Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Ridley, J. William, 1939 

************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm
************************************************

JOHN WILLIAM RIDLEY

J. WILLIAM RIDLEY PROMINENT COUNTY CITIZEN, DIES AT 85

   J. William Ridley, one of Southampton's finest citizens, died at his home, 
"Violet Hill" plantation near Courtland, January 18, 1939.  Mr. Ridley 
celebrated his 85th birthday on December 9, last, and his family has been 
eminent in this county for nearly two centuries.  Born at "Bonnie Doon" near 
the site of his own home, he was the son of Colonel Thomas Ridley and of Mrs. 
Margaret Anne Bynum Jordan Ridley.  He is survived by three sons, G. Garnett 
Ridley of Waverly, William Goodwyn Ridley of Woodlynne, N.J., and Churchill G. 
Ridley of "Violet Hill"; by four daughters, Mrs. William Shands and Mrs. E.F. 
Reese, Jr. of Courtland, Mrs. Elliott Vawter of Huntington, W. Va., and Mrs. 
G.H. Musgrave of Leesburg, Va.; by ten grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, 
and a large and prominent family connection.

   Mr. Ridley's wife, who before her marriage was Miss Bettie Goodwyn of 
Greensville County, Virginia, died in 1920 and the gracious hospitality of 
"Violet Hill" was known far and wide.  Nine years ago Mr. Ridley broke his 
hip in a fall, an accident from which he failed to completely recover.  A 
characteristic of his, which none but older people of our county will remember 
or understand, was his innate love for fine horses, and he was perhaps the 
last of our citizens to surrender a beautiful bit of horseflesh for the more 
modern means of transportation.

   He never sought public office nor cared for things political, being content 
to render a most worth-while service to his county as Chairman of its 
Electoral Board for many years, a position in which the writer first knew 
him, and as acquaintance ripened, loved and esteemed him for his many fine 
qualities of heart and mind.  A devout Episcopalian, he was a lifelong 
communicant of St. Luke's Church, Courtland, and Senior Warden of that 
congregation until failing health caused his outside activities to cease.

   Funeral services were conducted from his home Thursday afternoon at 2 
o'clock by the Archdeacon Norman E. Taylor of Norfolk, the present Rector of 
Nottoway Parish, assisted by Rev. W.L. Burks, a former pastor of Courtland 
M.E. Church.  Burial was made in Riverside Cemetery, Courtland, the active 
pallbearers being: L.M. Manry, L.W. McGrath, C.F. Urquhart, Thomas Birdsong, 
R.B. Story, H.E. Edwards, Chas. W. Davis and Judge W.H.S. Burgwyn of 
Woodland, N.C.  Honorary bearers were named from a list of intimate friends.

   Using a term, which has been all too often abused, Mr. Ridley was indeed a 
gentleman of the old school, high-minded, affable, congenial and holding fast 
to all of the finer traditions of life as they were inbred in him through a 
long line of noble men and women of old time:

"E'en as he trod that day to God/ 
 so walked he front his birth,/ 
 In simpleness and gentleness/ 
 and honour and clean mirth."


John William RIDLEY, retired farmer, former Chair of Election Board, 
b. 9 Dec 1853*, "Bonnie Doon," d. 18 Jan 1939, "Violet Hill," near Courtland, 
interred in Riverside Cemetery (Episcopal Section, Plot 16**), Courtland, 
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Jan. 20, 1939, p. 1 

**Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, 
   Riverside list: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/riverside.txt 

*D.Cert. (#2389) gives b. 9 Dec 1854, d. 18 Jan 1939, of cancer (first in Ear, 
   then attacking colon & rectum). 

His wife's obit ("Tidewater News," Feb. 27, 1920, p. 11), 
   with her & her parents' marriage records appended, is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/r340b1ob.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/r340w1ob.txt