Update to Stewart/Rittenhouse/Mitterling Families of Wisconsin

By Kentucky Kindred Genealogical Research on February 8, 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

Since writing the following post almost ten years ago, today I found new information. What prompted me to research and write this additional information was a photo I found while going through some of my boxes – still trying to organize! The photo is of an infant girl named Della Mary Stewart, daughter of John James Stewart and Cora Rittenhouse.

Cora Ellen Rittenhouse was born in September 1874, the youngest child of Simon Peter Rittenhouse, 1827-1907, and Elizabeth Bane, 1827-1888. Simon and Elizabeth were married August 30, 1849, in Huntington, Indiana. The couple had fourteen children. Simon’s parents were Peter Rittenhouse, 1793-1847, and Margaret Young, 1793-1847. Elizabeth Bane’s parents were James Bane, 1801-?, and Susan Webb, 1810-1848.

About 1884 Cora’s older sister, Ida Susan Rittenhouse married John James Stewart. The couple had at least two daughters – Mable, born in 1886, and Ida, born in April 1888. Ida died shortly after her second daughter’s birth. Her sister Cora married John James Stewart July 10, 1888, three months after her sister’s death. It is not unusual for a sister to marry her widowed brother-in-law. It happened in my family a couple of times. Aunts make good mothers to their nieces!

From the information on the marriage register we find that John was a farmer, was born in New Jersey, the date of registration was July 14, 1888, but the marriage was contracted July 10, 1888. The ceremony was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church.

John and Cora had seven children together – Erwin, 1889-1894, Kitty, b. 1891, Edith, b. 1893, Mandie, b. 1896, Cora, 1899-1900, Della M., b. 1902, and John Marvin, b. 1903-1961. The family lived in Adams County, Wisconsin.

We find the family in a state census for Wisconsin for 1905 – unusual to find a state census! The family were in Adams County, John, 48, Cora E., 30, Kittie, 13, Edith B., 10, Mandie, 8, Dellie M., 3, Marvin J., 1.

In the 1910 census of Adams County, John Stewart is listed as divorced, living with Charles and Hattie Hunt. Cora Stewart is listed as widowed in Wood County (women in that time did not list themselves as divorced), the mother of 7 children, 5 living. Maud, Della and John Marvin Stewart live with her. Son Erwin died in 1894, aged 5, and baby Cora died in 1900, less than a year old. Perhaps these deaths were too much for the couple? It is hard to say.

Two years later Cora married John Donnoven February 3, 1912, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Tragedy struck the family in 1915. John Stewart died January 18, 1915. Daughter Edith married John Yorton August 9, 1910.

Stevens Point Journal, Stevens Point, Portage County, Wisconsin

Friday, January 22, 1915

Died From Fall

The following brief account of the death of John Stewart, father of Mrs. John Yorton of this city, appeared in the Coloma section of the Hancock News:

‘John Stewart, while assisting his son-in-law, Robert Fousch, draw corn Monday, fell from the load and was instantly killed. We are informed that Mr. Fousch carried a box of corn into the granary, leaving Mr. Stewart on the load. When Rob came back he found him under the wagon, carried him to the house and summoned Dr. Weber at once. It is thought he must have slipped, striking his head on the frozen ground.’

According to a notice in the same newspaper, “Mr. and Mrs. John Yorton and Miss Maude Stewart left on the 20^th for Coloma to attend the funeral of the ladies’ father, John Stewart.’

John was buried in White Cemetery in Waushara County. Children Erwin Stewart and Cora E. Stewart are buried there.

Cora’s marriage with John Donnoven did not prove a happy one. John divorced her May 3, 1919, notice in the May 4, 1919, Leader Telegram. Several years later John Donnoven put an ad in the same newspaper saying he would not be responsible for any bills for his former wife, Mrs. Cora Donnoven.

Daughter Della M. Stewart married Minor W. Rudd June 16, 1919.

December 24, 1920 Cora Donnoven and Bert E. Mitterling married in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This is the happy occasion of the photos below, the first time this post was made in November 2014.

Leader-Telegram, Eau Clair, Eau Clair, Wisconsin

Wednesday, December 29, 1920

Donnoven-Mitterling

The marriage of Mrs. Cora Donnoven and Mr. B. E. Mitterling, Lairmore, N. D., took place Saturday afternoon at three o’clock, Judge Henry McBain performing the ceremony. The bride’s son, Mr. John Stewart, and daughter, Mrs. Minor Rudd, were the attendants. Following the ceremony a wedding dinner was served at the home, 715 Newton St., to a large number of relatives and friends. Mr. and Mrs. Mitterling will leave in a few days to make their future home at Lairmore, N.D., where the groom is engaged in the machine and auto business.