Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-24
MARY TILDEN RIDGELY

The passing Of Mrss Mary T'lldcn Ridge
" Last week caused sorrow for her family
and her many friends She had lived long
and beautiful life IN Wilmington Hhe
had had home here since she VAS nine
yrars of ape when shc came tn live Mt
iosrviar with her aunt. Mw. Charles |.
dt, Point She knew and loved the brandy
wilma shr ltnew everyone of the old families
and the well established residents Of
the CITY. abe was part Of the life here
before there was All influx OF new residents.
due t0 the city 5 expansion. and she re
caivcd many of the new corners and wei
Comed them as shc always had the Old
friends and addcd them To the nsaoc,a-
tions 10 which ehe had been accustomed
eince childhood. lIer associations were ex-
tended along many lines. because Of many
interests. She was Colonial Dame. And
a Daughter of the Revolution. and very
valuable "a n member of those two patrto
lie organizations because ahe waa 40
we'll ycrrod IN Delaware HISTORY. and fpe
cause II was IN the fibre of her being to
serve her State and country. There WIS
hack Of her such long line ut patriots,
that she could hardly have been other
than ready To serve IN her generation, as
/ they had served before She WAS n member
| of ST Andrew 9 Church and proved .
/ loyal and devoted churchwmnan, who
/ lived up IL the spirit Of religion and
/ church attendance.
Onc of her family sasd of her; She was
/ 5 wonderful person, she measured up To
/ the highest ideals Of living. and was so
/ far-reachlng IN the good she did, that those
near her feel the need Of sympathy
/ The fine character Of Mrs. Charles | du.
pont who was Anne Moore isidgley,
daughter of United States Senator Henry
Moore Ridcely. Was reflected IN the two
women she brought up her own daughter
who was the late Mrs. Eugene du Pont.
aud her niece. Mary Ridgcly. The traits
she developed have come down and now
live in the present generation
Miss Ridgelys middle r ne came
from her mother. who was Mary Tliden
Of Dover. and her father wa4 NleholAs
RidgcIv OF Dover. where the daughter
WAS born.
Miss Rldgelys father was named for q
former Nicholas III the Rldgely family
Chancellor Nicholas kidgely, known ~
the Father of Chancery, because OF his
profound knowledge of the law His Ior-
trait hangs IN the State House ut Dover
the gift Of Mrs. Eugene du Pont, ~ho Was
hjs grand niece The name has been con
tinued in the little son Of Mr.. and Mrs
Eugene du Iunt -Sit4iolsS Asi1s1lS ~
pont And another distinguished Iadgels
hangs in the State House 10 cQmInen0ratk
his service To State and country United
States Senator Henry Moore RdgeEy, :
brother of Chancellor Nicholas. and botf
sons Of DR. Charles Grcenbury Ridgely
one OF the distinguished phys1clans O
bls time Some stand out with more dle
tncton than others but there was never {
Ridgelv who did not more than fulfill hn
obligations as 81 citizen of hls State ano
country. As family they we're long es
tabhshed III Delaware, resident tor many
generations, as witness the old RIdgel,
home on Dover Green, built IN the mlddi'
of the Eighteenth Century and the hon
of the family 10 this day-of Hon HenF,
Ridgely, Mrs Ridgeiy and their daughter
PHYLLIS Older than the house On the Greei
are the two estates-Fox Hall, the larg
: farm owned by Judge Nicholas Ridgei,
and now belonging to Miss Amy r. ds
Pont, her mother having acquired 1t I
her Ridgely inheritance. and Eden Hal
another farm, now belonging 70 Mi
Henry Ridgely
Notwithstanding the honor and dis
. tynction of her fore bears, Miss Mar
Rjdgely was simple and unassuming, 3
} WAYS a loyal and helpful friend, and al
/ WAYS ready with assistance for charltle
, and institutions. Perhaps her fine charaC
/ ter showed best Us her affllctlon OF bind
I ness became more acute, for # is yer.
s true of her that she never compliance
] that she never claimed sympathy or kpccIf
I consideration because of it, and that he
e sympathy for others was always mstar
and deep.