DOB:  1839 DOD:  May 13, 1911 Comments: Much of what is known about Daniel Ridley comes from an article published in the August 13, 1907 issue of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.  The writer of the article had interviewed Daniel at a religious camp meeting for black families in the area.  In the article it states that Daniel had been born near Jackson, MS in 1839 on the plantation of Kit Ridley and lived there until the opening of the Civil War when he went with his master to the army.  The owner the article refers to is Christopher Henry “Kit” Ridley of the 1st Tennessee Infantry Co. D.  Kit was born three years after Daniel in 1842 and never lived Mississippi.  Kit’s relative Adelicia McEwen wrote at tribute to Kit after the war which stated: “For one so young - hardly 21 years of age - he had great responsibilities.  His inheritance, a large number of slaves, had just come into his possession.  His government of them was just and merciful.  They almost adored their young master.  He selected one from among them, Dan, and took him as his body servant throughout the war.” So, Daniel was part of an inheritance given to Kit sometime before the war, which explains how a slave in Mississippi ended up in Tennessee.  It does not state who left the inheritance to Kit, but the 1860 Slave schedule shows a 20 year old black male being 1 of 7 slaves belonging to Kit in Williamson County.  Kit enlisted in 1861 and went to Virginia, back to Tennessee, then was part of General Bragg’s invasion of Kentucky.  At the Battle of Perryville October 8, 1862, Kit was wounded in the right hand and hip.  He was then taken to a hospital in Harrodsburg, KY where he was captured along with Daniel on October 10.  Kit was eventually exchanged and returned to the Confederate army but Daniel (now in Federal hands) found his freedom and stayed with Colonel Moulton’s regiment.  Kit was later killed in the Battle of Atlanta in July 1864. Returning to the interview in 1907, Daniel states he returned to Tennessee after the war.  The 1870 and 1880 shows him being a farmer in Davidson County.  His wife in 1870 was named Anna but she must have died sometime before 1879 because Daniel married Celina Samuels.  Daniel had at least three childien with Anna and at least two with Celina.  After 1880, Daniel moved north to Chicago looking for his brother John.  Upon reaching there he found out he had moved to Fort Wayne, IN and there Daniel made his home the remainder of his life.  He is listed as working as a whitewasher in the city directories and in the 1907 article he states he did that all year except for the three months he hosted the religious camps.  At some point after his move to Indiana he visited the home of Kit Ridley in Tennessee.  Adelicia McEwen writes: “I will digress here and give honor to whom honor is due.  The faithful servant disappeared after the close of the war and nothing was heard of him until one day this past spring a grey headed man alighted from a wagon, walked in and introduced himself as ‘Marse Kit’s Dan.’  He will revere his young master’s memory as long as he lives.  He is a preacher among the colored people of Indianapolis, Ind.” Given the statement of Adelicia combined with Daniel’s history.  Kit probably did not abuse Daniel where he despised his former owner, but Daniel definitely valued his freedom more when he left for the Union army.  Daniel Ridley passed away in Fort Wayne in 1911 and is buried in Linwood Cemetery.

1860 Slave Schedule, the 20 year old black male listed under Christopher Ridley is presumed to be Daniel Ridley.

Daniel Ridley sitting bottom right with his family.