Matthew Dill Ritchie, Sr.

http://user.xmission.com/~octa/DonnerParty/Rescuers.htm#Ritchie,%20M

Age: 40 Auxiliary

b. 19 April 1805 in Pennsylvania m. 23 Sept 1823 to Caroline Matilda Allen d. 20 August 1874 in Napa Co., California

      The family name is also spelled "Ritchey," but it's unclear how the Donner rescuer spelled it himself. Given the title "colonel" from his service in the Black Hawk War, M. D. Ritchie and his family were overland emigrants of 1846. They arrived in California too late to find a permanent home, so they lived at Johnson's Ranch during the winter of 1846-47. In February 1847, Indians helped Forlorn Hope survivor William Eddy stagger up to the first white person he saw at Johnson's Ranch, Col. Ritchie's teenaged daughter Harriet. She burst into tears and helped the exhausted wayfarer into the family cabin while the Ritchies got help and set out to rescue Eddy's companions.

      Ritchie started out with the First Relief but turned back. He began a diary of the expedition, which he turned over to Reason P. Tucker to continue. Ritchie later moved his family to the Sutter's Fort area but left for Sonoma in September 1847, and in 1850 moved to Hot Springs Township in the upper Napa Valley, where Ritchie Canyon is named after him. After 15 years of farming he moved once more, to the town of Napa, where he died in 1874, leaving 32 grandchildren.

Parents: Adam Ritchie and Abigail D. Ritchie. The surname is sometimes spelled "Ritchey".

Matthew was b. in Wheatfield Township.

Matthew married Caroline Matilda Allen on 23 Sept. 1823 in Scott County, Indiana. See Caroline's memorial for a listing of their children.

Matthew served during the Black Hawk War in 1832 as Sgt in the P. Butler Co., enrolled in Monmouth Military Service 1831/1832 Monmouth, Warren Co., Illinois. He ended his service as a "Colonel".

Matthew Dill Ritchie came from Henderson Co., Illinois in 1846 with his wife and 10 children. They traveled for awhile with the Donnor Party, but preferred taking the California Trail which was tried and proven, and they arrived at their destination in California without harm.

Matthew Dill Ritchie and his family were spending the winter at Johnson's Ranch, near present-day Wheatland, CA. As soon as he heard the Donner Party were stranded in the snow-covered mountains, he was eager to come to their rescue and was in the first rescue party.

He worked for awhile for Gen. Vallejo in Sonoma at his mill, and then the family moved to the Napa Valley, about 3-4 miles south of where Calistoga is now located. He built a log cabin at first. He worked for awhile with Boggs & Bale. Later, he built a larger frame home, which was still standing as of 1983.

1850 U.S. Census for Nappa City, Nappa Co., CA:
M.D. Richie 45 M Farmer Pennsylvania
Caroline M. Richie 45 F Virginia
Amanda Richie 16 F Illinois
Angeline Richie 14 F Illinois
Margaret Richie 6 F Illinois
Tamar Richie 5 M Illinois

Either living with his parents or a nearby abode on the same 1850 census was:

William Richie 23 M Farmer, b. Illinois
Sarah Richie 26 F b. Ohio [Indiana]
Geo. Leet Richie 1 M California

When he passed away, his survivors were six married daughters: Mrs. Stark and Poulson of Lake Co., Mrs. Pond, Cooper, and Hecox of Napa Co., and Mrs. Howard of Solano Co., including 32 grandchildren.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 3 2021, 7:01:57 UTC