648
REDLONS OF SACO, MAINE.
issue four children, of whom bereafter. His widow is still living in 1882,
an active and brilliant old lady.
Lewis Ridlon (2), eldest son of Lewis (1), was born in Saco, Me.,
Jan. 21, 1791; lived with his brother Henry, on the "Ferry Road," a
single man, and died of the palsy in September, 1853. He was on board
the ship "Adams," of the United States Navy, during the war of 1812.
This vessel was blown up on the Penobscot River, near Frankfort, Me.,
to prevent her being seized by the British; the crew escaped to land and
made their way home.
Olive Ridlon* (1), eldest daughter of Lewis (1), was born in Saco,
Me., Jan. 7, 1792. I do not find a record of her marriage, and only know
that she had a son named Enoch Ridlon, drowned at sea near Boston, at
the age of 19 or 20 years.
Jeremiah Ridlon* (4), second son of Lewis (1), was born in Saco,
Me., Sept. 23, 1794, and was on board the ship "Adams," during the war
of 1812.
Samuel Ridlon* (3), third son of Lewis (1), was born in Saco, Me.,
Aug. 9, 1796, and died Nov. 5, 1817.
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Nathaniel Ridlon (3), fourth son of Lewis (1), was born in Saco,
Me., Aug. 30, 1798; married Jan. 26, 1827, Mercy Smith, and second-
ly, Jan. 23, 1832, Phebe Williams. At both weddings he was dressed in
a naval uniform. He was many years a seaman, twenty-two years,
during which he suffered severely from exposure and ill-treatment. He
had sailed upon the North and Baltic seas, and passed the Straits of Gib-
raltar; had been in almost every European port, and passed through
many dangers. At one time, coming upon the coast of Maine during
very cold weather and in a driving storm, when the rigging of the vessel
was clad in ice, his feet were so badly frozen he was obliged to leave the
sea and remain at home all summer. The toes were all lost from one
foot, and he became a cripple for the remainder of his life. "Uncle
Nat was a genuine sailor and could "spin a yarn " as well as the best
seaman who rode the deck. When speaking of his sufferings with his
frozen feet he delivered himself as follows: "I tell you, mister, I hed an
awful time of it that summer; them ere toes was tormented sore, you
better believe, and it was all I could do to hobble round on the farm.
Why, sir, them toes got wus and wus, and tormented me day and night.
I tried to hoe some corn, and when I reached the end of my row would
sit on the grass, and with my ole jack-knife dig away at the j'ints of 'em ;
well, sir, I managed to unj'int 'em one by one, leetle by leetle, gorry,
how it hurt though, till they was all off out o' my way. Them ole big
fellows was hard 'nough, but when I undertook that little jack o' mine, I
tell you what, sir, that was tough enough to kill. Why, that was so con-
founded tender, with the flesh all gone, and the bones sticking out, 't was
all I could do to cripple round, But I sat down on the grass, pulled off
my sock, took out my old knife, and sed I: 'Now, little jack, you've got
tu cum, enyway.' Ye see, mister, the j'ints would come apart easy
'nough, but the toe held on to this ole foot by a little sinner (sinew), and
by mighty, how that did hang on! Well, mister, I jist put the p'int o' the
knife-blade right in a-twixt the j'int-my foot was on a block o' wood —
and then, grippin' my teeth and shuttin' my eyes, I sed, Her'-now!'
and with one mighty yank, off it flew, sinner and all; and good-Lord-a-
marcy, mister, when that sinner snapped I yelled like murder. Don't you
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