History of Hamilton County Ohio
Biography and Portrait
of John L. Riddle
pages 385-386, portraits between pages 384 and 385
transcribed by Linda Boorom


John L. Riddle

JOHN L. RIDDLE.

Catharine LONG, wife of John RIDDLE, jr., and mother of John L. RIDDLE, was born December 13, 1788. She was a daughter of Michael LONG, an immigrant from Penn's Valley, Pennsylvania, in 1794, and among the first to break the dense forest west of the present site of Glendale. He settled about twelve miles north of Cincinnati and two miles west of the former place. With him came his aged father and a number of relatives, among them some of the LONGs, the McCORMACKs, the SMALLs, the STERRETTs, the LOWEs, and many others, all of whom settled within a radius of four miles, and who were never driven out by the Indians. LONG soon cleared land and from the first became self-supporting. He soon built a saw-mill on a small stream running through his farm, which for simplicity as well as capacity is a marvel to men yet living, who delight to relate the simplicity of the mechanicism as well as the enormous amount of work accomplished by it. During the entire life of LONG it continued to cut lumber for the building up of the neighborhood, as well as to furnish quantities to Cincinnati boat-builders. Mike, as he was called, was a farmer, blacksmith, tanner, mechanic of all work, shoemaker of evenings, and for the first three years his own tailor, tanning skins and making clothes of them for the male portion of his family, but the first patch of flax raised relieved him of that necessity, and he lived to be able to procure for a wedding dress for his oldest daughter, calico, which then was considered the height of style in those parts. Michael lived to the age of sixty-five, when he died and was buried in the cemetery near Springdale. Since that time all his children have been laid by his side except two, and in the language of an old settler who knew him well, we know of no person, living or dead, who has contributed so much to improve and benefit the township of Springfield as Michael LONG. The father of Michael was an emigrant from Holland, as was also his wife's father. Michael was born February 14, 1756, and died July 13, 1822.

John L. RIDDLE is one of eight children of John and Catharine RIDDLE. The others were William, Jacob, Mary, Emeline, Andrew J., Nancy, and Adrian A. Of these only Jacob has died. John was born in the old log cabin home, west of Glendale, January 5, 1821; spent his earlier years at home, getting such education as the primitive schools of the region afforded; was married in 1843 to Elizabeth J. HITTS, of Springfield township, and is the parent of eighteen children - five sons and thirteen daughters - Catharine A., Elizabeth J., Cornelia, Frank A., Harriet H., Clara, Julia, Margaret, Mary, John L., Henrietta, Jacob N., and six others who died infants unnamed.

Mr. RIDDLE has acquired a handsome property - partly by his very fortunate sale of parts of the site of Glendale, and is an extensive landholder in the northwest part of the township. He has never aspired to political honors, but has occupied numerous positions of trust, and is often employed to settle estates. Himself and wife have long been influential members of the church at Springdale. They occupy a pleasant home west of the village, and are spending their declining years in all honor, peace, and prosperity.