William was one of ten surviving children born to Henry Ridgely and Rachel (Griffith) Ridgely. They lived in Anne Arundel County, Maryland at one time. William became a ship carpenter at Baltimore, Maryland. He must have left soon, as his first three children were born (1811-1816) in Virginia, which is now West Virginia or Ohio. He married Hannah Reed Simmons, who was born in New York. The family came to Illinois in March 1817 on a keel-boat, landing at old Palmyra, Illinois, this is where Crawfish Creek joins the Wabash River. There may have been as many as seventeen children born to this union - William Simmons, Henry Davidge, Lloyd Griffith, Orrick, Abel, Absalom, Eliza, Charles, Nicholas, a girl(unnamed), Emily Orenda, Henrietta, Medad Reed, Samuel Gunn, Maria, Hannah, and one who died at birth. Charles, Nicholas, and Samuel Ridgely were mentally retarded, do not know how severe. William's will, dated May 24, 1858, shows careful consideration of his children's welfare as three of his children were unable to live independently and he provided for them.
William was one of ten surviving children born to Henry Ridgely and Rachel (Griffith) Ridgely. They lived in Anne Arundel County, Maryland at one time. William became a ship carpenter at Baltimore, Maryland. He must have left soon, as his first three children were born (1811-1816) in Virginia, which is now West Virginia or Ohio. He married Hannah Reed Simmons, who was born in New York. The family came to Illinois in March 1817 on a keel-boat, landing at old Palmyra, Illinois, this is where Crawfish Creek joins the Wabash River. There may have been as many as seventeen children born to this union - William Simmons, Henry Davidge, Lloyd Griffith, Orrick, Abel, Absalom, Eliza, Charles, Nicholas, a girl(unnamed), Emily Orenda, Henrietta, Medad Reed, Samuel Gunn, Maria, Hannah, and one who died at birth. Charles, Nicholas, and Samuel Ridgely were mentally retarded, do not know how severe. William's will, dated May 24, 1858, shows careful consideration of his children's welfare as three of his children were unable to live independently and he provided for them.
Gravesite Details
A very detailed reference on William Henry Ridgely and his family is a book titled "Ridgely" by Dan W. Olds.
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