476
RIDLEYS OF NEWARK-ON-TRENT, ENGLAND.
SECOND GENERATION.
Edward Ridley² (1), eldest son of James' (1), was born at Newark-
on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, Eng., June 5, 1816; married Elizabeth Smith,
of Leicester, Oct. 23, 1847, and served an apprenticeship in the dry-goods
business in England. He engaged in business on his own account at Lei-
cester, and after a period of success met with reverses, and was forced
into bankruptcy. He came to America when about thirty years of age,
and commenced business in a small way in Albany, N. Y., and prospered.
He then opened a store in Saratoga; and in 1849 went into trade on
Grand Street, New York city; this new venture proved so successful that
he sold his other stores and devoted all his time to its development. In
1851 he had but three employes, and carried on business in a very small
store, but as his patronage increased he enlarged his capacity, adding store
to store, until his place of business covered four acres of surface, and the
firm employed one thousand and seven hundred hands. He was a thor-
oughly successful business man, and acquired a fortune estimated in the
millions. Notwithstanding the growth of his business and augmentation
of his wealth, he moved among his customers the same unostentatious
gentleman he was when he won their confidence. It is not common to
find men who have risen to fortune so free from assumption, and so con-
siderate of those in inferior positions, as was Mr. Ridley. Rarely has any
man of such extensive relations exerted so good an influence on those
about him. When he suffered heavy losses he showed the same calm
spirit as when all went well. He had a peculiar business experience, and
was always glad to draw from its lessons to assist others; he could speak
a word of encouragement when most needed, and many, when faithless, and
under depressing circumstances, have found in him a sympathizing friend.
Fluent in conversation, genial in manner, amiable in temper, liberal in
Christian sentiment, generous in sympathy, devout in spirit, and intelli-
gent in the things that interested him, he proved a most entertaining
companion. Ready to seize every advantage that art, science, and im-
proved methods in business presented, he taught others by his own exam-
ple. No transaction in his life shows better the integrity and conscien-
tiousness of the man than a visit he made to England in 1879, with a view
of paying debts contracted previous to his failure there more than thirty
years before. These he discharged, paying principal and interest; when
he could not find the parties themselves he paid their heirs,—in all about
fifty thousand dollars.
Reared in the Church of England, where in his youth he was a member
of the choir in one of the most ancient parishes, he ever cherished for it
a profound respect; but when he became a converted man he united with
the Wesleyan Communion, and was for many years a local preacher in
the land of his adoption. He was truly a pillar in the church. With a
purse that any proper appeal could reach, and with a munificence in giv-
ing that made both church and preacher strong, he was prominent in his
influence and activities in the Parkville Methodist Church, where he was
trustee, steward, class-leader, Sabbath-school superintendent, and local
preacher. He may be said to have been the founder of the church, and
in the support he gave, it attained its influence. As a Sabbath-school su-
perintendent he was watchful of the members and awake to all their in-
terests. In a single year he gave one thousand dollars for its advance-
ment, and paid nearly three thousand dollars for the current expenses of
the charge.
