Arizona republican., 1909-03-26
CAREER OF
 COL RIDLEY Passing Of a Picturesque
 Western Character FOUGHT IN LOST CAUSES Earned His Military Title by Service In the Confectionery and Supported Maximi- lian's Unfortunate Enter prise.
FOUGHT IN LOST CAUSES

h of whose death and funeral in Tempe is published elsewhere. has lived a most eventful life and has participant ed in most of the stirring incidents of the last sixty years in the west, the south, the southwest and Mexico. For several years he has lived prac- tically in retirement except to the few intimate friends who knew him in an earlier day, but these later years have been comparatively un- evcntful. At least they have not been fruitful of such incidents as made up the lives of the pioneers. Col Ridley's career. not only embrac- ed all the incidents of pioneer life in California, Arizona, Texas and the Mexican border, but it was coupled with the great political events of his day and generation. such as the civil war, the overthrow of Maximilian in Mexico and numerous matters of les ser moment Even so late as the Spanish-American war. Col Ridley was moved to see what was going on from personal experiences and spent a year in Cuba, returning again to his Arizona home.
 Probably no one knows more about Col. Ridley than does Captain Calder wood of this city who first formed his acquaintance in California in the early fifties They were personal friends, though of widely diverging convictions. Captain Calderwood was seen yesterday for a brief interview oa the life of the dead man, as he was able from memory to recite the facts. Alonzo Ridley was born in the state of Maine. as also was Cap tain Calderwood, and that fact brought them closer together. More oyer, they were not far removed from each other in the home state though they were not personally ac- ouainted. The captain, hrweye-, knows of the Ridley family in Maine and knows that they were excellent people, coming from old Scotch an cestry, on the border between Scot land and England. The subject of this sketch was S3 years old at the time of his death. as near as the captain can calculate, and early left the home state. He arrived in Cali fornia with the gold seekers of 1Si9 and his experiences were those of all the early gold seekers. He was one Of the first men to penetrate the Yosemite valley and behold its won drOus beauties.
 Tn the early fifties Nr Ridley went to Los Angeles. which was then only a little Mexican settlement and dur ing the administration of President Buchanan he served as Indian agent on the TeiOn reservation. Also dur ing his residence in Los Angeles Re made the acquaintance of the late Dr Wilson W. Jones. the close friend of lis late years and a prominent man in the early history of ,Arizona- Another of his acquaintances of those dovs was the late II. N. Alexander, father of J. B. and J. l.. B. Alexan- der of Sacaton and Phoenix respec- lively. and for many years leading lawyer in Arizona There were many others with whom ne became ac- ouainted there and later renewed his friendship in Arizona, but the number is being rapidly depleted by time.
 When the civil war broke out, opinion was about equally divided In California and Ridley, though Yam kee born. through his associations, learned to see things differently from most northern people and espoused the southern cause with all his heart and strength. That he was true to 1t no one who knew him could doubt, and that his fidelity was based on conviction was equally as certain He was placed in command of the escort to Albert Sidney Johnston, when that notable parsonage left California for Texas and conducted him safely to his destination.