Biographical Sketch of William Ridenbaugh, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
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William Ridenbaugh was born in Bedford Pennsylvania, on February 19,
1821. He was apprenticed to the printing business at an early age,
and learned the trade thoroughly. In 1843 he came to Liberty, Miss-
ouri and engaged in the publication of a paper at that place. In the
spring of 1845 he came to St. Joseph, and issued the first number of
the first paper ever published in this city, the St. Joseph Weekly
Gazette, moving his printing office from Liberty for that purpose. In
August, 1852, he sold the office to Charles F. Holly, of Savannah,
who subsequently sold an interest in it to General L. J. Eastin, and
then bought it back again, and finally, on October 11, 1854, sold the
office to Pfouts & Cundiff, who continued the publication of the paper
until the breaking out of the rebellion. On June 28, 1868, the pub-
lication of the paper was resumed by Mr. Ridenbaugh, Col. Cundiff and
Peter Nugent, who continued to publish it until 1872, when the inter-
est of the former was disposed of to his son. In August, 1852, Mr.
Ridenbaugh was elected to the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court, a
position he held for twelve years. In November, 1870, he was re-
elected to the same position, which he continued to hold up to the
time of his death. He was also at one time Judge of the County Court
for a brief period, and served as a member of the City Council for
two years. He was for years Chairman of the Democratic Central Comm-
ittee, and always took an active part in the management of every
political campaign. He was also twice a delegate to the Democratic
National Conventions. He was for many years a Director of the North-
western Fair Association, and at different times occupied a prominent
position in almost every company that has ever been organized in St.
Joseph. In 1846, Mr. Ridenbaugh was married to Miss Hannah Creal,
daughter of H. S. Creal, Esq., of Wathena, who died in 1866, leaving
six children. In 1870, Mr. Ridenbaugh was again married to Mrs. Mary
Baker, daughter of Major George Young, who survives him. The issue of
the marriage was one son, George. For nearly thirty years he was a
citizen of St. Joseph, and his name has been identified with almost
every public enterprise that contributed to its prosperity. He was
the foremost in every movement that his own judgment induced him to
believe was right, and adhered to his principles with a tenacity
strong as life itself. Warm hearted, impulsive, generous almost to
a fault, his house was always a home for those who stood in need; his
purse was ever open for the relief of the suffering. No man who ever
resided in St. Joseph has given more in public or private charity,
and none ever gave more willingly. As a friend he was staunch and
true to the last. A hundred acts of kindness on his part remain to be
remembered in all the years to come, and the more to be remembered,
probably, because they were the less deserved. He died October 18,
1874.

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