riddles of caleDONIA, ILLINOIS.
339
SECOND GENERATION.
Capt. James Riddle² (1), is said to have been born in Cumberland
County, Penn., April 27, 1769; he married Dec. 22, 1808, Lydia Cham-
berlain, in Hamilton County, O., the ceremony being performed by the
Rev. Joshua Wilson, м. a. He had issue by this woman. He married,
secondly, about 1819, Esther, daughter of Henry and Rebecca Daniels
(she was born Nov. 8, 1800); the ceremony was performed in Cincinnati,
Ò., by Rev. Dr. Wilson, of the Presbyterian Church. Captain Riddle set-
tled in Cincinnati as early as 1800, and was extensively engaged in busi-
ness there in 1803. In 1815 or 1816, he purchased a large farm in what
is now the northwest part of Covington, Ky., sold by the United States
Bank to satisfy a mortgage; built him a good house on his land, on what
is now Main Street, near the Ohio River; he afterwards erected a still-
house at Willow Run, on his farm; this property was sold to Bake-
well. He run a steamboat between Cincinnati and New Orleans for many
years; was an owner in the packet called the "Kentucky,"-probably
the first boat propelled by steam on the western rivers. He was some time
commander of steamer Scioto Valley"; was member of an importing
firm at Cincinnati; president of the Miami Exporting Company; owned
barges and keel-boats, and valuable real-estate in Cincinnati.
He was
owner of five hundred acres of land between Newport, Ky., and the ferry
between Newport and Cincinnati.
Captain Riddle had an idea that the best site for a large city was near
the mouth of the Ohio River, and consequently, with several other ad-
venturers, purchased extensive lands there,- an enterprise that proved
the great mistake of his life; for, although towns were laid out, roads
built, buildings erected, and for a time the prospect seemed flattering, the
settlement could not be sustained; the property deteriorated in value,
and the whole undertaking proved disastrous to the owners. Captain
Riddle carried on business in Cincinnati up to 1829, and in 1830 moved
his family to a farm near Caledonia, Boone County, Ill.
He had pre-
viously sent down a house for a dwelling, ready framed, and a store-house
for the new town, where business was conducted by his partner and nephew,
John Skiles. Mr. Riddle died in the midst of undeveloped plans and im-
provements, leaving a great quantity of land, mostly unimproved. He
was a real specimen of the adventurer of early days; a man of great en-
ergy of character and remarkable business capacity; he was fine-looking,
portly, dignified, and commanding, and moreover very attractive and in-
fluential in business circles. His death occurred in 1832. The old Riddle
mansion-house is now owned by the Rev. E. B. Ormstead, who married a
daughter of Mr. Riddle, and is said to be a splendid place. There is a
beautiful cemetery on the homestead, where several members of the fam-
ily are buried. The profile of Captain Riddle was drawn by an artist,
while he (Mr. Riddle) was standing on a pavement in Cincinnati, talking
with a friend, in 1831.
David Riddle² (1), a brother of Captain James, before mentioned, is
not known to have had a family; indeed very little can be found concern-
ing him. His name is found on a receipt running to his brother James,
dated "Mercersburgh, April 10, 1795." This was for land in Chambers-
burgh, Penn. Some say David died single when quite young. His name
is not found in the Bible-records with his sisters'. I have patiently inves-
tigated the matter in Chambersburgh and Mercersburgh, but can find
nothing reliable about this David.
