THE RICHER FAMILY IN ILLINOIS (1)

ANDRÉ RICHER (ANDREW RITCHIE Sr) AND OLIVINE OUELLETTE'S FAMILY

André and his wife Olivine left Quebec around 1878 to live, at first in Marshfield, Wisconsin, then in the Blue Island area (South Chicago), Illinois. They were following the footsteps of numerous Canadians seeking jobs in the United States. Many found work in the factories of the New England states but some of them settled in the Midwest. André, whose name was translated to Andrew, worked in the brick industry.

Andrew Sr and Olivine had seven children:

1- Alexander Elmer (probably Alexandre) was born in Quebec on April 8, 1873, died on March 25, 1944 in Joliet, Illinois and was buried at the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Chicago. He was married on March 24, 1894 in Alsip, near Blue Island to Annie Archambault.

Annie (Anne-Marie) was born on April 20, 1876 at Wilmington, Illinois and died on January 14, 1955 at Joliet. Her parents were Joseph Walter Shambo (Archambault) born at Montreal on February 10, 1851 and died at Chicago on August 29, 1892 and Julia Boucher born December 28, 1859 at Bay City, Michigan and died at Chicago on February 23, 1918. They were married around 1872. Annie was the second of a family of twelve children. Joseph Walter's parents were Joseph Shambo and Marie Vermit (Vermette), married June 25, 1849 at DuPage, Illinois.

Alexander Elmer and Annie had three children born at Blue Island; Francis Alex (1895-1895); Edith Mae born April 13, 1898, married to William B. Shoemaker, died on April 9, 1990 in California; and Joseph Alexander born September 21, 1899, died on November 23, 1961 at Springfield, Illinois and buried at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago, near his father. Joseph Alexander founded the Springfield Tool & Machine Shop.

Joseph Alexander who changed his name to Richey was married three times even four, twice with the same woman. He was the father of sixteen children, only two of them died young. In 1917, he married Gertrude Gant. They had one son. On March 14, 1921, he married Irene Bauer, born January 15, 1901 and died July 5, 1966, Decatur County, Illinois. Joseph and his second wife had eight children: five sons and three daughters. On May 25, 1943, he married Minnie Marie Pfieffer, born January 29, 1911 and died June 21 1994 in California. They had seven children: five daughters and two sons. Talking about his grandfather's family in Illinois, one granddaughter wrote: "There are an absolute TON of us".

2- André (Andrew Jr), born on September 11, 1875 in St-Philippe d'Argenteuil, Quebec, died on August 8, 1957 in Ferry, Michigan; married first with Mélina Huard on May 28, 1902 in Blue Island. Mélina was given the names Marie Aurélie at birth on September 2, 1881 in Sutton, Quebec. She died on November 20, 1910 in Blue Island.

Andrew Jr and Mélina had five children: Beatrice (1902-1975) married to William Max Seeman; Lillian (1904-1998) married to Charles Frank Becker and then to Joseph E. Miller; Alexander Wilford (1906-1986) married to Elsie Maud Raymond; Omerine (1907-1994) married to Jack Obey; George (1909-1991) married to Charlotte Bemis.

3- Mathilde, born on June 24, 1877 in St-Philippe d'Argenteuil;

4- Excella (Exilda), born on January 2, 1882 in Marshfield, Wisconsin;

5- Louise, born in 1883 in Marshfield and married to Edward Mear;

6- Agnes, married to Arthur Brault;

7- Wilbrod Zéphir, born July 1st, 1893 in Blue Island, married to Frances Edolyn Wells, died on January 16, 1965 in Spokane, Washington. One son Robert.

In 1910 and 1920, Andrew Sr and his family were again living in Marshfield, Wisconsin. They looked after their son Andrew Jr's children after the death of their mother, Mélina Huard, in 1910. On October 9, 1918, Andrew Jr married Rachel Rigg who took care of the family. Rachel, originally from England, was the widow of Ervin Schave.

Later on, Andrew Sr and his wife Olivine decided to live with their youngest son, Wilbrod Zéphir, in Oakland, California. Andrew died in 1925 in California. Olivine came back to Illinois to live with her grand-daughter’s family, Lillian Ritchie Becker. She died in 1929.

Nowadays, descendants from Andrew Sr and his wife Olivine, bearing the name Ritchie, live in the United States and in Ontario. In the U.S., their son Wilbrod and his wife Frances had a son, Robert and their grandson George and his wife Charlotte also had four sons -- to carry on the Ritchie name.

Their grandson, Alexander Wilford Ritchie, became a Canadian citizen in 1932 and lived in the New Liskeard area, Ontario after his marriage to Elsie Maud Raymond. After his wife's death in 1980 in New Liskeard, Alexander W. lived in British Columbia where he died six years later.

Note: Thanks to Margaret "Sis" Becker and her son Terry from Illinois who kindly gave the information and pictures of the Ritchie family who settled in Illinois. Terry's grandmother, Lillian Ritchie Becker, was Andrew Jr's daughter.

DOCUMENTS

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE

ANDREW RITCHIE Sr AND OLIVINE OUELLETTE

OCTOBER 16, 1874, ST-PHILIPPE D'ARGENTEUIL, QUEBEC

On this sixteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and seventy four, after the bans of marriage were published during mass in our Church, between Joseph Richer, son of age of Pierre Richer and deceased Marie ...guier, on the one part and Olivine Ouellette, legitimate daughter of under age of Michel Ouelette and Antoinette Malter, (on the other part), without impediment being discovered and having received their mutual consent, we the undersigned priest, gave them the nuptial benediction as prescribed by the Holy Church, in the presence of Ephrem Richer, Zotique Ouelette and Jean Hyacinthe who have signed with us. (translation)

Zotique Ouelett, Octave Gagnon, Aurélie Ouellett, R. ... priest.

Comment : There are three errors in the above document: The bridegroom's first name, "Joseph"; his parents' names, the couple "Pierre Richer and Marie ...guier" did not exist; the bride's mother's name, again the couple "Michel Ouellette and Antoinette Malter" did not exist. Some priests who wrote these documents happened to be more negligent than others.

A close analysis of the witnesses' names enable us to identify the right persons. Ephrem (very uncommon name) is the brother of André who will be his witness at his marriage the following year. Jean Hyacinthe is Hyacinthe Denis, Hyacinthe is not a family name. He is André's brother-in-law, married to his sister Marcelline and also witness to Ephrem's future marriage.

Zotique Ouellette is Olivine's brother. He and his wife Anastasie Charron, were married in St. Andrew East on May 6, 1873 and will be godparents to André (Andrew Jr), André's and Olivine's child born the following year. Aurélie Ouellette is her mother's married name. Octave Gagnon is her uncle. He had married her mother's sister, Caroline Paradis, on October first, 1848 in Saint-Hermas. Aurélie and Hyacinthe Denis will be godparents to Mathilde, André's and Olivine's daughter born in 1877.

With this information we may conclude that the bridegroom's first name is "André", Ephrem's brother and Hyacinthe Denis' brother-in-law; therefore, his parents are "André Richer and Anastasie Boileau"; also that bride's mother's maiden name is "Aurélie Paradis", Zotique's mother, Octave Gagnon's sister-in-law, married to Michel Ouellet on May 2, 1842 in Saint-Hermas.

PICTURES

Andrew Jr and Mélina Huard seated

May 28, 1902.

Andrew Jr's family visiting his wife's family in Haileybury, Ontario in 1910

Andrew is fourth from left on top row

Mélina is third from right on second row, holding George in her arms

Beatrice, Lillian, Alexander and Omerine are first left front row.

Andrew Jr with his children a few months later

George in his arms and

from left to right: Omerine, Lillian, Beatrice, Alex

His wife Mélina had died in November 1910.

Andrew Jr, his second wife Rachel and his children in 1955

From left to right: Beatrice, Lillian, Alex, Omerine, George.

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