From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 635 - 636
 
EUGENE RITTMAN.  The RITTMAN family has long been one of the highly respected 
and successful representatives of the farming element in this section of 
Wisconsin, one of the worthy representatives of the present generation being 
Eugene RITTMAN, of the vicinity of Springfield, Walworth county. 
 
Mr. RITTMAN was born at Munster, Kenosha county, this state, November 25, 1861, 
and is the son of Frank RITTMAN and wife.  He grew up on the home farm and was 
educated in the public schools.  He remained under his parental roof-tree until 
his marriage on January 20, 1891, to Regen HOMAN, daughter of Bartholomew 
HOMAN, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.  Since his marriage he 
has lived on the home farm near the village of Springfield, where he owns one 
hundred and seventeen acres of excellent land, which he has kept well improved 
and well cultivated.  He and his family are members of the Catholic church.  He 
and his wife have five children, namely: Frank, born December 3, 1891; 
Margareth; born June 4, 1893; Eugene, born May 18, 1896; John, born December 
13, 1899, and Mary, born February 11, 1903.
 
Frank RITTMAN, mentioned above, was born in Westphalia, Germany, March 17, 
1830.  He was the son of William RITTMAN and wife.  His mother died when he was 
a child, in the old country, leaving four children, Frank, Henry, Gertrude, and 
Elizabeth.  The father remarried.  When Frank was sixteen years old the family 
emigrated to America, locating first in Burlington, Racine county, Wisconsin, 
buying a farm there, but later moved into the city of Burlington.
 
In 1855 Frank RITTMAN married Josephine WEHMHOFF, daughter of Henry and 
Gertrude WEHMHOFF.  She was born in the city of Dorsten, in Westphalia, and in 
1845 came to America with her parents.  They located in Wheatland township, 
Kenosha county, where they lived until her marriage.  Before his marriage Frank 
RITTMAN owned a farm in Kenosha county and there he and his wife lived until 
1880 when they sold the farm there and bought one hundred and sixty acres in 
section 5, in the northwestern part of Lyons township.  He afterwards bought 
forty acres more, making two hundred acres in all.  About 1889 he also bought 
another farm at the eastern edge of Springfield, one hundred and seventeen 
acres.
 
Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fred RITTMAN, namely: Eugenia married 
Ferdinand BLANKE and lived between Lyons and Springfield until her death, on 
February 24, 1910, leaving seven children; William died when two months old; 
George died in infancy; Eugene married Regina HOMANN and they live on the farm 
adjoining Springfield, and they have five children; Josephine is at home with 
her mother; Frank died in infancy; Emil lives on the home farm with her mother 
and Josephine and her brother Frank; the latter is unmarried and was next in 
order of birth; Ida died in infancy.
 
Frank RITTMAN, father of the above named children, died in November, 1909.  He 
was a member of the Catholic church and all the family adhere to this faith.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)