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The 'Rightmire Report'

Chapter VIII. James Rightmire, Jr.

Section 1. James Rightmire, Jr. and Lydia Critchfield
(James2 Rightmire, Jr., James1, Sr.)

(2) James Rightmire, Jr. was also born in Virginia in 1807 before James, Sr. and Elizabeth moved to Ohio. He was the third oldest child of James, Sr. and Elizabeth. James, Jr. married Lydia Critchfield February 28, 1833 in Knox County, Ohio. Lydia was born about 1810 in Ohio. The Critchfield family is probably the most important family in terms of affecting the Rightmire families - three Rightmire brothers married three Critchfield sisters. The Critchfield family goes back to Massachusetts in the mid-1600s.

Lydia Critchfield, Hannah Critchfield, and Amy Critchfield all married Rightmires. The parents of the Critchfield girls were Joseph Critchfield and Mary Harden. The probate of Mary's father's estate lists Hannah Rightmire, Harrison & Amy Rightmire, James & Lydia Rightmire as children and heirs of Joseph Critchfield. John Rightmire is not identified as Hannah's husband for reasons that are unknown. Nevertheless, it is quite clear that three of the Rightmire sons of James, Sr. and Elizabeth Rightmire married Critchfield sisters.

James, Jr. Rightmire died January 14, 1881, in Union Township, Knox County, Ohio. He was 74 years old. His wife, Lydia, died July 15, 1893 in Danville, Knox County, Ohio at the age of 83. Both were buried next to each other in Workman Cemetery, Union Township, Knox County. The children of James, Jr. and Lydia Rightmire are:

(3) Elizabeth Rightmire was born in 1832, in Ohio. She married George W. Cole, November 25, 1875, in Knox County, Ohio. We have no record of Elizabeth and George having any children. She died in 1917 in Union Township, Knox County, Ohio and is buried in Workman Cemetery, Union Township, Knox County.

(3) Mary Rightmire was born in Ohio in about 1834. She married Joshua Tracy in 1848 in the town of Millwood, Ohio. Millwood is about 25 miles east of Mt. Vernon and close to the Hollister Cemetery mentioned earlier. I have no information on when either Mary or Joshua died. Mary and Joshua had three children, all daughters:

(4) Alwilda Tracy was born in 1853 in Millwood, OH. She married Johannes L. Hammond. Alwilda died in 1917 in Millwood, Ohio. She and Johannes had two children: (5) Harvey G. Hammond, born in 1881 and (5) Burrell F. Hammond, born on Dec. 20, 1883

(4) Lydia Tracy, born in 1854.

(4) Sade Tracy, born in 1855.

(3) Lewis Critchfield Rightmire was born in December 2, 1836 in Ohio. Section 2 covers the rather extensive family history of Lewis and his wife.

(3) Ellis Rightmire was born in 1842 in Ohio. He married Elizabeth (last name unknown) in Ohio in about 1862. Elizabeth was born in 1839. Ellis died June 16, 1925 in Danville, Knox County, Ohio; Elizabeth died in 1917. Both Ellis and Elizabeth are buried in the same cemetery as James, Jr. and Elizabeth (Workman Cemetery, Union Twp, Knox Co., Ohio). As noted above, both Elizabeth Rightmire's died the same year. One possible explanation: Mom and Dad used to talk about a terrible flu epidemic. I believe the year might have been 1917. Mom said that nearly one-sixth of the population of Mt. Vernon died from that epidemic. Two Elizabeths dying that year might not be a coincidence, but the result of a devastating flu epidemic.

(3) Ellen Rightmire was born in about 1844 in Ohio. She married John C. Hammon December 6, 1865 in Knox County, Ohio. Ellen died in 1915 and is buried in Millwood Cemetery, Knox County, Ohio.

(3) Abraham Rightmire. Census data give Abraham's year of birth as 1847. We find no evidence that Abraham ever married. He died in 1932 in Danville, Ohio, at the age of 85, and was buried at Workman Cemetery, Union Township, Knox County, Ohio.

(3) Sophrona Rightmire. 1850 Census data gives Sophrona's year of birth as 1849. She was born in Howard Township, Knox County, Ohio. We have no other information on Sophrona.