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The Ridgely Family
An American Family History
The Ridgely Family
Colonel Henry Ridgely was born about 1635 in England.
He married Elizabeth Howard
He emigrated to America in 1659 with his wife and four servants.
His second wife was named Sarah.
Henry Ridgely, Jr. (1699, married Catherine Greenberry)
His will was probated in 1710, names his last wife as Mary
He left over 2,000 acres to his grandson, Henry Ridgely.
Henry Ridgely was born on October 3, 1669, in Wardridge, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He was the son of Henry Ridgely (1635).
Henry married Catherine Greenberry.
Charles Ridgely (1684)
Anne Ridgely Dorsey (1686-91)
Nicholas G. Ridgely (1694)
Henry Ridgely, Jr. (1695)
Elizabeth Ridgely Worthington (1696)
His father gave him land Anne Arundel County including: Broome, a portion of Waldridge and Ridgely.
In 1691 he bought, Adventure from John Hammond, Sr. Adventure was 50 acres on the north side of South River adjoining the plantation of Nicholas Wyatt.
Henry died on March 19, 1700.
In 1701 the widow, Catherine married John Howard, She died in 1703 soon after the birth of a daughter also Catherine.
William Ridgely was born about 1645 in England. His brother was Henry Ridgely.
He emigrated to America in 1672.
27 June 1672. Came William Ridgely of Anne Arundel County and proved his Right to 50 acres of land for Transporting himself into this Province to Inhabit.
His wife was was named Elizabeth.
William Ridgely (married Jane Westall),
Jehoshaphat Ridgely (married Frances Ruley),
Elizabeth Ridgely (married Thomas Maccauley),
Eleanor Ridgely (married John Rawlings),
Sarah Ridgely (married John Barry),
Margaret Ridgely (married Nicholas Saunders), and
Anne Ridgely.
At first he lived at Ridgely's Beginning.
In 1700 he purchased a portion of Abington from James Finley and they lived there
On August 8, 1710, William and Elizabeth Ridgely sold Amos Garrett 50 acres of Vennell's Inheritance.
At the same time he deeded to Amos Garrett Ridgely's Beginning of 40 acres which granted William Ridgely.
On October 3, 1712, William Ridgely Sr. and Elizabeth his wife and William Ridgely Jr. "son of ye said William Ridgely" and Jane his wife deeded to Mary Ridgely, Widow, of Prince George's County, 200 acres of Abington for a consideration of £200. The grantee was the widow of Colonel Henry Ridgely who died in 1710. William Ridgely and his son signed the deed, while their respective wives made their marks.
On November 16, 1716, letters of administration were granted to his widow, with bond placed at £60. Thomas Reynolds and John Rawlings were her sureties. William Ridgely and Jehoshaphat Ridgely approved as the next of kin, while Benjamin Warfield and John Gaither approved as the greatest creditors.
His widow was living as late as May 3, 1733, when by deed she gave her daughter, Elizabeth Maccauley, and her granddaughter, Elizabeth Maccauley Jr., all wearing apparel and to her said granddaughter the residue of her estate. She apparently died soon thereafter.
Maryland was established with religious freedom for Catholics. The colonial economy was based on tobacco cultivated by Africans who had been enslaved.
from Ancestral Records and Portraits by Colonial Dames of America. Chapter I, Baltimore
William Ridgely, of South River (1645-1716), came to the Province of Maryland in 1672. His first survey, 1697, was Ridgely's Beginning, north side of South River, which in 1710 he and his wife Elizabeth sold to Amos Garrett, the Annapolis merchant.
In 1690 he bought of James Finley a portion of Abbington at the head of South River, and made it his homestead.
William Ridgely's landed estates were, Ridgely's Beginning, forty acres; Ridgely's Chance, three hundred and five acres, and Abbington, two hundred acres.
He died intestate.
The first European settlements in Maryland were made in 1634 when English settlers created a permanent colony.
A Dower is a provision for a wife's support should her husband die before her. Her dower right was the use of ⅓ of her husband's estate. The dower was settled on the bride at the time of the wedding. A drowry was the property a bride brought to her marriage.
From Anne Arundel Gentry, Vol. 3, William Ridgely
William Ridgely emigrated to the Province of Maryland, that is, he financed his own passage, and therefore was entitled to 50 acres of land, as the following will prove:
27 June 1672. Came William Ridgely of Anne Arundel County and proved his Right to 50 acres of land for Transporting himself into this Province to Inhabit.
He was a brother to Colonel Henry Ridgely, but unlike his brother he lived a quiet life and acquired no great wealth. He was literate, however, and in his inventory there were several books. He outlived his brother who bequeathed him his wearing apparel. His only known activity in the service of the Lord Proprietary was in 1678 when he received 240 lbs. tob. for participation in the Nanticoke Indian War.
In 1679 he with twelve other gentlemen met at the home of Richard Rawlings and testified that John Vennall died seized of 50 acres of land then possessed lawfully by Richard Rawlings.
His early dwelling was at Ridgely's Beginning, but in 1700 he purchased a portion of Abington from James Finley where he later established his seat. Elizabeth Finley, wife to James, waived all dower rights.
His wife was Elizabeth ---, and it is possible that she was Elizabeth Vennail, the daughter of George or John Vennall. On August 8, 1710, William Ridgely with his wife, Elizabeth, joining him as grantor conveyed to Amos Garrett, Merchant, a portion of Vennell's Inheritance, of 50 acres, which had been granted to John Vennell, late of Anne Arundel County, deceased.
At the same time he deeded to Amos Garrett Ridgely's Beginning of 40 acres which had been granted by His Lordship. William Ridgely signed the deed of conveyance.
Children of William and Elizabeth Ridgely
1. William Ridgely married Jane Westall.
2. Jehoshaphat Ridgely married Frances Ruley.
3. Elizabeth Ridgely married Thomas Maccauley.
4. Eleanor Ridgely, married [John Rawlings].
5. Sarah Ridgely married John Barry, All Hallow's Parish, June 10, 1712.
6. Margaret Ridgely married Nicholas Saunders, All Hallow's Parish, Dec. 24, 1727.
7. Anne Ridgely.
On October 3, 1712, William Ridgely Sr. and Elizabeth his wife and William Ridgely Jr. "son of ye said William Ridgely" and Jane his wife deeded to Mary Ridgely, Widow, of Prince George's County, 200 acres of Abington for a consideration of £200. The grantee was the widow of Colonel Henry Ridgely who died in 1710. William Ridgely and his son signed the deed, while their respective wives made their marks.
He died intestate. On November 16, 1716, letters of administration were granted to his widow, with bond placed at £60. Thomas Reynolds and John Rawlings were her sureties. William Ridgely and Jehoshaphat Ridgely approved as the next of kin, while Benjamin Warfield and John Gaither approved as the greatest creditors.
His widow was living as late as May 3, 1733, when by deed she gave her daughter, Elizabeth Maccauley, and her granddaughter, Elizabeth Maccauley Jr., all wearing apparel and to her said granddaughter the residue of her estate. She apparently died soon thereafter.
It was common for bequests to include wearing apparel.
from The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland by Joshua Dorsey Warfield
William Ridgely came to this province of Maryland, in 1672. Colonel Henry's will shows him to be his brother. His first survey, in 1697, was Ridgely's Beginning, northside of South River. In 1690, he bought, of James Finley, a portion of Abbington, at the head of South River, and made it his homestead.
William and Elizabeth Ridgely, his wife, sold in 1710, Ridgely's Beginning, to Amos Garrett, the Annapolis merchant. Only one son, William Ridgely, Jr., was named by them. Upon his marriage to Jane Westall, daughter of George Westall, of South River, in 1702, William Ridgely, Sr., and Elizabeth, his wife, deeded to William Ridgely, Jr., and Jane, his wife, their homestead tract, Abington. During that same year, another deed for a portion of the home tract was made by William Ridgely, Sr., and Elizabeth, his wife, and William Ridgely, Jr., and Jane, his wife, to Mrs. Mary Ridgely, late widow of Colonel Henry.
William Ridgely, Sr., died in 1716, as shown by his testamentary record, intestate, William Ridgely, Jr., also died intestate. His widow, Jane (Westall) Ridgely, left a will in 1748.
Upon a twelve hundred acre tract of her father's estate, Colonel Wm. Burgess located the once flourishing town of London. In his will of 1686, he named this tract as once the property of "Mr. George Westall, upon a portion of which is a town laid out, called Londontown."
Mrs. Jane (Westall) Ridgely. named her heirs, William, Westall, Sarah, John, Martha Maccubbin and Alice Woodward.
John Ridgely was made executor, and heired the homestead, Abington.He married Elizabeth Mayo, of South River, and bought of "Edward Gaither, of 'Edward,' the whole of Gaithers Collection."
In Protestant Revolution of 1689, Maryland Puritans called Associators, revolted against the Roman Catholic government.
from Side-lights on Maryland History: With Sketches of Early Maryland ..., Volume 2 by Hester Dorsey Richardson
Colonel Henry Ridgely [1635-1710] arrived in the Province of Maryland in the year 1659, and demanded land for transporting himself, his wife, Elizabeth Howard, and four servants (Land Office, Annapolis, Warrants, Liber 7, folio 461). He became a distinguished member of the Provincial government and acquired extensive estates in Anne Arundel and Prince George Counties.
Charles Calvert, third Lord Baltimore, commissioned him Justice of Anne Arundel County in the year 1679, and he continued to fill this important office for many years (see Maryland Archives, volume 15, folios 253, 323, etc.). He was commissioned "Captain of Foote" by the Associators Assembly September 4, 1689 (Ibid., volume 13, p. 242): was promoted to Major in 1694 (Ibid., volume 20, p. 108), and commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel July 30, 1694.
According to a family Bible record preserved in the family, Colonel Henry Ridgely had a second wife named Sarah, who is entered as the mother of Henry Ridgely, Jr.
Colonel Henry Ridgely outlived his son, and his will, probated in Prince George County, July 13, 1710, names his last wife as Mary [widow of Mareen Duvall]. In his will he bequeaths numerous tracts of land, aggregating over 2000 acres; to his son, Henry Ridgely's son, Henry, he left the residue of land called Waldridge. This tract of 600 acres, which was surveyed for Colonel Henry Ridgely and James Warner, on February 20, 1661, and part of which Colonel Ridgley gave to his son, Henry Ridgely, Jr., during the latter's lifetime; together with several other tracts in Anne Arundel County. . .
Lord Baltimore,
Cecil Calvert (1605 -1675), 2nd Baron Baltimore was the first governor of Maryland. Phillip Calvert (1626–1682), was the 5th governor from 1660 to1665. Charles Calvert (1637 – 1715), 3rd Baron Baltimore inherited the colony in 1675.
Colonial Maryland
used the headright system to encourage settlement. Land was granted to anyone who would pay fthe transportation costs of a laborer.
Know all men by these presents that I Robert Ridgely of St. Mary's County do Assign, Sell and make over unto Robert Johnson of Somerset County all my right, Title and Interest of, in and to Twelve Rights to Land to me due by assignment from Samuell Gibbons
To have and to hold the Said five and Twelve Rights to Land to him the Said Robert Johnson, his heirs and Assigns forever,
Witness my hand and Seale this Sixth of November 1674
Witnesses: John Blomfeild Robert Ridgely {Seale}
Robert Ellis
In contracts and pleadings usually people and things mentioned before are designated by the term said (sd ) for clarity.
Aforesaid (afd, afsd, aforesd ) means it was already mentioned.
A gentleman had no title, but descended from an aristocratic family, was of the landed gentry, and had a coat of arms.
Anne Arundel County, Maryland was established in 1650.
Capt. Henry Ridgely, III, the oldest son of Col. Henry and Elizabeth (Howard) Ridgely of Devonshire, England, was born October 3, 1669, in Wardridge, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. His father, an immigrant merchant, established the family in the United States. The Ridgelys became one of the most aristocratic of Maryland families with a long tradition of holding important civil and military offices.
Children of Henry and Catherine Ridgely
1. Charles Ridgely, born ca 1684.
2. Anne Ridgely Dorsey, born ca 1686-91.
3. Hon. Nicholas G. Ridgely, born 1694.
4. Henry Ridgely, IV, born ca 1695.
5. Elizabeth Ridgely Worthington, born 1696.
By deed of gift from his father, Henry received Broome, a portion of Waldridge and Ridgely, all lying in Anne Arundel County where he established his dwelling plantation. In 1691, as Henry Ridgely, Jr., he bought from John Hammond, Sr., Adventure, of 50 acres on the north side of South River adjoining the plantation of Nicholas Wyatt.
Henry drew up his will on September 13, 1699, in the presence of Robert Goldsborough, Thomas Reynolds, and William Johnson. He had a short life, dying March 19, 1700, at the age of 30 years, according to his gravestone. Henry was buried upon his plantation where an impressive slab marked his remains. His will was proved in Anne Arundel County, April 26, 1700.
To wife Catherine, executrix, dwelling plantation during life and 200 A, part of Warren's Ridge.
To son Henry and hrs., dwelling plantation and 200 A. afsd. at death of wife; also 282 A., Ridgely's Beginning, on n. side of Rogue Harbor Branch, Paturent R.
To son Nicholas at 18 yrs. of age, and hrs., 275 A., My Quarter Plantation, at hd. of Broad Ck., and 272 A., Ridgely's Lot, on n. e. side of great branch of Patuxent R.
To son Charles and hrs., money with which to buy land, at 21 yrs. of age.
To dau. Ann and hrs., 1/2 of Huntington Quarter taken up by testator's father (unnamed) and himself.
To dau. Eliza: and hrs., 1/2 of 300 A. at Chester at hd. of Morgan's Ck.
Sons to be of age at 21 yrs. and daus. at 16 yrs.
Overseers: Henry Ridgely and brother Charles Greenbury.
Test: Robt. Goldsborough, Thos. Reynolds, Wm. Johnson.
The widow married as his second wife, Capt. John Howard, in 1701 and died soon after the birth of a daughter who was given the name of Catherine in 1703. The administration of the estate of Henry Ridgely passed to John Howard in December 1703. It was stated at court that Henry Ridgely of Anne Arundel, Gent., by his last will and testament left his wife, Catherine, the executrix of his estate and that he give his children legacies, thereupon his widow married John Howard who in right of his wife became possessed of the estates of the orphans and "soon after the said Katharine dyed leaving John Howard in possession of Ridgely's estate." The statement was signed by John Howard and his brothers, Samuel Howard and Philip Howard.Birth: Oct. 3, 1669
Anne Arundel County
Maryland, USA
Death: Mar. 19, 1699
Anne Arundel County
Maryland, USA
Seals were used to authenticate documents and men were expected to have a personal die. Records in deed books are copies and signatures are usually in the clerk’s handwriting. The clerk drew a circle around the word “seal” to indicate that the original document was sealed.
from Yearbook of the American Clan Gregor Society 1944
Henry Ridgeley was born in Devonshire, England in 1625. He settled in Maryland in 1659 on a royal grant of land containing six thousand acres. Our Early Settlers records that Henry Ridgeley demanded land for transporting himself, his wife, Eleanor Howard, and four servants to America. Sometime before 1665 Eleanor (Howard) Ridgeley died, leaving no children.
In 1661 James Warner and Henry Ridgeley were granted a certificate of six hundred acres called Ward Ridge, on the north side of South River, joining a tract Broom,"formerly Richard Beard's.
In 1665 James Warner assigned his right to Henry Ridgeley, probably as a marriage portion to his daughter, Sarah Warner, who about that time became the second wife of Henry Ridgeley. The three children of Henry and Sarah (Warner) Ridgeley were: Sarah, born about 1667, Henry and Charles.
Henry Ridgeley's city home was in Annapolis, near where the present State House stands. He was vestryman of St. Ann's Church, and was one of the earliest founders of Anne Arundel County.
In 1665 he had surveyed for himself Ridgeley's Forest, which covered all the ground around Annapolis Junction.
During his long life he held many positions of honor and trust. He was Commissioner to Advance Trade in 1683; Justice of the Peace from 1686 to 1696 ; Captain of a company of Foot Militia in 1689 ; Commissioned Major in 1692; member of The Assembly and Lieutenant-Colonel in 1694.
After the death of his second wife, Sarah, Colonel Ridgeley married Mary Duval, widow of Mareen Duval, the Huguenot.
In 1698 Colonel Ridgeley resigned his commission of Colonel owing to the infirmities of old age, and when it was accepted he retired to private life.
He died in 1710, leaving wife, Mary, executrix . His estate included his home plantation, Cotton, Mary's Delight, Larkin's Folly, Hogg Neck, three hundred acres of Ridgeley lot in Huntington, and three hundred acres in Ward Ridge. "Ward Ridge and the remaining part, whether here or ·in England, are to go to my wife and executrix, Mary." This shows that the colonists must still have possessed estates in the home land, as well as in the new province of Maryland.
Sarah Ridgeley, only daughter of Henry and Sarah (Warner) Ridgeley was born in 1667, and about 1684 married John Brewer, II. son of John and Elizabeth Brewer. Their children were: John, Joseph, Isaac, and Elizabeth . Elizabeth was born after her father' s death ; John Brewer, II. husband of Sarah (Ridgeley) Brewer, died 1690, and his wife afterward married Thomas O'Dell.
