Correspondence between Jeffery Karl Ochsner and Joan Cales in September and October of 1987.
Collection: Willis A. Ritchie
Title
Correspondence between Jeffery Karl Ochsner and Joan Cales in September and October of 1987.
Subject
Ochsner, Jeffery Karl
Letter
Cales, Joan
Winfield, KS
Ritchie, Willis A.
Description
This collection of 3 letters that were written between Jeffery Karl Ochsner and Joan Cales about Willis A. Ritchie. Ritchie was an architect and Jeffery was seeking information about the possible buildings Ritchie may have designed in Winfield, KS.
Creator
Ochsner, Jeffery Karl
Cales, Joan
Source
Winfield Public Library
Publisher
Winfield Public Library, Winfield, Kansas, USA
Date
1987-09-05
1987-10-14
1987-10-22
Rights
Format
text/plain
Language
English
Type
Correspondence
Citation
Ochsner, Jeffery Karl and Cales, Joan, “Correspondence between Jeffery Karl Ochsner and Joan Cales in September and October of 1987.,” Winfield Digital Collections, accessed June 23, 2026, https://winfield.digitalsckls.info/item/218.
Text
415 Wheeler
Seattle, Washington 5 September 1987
Winfield Public Library
1001 Millington
Winfield, Kansas 67156
Attn: Local History Librarian
Dear Librarian:
Dyou have any information regarding the 19th century American architect Willis A. Ritchie (1864-1931) who lived in Winfield from 1885 to 1889? Could you send us copies of any information you may have?
Dennis Andersen, former archivist at the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington, and I are working on a history of Northwest architects and their architecture in the late 19th century. Willis Ritchie was an important architect in Seattle and Spokane from 1889 to 1900, but we have only limited information for Ritchie for his life before moving to the Northwest in 1889. We are hoping that you might be able to help us in this regard.
According to information we have uncovered, Ritchie was born in Van Wert, Ohio, then grew up in Lima, Ohio, and moved to Kansas about 1885. Apparently he set up an architectural office in Winfield in 1885. His first Kansas commission may have been the Farmers Bank in Winfield (1885), and his subsequent commissions may have included the U.S. Postoffice and Courthouse in Wichita (1885-1886), and courthouses in Barber, Meade, Clarke and Morton Counties, as well as a number of schools and commercial structures. Ritchie may also have held a position as civil engineer for the town of Winfield in 1886. Can any of this information be verified? Do any of Ritchie's Winfield structures still stand? Are pictures available for any of them? (Can you send us xerox copies?) Ritchie may have served as contractor as well as architect for some of these structures. Any information at all that you might have in this regard would be of interest.
In addition, while in Winfield, Ritchie married Etta Reid (daughter of A. Lawson Reid and Alice A. Reid) on 14 July 1887. Is any information available on the Reids?
Finally any general information about Winfield which might be available for this period would be of interest. How large was the town? Was it growing rapidly? What supported the economy? Are there any contemporary histories of Winfield?
5 September 1987
p. 2
Any information which you could share with us regarding Ritchie and Winfield would be very helpful. Obviously, we are not expecting that you would do any research for us--we just thought that there might be some information on Ritchie which might be fairly readily accessible.
We appreciate your help with this and look forward to hearing from you soon.
415 Wheeler
Seattle, Washington
14 October 1987
Winfield Public Library
1001 Millington
Winfield, Kansas 67156
Attn: Local History Librarian
Dear Librarian:
Several weeks ago we wrote to you concerning the possibility that you might have information on the 19th century American architect, Willis A Ritchie (1864-1931) who apparently was both an architect and a contractor with his office in Winfield in the period 1885 to 1889.
We have not yeat heard from you and hope that this delay fdoes not mean that the previous letter has been lost. In case that letter did become lost and did not reach you. we enclose a copy for your reference. If you have already responded to our inquiry, please forgive this second letter.
Since preparing that letter, we have received some verification of Ritchie projects in southern Kansas in the period 1885-1889. In particular, Ritchie was apparently responsible for several buildings in Ashland, and the Ashland paper. The Clark County Clipper, carried at least one article describing the Winfield-based Ritchie as "well-known across southern Kansas." Thus, we are hoping that you might have some information on Willis Ritchie.
Winfield Public Library
Winfield, Kansas 67156
1001 Millington
Winfield, Kansas
October 22, 1987
Jeffrey Karl Ochsner
415 Wheeler Seattle, Washington
Dear Mr. Ochsner,
Enclosed you will find information concerning W.A. Ritchie. Please excuse the delay, I work as a volunteer for the library and have been gone for awhile. The City Directory for 1887 lists Ritchie as a civil engineer and architect. He was not listed before that time. Enclosed you will also find information that was copied from the KANSAS HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY, and the HISTORIC PRESERVATION SURVEY,WINFIELD 1985. I am a member of the Board of Directors for the Historical Society, and can find you better pictures if you need them. I have sent these mainly for the accompaning information.
My research on him is not yet complete, I know that he designed an unknown (to me) number of homes in the city. I am getting in touch with Mr. Rolland Mueller, whom compiled the information on the afore mentioned studies. They only cover the core area of Winfield. I feel certain that he will have additional information.
I have not yet found any information on the Reids, but will continue to look. I hope you find this information helpful, and I will send you more information as found. If you have any immediate questions, you may reach me at home (316-221-3885).
Sincerely.
Joan Cales
Original Format
Paper
Title
Correspondence between Jeffery Karl Ochsner and Joan Cales in September and October of 1987.
Subject
Ochsner, Jeffery Karl
Letter
Cales, Joan
Winfield, KS
Ritchie, Willis A.
Description
This collection of 3 letters that were written between Jeffery Karl Ochsner and Joan Cales about Willis A. Ritchie. Ritchie was an architect and Jeffery was seeking information about the possible buildings Ritchie may have designed in Winfield, KS.
Creator
Ochsner, Jeffery Karl
Cales, Joan
Source
Winfield Public Library
Publisher
Winfield Public Library, Winfield, Kansas, USA
Date
1987-09-05
1987-10-14
1987-10-22
Rights
Format
text/plain
Language
English
Type
Correspondence
Citation
Ochsner, Jeffery Karl and Cales, Joan, “Correspondence between Jeffery Karl Ochsner and Joan Cales in September and October of 1987.,” Winfield Digital Collections, accessed June 23, 2026, https://winfield.digitalsckls.info/item/218.Text
415 Wheeler
Seattle, Washington 5 September 1987
Winfield Public Library
1001 Millington
Winfield, Kansas 67156
Attn: Local History Librarian
Dear Librarian:
Dyou have any information regarding the 19th century American architect Willis A. Ritchie (1864-1931) who lived in Winfield from 1885 to 1889? Could you send us copies of any information you may have?
Dennis Andersen, former archivist at the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington, and I are working on a history of Northwest architects and their architecture in the late 19th century. Willis Ritchie was an important architect in Seattle and Spokane from 1889 to 1900, but we have only limited information for Ritchie for his life before moving to the Northwest in 1889. We are hoping that you might be able to help us in this regard.
According to information we have uncovered, Ritchie was born in Van Wert, Ohio, then grew up in Lima, Ohio, and moved to Kansas about 1885. Apparently he set up an architectural office in Winfield in 1885. His first Kansas commission may have been the Farmers Bank in Winfield (1885), and his subsequent commissions may have included the U.S. Postoffice and Courthouse in Wichita (1885-1886), and courthouses in Barber, Meade, Clarke and Morton Counties, as well as a number of schools and commercial structures. Ritchie may also have held a position as civil engineer for the town of Winfield in 1886. Can any of this information be verified? Do any of Ritchie's Winfield structures still stand? Are pictures available for any of them? (Can you send us xerox copies?) Ritchie may have served as contractor as well as architect for some of these structures. Any information at all that you might have in this regard would be of interest.
In addition, while in Winfield, Ritchie married Etta Reid (daughter of A. Lawson Reid and Alice A. Reid) on 14 July 1887. Is any information available on the Reids?
Finally any general information about Winfield which might be available for this period would be of interest. How large was the town? Was it growing rapidly? What supported the economy? Are there any contemporary histories of Winfield?
5 September 1987
p. 2
Any information which you could share with us regarding Ritchie and Winfield would be very helpful. Obviously, we are not expecting that you would do any research for us--we just thought that there might be some information on Ritchie which might be fairly readily accessible.
We appreciate your help with this and look forward to hearing from you soon.
415 Wheeler
Seattle, Washington
14 October 1987
Winfield Public Library
1001 Millington
Winfield, Kansas 67156
Attn: Local History Librarian
Dear Librarian:
Several weeks ago we wrote to you concerning the possibility that you might have information on the 19th century American architect, Willis A Ritchie (1864-1931) who apparently was both an architect and a contractor with his office in Winfield in the period 1885 to 1889.
We have not yeat heard from you and hope that this delay fdoes not mean that the previous letter has been lost. In case that letter did become lost and did not reach you. we enclose a copy for your reference. If you have already responded to our inquiry, please forgive this second letter.
Since preparing that letter, we have received some verification of Ritchie projects in southern Kansas in the period 1885-1889. In particular, Ritchie was apparently responsible for several buildings in Ashland, and the Ashland paper. The Clark County Clipper, carried at least one article describing the Winfield-based Ritchie as "well-known across southern Kansas." Thus, we are hoping that you might have some information on Willis Ritchie.
Winfield Public Library
Winfield, Kansas 67156
1001 Millington
Winfield, Kansas
October 22, 1987
Jeffrey Karl Ochsner
415 Wheeler Seattle, Washington
Dear Mr. Ochsner,
Enclosed you will find information concerning W.A. Ritchie. Please excuse the delay, I work as a volunteer for the library and have been gone for awhile. The City Directory for 1887 lists Ritchie as a civil engineer and architect. He was not listed before that time. Enclosed you will also find information that was copied from the KANSAS HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY, and the HISTORIC PRESERVATION SURVEY,WINFIELD 1985. I am a member of the Board of Directors for the Historical Society, and can find you better pictures if you need them. I have sent these mainly for the accompaning information.
My research on him is not yet complete, I know that he designed an unknown (to me) number of homes in the city. I am getting in touch with Mr. Rolland Mueller, whom compiled the information on the afore mentioned studies. They only cover the core area of Winfield. I feel certain that he will have additional information.
I have not yet found any information on the Reids, but will continue to look. I hope you find this information helpful, and I will send you more information as found. If you have any immediate questions, you may reach me at home (316-221-3885).
Sincerely.
Joan Cales
Original Format
Paper