[rockhound]

PappyDick wrote: Hate to leave an error for somebody else to jump on: actually the settlers of Nashville who floated, floated down the Tennessee — all the way to the Ohio — and then they had to pole their flatboats back UP the Cumberland. But Hawkins Co. is on the Holston, a major tributary of the Tennessee. People from there (including Ridleys) may have been in the Donelson party, on that voyage. I think their names, or most of them, are recorded in the Cumberland Compact, or other contemporary documents. And I think the leader of the voyage, John Donelson, was to become Andrew Jackson’s father-in-law.

I know Jackson has a bad rep in Indian country, well deserved for some military actions, the Trail of Tears, and all — but the other day I was surprised to learn that one of the several children he and Rachel (Donelson) adopted was a Creek boy. Unfortunately he was also one of those who didn’t survive to adulthood, but I don’t think that was the Jacksons’ fault;like everybody else back then, they didn’t know about germs, etc.

Jackson may not be popular in Indian country, but I have many people in my tree whose name is Andrew Jackson…I was always told we were Cherokee, so I couldn’t figure out why a Cherokee would name their child Andrew Jackson. That made no sense to me whatsoever.

My thought was it was a way to obscure their true identity as Indians or simply that they liked Andrew Jackson and may have belonged to another tribe.

[tarcarion]

Rockhound,

I saw you were enquiring about Happy Riddle. I was researching my Roberts family and came across this info (which you may already have).

“Riddell, William

Alternate spelling: Riddle, Ridley He is suspected to be the son of Moses Riddell who was part Scotch-Irish and part Indian and Moses’ wife Mary Gibson. Moses Riddle and his wife Mary were on the 1755 tax list in Orange County, North Carolina, both marked “mulatto”. This family’s migration is similar to that of the mixed race Saponi people who lived in Louisa Co., VA and went west with the frontier, first to Orange County NC, then further west into SW VA and NW NC, then further west to the VA/KY border or into present day Hancock Co., TN. We think these people were often long hunters and guides for long hunters. Other people in Herbert’s company with a similar migration pattern are Neal Roberts, William Roberts, James Wallen, Joseph Wallen, Thomas Wallen, James Wallin, William Ingram, George Sizemore, Micajer Bunch, Doswell Rogers, Nathaniel Wilshire, Clement Lee, George Keith, Elisha Collins, Lewis Collins, John Collins, John Collins Jr, Daniel Blevins, James Blevins and William Blevins according to Mary E. V. Hill (note Micajah Bunch, George Sizemore and William Ingram are not on Jeff Weaver’s list of Herbert’s company). Almost all of these men have been identified as Tories during the early part of the Revolution (i.e. opposed the war on the Cherokee).

Time-line:

1767 – on list of tithables in Pittsylvania Co., VA; listed next to him is Moses Riddell, Indian 1772-1780: Lived in present day Grayson Co., VA along Peach Bottom Creek or in the Elk Creek District. 1774 – Fought at the Battle of Point Pleasant in Herbert’s company. 1774 – In Montgomery County court records in 1774 William Riddle (Ridley) and Caijah Bunch are defendants in a suit brought by William Herbert, assignee of Hugh Smith 1776 – A man named William Riddle was the second of four assignees to Jeremiah Clonch, who settled 400 acres in 1776 on the west side of Chestnut Creek, off the New River 1777 – Swore Allegiance to the Whig side while a member of Capt. John Cox’s company 1779 – brought before the court as a Tory. “William Riddle and Nathaniel Brittain not entitled to invitation of the mercy of the court…”

1780 – “Petition of James Roberts, Jesse Meeks and William Riddle received as members of the community as long as they behave as Good Citizens…” in the same court session: – George Reeves, James Howell, William Roberts, Neal Roberts, Moses Johnson, Richard Green, Richard Wright, Clem Lee and George Herd were restored their property.

1780 – Riddell’s “gang” raids the home of Capt. John Cox. 1780-1: Hiding out in the Wolf’s Den on Riddle’s Knob in present day Watauga Co., NC with a Tory band. Spring 1781: Leader of a Tory band that captured Col. Benjamin Cleveland. Cleveland escaped. 1781: Cleveland (or perhaps more likely Capt. Martin) captures Riddle in a skirmish and hangs him at Wilkesboro, NC, possibly along with son Moses Riddle. Selethia Martin’s widow’s pension app. and John Speltz RW pension app: While camped at a Rock House on New River Capt. Martin captured the Tories except two who escaped: Lewis Collins and David Gibson. 1782 – In the court records of Montgomery County, Virginia in 1782, Hoppe Riddle, William Riddle’s wife, (spelled “Happy,” in other records ) sued for the return of her cow which had been taken illegally by Capt. William Love in 1780 as he pursued Tories. Also, her two sons, James and John, were bound out by the Montgomery County Court the same year. 1784 – Happy marries William Ingram (RW pension file #S21314). Inventory of the estate of William Riddle. Shortly thereafter William Ingram and Happy move to the Kyles Ford area in present day Hancock Co., TN.

William married Happy Roberts (daughter of Tory Capt. James Roberts or alternatively is a Rogers); William and Happy’s children: Moses, hung by Benjamin Cleveland (?); James later of Cumberland Co., KY m. Sarah Davis; John m. Sarah Johnson (daughter of Moses Johnson d. Hawkins Co., TN and Sarah); Happy m. Henry Fisher (RW pension file #R26119); Joseph later of Cumberland Co., KY m. Rhoda Monk (daughter of Shadrack Monk and Mary Roberts — Mary is the daughter of Cornelius Roberts and Mary Benton); Isaac m. Anna Grizzle; Thomas later of Bradley Co., TN m. Mary Igou (daughter of James Igou and Rebecca Thompson); William m. Ellen Choat (Cherokee Indian in part).

Source: Mary E.V. Hill, Riddle Newsletter Vol 4, Issue 1, December 1997; New River Notes tax lists, militia rosters; Worldconnect Interestingly William’s brother John seems to have applied for a Revolutionary War pension: 15 Sep 1833 – John Ridley applied for a pension in Wilkes Co., NC citing his entry in service in 1776 in Grayson Co., VA under Capt. John Cox. In 1778 he marched on the Cherokee from the Long Island of the Holston and served 4 months. “

And the link: http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/swift/herbertbioq.htm#riddell

And also more info on the Riddle Family

http://www.jimcal.com/v04is01.htm

Jim

[rockhound]

Thanks for the info.

[Author]

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