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RIDDELS OF GLENMUICK, SCOTLAND.
Mr. Riddell * was liberally educated for the Scots-Law, and after some
years of professional practice in Scotland, was sent to Montreal, Canada,
as manager of the North American British Bank, under title of "Public
Accountant and Official Assignee, Dominion of Canada." He died at
Montreal, Aug. 22, 1875. No mention of children. In a communication
received from Mr. Riddell in 1873, he says: "My ancestors were a plain
folk, respectable in their sphere, and for the most part having the inborn
desire of the Scotch for a good education, but none of us have risen out
of the middle classes, so that we could never dream of parading our
names in the same category with the titled aristocracy or people of blue
blood.' We are content with the social position we occupy, and have
no wish to sneak into a better, by what I may call a fortuitous chance.
Let me add that I speak thus, holding as I do the aristocracy of Great
Britain, as a class, in the highest respect, and recognizing in the fullest
extent the beneficial influence which as a whole they exert on the move-
ments of the body politic."
Thomas Riddell (1), second son of James2 (2), was born April 29,
1818, at Aberdeen, Scotland; married July 21, 1847, to Christian Wis-
hart, daughter of James Blyth, manufacturer, Edinburgh. He is now
(1884) actuary and cashier North Scotland Savings Bank, Aberdeen.
Peter Riddels (4), third son of James2 (2), was born Dec. 27, 1819, at
Aberdeen, Scotland, and married, June 15, 1843, to Elizabeth, daughter of
Daniel Anderson, shipmaster, Aberdeen, and has issue. Mr. Riddel is
treasurer to the Harbour Commissioners, the same office held by his father,
and is a man of good business capabilities; an excellent penman. He has
manifested an interest in the genealogy and history of his family, and
kindly copied from a register of his own many names and records con-
tained in this book, and which were "collected with care, and such
means as were within reach were taken to secure their verification and
fulness.'
Mr. Riddel entered the service of the Board, of which he has long been
the chief official, in 1833, and has continued in that service ever since—
a period of fifty years. The fact of Mr. Riddel's long and faithful ser-
vice was fittingly referred to by the Lord Provost at the meeting of the
Board in 1883, and a remit made to the Shoremaster and Convenors of
Committees to present the Treasurer, who, it was stated, desired no ma-
terial recognition of his services, with some suitable keepsake commemo-
rative of the occasion. The proposal was alike fitting and modest.
Mr. Riddel was ordained to the office of deacon in the St. Clement's
Free Church, Aberdeen, March 17, 1844. On the following June he was
appointed session clerk. For seven years he discharged the functions of
session clerk and clerk of deacons' court. On the 27th of June, 1847, he
was ordained an elder of the church. During the time of his filling these
offices he was for seven years also congregational treasurer. He resigned
his position as session clerk in 1883, and the session, feeling themselves
utterly unable to bestow a gift whose money value should indicate their
appreciation of his services, decided to subscribe for a family Bible, and
had inscribed in it the inscription which appears on the opposite page.
* It will be seen that James Riddell spells his name with the double l, while his
brother, Peter of Aberdeen, Scotland, uses only one 7. Peter Riddel says his ances-
tors used only one 7 in their surname, and he does not understand why any of his
friends should deviate from the orthography of their forefathers.
