George W. Ritter collection

George W. Ritter was born in Vermilion, Ohio, in 1886 to John Ritter and Louise Hauth. Ritter graduated from Vermilion High School in 1902 and attended Baldwin University, eventually earning a law degree from the Cleveland Law School in 1906. He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1907 and began practicing law in Sandusky. 1913 would see Ritter make the transition to Toledo to work with a variety of law firms, culminating with the establishment of his own law firm with Leland Gardner.

Ritter served as law director for Toledo from 1928 to October of 1929 under the administration of William T. Jackson. His crowning achievement during this era was the legal case he undertook to have the Miami and Erie Canal vacated. In the early half of 1929, Ritter successfully argued a lawsuit against the Maumee Valley Electric Company in front of the United States Supreme Court. This victory allowed for Toledo to drain the canal in favor of constructing the Anthony Wayne Trail.

However, Ritter’s tenure as law director was rife with drama. In the summer of 1928, he wrote a letter to Municipal Judge Ira Cole in which he criticized him for the manner in which he conducted his court. In response, Cole charged Ritter with contempt of court and sentenced him to five days in jail. Ritter’s lawyers failed to file an appeal in time and the hapless law director was arrested by city marshals. He barely managed to avoid serving his sentence and was saved when Common Pleas Judge Charles Milroy convinced Cole to dismiss the case.

Ritter swore retribution against Cole, and perhaps he tried to take it when Ritter released information showing that Cole had a criminal past. Such a revelation threatened the legitimacy of Cole holding a public office. Unfortunately for Ritter, Cole had a strong support base within the city of Toledo, and the backlash would cost him his job. Ritter’s association with the Jackson administration became toxic, resulting in his resignation in order to boost the latter’s effort to retain the mayoral seat.

In 1936, Ritter assisted with the restructuring of Willys-Overland Motors, which would leave its mark on the world by being the first automobile company to produce military Jeeps. Ritter served as the head of the company’s legal team during this era.

Ritter and his wife undertook philanthropic work during the 1950s. Such charitable works include providing the funds for the Ritter Planetarium at the University of Toledo; the Vermilion Public Library in his hometown; and the Ohio Legal Center at Ohio State University.

Ritter passed away in 1979 at the age of 92.