Family Group Sheet
NameAda A. Riddle, 2C3R
Birthabt 1872, Menard Co., Illinois
FatherAndrew Harrison Riddle (1836-<1910)
MotherSarah Elizabeth Gregory (1851-1881)
Notes for Ada A. Riddle
Many online family trees identify her with the Ada Riddle who married James S. Margason on 16 May 1894 in Adams Co., Illinois.
There are several problems with that identfication. First, the 1900 and 1910 list Ada (Riddle) Margason and both of her parents as born in Iowa. Since there is no known association of either Andrew Harrison Riddle or Sarah Elizabeth Gregory with Iowa, this seems like an unlikely error to be repeated twice. Secondly, the 1900 census lists that Ada as born July 1871, which is the same month given in the 1900 census for Harry and Sarah’s son John D. Riddle. (The 1880 census lists John D. as 10 and Ada as 8, so it is more likely that John was born in 1870, though. But since he was not listed in the 1870 census, it would be late in 1870.) So our Ada was probably born in 1872. Finally, Harrison Riddle married his second wife in Kentucky around 1882, so Ada most likely returned to Kentucky with him.
So it seems to me more likely that there was another Ada Riddle, born in Iowa, who married James S. Margason. There are a lot of Riddle families in the 1870 and 1880 censuses in Iowa, and Adams Co., Illinois is right across the river from Iowa, while Menard Co. is farther east, more towards the middle of the state.
1900 census of Henderson Co., Illinois, Biggsville township, enumerated 5 June, lists on p. 2B as family #35/36:
Margason, James, 45, b. Jan 1855, Ind Ind Ind; Ada, wife, 28, b. July 1871, Iowa Iowa Iowa, married 6 years, mother of 0 children, 0 living; Luther, son, 17, b. Dec 1882, Illinois Indiana Indiana.
1910 census of Adams Co., North Dakota, Orange township, enumerated 2 July, lists on p. 19A as family #60:
Margason, James S., 56, second marriage, b. Ind Ky Va, farmer; Ada, wife, 38, first marriage, married 16 years, b. Iowa Iowa Iowa.
My money is on the wife of James Margason being the Adda age 8 in this family:
1880 census of Lee Co., Iowa, Denmark township, enumerated 3 June, lists on p. 4 as family #36/39:
Riddle, Ebenezer, 39, farmer, b. Iowa Tenn Ky; Edith J., 36, wife, b. Iowa Del Penn; Susan, 15, dau; Orra E., 13, dau; Adda, 8, dau; Luvenia, 6, dau; William, 4, son; Robert L., 4, son; Ufamie, 5/12, dau. All children born Iowa Iowa Iowa. Ebenezer Sr., 69, father, b. Tenn Penn Penn; Susa, 76, mother, b. Ky Md Md.
Lee County, Iowa is right across the river from Henderson Co., Illinois.
There are several problems with that identfication. First, the 1900 and 1910 list Ada (Riddle) Margason and both of her parents as born in Iowa. Since there is no known association of either Andrew Harrison Riddle or Sarah Elizabeth Gregory with Iowa, this seems like an unlikely error to be repeated twice. Secondly, the 1900 census lists that Ada as born July 1871, which is the same month given in the 1900 census for Harry and Sarah’s son John D. Riddle. (The 1880 census lists John D. as 10 and Ada as 8, so it is more likely that John was born in 1870, though. But since he was not listed in the 1870 census, it would be late in 1870.) So our Ada was probably born in 1872. Finally, Harrison Riddle married his second wife in Kentucky around 1882, so Ada most likely returned to Kentucky with him.
So it seems to me more likely that there was another Ada Riddle, born in Iowa, who married James S. Margason. There are a lot of Riddle families in the 1870 and 1880 censuses in Iowa, and Adams Co., Illinois is right across the river from Iowa, while Menard Co. is farther east, more towards the middle of the state.
1900 census of Henderson Co., Illinois, Biggsville township, enumerated 5 June, lists on p. 2B as family #35/36:
Margason, James, 45, b. Jan 1855, Ind Ind Ind; Ada, wife, 28, b. July 1871, Iowa Iowa Iowa, married 6 years, mother of 0 children, 0 living; Luther, son, 17, b. Dec 1882, Illinois Indiana Indiana.
1910 census of Adams Co., North Dakota, Orange township, enumerated 2 July, lists on p. 19A as family #60:
Margason, James S., 56, second marriage, b. Ind Ky Va, farmer; Ada, wife, 38, first marriage, married 16 years, b. Iowa Iowa Iowa.
My money is on the wife of James Margason being the Adda age 8 in this family:
1880 census of Lee Co., Iowa, Denmark township, enumerated 3 June, lists on p. 4 as family #36/39:
Riddle, Ebenezer, 39, farmer, b. Iowa Tenn Ky; Edith J., 36, wife, b. Iowa Del Penn; Susan, 15, dau; Orra E., 13, dau; Adda, 8, dau; Luvenia, 6, dau; William, 4, son; Robert L., 4, son; Ufamie, 5/12, dau. All children born Iowa Iowa Iowa. Ebenezer Sr., 69, father, b. Tenn Penn Penn; Susa, 76, mother, b. Ky Md Md.
Lee County, Iowa is right across the river from Henderson Co., Illinois.
