James Ridley Sr. (1718 - 1797)

Born 6 Feb 1718 in Truro, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Smalley) Bowie — married 17 Sep 1753 in Truro, Barnstable, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 14 Jul 1797 at age 79 in Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States

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Biography

James Ridley Sr. is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A096552.

James Ridley Sr. is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-279120
Rank: Soldier

"James Ridley the son of Thomas and mary Ridley was Born in Truroe the : 6.th of february in ye year 1717/8."^[1]

"James Ridley, born in Truro, Mass, 6 Feb 1718, was the son of Thomas and Mary (Strout) Ridley, who married in Truro, Mass., 3 August 1708. James Ridley married (1) 30 Mar 1738, to Ruth Smalley, born 6 Jan 1718, daughter of Daniel and Sarah Smalley of Truro, Mass. Daniel Smalley was the son of Francis and Elizabeth (Hicks) Smalley, and brother to Samuel, who was the father of Mary (Smalley) Bowie....James Ridley married (2) 17 Sep 1753, Mary Smalley Bowie, who was a first cousin to his first wife, Ruth Smalley." ^[2]

"About 1756 or 57 James Ridley and his family went to Great Sebascodegan Is. (now called Great Island) in the district of Harpswell, Maine, and settled what is now known as Ridley Point. Francis Smalle, the great grandfather of Mary Smalley Ridley, had established a trading camp on this Island in 1659.... James and Mary did not sail to this wilderness in Casco Bay all alone. Among others were her brother, Taylor Smalley, who had married her husband's sister, Thankful Ridley, and their children. Here James Ridley owned extensive lands.... In 1775 he saw service in the Revolution. He was killed by lightning 14 July 1797, aged 79." ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Bowman, George Ernest. Vital Records of The Town of Truro, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, Boston, 1933) Page 7.
2. ↑ Ellis, p.74
3. ↑ Ellis, p. 75.

• Ridlon, G.T., History of the Ancient Ryedales (The author, Manchester, N.H., 1884) Page 535-537

• Ellis, Leola Chaplin Bowie: George Bowie of Stirlingshire, Scotland, and Boston and Truro, Massachusetts, His Ancestry and Descendants. Self-Published: Portland, Maine; 1962. https://ia801005.us.archive.org/30/items/georgebowieofsti00elli/georgebowieofsti00elli.pdf
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 January 2021), memorial page for James Ridley (6 Feb 1718–14 Jul 1797), Find a Grave Memorial no. 38107994, citing Cranberry Horn Cemetery, East Harpswell, Cumberland County, Maine, USA ; Maintained by Maine 101 (contributor 47130320) . https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38107994/james-ridley
• Maine Families in 1790; Maine Gen. Soc. Special Publ #5: Author: Ruth Gray: Publication: Picton Press: 1990. Page 236.
• Underhill, Lora Altine Woodbury. Descendants of Edward Small of New England (Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1910) Vol. 1, Page 133, 135-36.