Ridgley, Frank (1847-1901)

RIDGLEY, JOHNSON, ANDREWS

Posted By: Audubon County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/18/2018 at 12:38:36

Audubon County Journal, May 23, 1901, page 6, col. 4:

In Memory of Mr. Frank Ridgley.

Frank Ridgley was born in Cambridgeshire, England, October 17, 1847. In 1869 he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Johnson and to them were born six children, one son and six daughters. In 1872 Mr. Ridgley and family emigrated to America and first settled in Illinois. In 1874 he came to Audubon county, Iowa, with his family and began to lay the foundation for the comfortable home and surrounding which he succeeded in gaining. On July 25, 1896, a cloud fell over the Ridgley home, when the wife of his youth and mother of his children went to the home beyond.

September 8, 1897, Mr. Ridgley was united in marriage to Mrs. Kate Andrews, of Exira. Mr. Ridgley was a man of many friends, and had, by close application to business and wise business methods, gathered 'roudn [sic 'round ] about him quite a property and was just beginning to feel that he could live comfortably without the hard struggle of life, which his young manhood had known but like many others before him, no doubt, his years of hard labor had helped to shorten life. About a year ago he had a serious spell of sickness but was strong enough to overcome it. About a month before his death he was again attacked by the strong grip of disease and while he seemed at times to feel much better his intimate friends saw he was gradually growing weaker and after about a month's lingering close to the river's brink, he peacefully closed his eyes in death on May 6, 1901, to awake in a better and brighter and better day. Mr. Ridgley was a member of the Congregational church, having united under the labors of Rev. H. L. Wissler. The funeral services were from the Congregational church, conducted by Rev. E. H. Votaw, and the many floral offerings attested the love and esteem in which he was held among neighbors and friends. The remains were laid to rest in the Exira Cemetery.