Riddle
I think I have explored most of the information I have for Grandpa Louis. I wish I knew more about his wife, my 1st Great Grandmother Hattie Letha Fifer (Riddle). My mom didn’t have a lot to say about this side of the family, but I do remember her saying that she loved her grandmother very much.
I will tell you some more about the Riddle family and then, since that line fades away in the early 1800’s, I will then return to the late 1800’s tell you about my grandpa Ray, Dot and Elaine…and a little bit about Mary Jane Greenup.
OK, onto the Riddles; Hattie was born in Montrose, Iowa in 1866. Her father was George Riddle, (my 2nd Great Grandfather) and her mother was Margaret Watts, (my 2nd Great Grandmother). George had two brothers, Thomas and William. Their father’s name was Thomas M. Riddle (my 3rd Great Grandfather) and I haven’t found his wife’s name yet…
But I did find a real live second or third cousin a couple of years ago and she sent me a lot of Riddle information, including a letter from William, which I have typed into Word and now I will post that letter.
Riddle Family History
During the early years of the 1800’s, there lived in Greene County Tennessee, a Scotch family by the name of Riddle. I do not know how many there were in the clan, but one of them, “Jacob” Thomas Riddle, a mountain teamster, and his wife with their 3 little sons; William aged 6, years, Thomas Alexander aged 4 years, and George Riddle, aged 2 years, who came west by team to the Mississippi river and from there to Fort Madison (Iowa) in the year 1838.
Grandmother died on the boat coming up the river. Grandpa took up a claim and erected a log cabin near the site of the present High School building. There he lived with his 3 little sons until his death in 1840. (2 years after his arrival)
Grandpa and Grandmother were buried in what is now known as the old Atlee Cemetery. The little boys were then bound out (adopted) to different families to work for board and lodging. My uncle, William Riddle, was lucky in that he was allowed to get an education. My father was only allowed to go to school for one 6 month term, however he studied when he had the time and could read, write and figure quite well, despite the handicap.
When Grandpa Riddle came to Fort Madison, the town consisted of 6 or 8 houses near where the Schaefer Pen Company now stands, and the town depended on the well that had been dug, I believe it was inside the old fort before it was burned. All of the rest of Fort Madison was covered with heavy timber and the nights were made scary by the howling of the timber wolves. However, the 3 boys survived the hardships of pioneer life. William, the oldest, became a carpenter and helped to build the old Capitol building in Des Moines, making his home there until his death. His children were Alice, Emma, Belle, and John Riddle. John went to Indianapolis, Indiana and made his home.
Thomas Alexander Riddle, (my father) finally grew to manhood and in the winter of 1861-62, he enlisted in Company G of the 4th Iowa Cavalry., serving until the end of the Civil War. On September 10, 1865, he was married to Letha Malcolm. Their first son, Hamilton, died in infancy and was buried in Gilmer Cemetery, northwest of Fort Madison, near his maternal Grandfather. William (myself) was born near Viele on February 19, 1868. Frank Malcolm was born April 4th 1871 and died June 21st, 1943 and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Fort Madison.
On September 4th, 1893 William was married to Mary Florence Petty and made their home at Viele. Their son, Alex Ellsworth was born July 5th, 1894. William Howard was born March 20th, 1896. Russell Edward was born February 26th 1899 and James Warren was born August 11th, 1905.
Thomas Alexander Riddle died November 6th, 1904 at the age of 70. Russell Edward Riddle died November 20th, 1905
In the spring of 1902, we moved from Viele to a farm just north of Montrose, where we lived until, the spring of 1906, going from there to a farm 3 miles south of Montrose, where we lived until 1934. Mary Florence Riddle dying February 5th of that year.
Thomas Alexander and Letha Riddle are buried in the Wilson Cemetery near Fort Madison, and Russell E and Mary Florence Riddle are buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Fort Madison.
(William Riddle was the cousin of my 1st Great Grandmother, Hattie Letha Riddle.)
And I have one last item; a newspaper column that was given to me by Sharon Little, our distant relative from Iowa. This item fills in some details of the death of our 3rd Great Grandmother. I will have to type it into Word so that I can post it.
I will tell you some more about the Riddle family and then, since that line fades away in the early 1800’s, I will then return to the late 1800’s tell you about my grandpa Ray, Dot and Elaine…and a little bit about Mary Jane Greenup.
OK, onto the Riddles; Hattie was born in Montrose, Iowa in 1866. Her father was George Riddle, (my 2nd Great Grandfather) and her mother was Margaret Watts, (my 2nd Great Grandmother). George had two brothers, Thomas and William. Their father’s name was Thomas M. Riddle (my 3rd Great Grandfather) and I haven’t found his wife’s name yet…
But I did find a real live second or third cousin a couple of years ago and she sent me a lot of Riddle information, including a letter from William, which I have typed into Word and now I will post that letter.
Riddle Family History
During the early years of the 1800’s, there lived in Greene County Tennessee, a Scotch family by the name of Riddle. I do not know how many there were in the clan, but one of them, “Jacob” Thomas Riddle, a mountain teamster, and his wife with their 3 little sons; William aged 6, years, Thomas Alexander aged 4 years, and George Riddle, aged 2 years, who came west by team to the Mississippi river and from there to Fort Madison (Iowa) in the year 1838.
Grandmother died on the boat coming up the river. Grandpa took up a claim and erected a log cabin near the site of the present High School building. There he lived with his 3 little sons until his death in 1840. (2 years after his arrival)
Grandpa and Grandmother were buried in what is now known as the old Atlee Cemetery. The little boys were then bound out (adopted) to different families to work for board and lodging. My uncle, William Riddle, was lucky in that he was allowed to get an education. My father was only allowed to go to school for one 6 month term, however he studied when he had the time and could read, write and figure quite well, despite the handicap.
When Grandpa Riddle came to Fort Madison, the town consisted of 6 or 8 houses near where the Schaefer Pen Company now stands, and the town depended on the well that had been dug, I believe it was inside the old fort before it was burned. All of the rest of Fort Madison was covered with heavy timber and the nights were made scary by the howling of the timber wolves. However, the 3 boys survived the hardships of pioneer life. William, the oldest, became a carpenter and helped to build the old Capitol building in Des Moines, making his home there until his death. His children were Alice, Emma, Belle, and John Riddle. John went to Indianapolis, Indiana and made his home.
Thomas Alexander Riddle, (my father) finally grew to manhood and in the winter of 1861-62, he enlisted in Company G of the 4th Iowa Cavalry., serving until the end of the Civil War. On September 10, 1865, he was married to Letha Malcolm. Their first son, Hamilton, died in infancy and was buried in Gilmer Cemetery, northwest of Fort Madison, near his maternal Grandfather. William (myself) was born near Viele on February 19, 1868. Frank Malcolm was born April 4th 1871 and died June 21st, 1943 and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Fort Madison.
On September 4th, 1893 William was married to Mary Florence Petty and made their home at Viele. Their son, Alex Ellsworth was born July 5th, 1894. William Howard was born March 20th, 1896. Russell Edward was born February 26th 1899 and James Warren was born August 11th, 1905.
Thomas Alexander Riddle died November 6th, 1904 at the age of 70. Russell Edward Riddle died November 20th, 1905
In the spring of 1902, we moved from Viele to a farm just north of Montrose, where we lived until, the spring of 1906, going from there to a farm 3 miles south of Montrose, where we lived until 1934. Mary Florence Riddle dying February 5th of that year.
Thomas Alexander and Letha Riddle are buried in the Wilson Cemetery near Fort Madison, and Russell E and Mary Florence Riddle are buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Fort Madison.
(William Riddle was the cousin of my 1st Great Grandmother, Hattie Letha Riddle.)
And I have one last item; a newspaper column that was given to me by Sharon Little, our distant relative from Iowa. This item fills in some details of the death of our 3rd Great Grandmother. I will have to type it into Word so that I can post it.
posted by Steven | 4:51 AM
1 Comments:
So what do you suppose the reason was that Thomas Riddle decided to leave Tennessee with such a young family and pregnant wife for Fort Madison? It seems land was cheap, but not available for homesteading (free) by the government at that point, but was rather tied to establishing a foothold on previously treatied land with the native Indians. Looks like his son Alex, who served with the 4th Iowa Calvary served under Sherman all the way to Atlanta.
Post a Comment
<< Home