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1705-1772); and Mary Dorsey (1725-ca. 1786),
who married John Ridgely (by 1724-1771). Her
half nephews were Henry Griffith (ca. 1720-1794);
Charles Greenbury Griffith (1744-1792). MARRIED
second, ca. 1750, Lydia, daughter of Richard War-
field (ca. 1677-1755), widow of Dr. Samuel
Stringer (?-1747) of Queen Caroline Parish, Anne
Arundel County. Lydia was the niece of Alex-
ander Warfield (1678-1740). Her brother was
Alexander (?-1773). Her sisters were Ruth;
Rachel. Her first cousins were Edward Dorsey
(1718-1760); Rachel Howard, who married
Charles Ridgely (by 1705-1772); and Mary Dor-
sey (1725-ca. 1786), who married John Ridgely
(by 1724-1771). CHILDREN. SONS: John Ridgely (by
1724-1771); Charles (1727-died young); Wil-
liam (?-died young); and Charles Ridgely (1733-
1790). STEPSONS: Samuel Stringer; Richard
Stringer, who married in 1762 Elinor Dorsey.
DAUGHTERS: Plcasance (1724-1777), who mar-
ried Lyde Goodwin (?-ca. 1755); Achsah (1731-
1785), who married first, Dr. Robert Holliday
(?-1747), second, John Carnan, and third, Dan-
iel Chamier; and Rachel, who married Darby Lux
(?-1795). STEPDAUGHTERS: Ann Stringer, who
married in 1752 William Coale; Lucy Stringer,
who married in 1752 Greenbury Ridgely (1726-
1783). PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RE-
LIGIOUS AFFILIATION: probably Anglican. SOCIAL
STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Gent., by 1738; Esq., by
1748. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter, by 1732;
merchant, by 1736; ironmaster and owner of a
furnace and forges, 1761 to death. Although
Ridgely's mercantile base was in Baltimore Town
and Baltimore County, his interests extended into
Anne Arundel County where he purchased to-
bacco, crops, livestock, and slaves from at least
1736 through the 1740s. In 1760 Ridgely and his
two adult sons built Northampton Ironworks in
Baltimore County. The ironworks included a fur-
nace on Patterson's (Peterson's) Run and forges
at Long Cam near Gunpowder Falls. Between
November 1763 and April 1764, the ironworks
shipped over £1,858.0.0 worth of pig and bar iron
to London. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERV-
ICE Lower House, Baltimore County, 1751-1754
(the election of the Baltimore County delegation
was voided on December 12, 1751 because of
illegal actions of the sheriff; Ridgely was re-
elected to the 2nd session). LOCAL OFFICES: St.
Paul's Parish Vestry, Baltimore County, 1728-
1731, 1736-1739, 1750-1753; churchwarden, St.
Paul's Parish, Baltimore County, 1732-1733, 1735-
1736, 1745- 1746, justice, Baltimore County, 1743-
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1753 (quorum 1748-1753); justice, Especial Court
of Oyer, Terminer, and Gaol Delivery, 1748, 1750
(quorum). MILITARY SERVICE: major by 1754;
colonel by 1763. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PER-
SONAL PROPERTY: inherited 1 slave and £30.0.0
sterling from his grandfather John Dorsey (ca.
1645-1714/15). LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: Ca. 8,069
acres in Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties
(1,162 acres in Anne Arundel County inherited
from John Dorsey (ca. 1645-1714/15) and repa-
tented in 1735; 470 acres in Baltimore County
acquired through marriage to Rachel Howard and
patented with her in 1739; 1,520 acres in Balti-
more County by patent; remaining acreage by
purchase), plus 789 acres in Anne Arundel County
and 1 lot in Annapolis held for the heirs of Dr.
Samuel Stringer. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND
BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: gave Ca.
618 acres in Baltimore County to his son-in-law
Lyde Goodwin and 300 acres in Baltimore County
to his daughter Pleasance Goodwin, 1752-1753;
gave 1,025 acres in Baltimore County to his
daughter Achsah, 1753; acquired by patent, in-
cluding net gain in resurveys, 3,776 acres in Bal-
timore County, 1751-1760; acquired by purchase
416 acres in Baltimore County, 1751-1760; gave
to his son Charles Ridgely (1733-1790) 2,000 acres,
the "Hampton Estate," in Baltimore County, 1760;
acquired by patent, including net gain in resurv-
eys, 543 acres in Baltimore County, 1762-1772;
acquired by purchase 10 acres in Baltimore County,
1762-1772; transferred to Northampton Iron-
works, retaining a one-third interest, 2,500 acres
in Baltimore County, 1763; purchased 932 acres
in Baltimore County with his sons for use of the
ironworks, 1762-1772; gave to his daughter Rachel
and Darby Lux (?-1795) 433 acres in Baltimore
County entailed to their son William, 1767; gave
to his grandson William Goodwin 260 acres in
Baltimore County, 1769; gave to his son John
Ridgely (by 1724-1771) ca. 2,000 acres in Anne
Arundel and Baltimore counties, 1769. By 1769
all of the land (except 235 acres) held for String-
er's heirs was taxed in the name of Richard
Stringer. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: between April
1, 1772, and June 8, 1772, in Baltimore County.
PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV, £6,285.16.9 current
money (including 36 slaves, 6 servants, 121 oz.
plate, his one-third interest in the Northampton
Ironworks valued at £322.9.3, and £603.0.0 worth
of goods shipped by London merchants); FB,
£4,367.13.6 before payment of legacies and dis-
tribution. Debts paid by the estate included
£224.13.8 owed to Lydia Ridgely. Although
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