516
RIDLEYS OF OXFORD, NORTH CAROLINA.
with some of the most respectable and affluent families in the State,* — and
by her had issue seven children, of whom hereafter. Doctor Ridley was
educated under the most able instructors of his day, and settled as a phy-
sician at Oxford about 1810 or 1812.† He was a very skillful and success-
ful practitioner, and rose to eminence in his profession. Being introduced
into the best families in consequence of the standing of his own connec-
tions and his personal popularity, he acquired great influence as a citizen
and professional man, and soon became very wealthy. He was a man of
integrity and great worth. His personal appearance was fine; about five
feet nine inches in height, of perfect health and physique. His jaw was
massive and elongated; his nose of Roman mould. He gave his sons a col-
lege education and a good start in life. Doctor Ridley died Dec. 25, 1855,
aged about 81. His widow died at LaGrange, Ga., Oct. 3, 1872, very aged.
A relative says of her, "She was a General Jackson of a woman and ex-
traordinary in point of intellect."
Dr. Archibald-Bromfield Ridley2 (1), second son of Bromfield¹ (1)
and his wife, Frances Henderson, was born at Oxford, in Granville
County, N. C., about 1780; married, firstly, to Henrietta-Maria-Anderson
Lewis, and by her had one daughter; he was married, ‡ secondly, in 1822,
Anderson,
JAMES TAYLOR had a daughter Elizabeth, who was married to
whose daughter, Mary Anderson, became the wife of Charles Lewis and the mother
of Elizabeth-Taylor Lewis, who was married to Dr. James Ridley, of Oxford, N. C.,
and became the mother of Dr. Charles-Lewis Ridley, of Jones County, Ga.; Hon.
Bromfield-Lewis Ridley, of Murfreesborough, Tenn.; Rev. Joseph-James Ridley,
D. D., of Somerville, Tenn.; Dr. William-Snerd Ridley, of Georgia; and Dr. Robert-
Archibald Ridley, of La Grange, Ga. This note shows how the names Taylor and
Lewis came to the Ridley family. Mrs. Elizabeth-Taylor (Lewis) Ridley had two
brothers, Joseph-Lewis, and Thomas-Lewis who married Elizabeth Cobb, a cousin
to Gov. Henry Cobb, and by her had two sons, Willis and Charles, who were resident
in Granville County, N. C., when my informant, Mrs. Susan A. Ridley, widow of
Dr. Charles-Lewis Ridley, knew them.
†The residence of Dr. James Ridley was situated about one thousand three hun-
dred yards from the centre of the town of Oxford, and surrounded by a grove of
oaks. The home place contained about thirty-three acres, but the present proprie-
tors have sold off nearly one half, for which they realized $3,900. Dr. James Rid-
ley owned a plantation in the rear of his residence, which contained three or four
hundred acres and is bounded by a stream. The Ridley mansion, which remains
much as when occupied by the Ridley family, stands about two hundred yards from
the "old street" where the big toll-gate was, but since tolls were sold off Mr.
Kingsbury has opened a new street, running along the edge of the grove and near
the house. I had hoped to publish a plate-view of the house and grounds above-
mentioned, but could not procure a photograph in time. This family-seat was
called "Rural Retreat."
MRS. SUSAN A. RIDLEY, of Jones County, Ga., a woman of culture and remark-
ably informed respecting the Ridleys and their collateral connections, who has pro-
vided much matter of interest now incorporated into this book, says: "Dr. Arch-
ibald-Bromfield Ridley and Mary-Ann-Ridley Blunt, who was the only daughter
of Col. Richard A. Blunt, a good, clever Methodist man, who was never appreciated
till he had passed away, -were for a long time engaged to be married, the former
being at that time a widower with one child, now Mrs. Todd; but General Sanford
supplanted him, being younger, fine-looking, smart, of good family, and a perfect
gentleman; possessed of charming conversational powers and considerable wealth.
Mrs. Sanford was quite a belle in her day, fond of show and traveling, while her
husband was not. Colonel Blunt and his son-in-law, General Sanford, preferred to
live on their farms alone with their servants, while their wives preferred the city of
Milledgeville for their residence; consequently they each had their choice, visiting
each other at pleasure. Both families have visited at my house and I have visited
them, and what I write I know to be strictly true." (See note on Sanford family
in sketch of Virginian Ridleys.)
