RIDLONS OF HOLLIS, MAINE.
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an extensive reformation, which prevailed in town two years previously,
he commenced to preach the Gospel; his first attempt was at Lovell,
Me., in the autumn of 1861. He became a member of the "York and
Cumberland Christian Conference," and was ordained in the Christian
chapel, which he had built, — in Hollis, during a session of conference
held there. He supplied several pulpits, and worked with his tools during
the week, until his settlement as pastor of the church at Northampton,
N. H., where he was continued about seven years; he removed from that
place to Saco, to accept the pastoral charge of the Christian Church in
that town, where he has continued rising ten years as a successful shep-
herd of the flock. He retains his taste for mechanical pursuits, and
spends considerable time in building stairs and cabinet-work. He acquired
skill as an architect in early years, and still draws plans for houses.
Within a few years he has studied dentistry, and being settled in a rural
district some miles from town, he has a considerable patronage in this
profession. He is a good singer, and sometimes teaches music in winter.
He has chosen to live a quiet and unobtrusive life, and is not widely
known as a preacher.
Having no children, and enjoying uniformly excellent health, he has
always been comparatively free from pressing cares and confinement at
home; hence the current of his life flows smoothly onward. As a public
speaker he always delivers himself fluently without notes, and is a very
ready and acceptable preacher. His theological views are well settled
and held firmly. In personal appearance and temperament he has all the
prominent characteristics of the old Ridlon stock, supplemented with an
overshoot woven from the maternal family loom. Strong of will impul-
sive; is passionate, sometimes mirthful and jocose. He has been president
of his conference, and is a progressive, rising preacher. Hair black and
wavy, eyes gray, complexion florid.
Rev. Gideon-Tibbetts Ridlon (1), second son of Samuel (4), was born
in Hollis, York County, Me., July 1, 1841; married Lydia-Ellen, twin daugh-
ter of John and Lydia (Ridlon) Sawyer, Sept. 30, 1860, and has had issue four
children, of whom hereafter. He worked on the homestead farm, attend-
ing school in winter, until his fifteenth year, when he went to the city to
learn the iron machinist's trade; this business he followed, being employed
in several cities in Maine, and in traveling to introduce cotton-spinning
machinery into new mills in the South and West, until his twenty-fourth
year, when, having been converted the winter previous, he commenced
preaching as an evangelist, traveling from place to place about two years,
and was ordained and settled as paster over a Christian church he had
gathered in Harrison, Me., where he continued nearly four years, during
which time he baptized about one hundred and forty members.
His next settlement was at Salisbury Point, Mass., where he bestowed
his labors one year; he then commenced evangelistic work at Amesbury,
Mass., gathered a church, and was continued there about three years, till
the financial revulsion of 1873 so reduced the resources of the new society
that he was obliged to resign his charge. At this time the two Christian
churches at Harrison, Me., where Mr. Ridlon had been settled previously,
were without preaching, and at their call he returned and became their pas-
tor, continuing about three years; during this time he preached one sum-
mer at Lovell, Me. He subsequently preached at Lewiston, Fairfield,
Dixmont, and Newburg, and was encouraged by seeing many begin a
Christian life.
