Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-09-24
From the New York Tribune.
Remarkable Memory in a Debtor
A Curious Gaze

| In the year 1910, young joiner, doing
business on the corner OF Pelham and Cherry
streets, in this city. became involved in his
pecunia.y affairs to an extent that rendered
! it necessary for him to ask the indulgence
Of his creditors, and many OF them sigued
| a release IE the course of the following
year QSlD he obtained discharge from
his debts under the State Insolvent Law,
when the Hon. r C.. Van Wyck was Re-
! corder Shortly aiterward this young joiner
LETT the city for Cayuea, in this Sta.e, where
he obtained employment for a while, at one
dollar per day. Here he became acqualnt-
ed with Jejlro Wood, the inventor OF the
cast-iron plows, and for whom be then went
to work, made his patterns, and erected
small iron f0undry, using horse tn drive
his bellows. lie then manufactured and
pedGled the Wood plow Tor abont five years.
at the expiration Of which period he remov-
ed to Columbus, Ohio, and established him.
self in the plow and foundry business, which
he has continued up to the present lime.
During the past year he made quantity
of Castings Tor a ra ilruad company. in pay
ueUJ lot NllCl uC iSCtiNCu ci ~ NA '''
in this city amounting TO nearly 50 900.
when he resclred to carry into effect long
cherished wish to visit the Empire City,
seek out all his old creditors, if living, or
some of their children. For the past tort
night he has been in the city, actively en-
gagged in the erdeavur to carly out his in
tentions. He, however found but one only
of his o,d creditors living, viz: Mr.. Robert
Edwards of No. 387 HUDSON street. On
calling at the residence of that gentleman
and inquring of him il he recoilectPd
Young man by the name of Joseph Ridsway
a Joiner, who in 1910, occupied Il place III
Cherry street, Mr.. Edwards, who is now
about eighty years of age, replied: Il have
some recollection of the boy; and believe
he owed me something when he lett the city
but I don't remember how much Mr..
Ridgeway, who is how seventy four years
old, then addressing himself to MIR. Edwards
said: Il was that boy; and have now come
to pay you doub the amount OF that debt
to which you refer He then took from his
pocket and unrolleG a list of his old debts,
amounting in the aggregate to about s. 900,
D aying in sums from So, o to 1924.
In liquidation of the latter Indebtedness,
he handed over 10 living daughter OF his
creditor the sum of 81 4s; to the son OF
another creditor he paid 81 90 in discharge
of debt of half that amount. On offer
ing to iiquidate the last amount MIR Ridge
way was referred to an executor; where
upon he replied, Il want to see no executor;
am legally discharged from the debt; BE-
sides. your father released me, and debt
AZ years standing must be outlawed. No !
obey the law of conscience, and il any of
nv creditors are living, pay TO their chii-
dren the respective amounts OF my InGebt-
edness.' This he has done with all whom
he has been able t. find; bCt. with the en-
ception OF Mr.. Edwards, he has not found 4
single creditor or a representative OF hls old
creditors v no had any knowledge ut Mr..
Ridgeway, much less any claim aga n>t HIM;
ard he discharging these sri-impnsed obh
cations he has not in single instance taken
an acknuw ledgnent of the fact from any
one that he had paid the money 10.
We wound further take occasion 10 Oh
serve ina' W.T.. NV ~" -
duced to take this honorable step IN Con-
sequence of having more OF this worlds
goods than he knows what TO do with, as
might be the case with others; or with
view of establishing tor himself good
name with business men. On the contrary
there is a mortgage iupun Mr.. Ridgew'y's
property TO the amount OF $4,000, while
at his time of life, and wihou, family, he
has no particular desire or expectation of
extending his business affairs.
Mr. Rdgeway represented the Columbus
district, Ohio, in Congress for six years
the last two years OF Mr.. Van Burcn's Gd-
minis'ration, and The entire term % the
Harrison and Tyler administration. 1t would
be well for the country il it were always
represented by men oil Mr.. Ridgcway's
stamp