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RIDDELLS of Derryfield, new hAMPSHIRE.
who lived on the Isaac Atwood place, in a house by herself; she was
never married, and died about 1813." Her name appears on the tax-list
in 1757 (the year following her father's death), 1758, 1759, and 1782. In
1783, it was voted to excuse her from paying all past taxes. The church
records of Bedford bear the names of three Marys of the family-name,
and one of them was evidently the subject of this notice. Hon. Matthew
Patten wrote in his diary, April 17, 1778, as follows: "Wrote a deed from
John Clark to Mary Riddel, and a bond from Mary to him for his mainte-
nance. 20th, went to Mary Riddel's, and took the acknowledgment of a
deed from her uncle, John Clark, to her; I had writ the deed and a bond
from her to him before. She gave me two dollars for my trouble." John
Clark had married Mary's father's sister in Ireland, and now,— his wife
having probably died, he conveys his property to this niece, and she
gives a bond for his maintenance; it is probable, then, that John Clark
died in the house of Mary Riddell. David Patten, in a letter to his brother
in the latter part of the last century, mentions "John Riddle, the father
of Mary."
Elizabeth Riddell (1), presumably a daughter of John (1). Her
name appears on the tax-list of Bedford from 1757 to 1759. I have no
record of her marriage or death.
RIDDELLS OF DERRYFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
John Riddell (1), came from Scotland (parents unknown) in 1730,
and settled in Derryfield, N. H. He was born about 1694, and had wife
"Janet," as appears from her monument now standing in the southwest
corner of the "Valley Cemetery," Manchester, N. H., it having been re-
moved from an ancient burying-ground, which is now entirely obliterated by
the march of improvement. In the "History of Manchester," it is said
of a burying-place on an oak knoll south of Christian's Brook, and upon
the farm of John McNeil, which was next to John Riddell's farm: "The old-
est monument in date of death and probably in erection, was in memory
of Mrs. Janet Riddel." The inscription on her monument runs thus:-
"Here Lyes the Body of
Mrs. Janet Riddel, Wife to
Mr. John Riddel. She died
Septr 18, 1746, Aged 50 years.”
This ancient burying-place, whence the monument was removed, was
"by the McGregor Bridge, near the present locomotive works." John's
name appears on the old town records in 1751, as surveyor of highways;
in 1752 as a committee to procure preaching; in 1753 as selectman and
committee to supply preaching; in 1754 as fence-viewer, and in 1755–6,
as a tax-payer. Some say John has a brother Archibald, and the name
sounds of Scotland, but I can find no records to support the tradition; if
there was such a brother he probably settled elsewhere.
SECOND GENERATION.
James Riddell (1), a son of John (1), of Derryfield, N. H., was born
in 1733; married Janet, daughter of Mr. John Hall (the first town-clerk),
