Ritchie Family Articles: From the History of Perry County, Kentucky by Bayliss Ritchie, Dr S B Ritchie, & Jason Ritchie

James Ritchie came with his five brothers from England in 1768 and settled in Virginia. After the revolutionary War he moved to North Carolina where he lived for sometime before coming to Kentucky.  He settled on Carr's Creek in Perry County ( now Knott County) around 1815.  After his death, all the family returned to Virginia, except one son Crocket Ritchie.
 
Crocket married Susan Grigsby and settled near the mouth of Clear Creek (now Knott County). He is said to have have built the first cabin in hammond's Gap, on the present Gabe Hudson farm.

His grandson, Austin Ritchie, married Rachel Everidge daughter of Solomon Everidge, who gave land and was instrumental in founding the Hindman Settlement School, near Solomon Everidge home.

Most of the Ritchie's belonged to the Old Regular Baptist Church. the troublesome Creek area has many Ritchie families.....nearly all of them descendents of Crockett Ritchie and Susan (Grigsby) Ritchie.

Their children were Nicholas, who married a Patrick and settled on Ball Fork, Gabe who married Nancy Campbell, daughter of Jack Campbell of Buckhorn Creek.

Jack Campbell served in the war of 1812 and isburied on Buckhorn Creek.
James married Hannah Fugate, a aughter of Martin Fugate, a frenchman who settled on Buckhorn Creek.
John married a Sizemore, and settled on Clear Creek in present Knott County.
Alex taught school in Dwarf and married Mary Fugate, a grandaughter of Martin Fugate, Polly married a Sizemore, Betty married William Smith, son of Thomas Smith of Ary, Nancy married  a Harvey and moved to West Virginia, Arry married Reece Young and lived on Lotts Creek and Omah married Arch Cornett.
Hiram and Isom Ritchie settled on Troublesome Creek and Thomas married Kizzie Smith, daughter of Richard Smith.
Nick, Hiram, Isom, Polly, Omah and their families moved to Arkansas around 1850 and never to Kentucky. 

The following is by Luther Ritchie

I have been gathering some facts about the Eastern Kentucky Ritchies and I was astonished at the number of marriages between the Ritchies, Fugates and the Patricks and how closely related I am to them. If one can staighten out ll the twists and turns in this, he might find hat he is related to himself.

Alexander Crockett Ritchie, who was known as Crockett, had two sons that married Patricks, Nicholas married Nancy Patrick and Isom married Martha Patrick, both daughters of Hugh Patrick.

Crockett's son, James Ritchie married Hannah Fugate, Jame's daughter Tabitha, known as Bithie married Henley Fugate, Jame's daughter Elizabeth married James Patrick, a son of Hugh Patrick.

Crockett Ritchie's son, Alexander Crockett Ritchie JR, who was known as Elic married  Mary Jane Fugate. Two of Elic's sons, Austin & Jason married Fugates, who were the daughters of Henley Fugate & Bithie Ritchie. Austin married Serena and Jason married Sarah, who was knwn as Sally.  Jason and Austin's mother in law was also their first cousin.  Elic had one son and one daughter married into the Patrick family. The  second wife of Elic's son, Benjamin Ritchie was Sarah known  as "Sally".  She was he daughter of James Patrick and Elizabeth Ritchie.  Rachel Ritchie married George Patrick, who was the son who was the son of James Patrick & Elizabeth Ritchie.   Like their brothers, Jason & Austin, Rachel & Benjamin were first cousins to their mother in law. George & Rachel's daughter Rosanne married Milton Patrick. Milton & Rosanne were first cousins.  Jason Ritchie's daughter Sarah married Zach Patrick, George Patrick's nephew and Sarah was Rachels neice. Also Jason's daughter Jane, known as Jenny married Gabriel Fugate, Jason's first cousin.

My father, Jason's son James L Ritchie married Elizabeth Patrick, she was a daughter of James Patrick, known as Jim and the Great grandaughter of Elizabeth Ritchie and James Patrick, Elizabeth Ritchie & James L Ritchie were secod cousins.  Jim Patrick had one daughter Verna that married Leonard Fugate and one  son that married Sylvania Ritchie, Sylvania is the great grandaughter of Henley Fugate and Bithie Ritchie, who is also my great grandparents, I am sure that Leonard Fugate fits into this scheme somewhere, but I have nothing on his background.