Dr. William S. Ridenour ^{1 2 3}

   FamilySearch ID: 99T7-S7Z.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1850 in Mifflin Twp., Franklin, OH. ³ George Ridenour, farmer, 58, was living with wife Mary, 50; Daniel, farmer, 27; Elizabeth, 25; David, farmer, 19; William, farmer, 16; Reuben, 13; James, 10; Mary, 6. Also with them is Mary Starret, 82. George's farm was worth $3,500. The next household is John Ridenour, farmer, 23, and his wife Anna, 21. His farm has no value so he is living on father George's land. George was born in Maryland, John in Ohio, and everyone else in Pennsylvania.

2. Military from 6 May 1864 to 20 Aug 1864 in , Franklin, OH: Civil War: 1st Lieutenant, Co. F., 133rd Regiment National Guard. ⁴ This regiment was mustered into service May 6, 1864, and was immediately ordered into West Virginia. Its aggregate strength was nine hundred and seventeen men. The time was occupied by drill until June 2th when it reached Bermuda Hundred and was assigned to the First division, Tenth army corps. On the 16th the division was ordered to destroy the Richmond & Petersburg railroad, and the One Hundred and Thirty third was assigned to the support of a battery. Some four miles of travk was torn up and the division retired in good order. The regiment lost two men wounded in this affair.
July 17th the regiment proceeded to Fort Powhattan on the James River, where it was employed in repairing a line of telegraph to Swain's Point. In this duty encounters with the enemy were common, in one of which the rebels killed two men in the regiment, whom they shamelessly mutilated and left naked in the puhlic road. A detachment, sent out to avenge the outrage, suceeeded in killing the leader of the gang and wounded another.
August 10th, the regiment proceeded to Washington city and from thence to Camp Chase, when it was mustered out August 20, 1864.

3. Census in 1870 in Bourbon, Marshall, IN. ⁵ Peter Beeker [index in census as Beeker but the handwriting looks like Beecher], farmer, 37, was living with wife Elisabeth, 44; George A., 15; Sarah, 13; James F., 8; and Emma A. 6. Also with them is Wm Rillenour, 35, physician. Peter was born in Pennsylvania, James and Emma in Indiana, and everyone else in Ohio. Peter's farm is worth $2,000 and personal estate $350.

4. Newspaper: Arkansas City Weekly Traveler: "James Ridenour's brother, who is a physician, is in the city. Also Jim's unlce and aunt, a nephew, neice, two cousins, and some others of the family. They propose to stay and see the town grow.", 29 Oct 1879, Arkansas City, Cowley, KS. ⁶

5. Census in 1880 in Arkansas City, Cowley, KS. ¹ Peter Beecher, carpenter, 49, was living with wife Elizabeth, 55; son George A., carpenter, 25; Frank J., laborer, 19; Emma A., 16. Also with them: niece Serena M. Bell, 5; and brothers-in-law William S. Ridenour, physician, 46, and James Ridenour, jeweler merchant, 39. Peter and his parents were born in Pennsylvania. Frank, Emma, and Serena were born in Indiana. Everyone else was born in Ohio. Elizabeth, William and James Ridenour's father was from Maryland, their mother from Pennsylvania.

6. Newspaper: Arkansas City Traveler: W. S. Ridenour in Civil War, 31 Aug 1881, Arkansas City, Cowley, KS. ⁷ The wheel of time, in its revolutions, works many changes and in its constantly unrolling panorama of life reveals transpositions and combinations, which partake of the incredible, yet prove the proverb, "Truth is stranger than fiction." These remarks were naturally suggested by a piece of life history extending over an entire generation, the main actors in which are numbered amongst our respected citizens.

Nineteen years ago yesterday four of our citizens, to-wit: Capt. W. E. Chenoweth, Lieut. W. S. Ridenour, Corporal J. Ridenour, and J. B. Daniels, were captured by Gen. Kirby Smith, of the Confederate army, at Richmond, Kentucky, but were paroled after being held but a short time. All four served during the entire war, and, to say the least, it is passing strange that, after the lapse of so many years, they should meet again on the prosaic battlefield of every day life.

7. Newspaper: Arkansas Valley Democrat: Ad: Concord Grapes at the Leonard Vineyard from four to five cents a pound by W. S. Ridenour. August 21, 1882., 29 Aug 1882, Arkansas City, Cowley, KS. ⁸

8. Kansas State census in 1885 in Arkansas City, Cowley, KS. ⁹ Peter Beecher, gardner, 53, was living with Elizabeth, 58; G. A. 29 carpenter; R. F., 22, stone man; Daughter, 20, miliner; S. M. Bill, 10, and W. S. Ridenaur, 50, vineyardist. Peter was born in Pennsylvania, Elizabeth and W.S. in Ohio. [The column to indicate where they were living before Kansas is blank.].

9. Newspaper: Arkansas City Daily Traveler: Autopsy of James Ridenour, 12 Oct 1893, Arkansas City, Cowley, KS. ¹⁰ This afternoon Drs. Morris, McKay and Ridenour held a post mortem examination of the remains of James Ridenour. The deceased held a $3,000 accident policy and the post mortem is held because of this fact.