Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Family of William Powell Riddle (1755-1830) & Elizabeth Janette Powell (1764-1875). They resided in Lexington County, SC.


Dicey C. Riddle (1799-)
Joyce Riddle (1800-)
E. Mahaliel Riddle (1802-1880)
Drucilla Riddle (1804-1894)
Honorias Riddle (1805-)
Napoleon Bonaparte Riddle (1806-1859)
Mary Matilda (1806-1877)
Josiah Riddle (1808-)
Simon Peter Riddle (1812-)
Lewis C. Riddle (1819-1867)


Our line is through William Powell Riddle (WPR) who was born in VA to William Riddel and Joyce Powell.  WPR moved to Colombia, SC after the revolutionary war because he was given 5 land grants. 

William Riddell was born in VA and his father was speculated to be a James Riddel from Hamilton Parish Scotland.  I am involved in a Riddle/Riddel DNA project and have linked up with other distant cousins (named Riddel) who descended from the William Riddel children.  We are matching with up through DNA with many families in southern Scotland.  We are certain that that is the place of the Ridel/Riddle/Riddel origin.

Ironically, I was able to prove our line back to William Riddel in VA through lawsuits.  William Powell Riddle, after he left VA for SC, sued his brothers for malfeasance in executing the will of their father William Riddel.  Although not a great idea for relations, it is great for family history.

Then, William Powell Riddle (who married his first cousin Janet Powell) had two sons that came to Louisiana, Napoleon and Mahaliel.  We are from Mahaliel.  Napoleon (Mahaliel's brother) died so Mahaliel decided to keep his land (where the farm is in Riddle, LA on Sandy Creek).  The four living sisters of Napoleon, then living in SC, sued him in St. Francisville for their portion of the estate, as Napoleon was not married and died without issue.  They won. 

2 comments:

  1. Jesse,

    There is a book, "History of the ancient Ryedales" that includes much of our very expanded family. Page 374 of this book begins "The Riddells of Orange County, Virginia. Beginning with James Riddell, who "is said to have been born in Scotland" His son was the William Riddell who's will was the subject of the suit between brothers you have already mentioned. I do not have an ISBN for the book but it can be found online here...

    http://books.google.com/ebooks/reader?id=hLFOAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&pg=GBS.PA374

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    1. Thank you. I have reviewed the book. This issue is that the reference to James cannot be confirmed by any other source. Those that seem to know -- believe that the book is not entirely accurate.

      Our distant cousin, Jim Riddell (found through DNA matching) believes that a person that most closely fits the profile is a man named Richard Riddell. I believe that as we progress with more DNA involvement in Scotland, we will have success--and we will find the records of the person who came over to the new world. Hopefully!

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