Charles Ridgely II - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Col. Charles Ridgely II, "Charles The Merchant" (1702-1772) of "Ridgely’s Whim", a Justice, planter, mechant, ironmaster

Ironmaster

An ironmaster is the manager – and usually owner – of a forge or blast furnace for the processing of iron. It is a term mainly associated with the period of the Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain....

, and member of the Lower House. Charles II, was the son of Charles Ridgely I, "Charles The Planter" (ca. 1670-1705) and Deborah Dorsey (ca. 1685-1752).

Charles was born in Prince George’s County, and still a minor at the death of his father in 1705. He inherited the estates "White Wine" and "Claret" from his grandfather Hon. John Dorsey, Capt. (ca. 1645-1715), although he never lived at either. At the time they totaled 1,400 acres (5.7 km²) between them, and Charles later resurveyed them into 2,145 acres (8.68 km²) by adding some surplus land.

First Marriage

Charles married Rachel Howard (ca. 1696-1750) of "Hampton", in about 1722. Rachel was born in about 1696 in Baltimore, Maryland, and died in 1750 in Baltimore County. Rachel was the daughter of Captain John Howard, Jr. (ca. 1667-1704) and his first wife, Mary Warfield (ca. 1670-1699).

Political career

Ridgely became a Justice of the Peace in Baltimore County in 1741, a position he held until 1753, and became a Justice of the Quorum in 1750. In addition he served as a justice of the Especial Court of Oyer, Terminer, and Gaol Delivery in 1748 and 1750. Charles served on the Lower House of the General Assembly in Baltimore County from 1751-1754, and at the same time County Commissioner. Charles was commissioned a Major in 1751, and became a Colonel by 1757. He was also a vestryman and churchwarden of St. Paul’s Parish.

Land Holdings

Upon his marriage to Rachel, he acquired the estate known as “Howard’s Timber Neck” from his father-in-law. In 1732, this land was combined with another property known as “Brotherly Love”, resurveyed and termed “Ridgely’s Delight”. In 1735, Ridgely began leasing parcels of land in “Ridgely’s Delight”. The historic district and neighborhood which remains today and is still known as “Ridgely’s Delight”, is situated on what was first a Susquehannock Indian path, and in the Federal period, a main highway from Washington to Philadelphia (now Washington Boulevard). The earliest houses within today’s boundaries of “Ridgely’s Delight” date from about 1804. A large portion of the development of “Ridgely’s Delight” occurred between 1816 and 1875, with particular intensity during the 1840s and 1850's.

He was the first of the family to reside in Baltimore County when he moved there in 1734. He became a Gentleman by 1738, and Esquire by 1748, and was styled “Charles The Merchant”. Charles was a planter, merchant, ironmaster, and owner of a furnace and forges. Although his mercantile base was in Baltimore Town and Baltimore County, his interests extended into Anne Arundel County where he purchased tobacco, crops, livestock, and slaves from at least 1736 through the 1740s.

In 1745, He acquired "Northampton", near Towson, Maryland, and was founder of the Ridgely family of "Hampton

Hampton National Historic Site

Hampton National Historic Site, in the Hampton area north of Towson, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, preserves a remnant of a vast 18th-century estate, including a Georgian manor house, gardens, grounds, and the original stone slave quarters. The estate was owned by the Ridgely family...

". By 1750, "Charles The Merchant" had taken up or purchased altogether 26 parcels in Baltimore and Anne Arundel County, aggregating 8,000 acres (32 km²). These parcels were not all contiguous, and they included areas as distant as the present Roland Park, Guilford, and Blythewood.

It was "Northampton", which became the centerpiece for the Ridgely family setting. The tract of land was originally granted to Col. Henry Darnall, Sr. (1645-1711), who immigrated to Maryland from Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. The 1500 acre (6 km²) parcel was surveyed for Colonel Darnall in 1695. Colonel Darnall was Gov. Charles Calvert, 3rd Lord Baltimore

Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore

Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, 2nd Proprietor and 6th and 9th Proprietary Governor of Maryland , inherited the colony in 1675 upon the death of his father, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. He had been his father's Deputy Governor since 1661 when he arrived in the colony at the age of 24...

’s (1637-1714) primary agent in Maryland for many years. The property was inherited by his daughter, Ann Hill (1680-1749) in 1745, in consideration of 600 pounds of sterling. In the early 1760s Col. Ridgely established several large ironworks, which thrived from the easily mined deposits of iron ore in the area. The large mansion "Hampton

Hampton National Historic Site

" was built on the tract of land containing 10,000 acres (40 km²), called "Northampton" between 1783 and 1790 by Col. Ridgely's youngest son Captain Charles Ridgely III

Charles Ridgely

Captain Charles Ridgely was born in Maryland in 1733 to Colonel Charles Ridgely and Rachel Howard.Together with his father and brother, Captain Charles established the Northampton Iron Works just north of Towson, Maryland under what is presently Loch Raven Reservoir. He built the massive Hampton...

, “Charles The Mariner” (1733-1790). “Hampton” is about 13 miles (20.9 km) due north of Baltimore and about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Towson, in Baltimore County.

Second Marriage

Charles married secondly on December 5, 1747, Lydia (Warfield) Stringer, widow of Dr. Samuel Stringer (d. 1747) of Queen Caroline Parish, Anne Arundel County. Lydia was the daughter of Richard Warfield III, Esq. (ca. 1677-1755) and Ruth Crutchley (ca. 1683-1713).

Ironworks

In 1760 Ridgely and his two sons built Northampton Ironworks, which included a furnace on Patterson’s Run and forges at Long Cam near Gunpowder Falls. Between November 1763 and April 1764, the ironworks shipped over 1,858 pounds worth of pig and bar iron to London.

Death

At the time of his death in 1772, Charles estate was valued at 6,285.16.9 pounds current money, including 36 slaves, 6 servants, 121 oz. plate, his one-third interest in the Northampton Ironworks valued at 322.9.3 pounds, and 603 pounds worth of goods shipped by London merchants. He died at “Northampton”, near Towson, Baltimore Co., Maryland, and his will was probated on June 8, 1772.

Children

1. John Ridgely, Sr. (ca. 1723-1771), who married Mary Dorsey (1725-1786), daughter of Caleb Dorsey (1685-1742) and Eleanor Warfield (1683-1752).

2. Pleasance Ridgely (1724-1755), who married Lyde Godwin (1718-1755).

3. Charles Ridgely (1727), who died young.

4. Achsah Ridgely (1729-1778), who married 1) Dr. Robert Holliday (died 1747). 2) John Carnan (1728-1767). 3) Daniel Chamier, a Tory merchant of Baltimore. Achsah and John Carnan were the parents of Charles Carnan Ridgely

Charles Carnan Ridgely

Charles Carnan Ridgely was born Charles Ridgely Carnan. He is also known as Charles Ridgely of Hampton. He served as the 15th Governor of the state of Maryland in the United States from 1815 to 1818. He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1790 to 1795, and in the Maryland State...

, whose uncle Charles Ridgely III

Charles Ridgely

willed the estate of Hampton to on the condition that he take the surname of Ridgely.

5. William Ridgely (ca. 1731), who died young.

6. Capt. Charles Ridgely

Charles Ridgely

III "Charles The Mariner" (1733-1790), builder of "Hampton

Hampton National Historic Site

", who married Rebecca Dorsey (1738-1812), daughter of Caleb Dorsey, Jr. (1710-1772) and Priscilla Hill (1718-1782).

7. Rachel Ridgely (1734-1813), who married Lt. Col. Darby Lux II

Darby Lux II

Lt. Col. Darby Lux II was an active patriot of the American Revolution. Darby was the son of Capt. Darby Lux I and Ann Saunders .-Early career:...

(1737-1795), son of Capt. Darby Lux I

Darby Lux I

Capt. Darby Lux I was a mariner, merchant, and Justice of Baltimore County, Maryland.Capt. Lux was the son of an English clergyman. Capt. Lux was born in Kenton Parish, Devonshire, England on June 15, 1695. He was christened on June 30, 1696 in Kenton. Darby immigrated in the early 1720s, and...

(1695-1750) and Ann Saunders (1700-1785).

Ancestry

Col. Ridgely II, was the son of Charles Ridgely I, "Charles The Planter" (ca. 1670-1705) and Deborah Dorsey (ca. 1685-1752). Deborah married secondly Richard Clagett, Sr., of “Croome” (1681-1752).

Deborah was the daughter of Hon., Capt. John Dorsey (ca. 1645-1715) of "Hockley", Anne Arundel County, and his wife Pleasance Ely (ca. 1660-1734).

Charles I, was the son of Hon. Robert Ridgely

Robert Ridgely

Robert Ridgely was an American actor and vocal artist, known for both on-camera roles and extensive voice-over work.-Career:...

(d.1681) of "St. Inigoe's Creek", St. Mary's Co., Maryland, and Martha “Mary” Darnall (1678-1742). Martha married secondly, Anthony Underwood (1659-1689), and thirdly, Charles Carroll I (1660-1720).

Martha was the daughter of Col. Henry Darnall, Sr. (1645-1711) of “Darnall’s Delight”, and his second wife, Eleanor (Hatton) Brooke (1642-1725), widow of Maj. Thomas Brooke, Sr.

Thomas Brooke, Sr.

Major Thomas Brooke, Sr., Esq. was a colonial lawyer, planter and politician of Calvert County, Maryland, where he served in the appointed positions of Burgess, High Sheriff and Chief Justice.-Early life and education:...

, Esq. (1632-1676) of “Brookefield”.

Source

Fendall, Douglas Allen. The Descendants of Governor Josias Fendall.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.