Recently I have learned that my ancestor, Joseph Woodard Ritter, may have been adopted by James and Mary Shepherd Ritter, but I have always wondered where the Woodard name came from. His parents were in Greene County, Indiana, in 1850 but were in Polk County, Missouri, in 1860. James Ritter was back in Greene County, Indiana, in 1870, but Mary was not in the household. Probably she died because James later remarried. In the 1880 census Joseph Woodard Ritter's parents were listed as born in Kentucky, but James and Mary Shepherd Ritter were born in Indiana. I wonder if the name Woodard could be a clue to Joseph's biological origins and welcome any suggestions. Roberta Sharp

Roberta, I would like to help you, I have access to all the census with ancestry. You didn't say when your Joseph was born [or where] or his location in 1880 census, so I can't pinpoint him down since there were others by same name. Lanita

>I would like to help you, I have access to all the census with >ancestry. You didn't say when your Joseph was born [or where] or his >location in 1880 census, so I can't pinpoint him down since there were >others by same name. Lanita Lanita, Thank you for your offer of help. Recently I have learned that my ancestor, Joseph Woodard Ritter, may have been adopted by James and Mary Shepherd Ritter. Joseph Woodard Ritter was born about 1858, and my records show Indiana as his birthplace. In the 1880 census listing of Greene County, Indiana, Joseph Woodard Ritter's parents were given as born in Kentucky, but James and Mary Shepherd Ritter were born in Indiana. As a grown man in 1880, he may have been referring to the birthplace of his biological rather than that of his adoptive parents. Actually, I am uncertain about Woodard forebears in my line as Woodard is only my ancestor's middle name. His parents were in Greene County, Indiana, in 1850 but in Polk County, Missouri, in the 1860 census. James Ritter was back in Greene County, Indiana, in 1870 with Joseph W. and a young daughter, Elizabeth, but Mary was not in the household. Probably she died because James later remarried. I do not know if Joseph Woodard Ritter was still living in 1900 as I have not found him on the census. I have always wondered where the Woodard name came from, and now that I am aware of a possible adoption, it seems to me that it may be a clue to his origins. It could also explain why his parents were in Missouri in 1860 but returned to Indiana. I wonder if the name Woodard could be a clue to Joseph's biological origins and welcome any suggestions. Roberta Sharp

I checked the 1860 census, and he is listed as: 1860 Polk Co., MO RITTER James, age 34, IN Mary, age 31, IN Joseph, age 3, IN William, age 7mo, IN I looked at the neighbors around the family in 1860 Polk Co., and there is a JENKINS family whose children are all born in KY. There is a dau., Adah JENKINS, age 15, who was born in KY in this family. A few doors away is a single William HOGG, age 17, b. in KY. He's single and working as a farm laborer in another household. A few doors down from him is his bro., John b. HOGG/HAGG also b. in KY, but he's mar. with a dau. they are all in the same neighborhood... NOW, I'm NOT saying that these are the parents if James and Mary aren't the bio parents. I'm strictly looking at the possibility of a single girl and boy in the area. There are several married men born in KY. There is also a Nancy SIMPSON, widowed, age 41, who was born in KY, but she has several children in the household. All of these are a page before, the page of, or the page after, in the census of your Joseph. All are possibilities, but I must also suggest that perhaps the person who gave the info later on, really didn't know, or THOUGHT it was Kentucky when it was IN...... That happens all the time. Hope this helps, Lanita