Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas 1863

The first time we see evidence of Nelson Holder Ritchie's existence is with his Civil War Draft Registration Records in 1863 Topeka,Shawnee Kansas.

Nelson Holder met a man named Colonel John Ritchie before 1860 in Topeka.  Colonel John Ritchie was a major player in the Underground Railroad.  He became close with Nelson and asked to adopt Nelson and pay for him to go to school.  Nelson refused, but took the Ritchie last name as a tribute to Colonel John Ritchie.  Colonel John Ritchie owned a Lime Quarry & Kiln, a Cemetery (where we suspect Nelson's first wife and baby are buried because Nelson was like family to Colonel John Ritchie), the land where Washburn University is located, and other properties.

Nelson was in the 2nd Kansas Militia Company B Cavalry Regiment and was involved in the Battle of the Little Blue River or Battle of the Blue at Mockbee Farm. He was in service from the 10 Oct 1864 until the 30th Oct 1864. The Battle was on 21 Oct 1864.

 Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865

 Civil War Draft Registration Record, 1863-1865 (Colored)

Letter from Veterans Administration Washington D.C. about Nelson's Civil War Service

Payroll of Company B of the Second Regiment of the Kansas State Militia 10th day of Oct to 30th day of Oct 1864. Copy VERY bad, this is the way it came from the National Archives.

History of Shawnee County Kansas and Representative Citizens Roster of Company B that Nelson

was in

Last year a man by the name of Jason Brock Jones portrayed Nelson Holder Ritchie at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library,  a living history narrative. Each year notable people from the town of Topeka Kansas are portrayed on the street corners of Topeka and our Nelson Holder Ritchie is one of these people portrayed.(Note we have no history of Nelson being a Buffalo Soldier or in the Indian Wars but he was in the Civil War).

Map drawings from the Diary of S.J. Reader of the Mockbee Farm House Civil War Battle that Nelson Holder Ritchie was involved in.

Map drawings from the diary of S.J. Reader of the Mockbee Farm Civil war Battle that Nelson Holder Ritchie was involved in.

 Go Here;  Click here to view an article about Nelson Holder Ritchie in the 2nd Kansas Militia

 CIVIL WAR ENDS 

This man Hiram C. Coville was at the Battle of the Blue at Mockbee Farm. Hiram was in the same 2nd Kansas Militia Company B with Nelson. He was killed in the battle. In the 1865 Census of Topeka Kansas Nelson Holder Ritchie is living with the wife of Hiram C Coville, Laura Ann Coville and her son Allen Coville. Maybe Nelson made a promise to Hiram as he was dying that he would take care of Hiram's wife and son.

1865 Topeka Shawnee Kansas Census. Nelson Holder Ritchie (Black) is living with Hiram Coville's wife and son. They are listed as white.

 After the Civil War ended Nelson worked at Colonel John Ritchie's Lime Quarry and Lime Kiln, pictured below

Picture of Topeka Kansas, 1869

Picture of Topeka Kansas, 1869

Map of Topeka Kansas, 1869

              This is the man that took Nelson in and helped him to become the great man he was.

Colonel John Ritchie

                                                    9 Sep 1887 The Great Bend Tribune

This is the wonderful wife of John Ritchie that helped Nelson. There are many stories of these two people risking their lives to help the run away Slaves.

                 Colonel John Ritchie front second from left with his John Brown Supporters

 Go Here:    Click here for a video tour of Colonel John Ritchie's Home that Nelson lived in

Colonel John Ritchie's home where Nelson lived.

It is listed on the National Historical Registry & is linked to the Underground Railroad

Front view of Colonel John Ritchie's home where Nelson lived. This home was used to house "Former Slaves" after Colonel John Ritchie built his new home.

Minutes of the Topeka Landmarks Commission stating that the home of Colonel John Ritchie on Madison between 11th and 12th was used to house FORMER SLAVES. Notice where NELSON is living in 1868-1870 on the Topeka City Directory!!!

Nelson Ritchie COLORED living on Madison between 11th and 12th street. The Joseph Ritchie COLORED listed with Nelson here on these directories is living with Nelson and Mary Samantha Fulbright on the 1870 Topeka Census. His name is Josephus Ritchie. This is proof that Nelson was a former Slave!!

                                Marriage 26 May 1870 to Mary MATTHEWS Fullbright.
This is totally new information to me. I do not know if Matthews is her middle name or maiden name or previous married name. To this point I can find no further information. If she is Mulatto as stated in the 1870 Census it is going to be another battle to find any thing out about Mary.

Marriage license of Nelson to Mary MATTHEWS Fullbright. Further investigation needs to be done to see why her name is not Mary Samantha Fullbright as mentioned in Nelson's daughters history of Nelson.

1870 Topeka Census with Mary Samantha Fullbright Ritchie listed as wife and Mulatto. Notice the M touches the line 3 times where as the above W only touches twice. So Mary was Mulatto. I wonder if the 60 year old women Lilly that was Mulatto is the old black mammy that poisoned Mary and her baby John Eddie. They both died in 1871. I have a lot of information on the Josephus that is living in the house with Nelson and Mary and his family is a MESS. Lots of arrest and fights and so on. I can not find any more on the James. They were all Mulatto and took on the Ritchie name. Josephus or Joseph was living with Nelson in the Ritchie home in 1868 and 1870 in the city directory.

                                                               Baby John Eddie

Ritchie Cemetery

There are 100 graves here, but only a few are marked.  

This was the burial site Colonel Ritchie created for Blacks and poor people.  There is a strong possibility that Nelson's first wife, Mary Samantha Fulbright (born 1848-died 1871), and baby John Eddy Ritchie (born 1871-died 1871), were buried here in 1871 because Nelson had such strong ties to Colonel John Ritchie.  Family history states that Nelson thought a black Mamie poisoned his first wife and first baby.