James Ridley. Origin: Old Inhabitant

Although not shown with a grant parcel on the Lands & Surveys Maps, James Ridley appears on the Tatnall Map as having received a grant of 100 acres on Long Island in the Roses settlement. On 17 February 1868, William Dean purchased this land from the Crown; Dean’s deed of 80 acres states the land had originally been granted to James Ridley. Apparently, the land had been commuted before that date.

Ridley is an old Bahamian name from the island of Eleuthera, and there was a James Ridley born on 13 May 1784 to James and Ann Ridley on New Providence. It was almost certainly James Sr. who was the subject Long Island grantee, and equally likely also he who was a delegate to the House of Assembly from Abaco in 1785. We did not locate a James Ridley in Loyalist records.

References: HB