William McClellan Ritter (February 19, 1864 – May 21, 1952) was an American lumberman and businessman. He was the founder of W. M. Ritter Lumber Company. Ritter was a member of the

War Industries Board The War Industries Board (WIB) was a United States government agency established on July 28, 1917, during World War I, to coordinate the purchase of war supplies between the War Department (Department of the Army) and the Navy Department. Because ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life

William McClellan Ritter was born on February 19, 1864, in

Lycoming County, Pennsylvania Lycoming County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 114,188. Its county seat is Williamsport. Lycoming County comprises the Williamsport metropolitan statistical area. About northwest ...

. Ritter learned the lumber business on his family's farm in Pennsylvania. His mother was Elizabeth (née Morris) Ritter, a member of the Robert Morris family of Pennsylvania. He was given the middle name McClellan after

George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, Civil War Union general, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey. A graduate of West Point, McCl ...

, the Union Army general his grandfather served with in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. Ritter attended local schools in Pennsylvania. Ritter was the cousin of Charles L. Ritter of

Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and the largest city in the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A h ...

, a lumberman and namesake of Ritter Park. His great nephew, William M. Ritter II would continue operating the lumber business after Ritter's death.

Career

Ritter bought and operated a thresher and then operated a small country hotel. Ritter began a logging operation in

Mercer County, West Virginia Mercer County is a county on the southeastern border of the U.S. state of West Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 59,664. Its county seat is Princeton. The county was originally established in the State of Virginia by act of its G ...

in 1890. He also set up his own mills, and his operations were also in McDowell and Mingo counties, as well as Buchanan County, Virginia and

Pike County, Kentucky Pike County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 58,669. Its county seat is Pikeville. The county was founded in 1821. With regard to the sale of alcohol, it is classified as a moist county–– ...

. In 1894, Ritter established the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company in

Welch, West Virginia Welch is a city located in McDowell County in the State of West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,590 at the 2020 census, however the 2021 census estimate put the population at 1,914, due to the McDowell Prison complex in the north ...

. It would not be incorporated until 1901. He expanded his operations into

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

and

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. In 1907, W. M. Ritter Lumber Company was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of

peon Peon (English , from the Spanish ''peón'' ) usually refers to a person subject to peonage: any form of wage labor, financial exploitation, coercive economic practice, or policy in which the victim or a laborer (peon) has little control over emp ...

age. Ritter paid a fine on behalf of his company. The company would be regarded as the world's largest hardwood lumber company with over 300,000 acres of land. The company would eventually merge with Georgia-Pacific Lumber Company. During

, Ritter served on the

as an advisor to

Bernard Baruch Bernard Mannes Baruch (August 19, 1870 – June 20, 1965) was an American financier and statesman. After amassing a fortune on the New York Stock Exchange, he impressed President Woodrow Wilson by managing the nation's economic mobilization in ...

. Ritter also owned and operated coal companies and railroads in Virginia and West Virginia, including the Red Jacket Coal Company near

Matewan, West Virginia Matewan () is a town in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States at the confluence of the Tug Fork River and Mate Creek. The population was 499 at the 2010 census. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Pocahontas District passes through the town. It wa ...

. Ritter served as president of the National Hardwood Lumber Association and treasurer of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association. Ritter wrote a book, ''The Lumber Business''. In 1924, Ritter received national coverage for gifting worth of personal stock to 124 of his employees. Following the news, he was commended by President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...

Personal life

In 1905, Ritter lived and worked from

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

. Prior to World War I, Ritter lived in Welch. During the war, he moved to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Ritter was married twice. Ritter married Gertrude Adelaide Divine on February 2, 1896. They were later divorced. He married Anita Owen Bell on July 20, 1926, in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

. They had a foster son, Paul D. Ritter.

Death

Ritter died on May 21, 1952, at his home in Washington, D.C. He was buried in the family cemetery in

Hughesville, Pennsylvania Hughesville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,155 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Hughesville is named for Jeptha Hughes, who ...

Legacy

Ritter was named to the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame posthumously in 2020.

References

External links

University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Ritter Lumber Company: William McClellan Ritter, undated
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritter, William M. 1864 births 1952 deaths People from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania People from McDowell County, West Virginia Council of National Defense Businesspeople in wood products 19th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American businesspeople Businesspeople from West Virginia