The Rittenours are among the oldest, most substantial, and well respected families in Ross County's history. In 1803, Anthony Rittenour left Virginia and brought his family to Jefferson Township. The small village of Rittenours soon grew up around their settlement.

Anthony Rittenour was born in 1752 and died in 1835 at 83 years of age. He out-lived all of the other pioneers in the county. Anthony fought in the War of 1812. He had 7 children with his wife Margaret, including: Jacob, Henry, George, Eva, Frederick, William, and Margaret. Anthony had a stone church constructed on his property, where a locally famous preacher named Peter Cartwright taught. It's believed to have been the first religious services held in the township.

I believe this house was built for Anthony's son, Jacob. All of Anthony's children except Jacob, and those which died at birth or early in life, moved to Indiana. Jacob was born in 1787 and died in 1883 at 95 years of age. He had 4 children with his wife Ann, all of which died young except George. George was a successful man. He owned thousands of acres of land in Ross County. His hardware business in Chillicothe made him quite wealthy.