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Ridge Query

Dec 2008

Is Roberson Ridge of Randolph County, North Carolina, the father of Samuel R. Ridge of Pulaski County, Kentucky

Roberson Ridge of Randolph County, North Carolina, and Pulaski County, Kentucky, is possibly the father of Samuel R. Ridge. Additionally, there were marriages in the county of two more young men, David and William Ridge, as well as several children shown in the census records who are potential siblings of Samuel. These census and marriage records can locate them in close proximity to each other, but none of these can prove their relationships.

Roberson & Sarah Ridge

Census records show that Roberson was still living in North Carolina in 1800. In 1810, both he and his brother Amos were living in Pulaski County, Kentucky. By 1820, Amos had relocated to Clark County, Indiana, leaving Roberson's as the only known Ridge family in the county. Roberson died before 15 Jun 1829 when an inventory and appraisement of his property was recorded for his probate. The inventory lists items reserved for his widow, who is assumed to be the Sarah Ridge who was a head of household on the 1830 census. She is also likely to be the same person who was living in neighboring Lincoln County, Kentucky, in 1840.

A well researched internet webpage by George Baumbach entitled "Godfrey Ridge of Old Rowan County, North Carolina" demonstrates that Godfrey Ridge was the father of Elizabeth, Mary, William, John, Caleb, Samuel, Roberson, James, and Amos Ridge as listed in his will of 1790. According to Baumbach, Roberson Ridge was born c.1773, because he was sixteen years of age at this time. He has speculated that Roberson and Sarah were the parents of Samuel, David, and William Ridge, but this has been done largely through early census records which do not specify family relationships. Furthermore, due to some inconsistencies in the 1800-1820 census records, I believe Sarah may be a second wife, marrying Roberson after 1810. Baumbach's information is currently located at <http://www.mindspring.com/~baumbach/cody/ridge/godfrey2.htm>.

Mainly through analyzing the 1800-1820 censuses, a list of Roberson's suspected children has been derived. Later censuses show inconsistencies that mean other adults and their children are possibly in the home so they have not been used. The list of his suspected children is:

  1. unknown male (c.1794-1799) who must have moved on or died between 1820-30.
  2. Samuel (c.1800) who married Barbara Aker 14 Aug 1826 in Pulaski County, Kentucky, and is discussed in detail in the Ridge Family History.
  3. William (c.1804-1809) who married Matilda Purvis 18 Feb 1832 in Pulaski County. It was probably this William who lived in adjacent Lincoln County, Kentucky, near Sarah Ridge in 1840. William's date of birth is unknown, and no other information has been found for this couple.
  4. David (c.1805) who was born in North Carolina. He married America (Mary) Newby 1830 in Pulaski County. Two of the three appraisers for the Roberson Ridge property inventory were John Newby, Sr. and John W. Newby, Jr. These men appear to have some relationship to Mary. In 1854, David and Mary were still living in the same county where they had the following children:
    1. John (c.1833) who married Martha Baugh 10 Oct 1857 in Casey County, Kentucky. They lived in Pulaski County and probably remained through at least 1892 when two of their sons married here. They had relocated to Monroe County, Indiana, by 1900.
    2. Robinson (c.1835).
    3. Martha (c.1837).
    4. Perry (c.1838).
    5. Elizabeth (c.1840).
    6. William (c.1841).
    7. Sarah (c.1845).
    8. James (c.1847).
    9. Andrew (c.1849).
    10. Fanny (1854).
  5. unknown female (c.1804-1809).
  6. unknown female (c.1804-1809).
  7. unknown male (c.1810-1820).
  8. unknown female (c.1810-1820).
  9. unknown female (c.1810-1820).
  10. unknown female (c.1810-1820).
  11. unknown female (c.1810-1820).

If this list is at all accurate, there should be many more Ridge descendants still to be identified, but they have proven to be elusive.

Census Records

There were few Ridge families in Pulaski county in its very early years. Of these, only the David Ridge family and his descendents remained after 1850. The Samuel Ridge family had left for Missouri between 1846-50. The following are the relevant census records during the first half of the 19th century with speculation on who some of the individuals may have been.

1800, NC, Randolph Co, Hillsboro, p.336

  1. Robertson Ridge:
    1. 2 males 0-10 [Samuel and eldest son]
    2. 1 male 16-26 [Roberson]
    3. 1 female 27-45 [1st wife?]

1810, KY, Pulaski Co, pp.140,141

  1. Amos Ridge, 2 males 0-10, 1 male 17-26, 1 female 0-10, 1 female 17-26.
  2. Amos Ridge, 1 male 0-10, 1 male 17-26, 2 female 0-10, 1 female 17-26.
  3. Robertson Ridge:
    1. 3 male 0-10 [Samuel, David, William]
    2. 1 male 11-16 [eldest son]
    3. 1 male 27-45 [Roberson]
    4. 2 female 0-10 [2 eldest daughters]
    5. 2 female 17-26 [not in 1800 census?]
      [There does not appear to be a wife present.]

1820, KY, Pulaski Co, Somerset PO, p.57

  1. Robertson Ridge:
    1. 1 male 0-10 [1 unknown]
    2. 2 male 11-16 [David and William]
    3. 1 male 16-18 [probably William or David]
    4. 2 male 17-25 [Samuel and eldest son]
    5. 1 male 26-45 [Roberson]
    6. 4 female 0-10 [4 unknown]
    7. 2 female 11-16 [2 eldest daughters]
    8. 1 female 26-45 [Sarah (2nd wife?)]

1830, KY, Pulaski Co, p.37

  1. Samuel Ridge:
    1. 3 male 0-5 [William and 2 unknown]
    2. 1 male 20-30 [Samuel R.]
    3. 1 female 20-30 [Barbara]
  2. Sarah Ridge:
    1. 1 male 0-5
    2. 1 male 10-15
    3. 1 male 20-30 [David or William?]
    4. 2 female 5-10
    5. 1 female 10-15
    6. 4 female 15-20 [1 too many?]
    7. 1 female 40-50 [Sarah]
    8. [Sarah could be living with a married son or daughter.]

1840, KY, Pulaski Co, Pulaski City, pp.311,324

  1. Samuel Ridge:
    1. 1 male 10-15 [William]
    2. 1 male 20-30 [unknown]
    3. 1 male 40-50 [Samuel R.]
    4. 2 female 0-5 [Amanda and Amelia]
    5. 2 female 10-15 [unknown]
    6. 1 female 30-40 [Barbara]
  2. David Ridge:
    1. 2 male 0-5 [Robinson and Perry]
    2. 1 male 5-10 [John]
    3. 1 male 20-30 [David]
    4. 1 female 0-5 [Martha]
    5. 1 female 20-30 [America]

1840, KY, Lincoln Co, pp.113,114 [adjacent to Pulaski County]

  1. William Ridge:
    1. 1 male 30-39 [William]
    2. 2 female 0-4
    3. 1 female 20-29 [Matilda]
  2. Sarah Ridge:
    1. 1 male 10-15
    2. 1 male 20-29
    3. 1 female 0-4
    4. 1 female 5-9
    5. 2 female 10-14
    6. 1 female 15-19
    7. 1 female 50-59 [Sarah]
    8. [Sarah probably living with a married son or daughter.]

Summary

  1. The Pulaski County, Kentucky, census of 1810 shows only three Ridge families. Two are headed by Amos and Roberson Ridge, sons of Godfrey Ridge.
  2. By 1820, only Roberson’s family remained in Pulaski County.
  3. In 1829, Roberson Ridge died, leaving a widow.
  4. In 1830, there were two Ridge families in the county. One was now headed by Samuel, and the other was headed by Sarah, the probable widow of Roberson.
  5. In 1840, Samuel was still in Pulaski County, and the only other family was now headed by David Ridge. Sarah had moved to Lincoln County, Kentucky, near the family of William Ridge.
  6. Samuel, David and William Ridge married in Pulaski County, Kentucky, in 1826, 1830, and 1832, respectively.
  7. By 1850, the only Ridge family left in Pulaski County was headed by David. According to the census, he had a son named Robinson, which could easily be the name Roberson.
  8. Samuel and David both had children named William, Elizabeth, Sarah, and the less common name of Perry.

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