John Ridgway was born on August 23, 1784 in Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County, New Jersey. His parents, John Ridgway and Elizabeth Wright, were Quakers. He married Rebecca Bacon Olden (daughter of John Olden and Mary Bacon) on August 28, 1806. John was a merchant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Later, he and his family emigrated to Carmi, Illinois in 1818 (The last portion of the trip was on a riverboat from Pittsburgh). John continued to be a merchant. In 1820, Rebecca died from a Bilious disease that wiped out most of the citizens of Carmi. John then married Mary Fraser Grant (daughter of John Grant, a merchant, and Jean Fraser. The Grants orginally came from Inverness, Scotland and eventually settled in Carmi on December 16, 1818). The Ridgways had six children named Thomas Shannon (named after family doctor in Carmi), Harriette (Mrs. Dwight Noble Lathrope), George Alexander, John Grant, Eliza (Mrs. John R. Olney Sr.), and Sarah Jane (Mrs. Edgar Mills and Mrs. Silas Hemmingway). From 1826 to 1828, John Ridgway served in the Illinois House of representatives at Vadalia. Then in 1832, John and his family moved to Shawneetown, Illinois. He died there in May 1842.
John Ridgway was born on August 23, 1784 in Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County, New Jersey. His parents, John Ridgway and Elizabeth Wright, were Quakers. He married Rebecca Bacon Olden (daughter of John Olden and Mary Bacon) on August 28, 1806. John was a merchant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Later, he and his family emigrated to Carmi, Illinois in 1818 (The last portion of the trip was on a riverboat from Pittsburgh). John continued to be a merchant. In 1820, Rebecca died from a Bilious disease that wiped out most of the citizens of Carmi. John then married Mary Fraser Grant (daughter of John Grant, a merchant, and Jean Fraser. The Grants orginally came from Inverness, Scotland and eventually settled in Carmi on December 16, 1818). The Ridgways had six children named Thomas Shannon (named after family doctor in Carmi), Harriette (Mrs. Dwight Noble Lathrope), George Alexander, John Grant, Eliza (Mrs. John R. Olney Sr.), and Sarah Jane (Mrs. Edgar Mills and Mrs. Silas Hemmingway). From 1826 to 1828, John Ridgway served in the Illinois House of representatives at Vadalia. Then in 1832, John and his family moved to Shawneetown, Illinois. He died there in May 1842.
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