682
RIDLONS OF PORTER, MAINE.
Comfort Ridlon (1), second daughter of Daniel' (4), was born in
Limerick, Me. Deceased; no other information.
Stephen Ridlon (6), third son of Daniel' (4), was born in Limerick,
Me., April 21, 1811; married Miriam, daughter of John and Miriam (Day)
Wales, Dec. 25, 1831, and has had issue seven children, of whom here-
after. He settled on a farm in Porter, Oxford County, where he lived
several years, but subsequently removed to Hiram, in the same County,
where he has continued till the present time. Mr. Ridlon is below the
medium height, broad-shouldered, and compactly built; his neck is short
and thick, his features of the Scottish type, and his crown high and bald.
He is a characteristic Ridlon of the old stamp in every respect. He is
eccentric, nervous, and high-tempered. Can tell big stories about his own
feats of strength. Lives among the mountains in a remote, desolate part
of his town, upon a hard, rocky farm. Has been a great woodsman;
fears nothing. A professor of religion, and has meetings at his house.
Is now (1880) a hale, well-preserved man, full of pluck, and bids fair to
live many years.
Lydia Ridlon (9), third daughter of Daniel (4), was born in Lim-
erick, Me.; was married to Moses Brown, in 1833, and died many years
ago. Supposed to have lived in Porter.
Betsey Ridlon5 (8), fourth daughter of Daniel' (4), was born in Lim-
erick, Me.; was married to Joshua Robbins, Aug. 5, 1832, and is now
living in Porter with her son.
Levi Ridlon (1), fourth son of Daniel (4), was born in Limerick,
Me., June 4, 1818; married Hannah Lord, Aug. 7, 1838, and settled on a
farm in Porter, Oxford County, Me. He is of medium height, broad-
shouldered, and thick-set; his weight about one hundred and eighty
pounds. He has the stamp of features common to the family. Has
worked hard, and is now considerably bowed over. Honest, quiet, and
talks but little. Children five in number, of whom hereafter. Wife
deceased.
Jemima Ridlon (2), fifth daughter of Daniel (4), was born in Lim-
erick, Me.; was married to Caleb Durgin, Feb. 12, 1835, and died many
years ago.
Ephraim Ridlon' (3), eldest son of John (9), was born in Limerick,
Me., April 4, 1802, and died young, unmarried.
*The ancestor of the Wales family, of Oxford County, Me., was a singular and
desperate character. He fled from Ohio to escape the vengeance of the Indians.
His mother was a full-blooded squaw, and he spent his early years hunting with
the tribe; but in a moment of anger had killed one of their number. He was
hunted by their dogs, but eluded them by taking to the water; and after waiting
in ambush, saw them approaching in a canoe. When the Indians were within
range, Wales fired and sent a ball through several of them. This act so exasper-
ated the tribe, that Wales did not dare to remain in Ohio, and made his way East.
He erected a cabin on the bank of a small pond, in Hollis, York County, Me.,
since known as "Wales Pond" and lived by plunder, and burning lamp-black.
He went armed with a long sheath-knife, and at one time would have killed a man,
into whose store he had broken; but the gleam of his knife was a warning which
saved his pursuer. His deeds were of such a criminal character, that Thomas Rid-
lon and his neighbors, of Hollis, whose sheep he had stolen, went to his cabin and
warned him to leave the neighborhood, threatening to hang him within forty-eight
hours, if he lingered. Wales left those parts, but left sons whose posterity is re-
spectable, but whose features, complexion, and movements show the Indian blood
of their dusky ancestress.
