RIDDLES OF BALLYMONY, IRELAND.
197
John Riddell (1), a son of Robert¹ (1), was born in the town of
Ballymony, County Antrim, Ireland; married and settled at Meath Park,
County Londonderry, Ireland, where his eight children were born. He
came to America between 1850 and 1855, and died at Pittsburgh, Penn.,
Aug. 25, 1854, in his sixty-fifth year. His wife predeceased him June 2,
1842, in Ireland. He was a farmer.
It is presumed there were other children of Robert¹ (1).
THIRD GENERATION.
William-Dinsmore Riddell (1), eldest son of Charles (1), was born
in Ballymony, Ireland, April 11, 1823; married Margaret, youngest daugh-
ter of Rev. Robert Hutton, of Meadville, Penn., afterwards of the M. E.
Church, Lebanon, Tenn., and had issue three daughters and one son. Soon
after coming to America he engaged under Dr. J. L. Reed, then in charge
of the Methodist Publishing-House, at Pittsburgh, Penn., and while there,
in consequence of his letters falling into the hands of others of the same
name, changed his surname from "Riddell" to "Riddle," and others of the
family followed suit. In 1854, in company with the Wells brothers of
Wellsville, Penn., he started a whip-factory at Pittsburgh, where he died
in 1864. His family removed to Tennessee a few years after, and his wife
died at Lebanon in 1880.
Matilda Riddell (1), eldest daughter of Charles² (1), was born in
Ballymony, Ireland, July 15, 1825; was married to James Small of Bloom-
ington, Ind., in 1852.
Samuel Riddell (1), second son of Charles² (1), was born in Bally-
mony, Ireland, June 3, 1827; married Jennie, daughter of William Boyd,*
a prominent merchant of Philadelphia, in the summer of 1854, and had
issue five children, of whom hereafter. He early became a compositor on
the Pittsburgh Daily Gazette, and rose by degrees to business manager,
editor, and part owner of that paper. He was ten years postmaster of
Allegheny City, having received his commission from President Lincoln.
He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and when the war of the
Rebellion broke out had a large class of young men in the Sabbath-school.
When President Lincoln called for three-months' men, Mr. Riddell felt it
his duty to respond, and immediately telegraphed to Washington to know
if he might leave his assistant in the post-office, and go into the army,
provided he could raise a company; the answer was, "Make ready and
come." In less than a week he was on his way to the front, his class
among the first to follow him, and went out with Knap's Battalion,
captain of Company C. The sudden change from office duties to active
field service brought on a disease that followed him ever after, hastening
his death, which terminated several years of intense suffering, endured in
the spirit of a true martyr, in 1877, in Charleston, S. C. During the
period of his political career he was instrumental in the erection of the
public building in Allegheny, and in the improvement of the park. Mr.
Riddell was six feet in height, broad-shouldered, symmetrical of form; had
good complexion, brown hair and eyes, and full, well-dressed beard. Two
months after the death of Mr. Riddell his widow moved to Hoddonsfield,
* William Boyd was the youngest of a large family in Antrim, Ireland, related to
the Riddells there. He was shipwrecked at the age of eighteen, when on his way
to America, and washed ashore at Newfoundland. He settled in Philadelphia;
possessed executive ability, firm religious principles, and soon took his place among
the successful merchants of Philadelphia.
