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ERTY: deeded as gifts 8 slaves to various members
of his family, 1735-1738; deeded as gifts 15 slaves,
plate, and all of his printed books to his son Charles
and daughter Dorothy, 1735-1737, retaining a
life estate in them. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 5,885
acres in Dorchester County (inherited approxi-
mately 3,948 acres from his grandfather's estate,
at least 500 acres through marriage, and approx-
imately 1,437 acres by purchase, patent, or re-
survey). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN
FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: inherited 600 acres
in Dorchester County from his guardian and first
father-in-law, Thomas Hicks (1659-1722), 1722;
purchased, patented, or resurveyed 4,511 acres
in Dorchester County between 1720 and 1734;
sold 492 acres in Dorchester County between 1720
and 1733; deeded as gifts 812 acres in Dorchester
County to various grandchildren, 1735; 1,664 acres
that Rider had purchased or received from his
first father-in-law were taken from him by the
government because they were found to be within
the bounds of the Nanticoke Indian lands. AD-
DITIONAL COMMENTS: In 1723 the legislature re-
ported that several complaints had been made
against Rider and William Ennalls (?-1731) for
molesting the Nanticoke Indians in their posses-
sions and disrupting the cultivation of their lands.
A joint committee from both houses was ap-
pointed in 1725 to hear Rider's and Isaac Nich-
olls's claims to part of the Nanticoke Indian lands.
Rider had purchased or inherited from Thomas
Hicks (1659-1722) some 1,664 acres in Dor-
chester County within the bounds of the res-
ervation set aside for the Indians. An act of As-
sembly guaranteed these lands to the Indians as
long as they chose to remain on them. Rider
claimed that the Indians had deserted their towns
to cultivate the land, and had burnt down their
own fences. An inquiry into these allegations
showed that not all of the Indians had left the
reservation and that, in fact, the English had been
responsible for the burning of at least one Indian's
fences and house in an attempt to drive him away.
Rider's claim to these lands had previously been
denied by the governor and Council. He had then
taken his case to the Lord Proprietor to whom
he had misrepresented the facts, claiming that his
1,664 acres were not within the bounds of the
Indian reservation. Rider eventually lost his claim
and the tracts were taken from him. In 1768,
however, the Nanticoke Indians decided to aban-
don their home in Maryland and join the Six Na-
tions. They petitioned the legislature for com-
pensation for their lands. Rider's heirs then
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reasserted their rights to the 1,664 acres taken by
the government and asked for compensation. The
General Assembly paid the Indians and conveyed
the title to Rider's former lands to his heirs.
WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: on February 16, 1739/
40, in Dorchester County, of pleurisy; had suf-
fered from gout for twenty years; buried at "Wes-
ton," Dorchester County, but his tombstone was
later removed to Christ Church Cemetery, Cam-
bridge, Dorchester County. PERSONAL PROP
ERTY: TEV, £2,060.8.8 (as calculated), including
22 slaves; FB, £1,946.18.2 (as calculated), before
payment of widow's thirds, which amounted to
£648.19.4. LAND: 8,028 acres in Dorchester County.
RIDGELY, CHARLES (by 1705-1772). BORN: in
Prince George's County; younger son. NATIVE:
third generation. RESIDED: in Baltimore County.
FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: Charles Ridgely
(?-1705) of Prince George's County, son of Rob-
ert Ridgely (?-1681) of St. Mary's County, an
attorney, and wife Martha, who married second,
Anthony Underwood (1659- ca. 1689), and third,
Charles Carroll (1660-1720). STEPFATHER: by 1707
Richard Clagett (1681-1752). MOTHER: Debo-
rah, daughter of John Dorsey (ca. 1645-1714/15)
and wife Pleasance Ely, stepdaughter of Thomas
Wainwright (?-1729). BROTHER: William (?-1755)
of Anne Arundel County, who married Elizabeth
Duvall. HALF BROTHER: Edward Clagett. STEP-
BROTHERS OR HALF BROTHERS: Samuel Clagett;
Richard Clagett. HALF SISTERS: Martha Clagett;
Elinor Clagett. STEPSISTER OR HALF SISTER: Mary
Clagett, who married Jeremiah Berry. FIRST
COUSINS: Edward Dorsey (1718-1760); Mary Dor-
sey, who married John Ridgely (by 1724-1771).
NEPHEW Charles Ridgely, of William (?-1810).
MARRIED first, by 1724, Rachel (?-1750), daugh-
ter of John Howard (ca. 1667-1704) and wife
Mary Warfield. Rachel was the stepdaughter of
Katherine Greenbury Ridgely. She was the niece
of Richard Warfield (ca. 1677-1755); Alexander
Warfield (1678-1740). Her brothers were Ben-
jamin (1696-1737), who married Catherine Buck;
Absolute. Her stepbrothers were Henry Ridgely
(?-1750), who married Elizabeth Warfield; Ni-
cholas Ridgely (1694-1755); and Charles Ridgely.
Her half sister was Katherine Howard, who mar-
ried Orlando Griffith (1688-?). Her stepsisters
were Anne Ridgely, who married Joshua Dorsey;
Elizabeth Ridgely (?-1734), who married Thomas
Worthington (ca. 1691-1752/53). Her first cousins
were Edward Dorsey (1718-1760); Lydia War-
field, who married second, Charles Ridgely (by
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