RIDDELLS OF BEDFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NO. 1. 229
When Mr. Riddle entered the firm with his father and brothers, he lo-
cated in Boston to manage the department of business there, having his
office at their boat-house, at the end of the canal, which at that time ran
through Canal Street (having given it that name) to Haymarket Square,
and down Blackstone Street to the harbor. After the senior member of
the firm gave up his share in the business, and removed to Quincy, Mass.,
Isaac Riddle, Jr., returned to Bedford, and his brother David took his place
in the Boston office. Upon the death of Mr. Riddle's father, in 1830, the
firm dissolved, and the business was divided, but he continued at Bedford.
After disposing of his store, Mr. Riddle devoted himself to agriculture,—
owning a valuable farm in Bedford, — and to land-surveying, being a pro-
fessional of accuracy and great experience.
While living in Bedford, Mr. Riddle always manifested a lively inter-
est in town affairs, and was prominently identified with public issues in
general. He was postmaster for upwards of twenty years, and served
in the Old Ninth Regiment of Militia, as adjutant, and subsequently as
major.
About 1843 he built a fine large residence on Lowell Street, in Man-
chester, and removed to that city, to which he had previously driven.
daily to attend to his business there, and established himself as a real-
estate broker. At the first sale of land by the Amoskeag Company, in
1838, he purchased a lot on Elm Street, between Concord and Lowell
Streets, and erected the wooden building now standing there, which con-
tained windows taken from the ancient church at Quincy, Mass. (which
had been purchased by Isaac Riddle, Sr., and shipped to Manchester),
through which John Adams and John-Quincy Adams, Presidents of the
United States, used to look out, many years ago. At a subsequent sale
of land Mr. Riddle bought two lots on Amherst Street, and located his
office there. The block known as Riddle's Building (now owned by his
son) he purchased subsequently of its builder, Ira Ballou.
He was a civil and police justice, and in these capacities did consider-
able business; was one of a committee to secure the incorporation of the
city of Manchester, and assisted in founding the Manchester Bank, of
which he was a director; was president of the Amoskeag Fire Insurance
Company, and director of the Manchester Scale Company. He always
manifested a deep interest in education, and was prominent in movements
for the advancement of knowledge in Manchester, before the consolidation
of the school-districts, and was on a committee to build the school-house
at the corner of Union and Merrimack Streets.
Mr. Riddle acquired a large property in business, but was sometimes.
a heavy loser by the misfortunes of those he aided by his endorsements.
He was widely known as an enterprising business man and public-spirited
citizen, and when he died, Oct. 3, 1875, he was greatly missed. He was
a typical representative of the sterling Scotch-Irish stock, and a gentle-
man of the old school. Of sound judgment, cautious, and conservative,
his opinions were weighty, and his executions usually successful. Pos-
sessing great kindness of heart and tenderness of spirit, he was quickly
moved at the appeal of the deserving, and generous in responding sub-
stantially to the calls of the needy. His remains were deposited in the
family tomb at Bedford.
The excellent portrait of Mr. Riddle, engraved on steel expressly for
this book, was kindly donated by his eldest son and namesake, Isaac N.
Riddle, of Bedford, N. H.
