We uncovered no evidence that Ritchie Cemetery was ever managed in any formal way. Its founders called it "South Topeka Cemetery," but their intent for how it was to be administered is unclear.
No organizational charter was filed with the State. Nor was a cemetery plat filed with the Register of Deeds. Nor were burial records created, at least none that survived.
During our research of the cemetery, three major areas of investigation emerged: 1) founding of the cemetery
and the role of early free-state settlers; 2) arrival of the Exodusters and the subsequent use of the cemetery by Black Topekans during its most active period of known use; and, 3) the modern era, especially when urban development reached the vicinity of the cemetery and issues surfaced about ownership of the cemetery and its boundaries. (See Some Key Dates below.)
Questions remain in all three areas. There also are big gaps—long stretches of time where virtually nothing is known, at least not yet.