a steam engine and a threshing machine. They operated a "threshing ring" which was a cooperative arrangement for harvesting grain crops. John's younger brother Henry ran the steam engine for him for several years. There were horse-drawn wagons bringing the cut grain stocks to the threshing machine in the yard behind the house. There were other horse drawn wagons for hauling the grain. There was the sound and smell of the steam engine and a huge stack of fresh hay. Best of all was the good country food prepared by the wives. Each wife in the threshing ring prepared food for the workers in their turn and each tried to outdo the others. I wonder what was Minnie’s favorite food to make? 

1924 John Offerman threshing machine

1924 Minnie doing laundry

 After being a widow for 3 years, Minnie passed away at the age of 72, on December 13, 1945. The state database lists her place of death as Otto Township, Kankakee County. Otto Township includes Irwin, the north side of Chebanse, portions of southern Kankakee, etc. Maybe she died in her own home… or in the home of another family member. I have not been able to locate an obituary yet, that might provide more details. She is buried beside her husband, at Evergreen Cemetery, in Chebanse.

Minnie's grave