John Hamilton Ridgeway

     John Hamilton Ridgeway was born on 13 October 1820 at Lothrum, Ireland.¹ He married Lydia Wheeler, daughter of Jacob Wheeler and Phoebe Briggs Wait, on 11 May 1846 at Quebec.^1,2 John Hamilton Ridgeway died on 27 October 1907 at Charlottetownship, Livingston Co, Illinois, at age 87; On Sunday morning, October 27, at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Bennett in Charlottetownship, occurred the death of John H. Ridgeway, at the advanced age of 87 years.
A little over a month ago Mr. and Mrs. Ridgeway came to the Bennett home from Kappa, where they had been living, in order that they might receive better care, but Mr. Ridgeway met with a bad fall shortly after his arrival and received injuries from which he never recovered.
John H. Ridgeway was born at Lothrum, Ireland, October 13, 1820, being the oldest child of a large family. His father was forman over a large estate for a wealthy man. At the age of fifteen he lost his mother and much of the care of the family fell upon him. Determined to seek better opportunities, in 1840 he came to America, and after a long and dangerous voyage landed in Quebec, Canada. There he learned the shoemaker's trade and worked at it until he was married, which took place on May 11, 1846, Miss Lydia Wheeler, of Montreal, who survives him, being his chosen helpmate. Following their marriage, they moved to Franklin County, N.Y., where Mr. Ridgeway purchased 52 acres of timber land, which he cleared and made a home, where their seven children were born, namely; George II, of Prescott, Dak; Samuel, of Salina Kan; Margaret Bennett, of Charlotte township; William, of Lost Springs. Kan; Ebenezer, who was drowned in the Vermillion river; Albert, deceased; Phoebe M. Pierce, of Normal. They continued to reside there until the spring of 1866, when they moved to Peoria county, Illinois. Here they remained two years, moving to the farm on the county line of Ford county, northeast of Chatsworth, where they resided for twenty-six years, when they retired and moved to Piper City. They remained in Piper about a year and then came to Chatsworth. After spending some time here they moved to Kappa, where they continued to reside until a few weeks ago, when they came to make their home with Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. Since Mr. Ridgeway fell, on September 29, he had been a great sufferer and all that could be done was done for his comfort.
He united with the Wesleyan Methodist church in 1863, but when he came west, there being no church of that denomination, he united with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he remained a devout member.
The funeral services were held at the Chatsworth M.E. Church on Tuesday morning at eleven o'clock, conducted by Revs. O.E. Clapp of this city, and O.A.H. DelaGardie, of Kankakee, and the remains laid to rest in the Chatsworth cemetery.¹ He was buried on 29 November 1907 at Chatsworth Cemetery, Chatsworth, Livingston Co, Illinois.¹
     He appeared on the census of 16 August 1870 at Pella Twp., Ford Co, Illinois; John H. Ridgeway, 49, Lydia, 44, William, 16, Albert 14, and Phoebe, 7.³ He appeared on the census of 22 June 1900 at El Paso Twp, Woodford Co, Illinois; John Ridgeway, 71, and wife Lydia, 67, married 54 years. Lydia had 7 children, with 5 still living.²